Cologne: Cologne have announced that former Freiburg coach Volker Finke will become their new director of sport from February 1. The 62-year-old has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the club and replaces Michael Meier, who was sacked earlier this month. Finke is currently coach of Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds, but his contract with them expires at the end of the year.
Leeds: Leeds received a boost after striker Luciano Becchio put pen to paper on a new three-and-a-half-year contract. The Argentine striker, who has scored 47 goals in 126 appearances for the club, signed the deal which will keep him at Elland Road until 2015. “I’m very happy to sign the contract and stay at the club,” he told the club`s official website.
Bologna: Bologna have officially reached a deal to sell up to Giovanni Consorte and Massimo Zanetti of the Segafreddo coffee company. The club is on the verge of bankruptcy and president Sergio Porcedda is seeking new investors to save the side from going under. A statement was released yesterday afternoon pointing out that Consorte and Zanetti, representing the ‘Comitato Bologna 2010’, have agreed to buy out the club.
Pirlo: Andrea Pirlo will be out for a month after suffering a thigh strain during Milan’s home defeat to Roma. The midfielder limped off in the opening half-hour of Saturday’s 1-0 loss at San Siro. “Tests have shown a right thigh strain and the prognosis is of around four weeks,” read a statement on the club website. “Pirlo will train regularly with the team in Dubai over the winter break, as the warm climate will aid the recovery process.”
Ronaldinho: Brazilian club Gremio are “in talks” with Milan outcast Ronaldinho. The Brazilian schemer has had little playing time at the San Siro and a move away from Milan looks on the cards. “Ronaldinho feels that he owes our club something,” said Gremio president Paulo Odone. “He told us he wants to return to Gremio and end his career where it started. There are conversations going on and a very good chance that the move will go through.”
Basketball: Blake Griffin scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to take the Los Angeles Clippers past Chicago 100-99 on Saturday, snapping the Bulls’ seven-game NBA winning streak. Baron Davis added 16 points and Eric Gordon 15 for the Clippers, who improved to 7-21 with their second triumph in as many nights.
Boxing: World champion Marco Huck defended his WBO cruiserweight title for the fifth time with a hard-fought split decision win over mandatory challenger Denis Lebedev on Saturday night. The judges scored the fight 115-113, 112-116 and 115-113 in Huck’s favour, but the German can consider himself lucky to hold onto his belt after the Russian made him work through all of the 12 rounds.
Rugby Union: Edinburgh’s European Cup match against French club Castres has been postponed because of continued heavy snowfall in the area around Murrayfield Stadium. The decision was made less than three hours before the scheduled 2 p.m. kick-off.