Long drive: Three Zenit St Petersburg fans who drove over 15,000 kms to watch their team play were rewarded for their loyalty when the Russian club presented them with a new car. The fans drove from St Petersburg to the eastern port city of Vladivostok in their old Honda to see Zenit take on Luch-Energiya last month. Zenit won the match 2-0. However, the trio had to leave their 1986 Honda Civic behind and take a train back home because their vehicle was not up to making the return journey.

Racist chants: Real Zara-goza face censure again after a Levante player was subjected to racist abuse from fans during their Primera Liga match on Sunday. Referee Fernando Teixeira Vitienes, in his match report, said he heard monkey chants being directed at a Levante player. Two years ago Barcelona's Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o was greeted by monkey chants and had pea-nuts thrown at him by Zaragoza fans after he scored a goal.

Sutton: Striker Chris Sutton, a free agent after leaving relegated Birmingham at the end of last season, signed for Aston Villa yesterday. The former England international agreed a deal to play for Villa until the end of the season. Sutton, 33, rejoins Villa manager Martin O'Neill, his former boss at Celtic.

Crespo: Argentina striker Hernan Crespo said yesterday he was frustrated at having to miss next week's friendly away to Spain because of injury. Crespo, picked for the first time since the World Cup, was ruled out after suffering a muscle problem in his left leg during Inter's 0-0 draw with Cag-liari. The 31-year-old could be out of action for a month.

Reyes: Real Madrid forward Jose Antonio Reyes has dropped out of the Spain squad with an injury and will miss his side's Euro 2008 Group F qualifier away to Sweden on Saturday. Reyes has enjoyed an impressive start to the season with Real after completing a season-long loan move from Arsenal in August.