Maicon: Serie A leaders Inter will have to do without Maicon in today's big match at Juventus after their appeal to have his two-match ban reduced was rejected yesterday. The Brazil full-back was given the suspension for being sent off for dissent in a 3-1 win at Bologna two weeks ago.
Toni: West Ham are reportedly closing in on signing Luca Toni, who has fallen out of favour with his coach at Bayern Munich, Louis van Gaal. A report in the Guardian suggests Toni, despite preferring a move back to Italy, could be on his way to Upton Park where he has a good relationship with Hammers' boss Gianfranco Zola.
Rivals banned: Serbian first division leaders Red Star and city rivals Partizan have been punished for crowd trouble in their match last Saturday. Partizan have been ordered to play two home games behind closed doors and fined $3,143 while Red Star were fined $3,143.
Gourcuff: Leaders Bordeaux will welcome back international playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, sidelined by a groin injury since Nov. 18, to face PSG, their arch-rivals of the 1980s, today. "Yoann has been training fully all week. He will be in the squad," coach Laurent Blanc said.
Adams: Saint-Etienne have been boosted by a visit of former Arsenal central defender Tony Adams ahead of today's game against Sochaux. Adams, who has been struggling to launch a career as a manager, spent two days with Le Verts and attracted so much media attention that the French club had to deny he was about to join their staff.
Vercauteren: Former Belgium national coach Franky Vercauteren has been named the new boss of Belgian first division club RC Genk. The 53-year-old, who was sacked as Belgium coach in September, replaces Hein Vanhaezebrouck, who was himself dismissed last weekend.
Cycling: Former world and Olympic road cycling champion Paolo Bettini is under investigation for alleged tax evasion of almost €11 million. The retired rider, the 2004 Olympic champion and 2006 and 2007 world champion, allegedly took up residence in Monaco while still living in Italy to avoid paying taxes to the Italian inland revenue.
Equestrian: Norwegian show jumper Tony Andre Hansen, who won a team bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics but was disqualified because of doping to his horse, has lost an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). CAS ruling yesterday will cost Norway the team jumping bronze medal. Norway finished behind the United States and Canada in Beijing, with Switzerland in fourth place.
Winter Games: Canada's downhill world champion John Kucera described the gruesome crash that ended his Olympic dream as a "bit of a bummer" but vowed to be back on his feet to cheer his team-mates in Vancouver. "Being able to compete at an Olympics in your home country - that's always a pretty good bonus," Kucera said. "It's a bit of a bummer."
Golf: Australian Michael Sim was named Nationwide Tour Player of the Year by his fellow professionals after his three victories in 2009 helped him win the money list and earn a PGA Tour card. Sim, 60th in the world rankings, set a record for single season earnings on the tour by banking $644,142, breaking the previous mark of $495,009 by Troy Matteson in 2005.
Basketball, NBA: The Denver Nuggets thrashed the Miami Heat 114-96, in a game where a match-up of two of the NBA's top scorers took a back seat to the efficient offence of the home team. Carmelo Anthony had 22 points to lead six Denver players into double figures as the Nuggets had little trouble offsetting a 25-point haul from Miami guard Dwyane Wade.