Friendly: A goalkeeping blunder prolonged Javier Aguirre’s wait for his first victory as Japan coach as the Asian champions were held to a 2-2 draw by Venezuela in an international friendly at home yesterday. Japan seemed set for their first win under the Mexican but the otherwise reliable Eiji Kawashima fumbled with Gabriel Cichero’s 71st minute long-range effort that slipped through his hands.

Brandt: Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Julian Brandt has been ruled out for several weeks after suffering a torn ankle ligament in training, the Bundesliga leaders said yesterday. This is the second injury blow for the Champions League competitors after captain Simon Rolfes underwent ankle surgery last week.

Johnson: Glen Johnson could be following in the footsteps of Ashley Cole and Micah Richards by joining a Serie A club after the Liverpool defender was linked with a move to Juventus in January. Reports said Juventus are looking to sign Johnson, 30, but the stumbling block could be his £110,000-a-week wages which the Italy champions may deem to be excessive.

Benitez: Napoli’s Rafa Benitez is the best paid Coach in Serie A according to Gazzetta dello Sport. Benitez earns an annual salary after tax of €3.5m. He is followed by Inter coach Walter Mazzarri, on €3.3m. Roma’s Rudi Garcia and Massimiliano Allegri, of Juventus, are next with €2.8m and €2.4m salaries respectively and Pippo Inzaghi’s promotion to the Milan bench this summer has netted him €1.5m a year.

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