Real Madrid are more keen than ever to sign Chelsea’s talismanic striker Didier Drogba and will swoop for the Ivory Coast international in the summer, El Mundo said on Friday.
Real bosses have offered a four-year deal to Drogba’s agent, said the newspaper.
Defender Raul Albiol and mifielder Albert Riera got their first call-ups on Friday as Spain coach Luis Aragones named his 20-man squad for a Euro 2008 Group F qualifier against Denmark on October 13 at Aarhus and a friendly against Finland four days later in Helsinki.
Roy Keane would love to pull on his boots one last time on Sunday as the Sunderland manager renews his rivalry with Arsenal.
The former Manchester United midfielder will be on the touchline at the Emirates Stadium this weekend as he tries to inflict a first defeat of the season on Arsene Wenger’s side.
The Celtic fan who slapped AC Milan goalkeeper Dida during his team’s Champions League match at Parkhead admitted a breach of the peace on Friday.
Robert McHendry, 27, ran onto the pitch to celebrate Scott McDonald’s last minute winner on Wednesday and taunted Dida before making contact with the Brazilian’s face.
Chelsea have dismissed press reports that they are lining up Dutchman Guus Hiddink as their next coach.
Last month Chelsea parted company with the hugely popular and successful Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho and replaced him with Israeli Avram Grant.
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s appeal against a four-match ban has been partially reduced to three months by European football governing body UEFA on Thursday.
The Brazilian had been banned for four matches by UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body for lashing out at Serbian player Ivica Dragutinovic with his fist after a hot-tempered Euro 2008 qualifer in Lisbon on September 12.
Chelsea and England captain John Terry may have had better games in his career but his brave contribution to the London side’s 2-1 win over Valencia was hailed by even his rivals on Thursday.
German giants Bayern Munich will be without captain and keeper Oliver Kahn and key striker Miroslav Klose for the crucial UEFA Cup clash against Portugal’s Belenenses on Thursday.
“They are two important players for Bayern, both on and off the field,” said French international Franck Ribery on the absence of Kahn and the Bundesliga’s current leading scorer.
The son of South African football legend Jomo Sono has been included in the national squad for an international friendly against world champions Italy on October 17 in Siena.
Bamuza Sono, a midfielder with Johannesburg club Jomo Cosmos, made his debut for the 2010 World Cup hosts in a regional championship triumph over Botswana last weekend.
Scotland have recalled veteran defender Christian Dailly for matches against Ukraine and Georgia that could decide the fate of their bid to reach Euro 2008 at the expense of either France or Italy.
