Bulgaria: Former Ludogorets coach Ivaylo Petev has been sounded out by Bulgaria about the vacant job of national team coach. “(Bulgarian Football Union president) Bobby Mihaylov called me some time ago and we talked for two or three minutes,” the 39-year-old said yesterday. “I’m flattered. It talks about my qualities but we’ll see what happens.” The BFU last week sacked Luboslav Penev following Bulgaria’s poor start to their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

Kondogbia: Monaco midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia will not feature again until the new year due to a thigh injury, the club have announced. The former Sevilla man suffered the injury during the warm-up for Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Rennes and could now be out for up to two months.

In France: A fire has been extinguished in a snack bar at the Geoffroy Guichard stadium ahead of St Etienne’s home game against arch rivals Olympique Lyon. “The fire... has been quickly extinguished by the firefighters,” St Etienne said yesterday. “Consequently, all the supporters with Kop North and Charles Paret stand tickets will have normal access.”

Eight match ban: AFC player of the year nominee Nasser Al Shamrani has been banned for eight matches for spitting and head butting an opponent after the final of the AFC Champions League earlier this month. The Saudi striker’s ban, the least he could have received after being found guilty, is only for matches in the AFC Champions League.

Crowd trouble: Partizan Belgrade coach Marko Nikolic was hit by a firecracker in the first half and sent off for dissent in the second during their 1-1 draw at Novi Pazar in the Serbian first division yesterday. Novi Pazar supporters created an intimidating atmosphere which saw Nikolic struck by a hurled firecracker shortly after Danko Lazovic had headed the visitors in front. Unhurt, Nikolic was later sent off after protesting against a disallowed goal.