Milan: Milan do not intend to make any further signings before the start of the season, coach Carlo Ancelotti said yesterday. Milan have added strikers Christian Vieri and Alberto Gilardino to their squad in the close season but asked by a reporter if he planned any more arrivals, Ancelotti said: "No. With the players we already have, we will finish the season."
Euro 2008: One of Switzerland's best-known soccer stadiums will re-open this weekend following a 350 million Swiss francs ($270.3 million) rebuild. The Stade de Suisse Wankdorf is located on the site of the former Wankdorf stadium which staged the 1954 World Cup final and the 1961 European Cup final. The 32,000-seater stadium is one of four Swiss grounds earmarked for use at the 2008 European Championship which the country will co-host with Austria.
Gronkjaer: Atletico Madrid have agreed to sell Denmark winger Jesper Gronkjaer to VfB Stuttgart. The Spanish newspaper Marca said that Stuttgart would pay a fee of around six million euros ($7.26 million) for Gronkjaer. The 27-year-old put in a transfer request because he was unable to settle in the Spanish capital after joining from Birmingham City in January. Media reports said Atletico paid English Premier League Birmingham a fee of two million euros for the former Chelsea winger.
Libel case: Andy Johnson won libel damages from Express Newspapers yesterday over an article that suggested he was guilty of cocaine abuse. Johnson sued the publishers after his name appeared in an article on footballers headlined 'They got a kick from cocaine'. The 24-year-old said the article on footballers with drink and drug problems, published on May 10, and prominent photographs of him used alongside it clearly could have inferred to readers that he was guilty of cocaine abuse.
Saviola: Espanyol say Barcelona's Argentine striker Javier Saviola wants to join them on loan. "Espanyol is Saviola's first choice and he is very interested in coming here," Espanyol sports director Cristobal Parralo said. The main sticking point in the negotiation appears to be the player's wages. Media reports put Saviola's salary at 3.8 million euros a year.
Big Profit: Spanish champions Barcelona, still running a huge debt of close to 200 million euros ($241.3 million), made a net profit of 36.72 million euros last season. Vice-president Ferran Soriano said the club's income from marketing, television rights, tours and membership had increased by 23 per cent to 208 million euros. Soriano added that control of costs had enabled Barcelona to make an initial profit of 18 million euros.
Real Win: Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 win over the Thailand under-23 team yesterday, ending an Asian tour reported to have netted the Spanish giants $25 million. The three goals put money into rehabilitating the Andaman Coast of southern Thailand where 5,800 people were killed by the December 26 tsunami. A Thai firm promised to donate 200,000 baht ($5,000) for each goal Real Madrid scored.