West Ham United midfielder Scott Parker has suffered another set-back in his bid to recover from a knee injury.
West Ham's former Newcastle captain Scott Parker was due to return from a knee injury against Fulham reserves on Tuesday night but was forced to pull out and is now expected to be out for another two weeks.
Parker, 27, has been plagued by injury since arriving at the Boleyn Ground from Newcastle in a big-money summer transfer.
He has played just two games for the Hammers and has been plagued by the damage to his knee ligament, sustained during a pre-season friendly against Lazio.
Better news for West Ham manager Alan Curbishley was the return of Scotland midfielder Nigel Quashie in Tuesday's reserve team match.
Quashie had been out since March with ankle and foot injuries, but he came through the game without a problem.
11 October 2007
Aberdeen have appealed to fans who travelled to Ukraine with them last week to help identify the supporter who has landed them in trouble with UEFA.
The Dons are likely to face a sizeable fine after a flare was set off by one of their followers during their game with Dnipro.
Now Pittodrie chiefs want the person named and shamed - and banned from their games for life.
Operations manager John Morgan said: "We must track down this idiot and stop the club's reputation being damaged any further. Ukrainian officials praised the behaviour of the 500 Dons fans who were at the game but we've all been let down by the actions of one person."
Italian club Lazio were fined £5000 and Romania's Dinamo Bucharest £4000 after fans set off flares before their a Champions Leagueclash in Rome in August.
Both clubs were warned any repeat could lead to their grounds being closed and a ban on fans attending games abroad. The Dons' fate will be decided next month.
Meanwhile, Panathinaikos hitman Dimitris Salpingidis is ready to call on Hearts defender Christos Karipidis to help the Greeks in their UEFA Cup clash against the Pittodrie side.
The striker will ask his countryman, a former team-mate at PAOK Salonika, for a dossier on the Dons who make up Group B along with Atletico Madrid, Lokomotiv Moscow and Copenhagen.
Jimmy Calderwood's take on the Greeks in Athens in the group opener on October 25.
The 26-year-old Salpingidis reckons the draw has been kind because they play the Dons at home - and expects to take all three points.
He said: "I will contact Christos to find out about Aberdeen. We also have Takis Fyssas, who was at Hearts, in our squad so their knowledge will be useful to us. The draw is very good for us regarding the fact three teams will go into the next stage. In front of our home fans I am confident we can win."
Panathinaikos are fourth in the Greek League after four games and trail early leaders AEK Athens by five points.
Midfielder Alexandros Tziolis admits there will be no excuses should they fail to reach the UEFA Cup knockout stages.
However, having learned of how Aberdeen disposed of Dnipro in Ukraine in the first round proper he insists the Greeks will not underestimate them.
He rates Spanish cracks Atletico Madrid as the strongest side in the group but feels his side's European know-how could be vital.
He said "The Spaniards are strong but all the teams can cause problems, especially Aberdeen. But we are an experienced team and that will help us."
11 October 2007
Celtic are likely to escape with a fine today when UEFA rule on the one-man pitch invasion that marred their Champions League victory over AC Milan.
Scotland's champions face charges of "lack of organisation and improper conduct of supporters" after a fan ran on to the Parkhead playing surface and taunted Milan goalkeeper Dida following Scott McDonald's injury-time winner.
The Brazilian goalkeeper appeared to be slapped on the shoulder and initially gave chase to the fan, before falling theatrically to the ground.
He was then carried off on a stretcher while holding an ice pack to his face, before being replaced by Zeljko Kalac for the dying stages of Milan's 2-1 defeat on Wednesday last week.
Dida and his club will also have their cases heard by UEFA's control and disciplinary committee today after both were charged with breaching rules upholding "loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship".
But Dida's reaction, which was roundly ridiculed and was described as a "mistake" by Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti, will have no bearing on the judgment over Celtic's security lapse.
Chaired by Austrian Dr Thomas Partl, the panel could in theory go as far as changing the result of the match. However, it is understood Celtic will avoid such a heavy punishment.
Celtic are likely to be fined and should avoid further sanction such as being forced to play behind closed doors.
UEFA are sympathetic to the fact that, with fences consigned to football's history, there is always the potential for a supporter to breach security.
The 10 lawyers who make up the disciplinary committee will largely focus on how the intruder got on the pitch.
Celtic moved swiftly to hand a life ban to the supporter, 27-year-old Robert McHendry, who escaped back into the crowd but handed himself in to police the following day.
McHendry admitted a breach of the peace in court last Friday and will be sentenced next month.
Dida is also expected to be fined or handed a warning for his exaggerated reaction to the incident.
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani last night claimed Dida had complained of feeling dizzy after the incident.
Galliani told Milan's website, www.acmilan.com: "If someone feels dizzy, in any case, it's right to substitute him. But I'm not a doctor, so I can't say anything for sure, so I won't."
Ancelotti had previously tried to explain the club's decision to substitute Dida, who played in Sunday's 5-1 Serie A victory over Lazio.
"The fact that he came off was an evaluation which the doctor made, who did not know the extent of the damage and preferred to avoid any eventual risks," the former Italy midfielder said.
And Ancelotti urged UEFA to recognise the 34-year-old's past record and move on from the incident.
"The other night was a mistake," he said. "I don't know why he did it, but I think that the issue must be closed for all the demonstration of professionalism he gave through the years."
08 October 2007
Lazio coach Delio Rossi has apologised to the club's fans following their 5-1 hammering at the hands of AC Milan on Sunday.
Kaka and Alberto Gilardino both scored twice alongside a strike from Massimo Ambrosini to leave the Rome faithful venting their anger at club president Claudio Lotito.
Stefano Mauri scored the only goal for the Biancocelesti in a match which also saw goalkeeper Fernando Muslera come under criticism after conceding a penalty and being at fault for at least two of the Rossoneri's other four goals.
"You can lose against Milan but certainly not in this manner. I want to apologise to our fans," said Rossi.
"The goalkeeper is just another player in the team. Sometimes he does well and other times not as well - as was the case with our goalkeeper on Sunday. Now we must heal our injuries and prove that a team of our level can bounce back from this defeat."
08 October 2007
UEFA are to take disciplinary action against AC Milan and their goalkeeper Dida over the controversial incident that marred their Champions League defeat at Parkhead.
The Brazilian was carried off on a stretcher after a Celtic fan ran on to the pitch following Scott McDonald's injury-time winner and appeared to lightly strike the goalkeeper around the shoulder and neck.
Dida initially gave chase to the pitch invader, who has subsequently received a lifetime ban from the Glasgow club, before falling to the turf clutching his face.
The case against Milan and the player will be heard on Thursday by UEFA's disciplinary committee, who will also make a decision on charges against Celtic on the same day.
Dida was replaced by Zeljko Kalac for the final moments of the match and held an ice pack to his face as he was carried from the pitch, though no lasting injury was suffered.
The fan, 27-year-old Robert McHendry, escaped back into the crowd but he handed himself in to police the following day and admitted a breach of the peace in court last week.
UEFA announced then they had opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic on charges of lack of organisation and improper conduct of supporters.
Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti has already admitted Dida's actions were a "mistake", and the European champions accepted the defeat without challenge.
Ancelotti said: "During the years, Dida has shown great sportsmanship and fairness - he was also hit by flares and he got up. The other night was a mistake. I don't know why he did it, but I think that the issue must be closed for all the demonstration of professionalism he gave through the years. I think that he made a mistake, but that's all. The fact that he came off was an evaluation which the doctor made, who did not know the extent of the damage and preferred to avoid any eventual risks."
Dida returned to action yesterday, on his 34th birthday, as Milan won 5-1 at Lazio in Serie A.
Celtic chairman Brian Quinn was quick to condemn McHendry's actions but also criticised Dida in the wake of the incident.
Quinn said: "I'm making no excuses for the behaviour, and the fan behaved disgracefully. But the contact made with the goalkeeper was minimal, absolutely minimal. The antics of the goalkeeper have to be taken into account as well. He took a couple of steps after the fan and then obviously made this decision that he should go to ground. Unless I missed something, he was carried off on a stretcher for what seemed to be the lightest tap you can imagine."
06 October 2007
As Nelson Dida's own teammates turn against him for his Glasgow theatrics, AC Milan are looking at immediate alternatives – Gianluca Pagliuca and Angelo Peruzzi.
The Brazilian shot-stopper had already been a controversial figure within the club, as the fans never quite forgave his long drawn-out contract renewal saga last year and repeatedly jeered him at San Siro this season.
His dreadful performance in the 2-1 defeat to Celtic – where he was at fault for the two goals and then appeared to feign injury after a fan confronted him – could be the final straw.
This week both Kaka and defender Massimo Oddo have publicly criticised Dida's behaviour in that incident, when he was stretchered off clutching an ice-pack to his head.
'Dida is going through a tough time,' said Oddo. 'He didn't behave appropriately, but he realises what he has done and I don't think it will ever happen again.'
He could risk a Champions League ban for his theatrics, so Milan are looking elsewhere for an immediate reinforcement.
Until the January transfer window opens, they can only sign players who are out of contract and so the choice has come down to two golden oldies.
Peruzzi retired from football in the summer, rejecting pleas from Lazio to continue for another year, but it is reported today that Milan director Ariedo Braida has called to ask about his fitness levels.
Some sources even suggested Peruzzi was spotted in the city of Milan to discuss contract terms.
'At the moment I am fine like this, as I do not miss football,' Peruzzi told Radio Deejay. 'Having said that, if Milan called me I certainly wouldn't say no.'
Another new rumour comes from someone who has no intention of retiring, despite being left without a club this season.
Pagliuca's deal with Ascoli expired and he has been waiting for a suitable opportunity to continue his career.
He would become the latest in a long line of former Inter players to cross the city divide and with 592 Serie A appearances under his belt is still capable of catching Milan's Paolo Maldini on 600.
These would be stop-gap solutions until January, when a new goalkeeper capable of entering the Champions League squad came into the picture.
While Christian Abbiati could return early from his loan spell at Atletico Madrid, a more likely candidate is Livorno's Marco Amelia – currently the Italy number two behind Gianluigi Buffon.
05 October 2007
Dutch winger Arjen Robben is a doubt for Real Madrid's match at home to Recreativo Huelva on Sunday after receiving a blow to his right knee in Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Lazio in the Champions League.
Brazilian forward Robinho is also doubtful because of an ankle strain, but German defender Christoph Metzelder should be available after recovering from a knee injury.
Champions Real lead the standings by a point from Villarreal and Valencia, with Barcelona a further point behind in fourth.
05 October 2007
UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic after a fan ran onto the field and touched AC Milan goalkeeper Dida during a Champions League match.
The governing body of European soccer said Friday it could also take action against the player, asking Milan to explain why Dida was substituted and raising the possibility that the Brazil international could be investigated for feigning an injury.
The incident happened after a Celtic fan ran across the goalmouth after the Scottish champions had scored in the 90th minute to secure a 2-1 win. The fan appeared to tap Dida gently around the neck or shoulder.
The Brazilian turned and started to chase after the fan, then suddenly stopped and fell dramatically to the ground clutching his face. He was carried off on a stretcher with an ice pack to his cheek.
Milan organizing director Umberto Gandini said the day after the match that Dida would likely be fit for Sunday's Serie A match at Lazio.
Celtic could be fined or ordered to play matches in an empty stadium if it is found guilty of a lack of organization and improper conduct of supporters.
Milan has opted not to appeal against the result of the match.
The supporter, a 27-year-old man who was not a season ticket holder, got away after the incident but approached the club to admit to it on Thursday.
After being interviewed by club officials, the fan, whose name has not been released, was arrested by local police.
04 October 2007
Fabio Cannavaro praised Lazio for their performance, but admits 'lazy' Real Madrid have much to learn about team spirit and defending as a unit.
'Lazio played a great game and we didn't do too well, as we should not have left so much space and were lucky they didn't make the most of that,' he said after the 2-2 draw at the Olimpico.
'I have been playing in Spain for a year and there are differences. You defend less as a unit and more as individuals, so you get a lot of one-against-one or even two-against-one. This is their mentality and that is tough to change, even though we tried last season.'
Fabio Capello won the Liga title with Real, but was fired because his style of play was not considered to be entertaining enough.
Cannavaro was one of the few imports requested by Capello that remained at the club and he revealed the difficulties he has to deal with in Madrid.
'I always tell them to help out the defence, as the important thing in a team is balance and everyone fighting together,' he told Sky Italia television.
'I can't ask Ruud van Nistelrooy and Raul to work in defence, but I can tell them to adjust their position slightly during the difficult times when we are under pressure. When you are on the field with attacking midfielders like Wesley Sneijder, Guti and Arjen Robben, they get lazy and focus more on the attack rather than coming back to help out. We do discuss these things.'
Gabriel Heinze was used as Cannavaro's central defensive partner in that Champions League encounter.
'We have had injuries to Pepe and Metzelder, while we needed a bit more attacking flair down the right with Sergio Ramos, so Heinze was chosen to partner me in the centre. We have a large squad and the Coach likes to change regularly so everyone gets a rest.'
Real Madrid now share top spot in Group C with Olympiacos, who won 3-1 away to Werder Bremen, on four points. Lazio have two points, Werder are yet to get off the mark.
01 October 2007
The agent of Milan striker Albert Gilardino has rubbished rumours linking the striker with a move to Lazio by claiming the Rome club could not afford to pick up the Italy international's contract.
Gilardino appears surplus to requirements at the San Siro and sections of the press have suggested that Milan have offered the player to Lazio in exchange for Tommaso Rocchi.
Rocchi, 30, has been a prolific scorer in Serie A but his Stadio Olimpico future is uncertain after talks over a new contract have so far failed to reach a successful conclusion for either party.
Gilardino's agent, Giovanni Bia, described the rumours as impossible.
'I don't know how this speculation came about because it is practically impossible for Gilardino to ever wear the Biancocelesti shirt,' said Bia.
'Lazio's maximum wage wouldn't allow it unless Milan paid 90 per cent of his salary and I don't think that would happen.'
Lazio president Claudio Lotito was equally adamant that Rocchi would be remaining in Rome.
'We are still in talks and we want to keep him because he embodies the spirit of the club,' said Lotito.
'It remains to be seen whether talks over an extension will be successful, but whatever happens he is a Lazio player until 2009.'
