Juventus deputy director Roberto Bettega gave coach Ciro Ferrara a vote of confidence after their 1-0 defeat at Chievo on Sunday.
The result marked Juve's fourth league loss in five games and dropped the struggling Bianconeri 13 points behind leaders Inter.
Bettega said: "Besides our injury woes, the team is struggling to adapt to the way in which our opponents approach the game.
"Milan came out of a crisis by trusting the coach. We will try to do the same without returning to the market, considering that we have big players. These are games that you lose as a team not as an individual."
Dempsey concern for United States
Clint Dempsey's World Cup hopes could depend on the results of scans after the United States forward limped off in the second half of Fulham's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Blackburn on Sunday.
Dempsey is a key man for the States, who begin their World Cup campaign in South Africa against England on June 12.
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson, who is also without striker Bobby Zamora, said: "Clint will be scanned but we feel it might be a posterior cruciate knee ligament.
"It's a concern up front because Clint is very useful for us but now with both he and Bobby out it makes us a bit weaker."
Nakamura stretching Espanyol patience
Japanese international midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura, whose switch from Celtic to Espanyol has turned into a nightmare, still has a future at the club, the Spanish side insisted.
"He hasn't adapted as we would have wished but we will do all we can for him to be at 100 per cent," said Espanyol sporting director German de la Cruz.
"We are not planning to loan him out or sell him and we hope that he will return to his best form."
The 31-year-old Nakamura left Celtic last summer but has played just six times for Espanyol and is yet to score.
Espanyol are struggling in the league, where they sit just three points off the relegation places.
Super Eagles to get big pay day
Nigeria are set for a big pay day with each player guaranteed at least $88,500 should they win their third Africa Cup.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have already announced that each player will get 30,000 if they qualify the team to the knockout stage of Angola 2010 and a draw with Mozambique tomorrow will earn them this bonus.
The Super Eagles could almost triple this bonus if they go all the way and clinch the trophy on Jan 31.
A breakdown of this payment showed a win in the quarter-finals will earn each player another 10,000. Victory in the semi-final means each player will pocket an additional 15,000, while winning the final will make each player another 20,000 richer.
Maradona to inspect World Cup base
Argentine coach Diego Maradona arrived in South Africa yesterday, just days after the end of his two-month suspension from all football activities for his sexually-explicit rant at journalists.
He waved and blew kisses at reporters who waited for him at the airport, saying only "gracias, gracias" from behind his large sunglasses. He left the airport under police escort and is due to inspect facilities in Pretoria, where Argentina will set up base during the World Cup.
During his five-day trip, Maradona is also expected to visit several schools as well as Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium, which will host the opening and the final matches of the World Cup.
Easier ticket sales for South Africans
South Africans will be able to buy World Cup tickets over the counter, the tournament's chief said, following complaints that the existing sales system is too complicated.
Currently South Africans can apply for tickets online or at bank branches, drawing criticism because many fans have no Internet access.
"We are definitely in the process of changing this and as a member of the ticketing committee, I am confident that FIFA will understand our position," chief organiser Danny Jordaan said.
He said fans could expect to buy their tickets over the counter from April.
Lampard excited by Mourinho return
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is relishing the prospect of Jose Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge.
The Inter boss will face his former club for the first time next month in the second round of the UEFA Champions League before returning to Stamford Bridge in March for the second leg.
Mourinho regards Lampard as one of the best players he has ever worked with and the two still keep in touch.
"I can't wait. I think it was the best draw we could have got really," said Lampard.
"It's a tough draw football-wise but I think for Mourinho to come back to Stamford Bridge will be great for us, great for the fans, great for him and we have to go into it confident.
"We sent each other a few texts talking about the draw after it was made. He was happy with the draw."