Ronaldo: Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon said he will receive representatives from Milan to talk over the possible transfer of Ronaldo. Calderon insisted that Real did not want to sell the 30-year-old three-times World Player of the Year, but did not rule out his sale if Milan were prepared to offer midfielder Kaka in exchange.
Israel ban: UEFA could allow international matches to be played under its jurisdiction in Israel again "very shortly", the Israel FA chairman said. Iche Menahem said he had received a "very encouraging letter" from UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson who said the IFA plea to end the ban on play in Israel would be discussed soon. Other sports were also affected by the conflict. Last week basketball's FIBA Europe banned all European games in Israel.
Kidney offer: Dozens of Vietnamese soccer fans have offered to donate a kidney to the country's ailing national team coach to prevent him from losing his job. Bankers, truck drivers and even Buddhist monks have signed up to become donors to ensure Austrian Alfred Riedl is fit to lead the Vietnamese team at next year's Asian Cup. Riedl, 57, is in his third stint as national coach and has been suffering from kidney failure for the last 12 years. Two weeks ago, more than 40 fans answered a call by a Vietnam newspaper to come to Riedl's rescue after doctors told him he urgently needed a transplant.
Demel banned: Germany's FA handed Hamburg defender Guy Demel a four-match ban for violent conduct yesterday. Demel, the Ivory Coast international, was sent off after grabbing Energie Cottbus captain Kevin McKenna around the neck with nine minutes to go in their 2-2 draw in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Cannibal image: Chelsea's new defender Khalid Boulahrouz said he did not deserve the nickname Cannibal. The 24-year-old Dutch international joined Chelsea on Monday from Hamburg where his tough tackling earned him the unflattering sobriquet. But speaking after his first session at the English champions' training ground, Boulahrouz said he was not an aggressive player. "Nicknames are always a little bit blown-up. When I went to Hamburg my German was not good when I tried to explain my style of play. I said how I like to control the strikers but the next day I opened the paper and it said 'Cannibal Signs Contract To 2008'."
Late arrival: Brazilian striker Ricardo Oliveira has been fined one million euros for his failure to return to Real Betis at the appointed date after a loan spell at Sao Paulo. Oliveira returned to Seville on Monday, nine days after he was supposed to begin pre-season preparations with the Primera Liga side. Asked why Oliveira was not at training yesterday, the club's leading shareholder Manuel Ruiz de Lopera replied with a smile: "He's asked for a couple of days rest to recover from the shock at having to pay the fine."