Fabregas: Arsene Wenger yesterday revealed Cesc Fabregas was unlikely to be fit in time for Arsenal’s crunch clash with Chelsea on Sunday. Gunners captain Fabregas has been sidelined with a hamstring injury for almost two weeks. Asked about the likelihood of Fabregas returning for this weekend’s match, manager Wenger said: “I don’t know. It looks a 50-50 but a 50-50 balancing on the negative side.”
Ancelotti: Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to be pitchside for the Premier League leaders’ match at home to Arsenal on Sunday despite the death of his father. Giuseppe Ancelotti died in Italy on Wednesday with his son at his side and the funeral has now been scheduled for tomorrow. “Everyone at Chelsea sends our deepest condolences to Carlo and his family. They are all in our thoughts at this time,” said a club statement.
Mackie: Scotland manager Craig Levein has called up uncapped striker Jamie Mackie for the Euro 2012 qualifying matches against the Czech Republic and Spain. The25-year-old QPR forward is the leading scorer so far this season in English football’s second division with eight goals in nine games for the Championship leaders.
Fans detained: Two Manchester United fans were detained in Spain on Wednesday for causing a disturbance just before the Red Devils’ 1-0 win over Valencia in the Champions League, Spanish media reported. The two were involved in clashes between groups of supporters from the two teams at bars near Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium.
Derby: Newcastle’s derby clash with Sunderland at St James’ Park next month has been brought forward following a request from police. The televised Premier League match was initially due to kick off at 5 p.m. on October 31, however it will now start at 2.30 p.m. on the same day. A Newcastle statement said: “This change of kick-off time has been made by the Premier League at the request of Northumbria Police.”
Germany: West Germany’s 1990 World Cup-winning side will take on their former East German rivals in a special match to celebrate the 20th anniversary of reunification. The German Football Federation (DFB) said it will host a match in Leipzig on Sunday, November 21 between members of the squad that won Italia 1990 and their East German counterparts from that era. The DFB said several stars had already said they will play.
Tennis: Francesca Schiavone took over three hours to beat Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, in the quarter-finals at the Pan Pacific Open. Top seed Caroline Wozniacki progressed after Agnieszka Radwanska abandoned the match at 5-0, while Victoria Azarenka made quick work of Coco Vandeweghe, 6-2, 6-1.
Basket, NBA: New Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis was fined $100,000 by the NBA on Wednesday just hours after saying that he sees a hard salary cap coming to the league. Leonsis told a group of businessmen before a Wizards pre-season workout session that he expects the NHL’s salary limit model will be adopted in some fashion by the NBA, which is involved in talks on a new labour deal.
Rallying: Rally Australia, part of the FIA World Rally Championship, will relocate to Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales from 2011. The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport said the new location would offer WRC competitors and manufacturers some of the most exciting and spectacular rally stages Australia could offer.
Boxing: Glen Johnson was named as a replacement for the injured Mikkel Kessler in the Super Six World Boxing Classic super middleweight boxing tournament. The 41-year-old Johnson, whose record is 50-14 with two drawn and 34 knockouts, will face Allan Green, an injury replacement for fellow American Jermain Taylor in the round-robin event, on November 6 at Las Vegas.