Fined: A Danish man was yesterday sentenced to pay 1,869,269 kroner (250,000 euros) in damages to the Danish FA for interrupting a game by rushing the pitch and attacking the referee. Ronni Noervig, 33, who has been nicknamed the “football idiot” by Danish media, had interrupted a Euro Championship qualification match between Denmark and neighbouring Sweden on June 2, 2007.
Cesena: Cesena official Luca Mancini said the struggling Serie A club’s plans for the season do not include progress in the Italian Cup tomorrow as they play Napoli away in the last 16. Cesena will be fielding a second-string formation to focus solely on the battle for survival. “For us, the cup match falls at the wrong time. On Sunday we have a direct confrontation with Novara so we have to avoid injuries,” he said.
Essien: Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien made his comeback from a serious knee injury late Monday, featuring for the first time in six months in a reserve match with West Brom. The Ghana international featured for 75 minutes as Chelsea lost 3-2.
Brandao: Marseille coach Didier Deschamps has recalled Brandao from his loan at Gremio to help cope with a lack of forwards at the club. With Jordan and Andre Ayew at the African Nations Cup and Andre-Pierre Gignac injured, Deschamps was was running short of options in attack.
Moldova: Ion Caras has been appointed as Moldova’s new national team coach, taking over from Romanian Gabi Balint who was fired after the failed Euro 2012 qualifying campaign. The 61-year-old Caras has signed a two-year contract for his second spell in charge of the east European minnows. He was previously coach from 1991 to 1997 shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Holzhauser: Bayer Leverkusen chairman Wolfgang Holzhauser has declared his intention to step down from the role in 2014. Holzhauser turns 62 on Friday and he says he does not want to remain in the business until the stress gets too much for him. “As things stand now, I am going to quit in the middle of 2014,” he said.
Barmby: Hull have appointed Nick Barmby as their manager on a permanent basis. Barmby, 37, took caretaker charge of the Tigers in November, initially overseeing a run of five wins in his first seven games. A disappointing three-game losing streak soon followed but, after leading the Yorkshire club to a 3-1 FA Cup third round victory over Ipswich on Saturday, he has been handed the reins indefinitely.
Coquelin: Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin has signed a new long-term contract with the Premier League side. Arsenal said the 20-year-old’s future at the club was now assured following completion of the deal.