Former defender Daniel Prodan, who was a member of the Romania team that reached the 1994 World Cup QFs, has died aged 44 following a heart attack.

Prodan, capped 54 times by Romania between 1993 and 2001, won five consecutive league titles with Steaua Bucharest before moving to Atletico Madrid.

Hard-man Prodan, who was also part of the Romanian team at Euro 1996, joined Rangers in 1998 but failed to play a single game due to a knee injury.

Prodan retired from football at the age of 31.

Lahm has years left in him – Martinez

Bayern Munich’s Javi Martinez says Philipp Lahm should shelve plans to retire in 2018 and carry on playing until 2020.

Lahm has recently hinted that he could bring an end to his playing career this summer after previously stating that his current contract, which expires in 2018, will be his last.

Martinez believes that the 33-year-old would be making a mistake by retiring so soon, however.

“He still looks so young and fresh,” Martinez said.

“He’s not going to retire, I don’t believe that. Philipp’s got to carry on playing. Philipp can manage another four years.”

United quarterly profit falls by 25%

Manchester United posted a 25 per cent fall in quarterly core earnings as their absence from the lucrative Champions League competition and fewer home games at the start of the season hit the club’s matchday revenue.

United are currently sixth in the Premier League.

The team failed to reach the Champions League for the current 2016-17 season after finishing only fifth in the Premier League in the last campaign.

The club’s adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the three months to September 30 fell to £31.2 million from a record £41.6 million a year earlier.

Full-back Bellerin out for a month

Arsenal will be without full-back Hector Bellerin for the clash against Manchester United to-morrow and manager Arsene Wenger will make a late decision over forward Alexis Sanchez.

Bellerin will be out for four weeks with an ankle problem while Sanchez played for Chile against Uruguay on Tuesday despite concerns over a hamstring injury.

“We didn’t know whether or not he would play 24 hours before the Uruguay game. In the end they decided to play him. He text us saying he was in good shape after the game but we have to wait,” Wenger said.

“I will see tomorrow (today) if he can be involved in the squad or not. What I will consider is basically the risk of injury.”

Herrera to frame Spain debut shirt

Spain midfielder Ander Herrera will preserve the memory of his international debut by framing the shirt he played in at Wembley on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old, who has represented Spain at every age group, made his senior debut when he came off the bench to replace Thiago Alcantara in the 56th minute of the friendly against England.

“It was exciting and an honour to represent my country. I will have to frame the shirt. Wembley is the best stage for a debut,” Herrera said.

Herrera came on when Spain were trailing 2-0 but Isco and Iago Aspas scored in the dying minutes to earn the visitors a draw.

Bolivia appeal docked points

Bolivia have appealed FIFA’s sanction of docked points in the World Cup race for fielding an ineligible player in two qualifiers.

FIFA handed Chile and Peru 3-0 walkover wins in a November 1 decision after Bolivia included Paraguayan-born Nelson Cabrera in their teams for the South American qualifiers.

Bolivia beat Peru 2-0 in La Paz on September 1 then held Chile to a 0-0 draw in Santiago five days later.

“FIFA never investigated or acted of its own accord, but rather by request and at the instances of the parties that demanded sanctions,” Bolivia’s nation federation FBF said in a statement.

“(FIFA) benefited them with points and goals which they never obtained in the sporting contest.”

Coach’s daughter puts dad in trouble

Gremio have been ordered to play the second leg of their Brazilian Cup final away from home after the coach’s daughter celebrated the semi-final victory on the field with her father.

Carolina Portaluppi, a 22-year old student and model who is a long-time Gremio fan, sat with her father Renato Gaucho on the bench for the final moments of the win over Cruzeiro and then joined in the celebrations on the pitch afterwards.

Brazil’s Superior Court of Sporting Justice also fined the Porto Alegre club $8,600 and threatened to take further action against the coach.

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