Cacapa returns: Olympique Lyon captain Claudio Cacapa will return from a lengthy layoff when the five-times French champions take on Steaua Bucharest in the Champions League today. The Brazilian centre back has not played a competitive match since Aug. 30 due to a thigh injury. Lyon will be without influential midfielder Juninho and France left back Eric Abidal, who will both be rested by coach Gerard Houllier.
Buchwald: Former World Cup winner Guido Buchwald said that he will leave Japan's Urawa Reds at the end of the season and return to Germany. The 45-year-old, part of the Germany side who won the 1990 World Cup, led Urawa to their first J-League championship at the weekend in his third year at the club. Buchwald, who played for Urawa from 1994 to 1997, will formally step down after the Japanese season-ending Emperor's Cup.
New owner: Indian steel magnate Pramod Mittal was confirmed yesterday as Bulgarian premier league club CSKA Sofia's new owner. The purchase of CSKA was officially announced by previous owner Vasil Bozhkov's representative in a statement, which followed Mittal's advisor Alexandar Tomov's disclosure of negotiations for acquisition of the club on Monday. The acquisition of the 30-times Bulgarian champions has increased speculation that a new coach will take the helm.
Van der Vaart: Hamburg SV captain Rafael van der Vaart has been banned for the next four matches as punishment for his tackle on Tommy Bechmann in Saturday's 2-1 defeat by VfL Bochum. The Dutch international midfielder was sent off with 10 minutes to go in Hamburg's latest defeat in an ever more depressing season. The ban deprives Hamburg of their best player for the last two league matches of 2006 and the first two after the mid-season break.
Beckham: Italian side Inter are prepared to offer David Beckham wages of £110,000 a week for him to leave Real Madrid and move to the San Siro, English tabloid The Sun reported yesterday. The Serie A leaders are convinced they can lure the former England captain to the club with a massive wage packet plus complete control of his image rights and other off-pitch earnings. Real Madrid take half of the midfielder's £20million annual sponsorship income but the Spanish club will be unable to prevent Inter approaching him during the January transfer window with his contract ending in the summer.
Campo: Athletic Bilbao are considering a move for Bolton's Ivan Campo in January after losing midfielder Pablo Orbaiz to injury, Spanish media said. The club traditionally only takes players from the Basque region, and Campo was born in San Sebastian.
U-19 friendly: Malta vs Georgia 0-3.
Coppa Italia (last 16 - second legs): Today - Genoa vs Empoli (8.30 p.m.); Livorno vs Arezzo (8.45 p.m.). Tomorrow - Parma vs Napoli (9 p.m.)