Serie A: The Serie A game between Catania and Roma, abandoned due to rain earlier this month, will be completed on February 7. Heavy rain made the playing conditions impossible at the Stadio Massimino as the Week 18 match will resume from minute 65 with the score set at 1-1.
Yahia: German league strugglers Kaiserslautern have signed Algeria centre-back Anthar Yahia on a three-year deal. The 29-year-old, who has won 52 caps for Algeria, has signed until June 2015 and with Kaiserslautern currently third from bottom, the deal is valid even if they are relegated from the German league.
Ibisevic: Stuttgart have completed the signing of Bosnia striker Vedad Ibisevic from Hoffenheim. Ibisevic passed his medical with Stuttgart yesterday before putting pen to paper on a contract with the Swabian club until 2016. Stuttgart did not disclose a fee for the 27-year-old although reports in Germany suggest he could cost around five million euros.
Costa: Rayo Vallecano have signed Brazilian striker Diego Costa on loan from neighbours Atletico Madrid. Costa will join until June 30, after which he will return to Atletico as Rayo do not have an option to buy. The 23-year-old re-joined Atletico from Real Valladolid in 2010 having previously played for various clubs on loan, including Braga, Celta Vigo and Albacete.
Bonus: Equatorial Guinea players received almost €800,000, the windfall paid by the son of the country’s president as a bonus for their Africa Cup defeat of Libya. Teodorin Obiang Nguema kept his pre-match promise to give the co-hosts €760,000 for the 1-0 win in Saturday’s opening match and a further €30,000 for the scorer of the goal and for one that was disallowed.
Alphonse: Ligue 1 side Brest moved to replace Nolan Roux after he left for champions Lille by signing French forward Alexandre Alphonse from Swiss outfit FC Zurich. The 29-year-old – who has scored 55 goals in 166 games for Zurich – signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Brest.
Boa Morte: Former Arsenal and West Ham striker Luis Boa Morte has joined reigning South African champions Orlando Pirates. The 34-year former Portuguese international last played for Greek club Larissa.
Alderweireld: Ajax centre-back Toby Alderweireld looks set to be sidelined for between two and four weeks with a hamstring injury. The 22-year-old Belgium international picked up the problem during Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Eredivisie leaders AZ Alkmaar.
Africa Cup: Group A – Libya vs Zambia 2-2; Equatorial Guinea vs Senegal 2-1.
King’s Cup: Quarter-final – Real Mallorca vs Athletic Bilbao 0-1 (agg: 0-3).