Oleguer: Barcelona defender Oleguer will miss the return leg of the Champions League semi-final against Milan next week after injuring a thigh muscle. Club doctors said Oleguer would be out of action for about 10 days, which means that as well as missing Sunday's league match at Sevilla and Wednesday's Champions League clash he may also be unavailable for the following weekend against Cadiz.
Aimar: Valencia's Argentina midfielder Pablo Aimar left hospital yesterday after being treated for a form of viral meningitis. No date was given for the 26-year-old's return to training. Aimar, a key figure in Argentine coach Jose Pekerman's World Cup plans, was admitted to hospital a week ago complaining of fever and headaches. Doctors said it was a benign form of meningitis that would not have any permanent consequences.
Lyall dies: Former West Ham and Ipswich manager John Lyall has died of a heart attack at the age of 66. Lyall, who spent 34 years at West Ham, played for the youth team and senior side before a knee injury curtailed his career at the age of 24. He started coaching under Ron Greenwood, whose funeral he attended two months ago, before taking over in 1974. He led the east London side to two FA Cup victories in 1975 and 1980 as well as a European Cup Winners' Cup final in 1976.
Match-fixing: Austrian police have opened an investigation into two alleged attempts at match rigging involving the coach of first division Sturm Graz and one of the team's players. Police said yesterday that coach Michael Petrovic and striker Bojan Filipovic were accused of accepting bribes related to two games in February and March. The two men are accused of taking money from a Germany-based gambling syndicate in return for trying to throw Sturm Graz's league matches against Salzburg and Austria Vienna. Sturm Graz beat Salzburg 4-0 and held league leaders Austria to a 0-0 draw.
2018 World Cup: The Belgian and Netherlands FAs have met to discuss a possible joint bid for the 2018 World Cup finals. "We met with the Dutch FA late last night in Eindhoven to discuss the possibility and the initial indications were positive," a spokesman for the Belgian FA said yesterday. "We will carry out a study before the end of the year and speak with our governments about getting their backing." The two countries jointly hosted the European Championship in 2000. Brazil is favourite to be awarded the tournament in 2014, while England is considering a bid for the 2018 finals as well.
Stuttgart: Bundesliga club Stuttgart have extended the contract of coach Armin Veh to the end of the 2006-07 season even though he has won just three of his 10 matches in charge. There had been media speculation Stuttgart wanted to hire Mainz coach Juergen Klopp but he made clear he was not going to leave Mainz. Veh was given a contract until the end of this season when he replaced sacked Giovanni Trapattoni on February 10.
In England: Premier League - Birmingham 2 (Butt 62, Forssell 87) Blackburn Rovers 1 (Savage 78).
Basketball: Kinnie League SF (game one) Pembroke vs Luxol 65-76. Division One SF (game one) Qormi vs Mellieha 64-55.