Iaquinta: Udinese striker Vincenzo Iaquinta has been recalled to the Serie A side's first team squad after the club's management backed down from threats to exclude him until the transfer window opens in January. Iaquinta was left out last week after declining to extend his contract beyond the current termination date of June 2007. The striker missed the league defeats by Juventus and Reggina and Tuesday's 4-1 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League but yesterday Udinese said in a brief statement that he was now available to coach Serse Cosmi.
Sagnol: Bayern Munich defender Willy Sagnol may yet change his mind and sign a contract extension with the German champions. Bayern announced yesterday that the French full-back had turned down their offer and would be leaving the club at the end of the season but Sagnol now says he will talk to the club again in December."The decision was final but I spoke to the manager again and he said I should think it over. I said, 'Fine, so it's not final!'. We'll speak again in December," he said.
Krankl: Austria coach Hans Krankl has been released with immediate effect and will not be in charge for the last two World Cup qualifiers, the Austrian FA (OeFB) said yesterday. The OeFB said on Monday that Krankl's contract would not be renewed when it ran out later this year. Austria have no chance of qualifying for next year's finals from Group Six. Krankl will now not be in charge of the team when Austria play England in Manchester on October 8 and Northern Ireland at home on October 12.
Piterman: Spain's Anti-violence Commission has asked football authorities to open a disciplinary inquiry into Alaves president Dimitry Piterman after he accused Ronaldo and two of his Real Madrid team-mates of behaving like clowns. Piterman slammed the behaviour of Ronaldo and Robinho and Roberto Carlos after the striker's two goals in Real's 3-0 Liga victory at Alaves on Sunday. Ronaldo dived to the ground after his goals and lay on his back waving his arms and legs in the air in what he calls his "cockroach" celebration as Robinho and Roberto Carlos joined in.
Euro 2008: Switzerland and Austria signed a security agreement for the Euro 2008 soccer championship yesterday, setting out cross-border policies to deal with hooligans and the threat of terrorism. Ministers from the co-hosting nations agreed to clamp down on troublemakers at the event, which is due to be held in eight different locations across the alpine countries. The agreement calls for a unified approach by police forces in both countries to protect people and property and shared definitions of crimes and violence.
In England: Championship - Coventry vs Watford 3-1; Leeds vs Derby 3-1; Southampton vs Reading 0-0. League One - Port Vale vs Oldham 2-2.
In Italy: Serie B - Cesena vs Rimini 2-1.