Carew: Inter have dropped plans to offer veteran Norwegian striker John Carew a short-term contract because of concerns over his fitness. Carew, 33, has been without a club since helping England’s West Ham United to return to the Premier League last May.
Lens: PSV Eindhoven striker Jeremain Lens has been suspended for three matches by the Dutch FA for a clash with fellow international Joris Mathijsen following a league match against Feyenoord on Sunday. The pair clashed during Feyenoord’s 2-1 win and the row continued after the game when winger Lens grabbed Mathijsen by the shirt outside the dressing rooms.
Corinthians: Holders Corinthians’ appeal against a ban on their fans attending their Libertadores Cup matches has been rejected by the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol). The president of the appeals board upheld its Feb. 21 ban, imposed on the Brazilian club world champions after a boy was killed by a flare fired by a Corinthians fan at their Group Five match away to San Jose in the Bolivian city of Oruro last week.
Huth: Stoke City defender Robert Huth has been banned for three games after admitting a Football Association charge of violent conduct. The German was involved in an off-the-ball clash with Fulham’s Philippe Senderos during their Premier League meeting last Saturday when he pushed the opposing centre back in the face. Huth will miss Premier League matches against West Ham, Newcastle and West Brom.
Perry: Rangers defender Ross Perry’s season could be over after a scan revealed he had torn his hamstring. The centre-back suffered a recurrence of the injury during his side’s 3-1 win at Berwick on Saturday and tests have indicated he faces six weeks on the sidelines. The club said on their official website that it would be mid-April before the Scotland Under-21 defender is fit and he might not be risked again in this campaign.
Banned: A Millwall fan who hurled racist abuse at a Leeds striker was yesterday banned from football matches for five years and ordered to pay more than £500. Gerrard Scanlon, 53, was arrested after Sky News broadcast footage which appeared to show some of the London club’s supporters abusing Senegalese striker El-Hadji Diouf.
Juventus: Serie A leaders Juventus are sweating over the fitness of Martin Caceres and Nicolas Anelka ahead of tomorrow’s top-of-the-table clash at the San Paolo stadium. Defender Caceres and striker Anelka both were forced to skip the team’s training session at Vinovo yesterday as they continue to struggle with back pain.