Grafite: Wolfsburg's Brazilian striker Grafite has apologised for criticising his manager Armin Veh for substituting him during last weekend's 1-1 draw with Bochum. "For me the problem is resolved and it won't have any bearing on our future relations, there is no punishment," Veh said.
Pandev: Inter president Massimo Moratti has revealed he is a fan of Goran Pandev but insists his side have not made a move yet to acquire the out-of-favour Lazio striker. Pandev has not featured for the Romans since announcing in the summer his wish to leave the Biancoceleste. "Pandev is a name that I read a lot in the press," said Moratti. "But up to now, I have had no dialogue regarding Pandev with club executives."
Torres: Fernando Torres limped out of training with the Spain squad yesterday but his injury is not thought to be serious. The Liverpool striker abandoned the training session as a precautionary measure when he pulled up with a groin problem, but was later able to exercise on his own in the gym.
Denmark: Denmark coach Morten Olsen has added winger Johan Absalonsen to his squad for World Cup qualifiers at home against Sweden on Oct. 10 and Hungary four days later. The 23-year-old Absalonsen from Danish premier league club OB Odense will replace FC Copenhagen's Jesper Gronkjaer who withdrew on Wednesday.
Mladenov: Saudi Arabia club Al-Ittifaq have parted ways with coach Stoycho Mladenov following a dismal start to the new season, Mladenov said after returning to his native Bulgaria. The Dammam-based club slumped to 11th with only two points from their first four matches.
Toni: Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni would welcome a move to Napoli. The 32-year-old is out of favour at Bayern and is a reported target of Milan and Napoli in the January transfer window. "Napoli is an important club," Toni told Italian radio station Kiss Kiss. "They have great fans. Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has big ideas so we shall see what happens. It's still early days."
MFA Anniversary Cup: Kirkop vs Għaxaq 4-1; Fgura vs Naxxar 0-2.
Winter Games: The Spanish cities of Zaragoza, Huesca and Jaca have agreed to make a joint bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, the regional government of Aragon said. Jose Angel Biel, vice president of the region in north eastern Spain, said Aragon would work with the national government and the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) to make sure the bid was successful.
Athletics: Hammer thrower Primoz Kozmus, who won Slovenia's first track and field Olympic gold medal in Beijing last year, is set to miss the 2012 Games after announcing his intention to retire. Kozmus, 30, followed up his Olympic success by winning the world title in Berlin in August. "I have reached my peak. It is time to say goodbye," he said.
Snooker: John Higgins admitted he had to fight against an attack of nerves to see off Ronnie O'Sullivan 5-4 in a thrilling Grand Prix clash in Glasgow. The two giants found themselves pitted against each other in the second round due to the unseeded nature of the draw, leaving Higgins in the quarter-final and O'Sullivan out in the cold. "I thought I was all over the place and felt really on edge," Higgins said. "I felt if Ronnie upped it a bit, I would get beat."
Tennis: Ana Ivanovic will warm up for next year's Australian Open at the Brisbane International tournament. Ivanovic, who took top spot in the rankings after winning the 2008 French Open but has now slipped to 12th, would join US Open champion Kim Clijsters and Australia's Jelena Dokic in the women's draw at the January 3-10 event.
Triathlon: Brazilian triathlete Mariana Ohata has been suspended for six years after a second positive test for doping. Ohata tested positive for the diuretic and masking agent furosemide in an out-of-competition test in the US on June 26. The Brazilian, who competed at the last two Olympic Games, was suspended in 2002 by her country's triathlon confederation for 60 weeks for a first doping offence.