Essien: Chelsea and Ghana midfielder Michael Essien has been targeted as a key member of a World All Star XI to play at celebrations to mark the 10th anniversary of the end of British rule in Hong Kong next month. Essien has been invited to join a 20-strong squad to take on a joint Hong Kong-China team on July 1. Germany's Bayern Munich will play Brazilian club Sao Paulo in another match on the same day at Hong Kong Stadium.
Buchwald: Guido Buchwald will take over as coach of German club Alemannia Aachen next season, returning to his homeland after leading the Urawa Reds to the Japanese double earlier this year before stepping down. A former World Cup winner with West Germany in 1990, Buchwald has signed a two-year contract with the second division side, replacing Michael Frontzeck, who quit after Aachen were relegated last season. The 46-year-old Buchwald played for VfB Stuttgart, Karlsruhe SC and 127 matches in Japan with Urawa Reds before coaching the club for three seasons. Aachen is his first coaching job in Germany.
Malouda: Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas told reporters he would meet "a top official from an English club" over the next 48 hours to discuss a possible move by France midfielder Florent Malouda. Aulas, who did not name the club, said Lyon were asking for 25 million euros. Aulas also confirmed Barcelona had made an offer for France defender Eric Abidal but said Abidal should stay at Lyon because Barca were not offering enough money.
Petrovic: Litex Lovech parted company with coach Ljupko Petrovic and replaced him with former boss Ferario Spasov, the Bulgarian premier league club said yesterday. Serbian Petrovic, 60, who coached Red Star Belgrade to European Cup victory in 1991, had refused a contract extension.
Sevilla: Title-chasing Sevilla will be without midfielder Renato for their final game of the Primera Liga season at home to Villarreal on Sunday. The Brazilian has an eye infection that could also threaten his participation in the King's Cup final against Getafe on June 23, the club said.
Matthaeus: Lothar Matthaeus was sacked yesterday as joint coach of Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg due to differences of opinion, the club said. Matthaeus, 46, had been coach alongside Italian Giovanni Trapattoni since last year. The announcement released on Red Bull Salzburg's website said the club's board had unanimously decided to part company with immediate effect.
Solano: Newcastle's Nolberto Solano has been left out of Peru's provisional squad for the Copa America while striker Claudio Pizarro was recalled. Solano, who announced his international retirement two years ago, has been at loggerheads with the federation recently although he says he wants to play for his country again. Peru coach Julio Cesar Uribe said last month he would be prepared to pick the player again. Pizarro, recently signed by Chelsea from Bayern Munich, also fell out with the federation last year after missing the second of two friendlies away to Chile.