Vieira: Patrick Vieira has told Inter to back off after the Italian club said they hoped France would not field their player in today's Euro 2008 Group B qualifier against Scotland in Paris. "I have never chosen between club and country. If I'm all right I play for one and for the other," he said.
Torres: Spain striker Fernando Torres has asked local media to stop trying to stir up trouble in the national team and to back them in their Euro 2008 qualification campaign. They had reported that Torres was upset at being substituted during Spain's 1-1 draw in Iceland on Saturday. "It seems we talk about everything except football, and football is what gets us to the Euros 2008 finals. We need everyone's support," he said.
Ahn: South Korean Ahn Jung-hwan faces sanction by the K-League after abruptly leaving the field in the first half of the match against FC Seoul and walking to the stands to remonstrate with fans who were booing him. The Suwon Samsung striker could be banned for up to eight games and face a fine of $1,067 per game after the incident.
Palop: Sevilla goalkeeper Andres Palop has renewed his contract and committed himself until 2011, the Primera Liga club said. Palop saved three shootout penalties in the UEFA Cup final against Espanyol last May as Sevilla became only the second side to retain the trophy.
UEFA U-21 qualifiers: Albania vs Italy 0-1; Croatia vs Azerbaijan 3-2; Czech Republic vs Liechtenstein 8-0; Bulgaria vs England 0-2; Poland vs Kazakhstan 1-0; Spain vs Georgia 4-0; Macedonia vs Estonia 1-0; Lithuania vs Slovenia 0-0; Slovakia vs Austria 1-1; Iceland vs Belgium 0-0; Latvia vs San Marino 2-0; Moldova vs Israel 1-0; Romania vs Bosnia 3-0.
Friendlies: Switzerland vs Japan 3-4; Austria vs Chile 0-2.
MFA Division II/III KO: Sta Venera vs Kalkara 9-0; Zejtun vs Gharghur 0-2.
Ciprian Marica: Striker Ciprian Marica has recovered from a cold and has been declared fit for Romania's friendly against Germany. Marica, who joined Stuttgart from Shakhtar Donetsk last month, missed Romania's 3-1 victory over Belarus in a Euro 2008 qualifier at the weekend but is expected to face the Germans today. Defender Gabriel Tamas of Auxerre, who was suspended for the Group G encounter against Belarus, is also expected to play in Cologne, lining up alongside Cristian Chivu. Romania are undefeated in 14 matches and humiliated Germany 5-1 the last time they met, in a Bucharest friendly three years ago.