Zickler: The end of Alexander Zickler's 22-month injury nightmare is in sight after the Bayern Munich striker made it safely through a 45-minute run-out in a match in Dubai. "It was a massive thing for me to play after such a long time," Zickler said yesterday, the day after returning to the first team as a makeshift right back in a 1-0 win over E. Cottbus. Zickler broke his leg for the first time in March 2003 and two further fractures put his career under threat.
Zavarov: Former Juventus and Dynamo Kiev midfielder Alexander Zavarov has been named coach of Metalist Kharkiv, the Ukrainian premier division club said yesterday. Zavarov, 43, played for Dynamo Kiev in the 1980's, helping them to the Cup Winners Cup in 1986.
West Brom: Premier league basement club West Brom have transfer-listed Swiss defender Bernt Haas and Macedonian midfielder Artim Sakiri. Sakiri, famous for scoring a goal direct from a corner against England in a European Championship qualifier in 2002, joined West Brom in 2003. The 31-year-old has played only three times this season.
D'Alessandro: Wolfsburg's Argentine international midfielder Andres d'Alessandro will fly home early from the club's Spanish training camp after his long-standing groin injury flared up again. D'Alessandro, a key figure in Wolfsburg's surprise Bundesliga title challenge this season, lasted less than half an hour of a 1-1 draw in a friendly against Hamburg SV on Sunday.
Norwich: Norwich have signed England U-21 striker Dean Ashton from Crewe for a club record fee of £3 million. The 21-year-old is top scorer in the second division with 17 goals.
In England: League One - Peterboro vs Wrexham 2-2. League Two - Grimsby vs N'ampton 1-2; Mansfield vs Cambridge 0-0.
In Scotland: FA Cup third round - Livingston vs Greenock Morton 2-1. Division Three - E. Stirling vs Stenhousemuir pp.
In France: Ligue 1 - Lille vs Marseille 1-2.
¤ Injury-hit Barcelona have held talks with Serie A side Udinese about signing striker Vincenzo Iaquinta, club president Joan Laporta said yesterday. "There are advanced negotiations, but everything is still open," Laporta said. Asked if Iaquinta could move from Italy to the Nou Camp, Laporta said: "It's possible." Iaquinta, 25, is Udinese's top scorer this season with six Serie A goals.
¤ Serie A's Siena have sacked coach Gigi Simoni and replaced him with Luigi De Canio. Sunday's 1-0 defeat by fellow relegation battlers Parma left Siena 19th in the 20-team division on 16 points from 18 games. The club said De Canio, who coached Siena in Italy's third division during the 1995-96 season, had signed a contract until 2006.
¤ Italy is preparing a bid for the 2012 Euro Championship, the Italian FA said yesterday. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will meet FA chairman Franco Carraro today to outline Italy's proposals to host the tournament. Italy, host of the 2006 Winter Olympics, last won the European Championship in 1968.