Gilberto: Arsenal midfielder Gilberto has extended his contract until 2009, the Premier League club said in a statement on their website yesterday. The 28-year-old Brazilian World Cup winner has played 120 games for Arsenal since moving to Highbury from Atletico Mineiro for £4.5 million in 2002. Gilberto's decision to stay will be a boost for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has lost two experienced midfielders, Frenchman Patrick Vieira and Brazilian Edu, since the end of last season.
Mattheus: Greek club PAOK Salonika are close to signing former world champion Lothar Matthaeus as their new head coach after a miserable start to the season, a club official said. "The deal is not done yet but we are close to it. Mr Matthaeus will be in Salonika towards the end of the week to watch the team in action and we should seal the deal then," the official told Reuters. Matthaeus has been Hungary's national team coach since the beginning of last year. PAOK fired coach Nikos Karageorgiou after only three league matches with the club lying in 11th place with two points.
Iaquinta: Udinese have dropped striker Vincenzo Iaquinta, a hat-trick hero in their Champions League debut last week, after he declined to renew his contract with the Serie A club. Iaquinta, whose goals helped Udinese qualify for the Champions League for the first time, has not been named in the squad that faced champions Juventus last night. "If Iaquinta doesn't want to sign the contract renewal then it means that he is not part of our club's strategy," Udinese general manager Pietro Leonardi said yesterday.
Referee Banned: Bulgarian referee Cvetan Georgiev has received a three-month ban for making a string of errors during Levski Sofia's 4-4 draw against Beroe on Sunday. Levski appealed to the disciplinary commission of the Bulgarian Football Union, saying Georgiev failed to send off Beroe striker Isak Kuoki immediately after a second yellow card, ignored fouls in the penalty area, and made several other mistakes. Despite the errors, FA officials rejected a request by Levski to replay the game and said it would not void the result.
In Scotland: Scottish Premier League leaders Hearts suffered their first defeat of the season when they were knocked out of the League Cup 1-0 by basement club Livingston. Hearts former striker Ramon Pereira, who hails from Spain, showed his old club the exit when he struck in the 54th minute of the third round tie. Other results: Ayr vs Hibs 1-2; Celtic vs Falkirk 2-1 (aet).
Zanchi: Messina defender Marco Zanchi could face a lengthy suspension after failing a doping test taken after a Serie A game last month. The Italian Olympic Committee, which is responsible for anti-doping tests in Serie A, said yesterday that Zanchi had tested positive for methylprednisolone. In Italy the steroid-related substance can only be used after permission has been granted by the soccer authorities.
Cycling: Swiss Karin Thurig retained her time trial title when she pipped home favourite Joane Somarriba to clinch gold at the world championships yesterday. Somarriba, who will retire at the end of the week, looked set for a perfect farewell when she posted the fastest time of 28 minutes 56.88 seconds for the 21.9-km circuit in Madrid. But Thurig finished over five seconds ahead of Somarriba.