Cardone: Parma defender Giuseppe Cardone could miss the rest of the season after damaging the cruciate ligaments in his left knee in training yesterday. Cardone, who is expected to be out of action for about six months, was Parma's captain until being pushed back to the bench this season.

Andrade: Portugal defender Jorge Andrade has been included in the Deportivo La Coruna's squad to face Racing Santander in the fourth round of the King's Cup today, eight months after suffering a serious knee injury. The 28-year-old centre back severed the patellar tendon in his left knee during Deportivo's 3-2 defeat in Barcelona at the beginning of March.

Kompany: Hamburg SV's Belgian international defender Vincent Kompany needs an operation to correct his Achilles injury and will not play again until March. Hamburg said in a statement that Kompany, a 20-year-old centre-back, would have the operation in Switzerland tomorrow. Hamburg signed Kompany from Anderlecht in June as a replacement for Daniel van Buyten, who was sold to Bayern Munich for $10 million euros.

Diouf arrested: Bolton's Senegal striker El-Hadji Diouf has been arrested following an alleged assault on his wife Valerie at the weekend. The 25-year-old forward was later released on bail. Diouf has been at the Premier League club for more than two years after initially joining on loan in 2004 from Liverpool.

Ronaldinho: Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said yesterday he had left World Player of the Year Ronaldinho off his list for this year's vote. The Brazilian said he had voted instead for Frenchman Thierry Henry, whose goal knocked Brazil out of this year's World Cup in the quarter-finals, followed by Brazil midfielder Kaka and John Terry, the England defender.

King's Cup: Last 32, second leg - Levante vs Atletico Madrid (postponed due to bad condition of the pitch).