Demichelis: Manchester City boosted their defensive options by signing Argentine centre back Martin Demichelis from Atletico Madrid yesterday. With captain Vincent Kompany sidelined for around a month with a groin problem and his usual partner in the heart of defence, Matija Nastasic, only just back from injury himself, the arrival of 32-year-old Demichelis will be welcomed by fans.

Dabizas: Panathinaikos technical director Nikos Dabizas was kicked and punched by four of the club’s fans yesterday, the club said. According to media reports, former Greece international Dabizas, 40, was physically and verbally attacked by four Panathinaikos fans outside the team’s Apostolos Nikolaidis stadium yesterday morning after watching the under-20 team. The club added that the former Newcastle United defender did not want to press charges against his attackers.

Serbia: Serbia have recalled Nemanja Matic for the World Cup qualifiers against Croatia and Wales but coach Sinisa Mihajlovic said the midfielder was not guaranteed his first competitive start in international football. Matic last played for Serbia in June 2012 and pulled out of the national team in December after falling out with Mihajlovic who said the Benfica playmaker did not fit his 4-2-3-1 formation.

Garcia: Werder Bremen have once again raided Italian football to sign full-back Santiago Garcia on a one-year loan deal. Garcia, who played for Palermo in Serie A last season but belongs to Chilean club Rangers de Talca, joins Luca Caldirola, who arrived from Inter earlier this summer and plays on the other side of the back four for Bremen.

Nedelev: Bulgaria international winger Todor Nedelev will join Mainz on a four-and-a-half-year contract in January, the Bundesliga club have announced. The 20-year-old will remain with hometown club Botev Plovdiv, for whom he has scored 16 goals in 57 league appearances, until the new year before moving to the Coface Arena for an undisclosed fee.