Messi: Barcelona’s Lionel Messi returned to training yesterday, five days after injuring his ankle, but away from the first-team squad. Messi was stretchered off in the final minute of Sunday’s league match against Atletico Madrid, which Barca won 2-1, following a robust tackle from Czech defender Tomasz Ujfalusi, who was sent off for the challenge.
Saha: Everton striker Louis Saha will be out of action for between two and three more weeks with a calf injury. Saha, 32, hurt himself four weeks ago in the club’s 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa. “He’s receiving treatment in France,” said Everton coach David Moyes.
De Gea: Man. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was in Spain this week to watch Atletico Madrid keeper David de Gea, reports said. The Scot was at Valencia on Wednesday to see the league match against Atletico. Valencia are United’s next opponents in the Champions League but AS said Ferguson was there to watch 19-year-old De Gea.
Harper: Newcastle revealed they expect Steve Harper to be out of action for around 12 weeks after undergoing shoulder surgery. The 35-year-old sustained the injury in Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League victory at Everton in a first-half incident involving Toffees striker Jermaine Beckford.
Argentina: Javier Pastore and Oscar Ustari have returned to the 25-man Argentina squad named by Sergio Batista to play Japan in Saitama on October 5. Palermo midfielder Pastore was part of the World Cup squad selected by Diego Maradona but was not picked by Batista for the friendly with Spain. Getafe’s Ustari was the third-choice goalkeeper in Germany 2006.
Neymar: Brazil coach Mano Menezes left young star Neymar out of his 23-man squad for the team’s friendly matches next month for disciplinary reasons. Neymar, considered one of the most pro-mising players in Brazil and linked with a move to Chelsea, has been fined following an argument with his coach at Santos and will not feature in either match next month against opposition yet to be confirmed.
Livermore: Ipswich have completed the signing of Tottenham midfielder Jake Livermore on loan until January. The 19-year-old has made two first-team appearances for Spurs and started the League Cup defeat against Arsenal on Tuesday.
Brescia: Brescia have signed Antonio Juan Ignacio, a 22-year-old striker from Argentina who was on trial at the Serie A club. Ignacio signed a two-year contract with an option for another three seasons.
In England: Championship – Portsmouth vs Leicester 6-1. League One – L. Orient vs Brentford 1-0.
Formula One: Lotus Racing will become Team Lotus from next season after team principal Tony Fernandes announced he had bought the rights to the name. Fernandes and Kamarudin Meranun’s Tune Group have acquired Team Lotus Ventures Ltd, which has been run by David Hunt since cars were last on the grid under that name in 1994.
Basket, NBA: Los Angeles Lakers centre Andrew Bynum will likely miss the NBA pre-season as he continues to rehabilitate his surgically repaired right knee. Bynum will be involved in team meetings and film study, but will concentrate on his recovery from arthroscopic surgery he had in late July.
Golf: Paul Casey, overlooked when European captain Colin Montgomerie made his Ryder Cup picks, could be headed towards a 10 million-dollar consolation prize. Casey nabbed three birdies in a row to a four-under 66 at the US PGA Tour Championship on Thursday, claiming a share of the first-round lead alongside fellow Englishman Luke Donald and Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy. Casey would claim the 10 million-dollar FedEx Cup bonus with a victory.
Field Hockey: Defending champions Australia have lost a second key player for the Commonwealth Games with Kobie McGurk withdrawing through injury. Scans have revealed that McGurk has a stress fracture in her foot. It is a double blow for the Australians following a knee injury to fellow defender Teneal Attard.
Rugby Union: New Zealand’s Super 15 rugby teams will be allowed to contract two foreign players in next year’s expanded southern hemisphere competition. The New Zealand Rugby Union said the move would add depth to the country’s five Super 15 teams and safeguards would be put in place to ensure it did not hamper the development of local players.