Cicinho: Roma defender Cicinho, 30, has joined Villarreal on loan until the end of the season. Under the deal, Villarreal said it has the option to buy the Brazil international.
Wellington: Arsenal teenage player Wellington has joined Spanish side Levante on loan. The 18-year-old signed for the Gunners from Fluminense last year but has been denied a work permit to play in England.
Ba: Stoke City are reported to have tabled a bid to sign Hoffenheim’s want-away striker Demba Ba, who looks to have played his last game for the Bundesliga side after refusing to join their winter training camp. Kicker reported the Premier League side have bid seven million euros for the 25-year-old.
Special shirts: The Socceroos will wear special shirts during their warm-up for today’s Asian Cup clash with South Korea to raise awareness of the devastating floods in Queensland. The shirts will read ‘Australia Flood Relief Appeal – Donate now’ and feature a link to the appeal website, Australian captain Lucas Neill said.
France: France will play Croatia in a friendly at the Stade de France on March 29, the French football federation said, adding that two more friendlies against Euro 2012 hosts Poland and Ukraine were scheduled for June. Les Bleus will play Ukraine away on June 6 before travelling on to face Poland three days later.
Juanfran: Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Osasuna winger Juanfran Torres. Juanfran, who will cost Atletico an initial €4.25m, has passed his medical and penned a deal that will tie him to the capital club until June 30, 2015. The 26-year-old came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid.
Coppa Italia: Last 16 – Juventus vs Catania 2-0.
King’s Cup: Quarter-finals, first legs – Almeria vs Deportivo La Coruna 1-0. Played on Wednesday – Barcelona vs R. Betis 5-0 .
Women’s League: Marsa vs Melita 2-0; Lija-Iklin vs Ħamrun 1-2; Raiders vs Mosta 0-7.
Futsal: Friendly – Malta vs Norway 2-7.
Dakar Rally: Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah virtually wrapped up the Dakar Rally yesterday when he romped to victory in the 11th stage as defending champion Carlos Sainz saw his hopes ended by a broken suspension on his Volkswagen. Al-Attiyah finished the 523km stage between Chilecito and San Juan with a 1min 13sec advantage over France’s Stephane Peterhansel and 4min 52sec ahead of South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers.
Golf: Cash-strapped North Korea is inviting foreign amateur players for its first ever golf tournament on a course used by all-powerful leader Kim Jong-Il, travel agencies said yesterday. The golf open will take place in April, London-based Lupine Travel said on its website. The price of a five-day tour from April 26 is $1,039 per person.
Snooker: World Snooker have extended their broadcasting agreement with the BBC, ensuring the sport’s main events will remain on the terrestrial channel for at least three more years. The deal sees the BBC continue as host broadcaster of the World Championship, the UK Championship, the Masters and the Welsh Open – the latter on BBC Wales – until the end of the 2013/14 season.
Basket, NBA: The improving Los Angeles Clippers surprised a star-studded Miami, downing the Heat 111-105 to snap their 13-game road winning streak. Rookie forward Blake Griffin had 24 points and 14 rebounds for the Clippers, who led most of the way and fended off Miami’s late challenge to claim just their 13th victory of the NBA season.