Nesta: Italy defender Alessandro Nesta has been ruled out of Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Scotland due to a foot injury. Nesta missed his club Milan's win at Roma on Sunday due to a deep gash to his right foot but was selected in a 23-man squad by Lippi and reported to the team's training camp on Monday evening. However, after being examined by coach Marcello Lippi's medical team, the central defender was allowed to return to his club.
Raul, Marchena doubtful: Spain striker Raul and defender Carlos Marchena are both injury doubts for Saturday's friendly against China and Marchena might miss the World Cup Group Seven qualifier against Serbia next Wednesday. "I am recommending that Raul misses the game on Saturday because he has bad bruising on the instep of his left foot and needs some days to rest," the Spain's doctor said. "We did a resonance test on the muscle in Marchena's left leg yesterday, and it didn't seem too bad. But he had to retire from training in pain today, and we can say that it is a contraction."
Bullying Referees: One of Britain's biggest trade unions has called on the Referees' Association to stand up to intimidation from players and managers by threatening legal action. The football pitch is the only workplace left in Britain where bullying is still tolerated and it needs to be stamped out, the GMB said in a statement. "We're saying this has gone on long enough. Nobody should tolerate this sort of behaviour in the workplace," Paul Kenny, a senior GMB official, told Reuters. The English Football Association is planning a clampdown on players and managers who verbally abuse referees.
Fulham: The sale of striker Louis Saha to Manchester United last year helped Fulham turn huge losses in the 2002/3 season into a profit 12 months later, the Premier League club said. The west London club turned a £20.8 million ($39.5 million) loss for the 12 months ending 30 June 2003 into a £500,000 ($950,000) profit in the following 12 months. The 2003/4 season was the first since Harrods department store boss Mohamed Al Fayed bought the club in 1997 that it had not been in the red. United bought French international Saha for £12.8 million ($24.3 million) in January 2004.
In England: League One - Blackpool vs Brentford 2-1.
Scottish Division One: Clyde vs St Johnstone 1-1.
Scottish Division Three: Cowdenbeath vs Stenhousemuir 0-2; Elgin vs Queen's Park 1-0; Albion Rovers vs East Fife 0-6.
¤ France coach Raymond Domenech is confident strikers Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet will be fit for the World Cup qualifier against Switzerland on Saturday. "There is no major problem that we have to deal with at the moment I'm talking to you," Domenech told reporters at the squad's Clairefontaine base yesterday. The Arsenal player has been treated for a strained calf muscle while Trezeguet has a sore ankle.
¤ The mother of Rogerio, who plays for Sporting Lisbon, was kidnapped from her home in the town of Campinas. It was the fourth time the mother of a Brazilian player has been kidnapped in the last several months. Ines Fidelis Regis was kidnapped on Monday night in her home about 60 miles from Sao Paulo. Last month, the mother of Sao Paulo striker Grafite was held for a day before police rescued her with no ransom paid. The mother of Santos player Robinho was held 41 days before being released. Robinho did pay ransom in that case but it was not known how much. Earlier this month, the mother of Porto's Luis Fabiano was also kidnapped.