Marseille: Olympique Marseille, who will lose five players during the African Nations Cup next year, want to hold on to them until a week before the competition starts instead of the regulation two weeks. The tournament takes place in Egypt from Jan. 20 to Feb. 10. "Normally we have to release them 14 days before the competition starts but there is room for negotiation," Marseille sports director Jose Anigo said. Marseille will be under-strength during the tournament, having to make do without Senegal's Habib Beye and Mamadou Niang, Nigeria's Taye Taiwo and Wilson Oruma and Ivory Coast's Abdoulaye Meite.
Atletico Madrid: Atletico Madrid are bidding to sign Portugal midfielder Maniche and Czech Republic midfielder Tomas Rosicky. Maniche, 28, plays for Dynamo Moscow after joining for a Russian league record 16 million euros from Porto last May. He caused a storm in the Russia media in September when he said he wanted to leave the country because his family were unhappy. The 25-year-old Rosicky is contracted to B. Dortmund until 2008, but the German side could be persuaded to sell him for financial reasons.
Kezman: Serbia & Montenegro striker Mateja Kezman will be out of action for six weeks with a torn cartilage in his right knee, Atletico Madrid said. The 26-year-old had been suffering with a knee problem before last Sunday's league game against Alaves, during which he received a blow that made the situation worse. He will undergo surgery today and is expected to return to action at the end of January.
Banned: Former MSV Duisburg coach Norbert Meier has been banned for three months and fined 12,500 euros ($14,970) after headbutting a player and then pretending to be the victim. Meier was provisionally suspended by the German FA (DFB) on Dec. 7, the day after TV pictures showed him butting Cologne player Albert Streit and then falling to the ground theatrically. He was subsequently sacked by Duisburg and yesterday the DFB announced he would be unable to take up another post until March 7.
Cruz Azul: Isaac Mizrahi, briefly in charge of Cruz Azul when coach Ruben Omar Romano was kidnapped earlier this year, has been given the job on a full-time basis after Romano's sacking last week. Cruz Azul vice-president Victor Garces told reporters Mizrahi had been appointed at a meeting on Wednesday night and had already been told what would be expected in the Clausura championship which starts in January. "We've told him he has to reach the semi-finals," Garces said. Romano was fired last Friday less than three months after the end of his kidnap ordeal.
Ono: Feyenoord have accepted a bid from Urawa Reds for Japanese midfielder Shinji Ono, Dutch media said. The Japanese club sold Ono to Feyenoord in mid-2001 and wants the 26-year-old to move in the January transfer window. The player is yet to discuss the offer with Urawa, the reports said.
Snooker: UK Championship QFs - Hendry bt Carter 9-7; S. Davis bt Doherty 9-7; Ding bt Robertson 9-5; Perry bt Bingham 9-8.