Former Spain striker David Villa’s loan spell at Melbourne City is to come to an end next month after just four A-League matches, the club said yesterday.
Villa was loaned to the club from Major League Soccer (MLS) club New York City, who are also owned by English champions Manchester City, and it had been hoped he would play the full 10 matches allowed to a guest player under league rules.
The club confirmed yesterday, however, that Villa would leave Australia in early November to fulfil marketing and commercial obligations in New York.
I was victim of racist chants – Adriano
Luiz Adriano, who scored five goals in Shakhtar Donetsk’s record-tying 7-0 Champions Lea-gue win at BATE Borisov on Tuesday, said he was the victim of racist chanting from the crowd.
“I heard rude abuse...racist ones,” the Brazilian marksman told Shakhtar’s website.
“Supporters behaved improperly and that is why I am disappointed and feel resentment. It was an ugly act from their side.”
On a record-breaking night, Luiz Adriano became the first player in the history of the competition to score four goals in the first half.
He also joined Barcelona’s Lionel Messi as the only players to hit five goals in a Champions League game.
FA to probe Jerome claims
The Football Association were waiting to receive Mark Clattenburg’s match report yesterday after the referee stopped Tuesday’s Championship match between Norwich and Leeds following an alleged racism row.
The 1-1 draw at Carrow Road was overshadowed by allegations that Norwich striker Cameron Jerome was racially abused by Leeds defender Giuseppe Bellusci.
Clattenburg stopped the match midway through the first half after receiving a complaint from Jerome after words were exchanged with the Italian defender. The referee spoke to both managers on the touchline before lecturing Bellusci.
Moments later Jerome was booked for a foul on Bellusci.
Dessena extends Cagliari contract
Cagliari midfielder Daniele Dessena has signed a one-year contract extension which will keep him with the Serie A side until at least June 2017.
The 27-year-old has been a success since arriving permanently to Cagliari in 2012 from Sampdoria.
Dessena, who previously played on loan at Cagliari in the 2009-10 campaign, has made a total of 110 appearances and scored seven goals for the Sardinian club.
Cagliari are also expected to renew the contract of Italian defender Francesco Pisano in the next few days.
Mourinho bans injury talk
Jose Mourinho has no intention of bemoaning his striker shortage as the Chelsea manager prepares to take the Premier League leaders to Manchester United on Sunday without Diego Costa and Loic Remy.
Didier Drogba is the only fit forward at Mourinho’s disposal for Old Trafford after Remy suffered a groin injury in Tuesday’s 6-0 win over Maribor in Champions League Group G.
“We don’t cry on injuries,” Mourinho said.
“We cannot hide. In this moment we have some problems with players that are not available.
“(Wednesday) is a day off and the doctor is forbidden to call me to speak about injuries. I don’t want to speak about injuries, Man. United. I don’t want to know.”
Di Matteo relaxed after close shave
New Schalke boss Roberto Di Matteo insisted the win was all that mattered in the end as Sporting Lisbon’s comeback came dangerously close to spoiling his first Champions League game in charge of the Royal Blues.
The Germans threw away a 3-1 second-half lead against 10-man Sporting to be level at 3-3 heading into time added-on before a last-gasp Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting penalty decided the match.
“It was an eventful game,” Di Matteo said.
“If you lead 3-1 with a man advantage, you have to control the game until the final whistle. But I said after our win over Hertha Berlin that we needed some time.”
Kompany bemoans City fans’ absence
Captain Vincent Kompany claims it is “unacceptable” Manchester City had no fans at their Champions League tie at CSKA Moscow while the home side apparently did.
CSKA appeared to have around 200-300 fans backing them at a game that was officially played behind closed doors at the Khimki Arena.
Kompany said: “You say ‘no fans’ then all of a sudden you turn up and basically the only team that hasn’t got fans is Man. City.
“So who’s getting punished? Who is being done for racism? Man. City or Moscow?
“I don’t have a problem, they’ll say it’s sponsors and so on and they need to give certain allocations, but why are we getting punished?”