Rangers midfielder Joey Barton’s suspension following a training-ground dispute with a team-mate has been extended by a week, the Scottish club said yesterday.
The 34-year-old Englishman was due to return from a three-week ban today following an altercation with midfielder Andy Halliday.
“Joey Barton has been informed that his suspension by the club has been extended by one week,” Rangers said.
“This is part of a formal disciplinary procedure and Joey has been instructed not to return to Ibrox or (training facility) Auchenhowie until further notice.”
Milik injury blow for Napoli, Poland
Arkadiusz Milik, Napoli’s replacement for Gonzalo Higuain, faces a six-month lay-off with anterior cruciate ligament damage.
On Saturday the 22-year-old was forced off the pitch during Poland’s 3-2 World Cup qualifying victory over Denmark and he was soon travelling back to Italy to visit Rome’s Villa Stuart clinic.
Medical tests conducted yesterday revealed Milik had suffered serious damage to his left knee, an injury that has curtailed a strong start to the season in which he had scored seven goals for Napoli.
A statement published on the club’s official website confirmed the Pole would need surgery.
Badstuber critical of Guardiola
Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber has criticised Pep Guardiola for not showing any interest in him during his time at the Bundesliga club.
Although Badstuber spent much of the three years of Guardiola’s reign sidelined by injury, the 27-year-old says he is only now starting to realise how much he felt abandoned.
“Our current coach likes to exchange opinions with the players, and so the conversation goes back and forth,” he said.
“That’s good too. With Pep, it was different. I would have to approach him because if I want to have a discussion then I will go looking for it.
“Of course it gives you a good feeling when the coach shows an interest.”
Bruce hopeful of taking Villa job
Steve Bruce believes managing Aston Villa would be “a terrific job” and hopes to hear if he will be appointed this week.
The former Hull manager has held initial discussions with Villa and is now considered the leading contender for the position along with caretaker boss Steve Clarke.
“I’ve had a chat with them. That’s as far as it’s gone,” Bruce said yesterday.
“They did say they’re in a process, which you have to respect. I’m hoping that I hear something this week. It would be a terrific job.”
Giggs: Swansea not ambitious enough
Ryan Giggs passed up the opportunity to become Swansea City manager because the Premier League club did not match his ambitions.
British media reports suggested Giggs was in line to replace recently sacked coach Francesco Guidolin at Swansea but the Welsh club instead appointed American Bob Bradley.
“I was enjoying a bit of travelling and I got a call off Swansea and I met them a couple of times,” Giggs said.
“In the end there was just mixed messages from the football side and the ownership side of the club. I just felt their ambitions did not really match mine so it didn’t quite work out.”
Turan reveals huge China offer
Arda Turan says that Barcelona turned down a bid of €50 million for him from an unnamed Chinese club last season.
Turan, 29, only joined Barcelona last summer but was forced to wait until January for his debut due to the Spanish club’s transfer ban.
The Turkey international was linked with a move to Beijing Guoan, and he has now confirmed there was a firm offer which Barca rebuffed.
“Last season, a club from China offered €50m to sign me, but Barcelona rejected the offer,” Turan told Beyaz TV. “Barcelona did not sign me just for six months. I am at Barcelona as part of a long-term project.”
Strachan hails Scotland display
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan felt his side’s second-half display was the best they had played for some time after James McArthur’s late header rescued a World Cup qualifying point against Lithuania at Hampden.
Strachan said: “The first half was a game like the English Championship where the ball got smacked from one end to the other.
“And it’s very hard to play when the ball’s in the air a lot, you need to be really brave and really on top of your form to deal with that type of football. At times we did, made a couple of chances.
“Second half, played well, played really well. Made more chances than we did in Malta, and to drag themselves back after that body blow of the goal was terrific.”