The home of Bolton will be renamed the Macron Stadium in July as part of a new sponsorship deal between the Championship club and the Italian sportswear company.
The Wanderers announced yesterday that Macron had agreed to become their stadium naming rights partners and kit providers as part of an initial four-year agreement.
It means that the club’s home ground will change its name for the first time since it opened as the Reebok Stadium in 1997.
Distin waits
Everton centre-back Sylvain Distin faces an anxious 48 hours to find out whether his season has been prematurely ended by injury.
The veteran French defender was forced off with a hamstring injury at half-time of Sunday’s victory over Manchester United and will definitely miss tomorrow’s trip to Southampton.
By the weekend Everton hope to be in a position to know the extent of the injury.
Manager Roberto Martinez said: “It is a little bit too early to know how long he is going to be out. I do think that over the next 48 hours we will have a clear idea of whether he will be available before the season ends.”
Jailed over Australia league match-fixing
The Malaysian ringleader of an Australian soccer match-fixing ring was jailed yesterday, shortly after the lower league club involved was fined and deducted points for their failure to prevent the situation.
Judge Michael Bourke sentenced Segaran Subramaniam to three years imprisonment, with two suspended, after he pleaded guilty to engaging in conduct to corrupt the betting outcome.
Subramaniam was arrested in September 2013 as part of a police investigation into betting irregularities surrounding Victorian Premier League club Southern Stars.
Given time already served, Subramaniam is likely to spend at least five months in jail, after which he will probably be deported, a court spokeswoman said.
Czech Rep., Poland withdraw from race
Czech Republic and Poland have withdrawn from the race to become a host for the Euro 2020 finals.
UEFA’s continental championship will be staged in 13 different cities but Prague, Warsaw and Chorzow have all dropped out of the race ahead of today’s deadline for candidate bids.
The Czech FA blamed the lack of financial guarantees for the withdrawal. Prague authorities had earlier described their Euro 2020 project as “incomplete”.
Poland were Euro 2012 co-hosts but their football federation withdrew from the 2020 race after rating the prospects of its two potential venues being successful as “minimal”.
Sturridge hopeful of comeback
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is optimistic of returning from injury for the key clash against former team-mates and title rivals Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday in a boost for the current Premier League leaders.
“Hopefully this weekend I’ll be back,” the league’s second top-scorer, with 20 goals to team-mate Luis Suarez’s 30, told children in a question and answer session at a sponsor event for the club.
“I’m not too sure if he’ll play me or not,” he added when asked whether manager Brendan Rodgers was likely to select him.
“We’ll have to see.”
Henrique unscathed after car crash
Napoli could be without defender Henrique for tomorrow’s match against Inter after the Brazilian was involved in a car incident on Wednesday even though he escaped unhurt.
Napoli said the Brazilian lost control of his Porsche while driving in Castel Volturno on his way home from training.
Reports said the car was completely written off after colliding with a central reservation, but Henrique only suffered some bruising.
The 27-year-old centre-back joined Napoli from Palmeiras in January, and since then he has gone on to make 14 appearances in all competitions for Rafa Benitez’s team.
Ferhat says no contact with Milan
Reports in the media this week suggested Milan were planning to make an offer for Algerian winger Zinedine Ferhat, currently on the books of USM Alger.
A few top clubs in Europe are keeping tabs on the 21-year-old with Bundesliga club Augsburg also reportedly interested in signing Ferhat.
Yesterday, Ferhat claimed that there have been no offers from the Serie A so far.
“I haven’t received any offers from Milan,” he told France Football.
“Right now, all I’m focused on is USM Alger and trying to get to the World Cup with the national team.
“Only after that will I think about the transfer market.”