Neuville: Former Germany striker Oliver Neuville is set to extend his contract with bottom club Borussia Moenchengladbach until 2010. "As discussed before Christmas we will settle this issue in the coming days," sporting director Max Eberl told the club's website. Neuville, 35, who joined Moenchengladbach from Bayer Leverkusen in June 2004, said: "I can well imagine ending my career here".
Buffon: Juventus can make up a six-point deficit on leaders Inter Milan to win Serie A, according to Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. "The Inter squad is more complete and superior to the others but Juventus are having a great championship and we could play a joke on them if they slip up," Buffon told reporters.
Silvinho: Barcelona's Brazilian defender Silvinho said he has no plans to leave in the winter transfer period and is happy to see out his contract, which runs to the end of this season. "I am happy with the number of matches I have played," he said.
Vitesse: Vitesse Arnhem have appointed former player Theo Bos as coach, the Dutch club said yesterday. He succeeds Hans Westerhof who was sacked earlier in the week. The 43-year-old Bos played for Vitesse for 15 seasons and was also employed as youth coach and assistant coach before he joined Den Bosch in 2005.
Elano: Manchester City attacking midfielder Elano has revealed he is considering a move to Serie A giants Lazio. The 27-year-old has had limited chances under new manager Mark Hughes this season. "I would not have any problem playing in Italy. And Lazio are a very good team," Elano told Corriere dello Sport.
Basket, NBA: Kobe Bryant picked up right where he left off the last time he faced the Utah Jazz, scoring a game-high 40 points to pace the surging Los Angeles Lakers in their 113-100 home victory. It was the first meeting between the teams since the Lakers defeated the Jazz 4-2 in last season's best-of-seven Western Conference semi-finals that saw Bryant dominate with 33.2 points per contest, seven rebounds and 7.2 assists.
Hockey: New Zealand will contest a four-nation hockey tournament in Chandigarh later this month in place of Pakistan after its government banned the national men's team from travelling to India for security reasons, NZPA reported. New Zealand will take on the Netherlands, India and world and Olympic champions Germany at the Jan. 31-Feb. 9 tournament.