Red Star officials: Three Red Star Belgrade officials and a match delegate arrested following a riot earlier this month were released from custody. "They have been released after all the witnesses in the case have been heard in the investigation," Red Star lawyer Dragan Ninkovic said. Red Star's general secretary Zoran Damjanovic, stadium manager Miodrag Corovic, security chief Novica Mijuskovic and match delegate Rade Popovic were arrested after a policeman was injured in their home game with Hajduk Kula.
Crisis talks: Hearts goalkeeper Steve Banks has revealed that the club's players have held crisis talks after Wednesday's 1-0 defeat at home to St Mirren. The loss was the latest disappointment in a form slump that has left Hearts in third bottom spot in the Premier League. "I think a few of the senior players thought the players needed to have a meeting with no staff there," Banks said. "There were a few things said that have not been said before."
Lampard out: Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard will miss the next few weeks of the season after tearing a muscle in his right thigh, the club said yesterday. Lampard went off injured after 26 minutes of Wednesday's 4-4 Premier League draw with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge and joins a long Chelsea injury list which includes captain John Terry, striker Didier Drogba and midfielder Florent Malouda. The tear is not in the same thigh he injured earlier in the season, the club said.
New coach: Serbian first division leaders Partizan Belgrade named former Yugoslavia and Chelsea midfielder Slavisa Jokanovic as their new coach. Jokanovic takes over from Miroslav Djukic, who this week was appointed head coach of the Serbian national team. Jokanovic, 39, has no prior coaching experience and was originally assigned to the club's administrative department before Djukic's departure.
Wenger: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is unconcerned that his team have lost their lead at the top of the Premier League heading into the new year. Man. United beat Sunderland 4-0 on Boxing Day to move ahead of the Gunners, who drew 0-0 away at Portsmouth. Wenger said: "I prefer to be in front, but with one point difference that is not that big a deal. We have only lost one game so you will have problems to convince me that we are in a crisis."
Race for Freeman: Gillingham boss Mark Stimson has revealed Newcastle, Arsenal and West Ham are all vying to sign Luke Freeman. The young striker hit the headlines last month when, at the age of 15 years and 233 days, he became the youngest player ever to appear in the FA Cup proper. Stimson is resigned to losing the teenage prospect but only if the deal is right for the cash-strapped Kent club. "Luke has had a fantastic day at Newcastle and Arsenal," Stimson said. "He is going to West Ham for a day to have a look around. He will then make a decision."