A Dutch Cup tie between Amsterdam giants Ajax and AZ Alkmaar was dramatically halted mid-match Wednesday after a fan ran on to the pitch and tried to assault AZ’s goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado.
The incident, which looks set to cause a headache for the Dutch football federation (KNVB), led to the Costa Rican ‘keeper being red-carded by the referee after he twice kicked at the fan, who was then escorted off the pitch by police.
The expulsion infuriated AZ coach Gertjan Verbeek, who led his players off the pitch complaining about the lack of security at the ground. The match was subsequently called off.
Ajax had been leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from full-back Gregory van der Wiel when the match was called off in the 37th minute.
Gazprom may sponsor Bayern
Russian energy giant Gazprom could be the next major sponsor of German club Bayern Munich, a report said yesterday.
Meetings about a possible sponsorship deal were held between Gazprom chief Alexej Miller and top Bayern officials Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeness on Wednesday, according to yesterday’s edition of Munich-based newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
Gazprom are currently the official sponsor of another Bundesliga side, Schalke 04.
Arsenal move game over Tube strike
Arsenal have postponed their Boxing Day Premier League fixture with Wolves after threatened industrial action on London’s Underground system, the club announced yesterday.
The Gunners were due to face Wolves as part of the traditional programme on December 26 but have now shunted the fixture back 24 hours as London braces for travel disruption from the strike.
Arsenal said the club had taken the decision after liaising with police and local authorities.
Garrido sacked
Juan Carlos Garrido was sacked as Villarreal coach following their Copa del Rey exit at the hands of third-tier Mirandes on Wednesday.
Villarreal went down 2-0 at El Madrigal against the Segunda B outfit in the second leg of their fourth-round tie to crash out of the cup 3-1 on aggregate.
The defeat, coupled with the team’s precarious position of 17th in the Primera Division, prompted the club’s board to dispense with Garrido’s services.
Villarreal also endured a terrible Champions League campaign, becoming the first Spanish side to lose all six group tage matches.
AVB not tracking Modric... for now
Manager Andre Villas-Boas has refused to rule out Chelsea resurrecting a move for Luka Modric – but insisted it would not come next month.
Modric was at the centre of one of the transfer sagas of the summer when Tottenham rejected more than one bid from the Blues for their star playmaker.
Blues boss Villas-Boas said: “In the future, I don’t know about Modric. We’re not looking at it at the moment.
“He’s an extremely creative player, one of the greatest talents in the world, a player who will have tremendous success.”
Eusebio remains in treatment
The medical director of the hospital where Eusebio is being treated for bronchial pneumonia admitted he can not say when the Portugal legend is likely to be released.
The 69-year-old is in the care of doctors at the Hospital da Luz in Lisbon, but his condition is not thought to be life-threatening.
His condition has been described by the hospital’s medical director Jose Roquete as “not serious but requires hospitalisation”.
On when he might be released, Roquete was quoted as saying: “It may take two, three, four, five, six days, we do not know.”
Injuries mount for Man. United
Manchester United kept up their pursuit of leaders Manchester City with a 5-0 victory at Fulham but the three points came at a cost as Phil Jones and Ashley Young were injured.
Jones was forced off early on after being hit in the jaw by the arm of Clint Dempsey. Young, who had replaced him in the 20th minute, left the field in the second half following a collision with Dickson Etuhu.
It is feared Jones, 19, has suffered a fracture and as a result will be out for six weeks.
“We’ve got a couple of injuries,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said after Wednesday’s game.
“Phil Jones got an elbow to the jaw and Ashley is out for two or three weeks.”