Real Madrid have opened disciplinary proceedings against Robinho and Julio Baptista following their late return from international duty with Brazil last week.
"The board of directors are determined to speed up the enquiry and make their decision on the case as soon as possible," the club said in a statement on their Web site (www.realmadrid.com).
Spanish media reported that the players would be handed a heavy fine as stipulated in the club's code of conduct.
The two players failed to warn the club that they would miss training last Friday ahead of the team's league match against Espanyol after their flight from Brazil was delayed.
They were both left out of the squad for Saturday's match, which Real lost 2-1.
Robinho was one of the Brazil players reported to have been partying into the early hours of Thursday morning following their team's 5-0 victory over Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier in Rio de Janeiro.
22 October 2007
Real Madrid chairman Ramon Calderon has warned the coach Bernd Schuster to improve his behaviour following his recent outburst at the press conference.
Bernd Schuster has complained about the media pressure and attention ever since he landed at Santiago Bernabeu and asked the media to allow him to work in peace.
One would know the pledges like this one are virtually impossible in Spain and Schuster finally lost his temper at post-match press conference after Real Madrid's first season defeat at Espanyol.
When asked about his rotation policy at the club, German angrily responded by telling the journalist: "I suggest you send me a fax with the proposed line-up."
18 October 2007
Barcelona's Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o has been granted Spanish citizenship, after swearing allegiance to the country's constitution.
It means 24-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure is now the Catalan side's only non-EU player.
It follows Brazil's Ronaldinho and Mexican Giovanni Dos Santos becoming EU citizens back in August.
The Spanish football federation's move to consider Africans as EU players may make the changes of status unnecessary.
This follows the Spanish parliament's ratification in April last year of the Cotonou Accord, which was signed in 2000.
The agreement means workers from 77 African, Caribbean and Pacific nations can be treated as guest workers under European Union designation.
Eto'o, who is expected to be sidelined until December after undergoing surgery on an injured tendon in his right thigh, joined Barcelona from Mallorca in 2004.
The Cameroon striker helped the team win the Champions League in 2006 and the Spanish league in 2005 and 2006.
The 26-year-old began his career with Real Madrid and had loan spells with Leganes and Espanyol.
He has been voted Africa's top player three times.
08 October 2007
Valencia striker David Villa will miss Spain's European championship qualifying match against Denmark next Saturday because of an ankle injury.
Medical checks performed Sunday confirmed the Valencia striker sustained a serious sprain to his left ankle in the team's 2-1 loss to Espanyol on Saturday.
Villa is expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks.
Spain is tied with Sweden atop Group F with 19 points, though Sweden has a game in hand. Northern Ireland has 16 points. The top two teams qualify for the tournament in Austria and Switzerland next summer.
05 October 2007
Luis Aragones has again omitted Raul from his Spain squad as the Real Madrid captain was left out for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Denmark next week.
Despite his impressive form for Los Merengues, Raul has failed to win his place back with la Seleccion and the national team coach remains loyal to his favoured forwards.
Spain take on Denmark in the crunch Group F encounter on October 13, where a victory for the visitors to Aarhus would push them to the cusp of qualification for the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland next summer.
Carles Puyol is back in the squad, having missed last month's matches through injury, while Valencia's Raul Albiol and Espanyol's Albert Riera are the surprise inclusions.
"Our qualification for EURO 2008 is at stake," Aragones said. "I know Riera from my time at Mallorca and he's technically a great player."
After playing Denmark at the weekend, Spain then travel to Helsinki to take on Finland, who are well placed in Group A, in a friendly.
Defenders: Pablo Ibanez (Atletico de Madrid), Mariano Pernia (Atletico de Madrid), Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Raul Albiol (Valencia).
Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona), David Silva (Valencia), Xavi Hernandez (FC Barcelona), David Albelda (Valencia), Miguel Angel Angulo (Valencia), Joaquin (Valencia), Albert Riera (Espanyol).
Forwards: David Villa (Valencia), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Luis Garcia (Espanyol).
01 October 2007
Jesus Navas believes that Sevilla must beat Slavia Prague on Tuesday night if they are have any chance of qualifying for the next phase of the Champions League.
The 21-year-old hopes that the Andalucian outfit can put their run of bad results behind them and bounce back against the Czech side in the Sanchez Pizjuan.
After losing to Arsenal in the first game in Group H, Sevilla must now pick up three points at home if they have any aspirations of finishing in the top two.
"It is a key game in our bid to qualify," Navas explained.
"This is a very important game, which is very different to league matches. Whenever you lose you have to put a stop to that run quickly and return to the way that we played before in order to win."
Sevilla have been beaten by FC Barcelona, Espanyol and Real Zaragoza since losing to Arsenal two weeks ago, but Navas believes that the team can bounce back.
"We have worked on our mistakes," he said. "But I think that we have created enough chances to win those games with ease, but they were not put away. We just have to continue working along the same lines. When you lose you just want to keep working and wait for the next game to come along in order to change what went wrong before and this is a great chance to do that."
