Big Losses: Chelsea made record English soccer losses of £88 million in 2003-04, their first season under the ownership of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, the Premier League club said yesterday. The pre-tax figures for the year to June 30, 2004 surpass Leeds' previous record loss of £49.5 million in 2003. Compared with Abramovich's vast fortune the loss is unlikely to worry Chelsea. Abramovich, the main shareholder in Russian oil firm Sibneft, wiped out £80 million worth of debt after buying Chelsea for £60 million in July 2003. He has since spent around £200 million on players.
Elber: Borussia Moenchengladbach signed Brazilian striker Giovane Elber from Lyon on a free transfer yesterday. The 32-year-old Elber, who moved to Lyon from Bayern Munich in 2003 after nine years in the Bundesliga, has signed a contract running until the end of the 2005-06 season, Moenchengladbach said. Elber is still struggling for full fitness after breaking his right ankle last August.
Shevchenko: Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin has urged Milan to release striker Andriy Shevchenko well in advance of the World Cup qualifier against Albania next month. Blokhin has warned the Italian champions they face FIFA sanctions if they do not let the Ukraine captain play in Tirana on February 9. "Shevchenko is my biggest problem," Blokhin said. "Milan have a league game against Lazio on February 6, but I want to make it clear to the Italians they should not even consider using Shevchenko in that game. Otherwise, we'll let FIFA deal with that problem."
Referee punched: An Israeli referee was taken to hospital with suspected concussion last weekend after being punched by a Bnei Sakhnin supporter following their Premier League defeat by lowly Hapoel Tel Aviv. Tempers flared after referee Assaf Keinan sent off a second Sakhnin player in the 88th minute as they lost 2-1 at home to relegation candidates Hapoel to stay ninth in the 12-team table. Keinan was struck despite a police escort from the pitch amid ugly scenes at Haifa's Kiryat Eliezer stadium but was not seriously hurt according to linesman Nir Hasson.
In Spain: Primera Liga - A. Madrid vs Albacete 3-1; Sevilla vs Barcelona 0-4; Espanyol vs Real Betis 2-2; Osasuna vs Deportivo 1-1; Numancia vs Real Madrid 1-2; R. Santander vs Levante 2-2; R. Mallorca vs Getafe 3-1; R. Sociedad vs Villarreal 0-4; R. Zaragoza vs Malaga 1-0; Valencia vs A. Bilbao 2-2. Leading standings - Barcelona 51; Real Madrid 44; Valencia 37; Espanyol, Sevilla 35; Villarreal, Real Betis 34; A. Bilbao 30; A. Madrid, Osasuna 29.
In France: Ligue 1 - Istres vs Nantes 0-1; Monaco vs Paris SG 2-0.