Azzurri: Italy will play friendlies against Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland and Japan, of Alberto Zaccheroni, this year. In both instances, the venues and dates still have to be determined by the national federations involved. Neutral grounds are not being ruled out but the match against Japan will probably be played at the end of 2011.
Bologna: Confusion continued to reign at Bologna this season as director of sport Carmine Longo lost his job late Friday. Longo had been tasked to assemble a strong squad for the financially-troubled club next season. However, a few days ago he suggested in state-ments to the media that he would probably leave in summer. “I do not understand what’s happening and nothing is particularly clear, so I feel carrying on would be a mistake,” he said.
Bremen: Germany have announced their international friendly against France next February will be staged in Werder Bremen’s Weser Stadion. The last time the national team played in Bremen was in September 2005, when a hat-trick from Lukas Podolski helped them to a 4-2 win over South Africa.
Spain: World Cup champions Spain will face Venezuela in a friendly in the South American country on June 1. It said the venue for the match has yet to be determined. Spain has already agreed to play the United States in a friendly in Boston on June 4, the first encounter between the two sides since the USA defeated Spain 2-0 in the semi-final of the Confederations Cup in South Africa in 2009.
Hair cut: Kevin Grosskreutz had his head shaved yesterday as he made good a promise to undergo a first haircut since October as soon as Borussia Dortmund were crowned cham-pions. After his side won their seventh league title, Grosskreutz, 22, allowed team-mate Dede to shave his head on the pitch in front of 80,000 fans.
Greek clashes: AEK won their 14th Greek Cup last night edging Atromitos 3-0 in the final at the Athens Olympic Stadium in a match overshadowed by violent clashes between the two sets of fans. The match was marred by violence as dozens of AEK fans tried to enter the stadium without tickets but were held back by riot police using tear gas.
Rugby Union: Japan marked an emotional return to the Asian Five Nations with a 22-45 away victory over Hong Kong, yesterday. Ahead of the game, the crowd observed a moment’s silence to mark the victims of Japan’s March 11 earthquake. A Japanese flag was unfurled with the words “One for all and all for one” running across the Rising Sun.
American Football: The NFL lockout was reinstated late Friday after the owners won an appeals court ruling for a temporary stay. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granted the league’s request for a temporary stay of a previous court order lifting the lockout. Billionaire owners and millionaire players have been un-able to agree on how to divide $9.1 billion annually in revenues from America’s most popular sport.
Basket, NBA: Zach Randolph finished with 31 points as Memphis Grizzlies reached their first quarter-finals by beating San Antonio Spurs 99-91. The Grizzlies became just the second eighth-seed to upset a top seed since the NBA expanded the first round series to a best-of-seven.
Golf: Lee Westwood battled to hold on to his position as no.1 yesterday as a thunderstorm forced an early halt to the third round of the Ballantine’s Championship. The Englishman was four shots off joint leaders Miguel A. Jimenez and Brett Rumford when the storm sent players running for shelter. Westwood sits tied 11th on six under par and faces an uphill struggle to secure the top-five finish he needs to stop Martin Kaymer overtaking him in the rankings after just a week at no.1.