Archive soccer news from around the world
Milan's Shevchenko out injured for three weeks (Jan 31, 2005)
Ukraine striker Andrei Shevchenko of AC Milan, who hurt his right ankle against Bologna at the weekend, will be out of action for three weeks, Milan revealed. . . . more . . .
Celtic set to enter Bellamy fray (Jan 31, 2005)
Scottish Premier League champions Celtic were reported to be putting together a loan deal for controverisial Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy. . . . more . . .
Olympiakos says no problem with Rivaldo (Jan 31, 2005)
Greek league leaders Olympiakos released a statement denying local press reports that their Brazilian superstar Rivaldo was not happy with coach Dusan Bajevic. . . . more . . .
Chaplow completes Baggies move (Jan 31, 2005)
Premiership strugglers West Bromwich Albion have agreed a fee of 1.5 million pounds (2.17 million euros) for Burnley midfielder Richard Chaplow, the clubs confirmed. . . . more . . .
Celtic sign Bellamy on loan (Jan 31, 2005)
Scottish Premier League champions Celtic signed controversial Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy on loan for the rest of the season. . . . more . . .
Rooney set for Everton return (Jan 31, 2005)
England striker Wayne Rooney was set for a return to Everton's Goodison Park for the first time since joining FA Cup holders Manchester United after the sides were drawn together in the fifth round of this season's competition. . . . more . . .
Villa snap up Djemba-Djemba (Jan 31, 2005)
Aston Villa have agreed an undisclosed fee with Manchester United for their 23-year-old Cameroon midfielder Eric Djemba-Djemba. . . . more . . .
Metz midfielder Ribery set for Galatasaray: spokesman (Jan 31, 2005)
Galatasaray have reached agreement with French midfielder Franck Ribery and will formally sign him on Tuesday once first division side Metz annuls his contract, a spokesman for the Istanbul-based club said. . . . more . . .
Mourinho picks Chelsea for cleansweep...of player awards (Jan 31, 2005)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is anticipating a rout for his team in the player of the year awards after his side continued their unrelenting march towards a trophy cleansweep with a 2-0 victory against Birmingham. . . . more . . .
Ferguson on brink of Rangers return (Jan 31, 2005)
Blackburn Rovers midfielder Barry Ferguson was set to return to Rangers as time ticked away on transfer deadline day. . . . more . . .
Djema-Djemba joins Aston Villa (Jan 31, 2005)
Eric Djemba-Djemba signed a four-and-half-year contract with Aston Villa on transfer deadline day after agreeing a move from Premiership rivals Manchester United, the Cameroon international's new club announced. . . . more . . .
Charlton's Stuart joins Norwich survival battle (Jan 31, 2005)
English Premiership survival battlers Norwich have signed Graham Stuart from Charlton until the end of the season. . . . more . . .
Arsenal and Man United fired up for second helpings (Jan 31, 2005)
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson is certain hostilities will be back on the menu when his team travel to bitter rivals Arsenal for a crunch match that could bury one side's Premiership title hopes. . . . more . . .
Chelsea aim to stop cash splash (Jan 31, 2005)
Premiership leaders Chelsea will cut back on their big-spending over the next 18 months after the Londoners announced record losses of 88 million pounds. . . . more . . .
Ferguson completes Rangers return (Jan 31, 2005)
Blackburn Rovers midfielder Barry Ferguson returned to Rangers with barely an hour of transfer deadline day remaining. . . . more . . .
Fernandez splits with Porto: report (Jan 31, 2005)
Spain's Victor Fernandez has reportedly stepped down as the coach of European champion FC Porto following the team's 3-1 home loss against Sporting Braga on Sunday. . . . more . . .
Chelsea set to escape Cole censure: report (Jan 31, 2005)
English Premiership leaders Chelsea are reportedly set to be cleared over allegations they made an illegal approach to sign Arsenal's Ashley Cole. . . . more . . .
Snowballing corruption scandal causes tempers to fray (Jan 31, 2005)
The corruption scandal engulfing the Bundesliga shows no sign of dying down with bookmaker Oddset accusing the German Football Federation (DFB) of failing to heed a tip-off they gave on August 23 of last year. . . . more . . .
Chaplow set for Baggies move (Jan 31, 2005)
Premiership strugglers West Bromwich Albion have agreed a fee of 1.5 million pounds (2.17 million euros) for Burnley midfielder Richard Chaplow, the clubs confirmed. . . . more . . .
Middlesbrough and Everton accept FA charges (Jan 31, 2005)
Middlesbrough and Everton both accepted Football Association charges of bad behaviour during their 1-1 Premiership draw at the Riverside on January 16, the FA announced. . . . more . . .
Pompey sign Slovenia striker Rodic (Jan 31, 2005)
Portsmouth have signed Slovenia international striker Alexander Rodic from Slovenian champions Gorica. . . . more . . .
Arsenal call for Chelsea's head (Jan 31, 2005)
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood is ready to demand English Premiership leaders Chelsea be docked points if it is proved they made an illegal approach to Ashley Cole. . . . more . . .
Dodgy bonuses in match-fixing scandal (Jan 31, 2005)
Players from a non-league team involved in a Cup upset that exposed Germany's biggest match-fixing scandal were reported to have shared a 10,000 euro bonus from an anonymous backer. . . . more . . .
Losers can forget title warns Wenger (Jan 31, 2005)
Arsene Wenger has insisted that defeat for either side in Tuesday's eagerly-awaited clash between Arsenal and Manchester United at Highbury would rule the losers out of winning the English Premier League this season. . . . more . . .
Leading sponsor Siemens pulls out of China Super League (Jan 31, 2005)
German electronics giant Siemens will not renew its multi-million euro sponsorship of the troubled Chinese Super League following a maiden season marred by allegations of gambling and crooked referees. . . . more . . .
Japan's Nakata signs for Marseille (Jan 31, 2005)
Japan international Koji Nakata signed an 18-month contract with Marseille, the French first division club announced. . . . more . . .
Bellamy turns down Birmingham move (Jan 31, 2005)
Newcastle outcast Craig Bellamy has turned down a 6 million pound move to Birmingham despite Newcastle manager Graeme Souness saying he would never play for the club again. . . . more . . .
Campbell ready for must-win United showdown (Jan 31, 2005)
Arsenal defender Sol Campbell says the English champions cannot afford anything but a win in Tuesday's Premiership showdown with arch-rivals Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Benfica sign Delibasic on loan from Real Mallorca (Jan 31, 2005)
Benfica have signed Serbia and Montenegro striker Andrija Delibasic on loan from Spain's Real Mallorca until the end of the season, the Portuguese first division club said on the last day of the January transfer window. . . . more . . .
Spurs swoop for Forest duo (Jan 31, 2005)
Nottingham Forest have accepted an audacious eight million pounds transfer deadline day combined bid from Tottenham for highly-rated youngsters Andy Reid and Michael Dawson. . . . more . . .
Giggs hope for United (Jan 31, 2005)
Manchester United hope to have Ryan Giggs for their English Premiership showdown with Arsenal on Tuesday despite suffering a tight hamstring in the FA Cup win over Middlesbrough. . . . more . . .
AS Roma's Candela joins Bolton on a five-month contract (Jan 31, 2005)
AS Roma's French defender Vincent Candela announced he is moving to Premiership club Bolton on a five-month contract. . . . more . . .
Anelka docks in Istanbul (Jan 31, 2005)
Manchester City's former France striker Nicolas Anelka completed his move to Turkish league leaders Fenerbahce when he signed a three-and-a-half year contract, with an option for a further 12 months. . . . more . . .
Arteta joins Everton (Jan 31, 2005)
Everton have signed Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta on loan from Real Sociedad with a view to a permanent deal. . . . more . . .
Liverpool chief denies Chelsea Gerrard link (Jan 30, 2005)
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry said he will take legal action over claims that he has already negotiated a 30-million-pound summer move to Chelsea for England midfielder Steven Gerrard. . . . more . . .
Rooney steals show as Premiership giants go on Cup cruise (Jan 30, 2005)
Wayne Rooney scored two spectacular goals as holders Manchester United reached the fifth round of the FA Cup on a day when the giants of the Premiership hammered home their authority in the world's oldest cup competition. . . . more . . .
Beckham on target as Real Madrid beat Numancia (Jan 30, 2005)
England captain David Beckham was on target as Real Madrid maintained their perfect league record in 2005 with a 2-1 win at bottom club Numancia. . . . more . . .
Disappointing Bayern fire blanks, Bremen up to fifth (Jan 30, 2005)
Tabletoppers Bayern Munich missed the chance to go three points clear at the Bundesliga summit following a 0-0 draw at Hertha Berlin. . . . more . . .
Monaco pile on misery for PSG (Jan 30, 2005)
Monaco kept themselves firmly in the French title race with a 2-0 win over Paris Saint Germain which sent the capital city club spiralling into mid-table mediocrity. . . . more . . .
Trio arrested in connection with Hoyzer scandal (Jan 30, 2005)
The Berlin magistrate court has issued warrants for the arrest of three men connected with the Robert Hoyzer match-fixing scandal it was confirmed. . . . more . . .
Cole has not spoken to Chelsea officials: agent (Jan 30, 2005)
Ashley Cole has not had a secret meeting with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and chief executive Peter Kenyon last week, the Arsenal defender's agent said. . . . more . . .
Juve tighten grip on title as Milan slip up again (Jan 30, 2005)
Juventus took a big step towards the Serie A title after extending their lead at the top of the table to eight points. . . . more . . .
Anelka completes switch to Fenerbahce (Jan 30, 2005)
French international striker Nicolas Anelka completed his move from Manchester City of the English Premiership to Turkish league leaders Fenerbahce. . . . more . . .
Chelsea stay on course for trophy sweep (Jan 30, 2005)
Chelsea's dream of winning four trophies this season stayed firmly on track when the Londoners beat Birmingham 2-0 to move into the fifth round of the FA Cup. . . . more . . .
Hot-stuff Sutton keeps Celtic on track (Jan 30, 2005)
Chris Sutton grabbed his seventh goal in eight matches as Celtic beat Kilmarnock 1-0 to regain top spot in the Scottish Premier League. . . . more . . .
Chelsea make record 88-million-pound loss: report (Jan 30, 2005)
Premiership leaders Chelsea made a record pre-tax loss of 88 million pounds last year, according to a report. . . . more . . .
Ineffective Bayern fail to punish title rivals (Jan 30, 2005)
Tabletoppers Bayern Munich missed the chance to go three points clear at the Bundesliga summit following a 0-0 draw at Hertha Berlin. . . . more . . .
Barca flatten Sevilla to bolster title tilt (Jan 30, 2005)
Barcelona showed off their title credentials with a flamboyant 4-0 away romp over Seville to give themselves a ten-point cushion over challengers and bitter rivals Real Madrid. . . . more . . .
Bolton are not Oldham's Cup of Te (Jan 30, 2005)
A maiden goal for the senior team by Portuguese striker Ricardo Vaz Te saw Premiership side Bolton squeeze through to the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in three years as they beat League One side Oldham 1-0. . . . more . . .
Villarreal unbeaten run extends to eight games (Jan 30, 2005)
Villarreal continued to proved that they are the Spanish first division's team in form with their fourth successive victory, an emphatic 4-0 win at Real Sociedad. . . . more . . .
Brazilian Elber signs for Monchengladbach (Jan 30, 2005)
Brazilian striker Giovane Elber signed for Borussia Monchengladbach till 2006, the German first division club said. . . . more . . .
Redknapp cool on Reid despite deal (Jan 29, 2005)
Southampton boss Harry Redknapp said that he doubted whether Nottingham Forest's Andy Reid would join his Premiership strugglers despite a deal being agreed for the Republic of Ireland midfielder. . . . more . . .
Wenger says Toure's three-match ban a tough punishment (Jan 29, 2005)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said Kolo Toure's three-match ban for reacting after being kicked in the groin by Alan Shearer was a tough punishment for the crime, the London Evening Standard said. . . . more . . .
Lyon stick to winning formula (Jan 29, 2005)
Lyon, five points ahead in the title race, keep the same side for the trip to Bastia which won 2-1 at home to Rennes. . . . more . . .
Schalke get Bayern in their sights (Jan 29, 2005)
Bayern Munich top the Bundesliga table on 37 points but second-placed Schalke 04 hope to keep the heat on with a win at Kaiserslautern. . . . more . . .
Will Barca suffer from aggro-phobia at Sevilla? (Jan 29, 2005)
Spanish league leaders Barcelona recovered their poise against Racing Santander last weekend with an outstanding 3-0 win but could easily be knocked out of their stride again at Sevilla. . . . more . . .
Rangers Greek defender prepares for debut (Jan 29, 2005)
Rangers' new signing Sotirios Kyrgiakos is set to make his Scottish Premier League debut against bottom of the table side Livingston. . . . more . . .
Crouch makes Pompey pay the penalty (Jan 29, 2005)
Former Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch scored a dramatic late penalty to give Southampton a 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round win over their south coast Premiership arch-rivals at St Mary's. . . . more . . .
Sands of time catch up with little artist Del Piero (Jan 29, 2005)
Alessandro Del Piero's artistic touch appears to have deserted him. . . . more . . .
Liverpool striker Sinama-Pongolle out for the season (Jan 29, 2005)
Liverpool's French striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, the Premiership club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Bayern left smiling as Schalke, Stuttgart stumble (Jan 29, 2005)
Schalke 04 missed the chance to reach the Bundesliga summit with a surprise 2-0 reverse at Kaiserslautern putting a huge dent in their title bid. . . . more . . .
Rooney shines in Man Utd Cup romp (Jan 29, 2005)
Two spectacular finishes by Wayne Rooney kept Manchester United's season alive as Middlesbrough bowed out of the FA Cup after a 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Rangers hammer home point to bottom boys (Jan 29, 2005)
Rangers went top of the Scottish Premier League after dishing out a 3-0 hammering at home to bottom of the table Livingston. . . . more . . .
Bellamy's vote of confidence from Blues chairman (Jan 29, 2005)
Craig Bellamy received a vote of confidence from Birmingham chairman David Gold who has no doubts manager Steve Bruce would bring the best out of him following his spectacular fall-out with Newcastle boss Graeme Souness. . . . more . . .
Chievo edge Livorno to boost survival hopes (Jan 29, 2005)
Chievo boosted their hopes of retaining their Serie A status with a battling 1-0 home victory over Livorno. . . . more . . .
FA to rejig fixtures to help World Cup preparation (Jan 29, 2005)
English football officials are trying to rejig next season's fixtures to ensure national team boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has ample time to prepare should England qualify for next summer's World Cup finals. . . . more . . .
We'll be Premiership champions, says Mourinho (Jan 29, 2005)
Jose Mourinho has insisted that his Chelsea side will be crowned champions of England this season and end a 50-year wait for the Blues. . . . more . . .
Beattie opens account as Everton ease past Sunderland (Jan 29, 2005)
Everton, one of the surprises of the English Premiership season, comfortably negotiated their route into the fifth round of the FA Cup in a 3-0 victory over Championship side Sunderland. . . . more . . .
Vieira and Ljungberg on target as Arsenal march on in Cup (Jan 29, 2005)
Goals by Patrick Vieira and Freddie Ljungberg helped Arsenal ease through to the FA Cup fifth round in their 2-0 win over Wolves at Highbury. . . . more . . .
Marseille reignite French title chase (Jan 29, 2005)
Marseille reignited their French title challenge with a 3-1 win at 10-man Toulouse to bury the nightmare of their midweek 2-0 home defeat to Sochaux. . . . more . . .
Parma and Chievo boost survival hopes (Jan 29, 2005)
Parma and Chievo improved their chances of surviving the drop from Serie A by clinching narrow home victories. . . . more . . .
Barca flatten Sevilla to bolster title tilt (Jan 29, 2005)
Barcelona showed off their title credentials with a flamboyant 4-0 away romp over Seville to give themselves a ten-point cushion over challengers and bitter rivals Real Madrid. . . . more . . .
Redknapp factor spices up South Coast Cup clash (Jan 28, 2005)
Southampton's FA Cup clash against arch-rivals Portsmouth would be a huge derby game for both sets of supporters whenever it happened. . . . more . . .
Ferguson backs under-fire Howard (Jan 28, 2005)
Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson leapt to the defence of goalkeeper Tim Howard after the American international's latest catastrophy in the League Cup. . . . more . . .
Hungary and Croatia announce joint bid to host Euro 2012 (Jan 28, 2005)
Hungary and Croatia have announced a joint bid to host the Euro 2012 football tournament, it was revealed. . . . more . . .
Chelsea boss Mourinho charged by FA for improper conduct (Jan 28, 2005)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was charged with improper condcut by the Football Association for his comments in a post-match interview after the League Cup semi-final, first leg clash with Manchester United. . . . more . . .
Race for Bellamy hots up (Jan 28, 2005)
Blackburn, Birmingham and Portsmouth have joined the race to sign Craig Bellamy after Newcastle manager Graeme Souness confirmed that the Wales striker will never play for his current club again. . . . more . . .
Japan to play Kazakhstan in World Cup warm up match (Jan 28, 2005)
Asian Cup holders Japan will launch their campaign for a place in the 2006 World Cup without their Europe-based stars in a tune-up game against Kazakhstan Saturday. . . . more . . .
River Plate striker Lopez joins Barcelona (Jan 28, 2005)
River Plate's Argentine striker Maximiliano "Maxi" Lopez signed a four-and-a-half year contract with Barcelona, the Spanish league leaders announced. . . . more . . .
Australia call up new face for South Africa soccer clash (Jan 28, 2005)
Australia have called uncapped Jason Culina into their squad for the upcoming football friendly against South Africa in Durban next month. . . . more . . .
Bellamy set for six million Birmingham switch (Jan 28, 2005)
Craig Bellamy was set to join Birmingham after Newcastle agreed to offload the Wales striker for six million pounds. . . . more . . .
Spurs sign Czech as keeper back-up (Jan 28, 2005)
English Premiership side Tottenham signed goalkeeper Radek Cerny from Slavia Prague on an 18-month contract to act as back-up to first choice Paul Robinson. . . . more . . .
Japan to play Kazakhstan, Syria before crucial NKorean World Cup qualifier (Jan 28, 2005)
Asian champions Japan hope to gain momentum in their bid to reach the 2006 World Cup with a friendly against Kazakhstan Saturday and then Syria before their qualifying showdown against mysterious North Korea. . . . more . . .
Liverpool striker Sinama-Pongolle out for the season (Jan 28, 2005)
Liverpool's French striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, the Premiership club confirmed. . . . more . . .
Rostock look to Litmanen in survival race (Jan 28, 2005)
Finnish veteran Jari Litmanen has joined relegation-threatened Hansa Rostock in the German Bundesliga. . . . more . . .
Martins breaks the ice for Inter (Jan 28, 2005)
Inter Milan are well placed to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Cup after winning the first leg of their quarter-final away to Serie A's bottom club Atalanta. . . . more . . .
Camara's hopes of Saints move end (Jan 28, 2005)
Senegalese striker Henri Camara's hopes of moving to Southampton from Celtic on loan were dashed, it was claimed. . . . more . . .
Hibs ace Riordan gets Scotland call (Jan 28, 2005)
Derek Riordan's free-scoring form for Hibernian has been rewarded with a call up to the Scotland squad, the first to be selected by new manager Walter Smith. . . . more . . .
Henry launches anti-racism campaign (Jan 28, 2005)
Arsenal's France striker Thierry Henry launched a campaign against racism entitled "Stand up, speak up," which aims to make supporters aware of the need to stamp out the problem in football. . . . more . . .
Outcast Bellamy set for six million pound Birmingham switch (Jan 28, 2005)
Craig Bellamy was set to join Birmingham after Newcastle agreed to offload the Wales striker for six million pounds. . . . more . . .
Henchoz leaves Liverpool for Celtic (Jan 28, 2005)
Liverpool defender Stephane Henchoz moved to Scottish League leaders Celtic on a short-term contract after failing to battle his way back into the Anfield line-up. . . . more . . .
Martins breaks the ice for Inter (Jan 27, 2005)
Inter Milan are well placed to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Cup after winning the first leg of their quarter-final away to Serie A's bottom club Atalanta. . . . more . . .
Anelka on his way to Turkey as City agree fee (Jan 27, 2005)
Nicolas Anelka's checkered career took another dramatic twist when Manchester City agreed to sell the French striker to Turkish club Fenerbahce at a substantial loss. . . . more . . .
Atletico's Musampa joins Man City on loan (Jan 27, 2005)
Atletico Madrid's Dutch midfielder Kizito Musampa has joined Manchester City on a six-month loan deal. . . . more . . .
Ferguson in limbo as Rangers end Blackburn talks (Jan 27, 2005)
Barry Ferguson's hopes of a return to Rangers appeared to have been crushed after Blackburn rejected a second offer from the Scottish giants. . . . more . . .
Howard nightmare recurs as Chelsea keep quadruple bid on track (Jan 27, 2005)
Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard was forced to relive the worst moment of his career as Chelsea booked a League Cup final date with Liverpool with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Suspect referee Hoyzer admits to match-fixing (Jan 27, 2005)
Robert Hozyer, the referee at the centre of Germany's biggest football scandal for 34 years, admitted to fixing matches he had gambled on. . . . more . . .
Japan midfielder Nakata leaves for Marseille (Jan 27, 2005)
Japan midfielder Koji Nakata left here for France, where he will formally sign a contract with French first division club Marseille after a medical check. . . . more . . .
FA withdraws 'black-free' DVD (Jan 27, 2005)
The Football Association has scrapped an official DVD of England's greatest post-war internationals because it did not feature a single black player, a spokesman announced. . . . more . . .
FA "disappointed" over England-N. Ireland kick-off time (Jan 27, 2005)
The Football Association said it was disappointed at the refusal of police to agree to an alteration in the kick-off time of their 1500 GMT World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland at Old Trafford on Saturday, March 26. . . . more . . .
Premiership looms largest in Mourinho's quadruple vision (Jan 27, 2005)
The odds on Chelsea completing a clean sweep of all four trophies available to them have been slashed after they overcame Manchester United to book a League Cup final date with Liverpool. . . . more . . .
New injury blow for Inzaghi (Jan 27, 2005)
AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi was rocked by another injury blow after an x-ray revealed he had fractured his right hand in the Italian Cup victory over Udinese and will need an operation. . . . more . . .
Chelsea quadruple will cost us millions say bookies (Jan 27, 2005)
Chelsea's quest to win an unprecedented four trophies in one season could cost the British betting industry as a whole five million pounds, a spokesman for leading firm Ladbrokes said. . . . more . . .
Besiktas sack Del Bosque (Jan 27, 2005)
Struggling Turkish giants Besiktas sacked Spanish coach Vicente Del Bosque and replaced him with Riza Calimbay, a former Besiktas star who had been coaching Caykur Rizespor. . . . more . . .
Suspect referee Hoyzer's mafia connections (Jan 27, 2005)
Suspect referee Robert Hozyer, the man at the centre of Germany's biggest football scandal for 34 years, was linked to Croatian mafia betting rings in Berlin. . . . more . . .
French international Henry launches campaign against racism (Jan 27, 2005)
Arsenal's French international Thierry Henry launched a campaign against racism entitled "Stand up, Speak up," which aims to make supporters aware of the need to stamp out the problem in football. . . . more . . .
Colour blind English football establishment sorry for oversight (Jan 27, 2005)
English football chiefs have been forced to apologise for failing to include any black players in an official DVD of England's greatest post-war internationals. . . . more . . .
Besiktas take aim at Del Bosque (Jan 27, 2005)
Struggling Turkish giants Besiktas were reported to have decided to sack Spanish coach Vincente Del Bosque. . . . more . . .
Tottenham sign Finland's Tainio (Jan 27, 2005)
Tottenham Hotspur have signed Finland midfielder Teemu Tainio from Auxerre, the English Premiership side announced. . . . more . . .
German law boss demands match-fixing clean-up (Jan 26, 2005)
German Interior minister Otto Schily has demanded a thorough investigation into alleged match-fixing after a referee was accused of betting on the results of at least five matches he handled. . . . more . . .
Premier league riding crest of wave (Jan 26, 2005)
Premier League boss Richard Scudamore claims top-flight English football is the envy of Europe. . . . more . . .
Nine-million-pound Cech helps Chelsea cash in (Jan 26, 2005)
Chelsea's low-profile, nine-million-pound keeper Petr Cech may have proved the club's most efficient and valuable signing should runaway leaders Chelsea win the Premiership title this season. . . . more . . .
Millwall accused over abuse of Korean ace (Jan 26, 2005)
Wolverhampton captain Paul Ince has accused Championship rivals Millwall of failing to control supporters who had racially abused his Korean team-mate Seol Ki-Hyeon. . . . more . . .
Slavia keeper Cerny to join Tottenham (Jan 26, 2005)
Slavia Prague goalkeeper Radek Cerny is to join English Premiership side Tottenham on loan for at least 18 months, the Czech club said. . . . more . . .
Italy considers using synthetic pitches (Jan 26, 2005)
Some Serie A matches could be played on synthetic pitches as early as next season, the Italian football federation (FIGC) said. . . . more . . .
Losing start for new Fiorentina coach Zoff (Jan 26, 2005)
Dino Zoff's first game in charge of Fiorentina ended in a 1-0 defeat to Roma in the first leg of the Italian Cup quarter-finals. . . . more . . .
Liverpool move for bad-boy Bellamy (Jan 26, 2005)
Liverpool were reported to have approached Newcastle United over striker Craig Bellamy who has said he wants to leave after a highly-public row with manager Graeme Souness. . . . more . . .
Ambrosini double gives AC Milan slight edge (Jan 26, 2005)
Massimo Ambrosini scored twice as AC Milan edged Udinese 3-2 in a thrilling Italian Cup quarter-final, first leg at the San Siro. . . . more . . .
Spurs swoop for Mido and El Hamdaoui (Jan 26, 2005)
Tottenham signed AS Roma's controversial Egyptian striker Mido on an 18 month loan. . . . more . . .
Barcelona bolster attack with Argentina's Lopez (Jan 26, 2005)
Argentina striker Maxi Lopez has agreed a move to Barcelona from River Plate in a six million euro move, the Spanish league leaders said. . . . more . . .
NKorea giving cars, homes to motivate footballers facing Japan (Jan 26, 2005)
Communist North Korea is giving cash, cars and houses to motivate its footballers, who are determined to beat Asian champions and political rivals Japan in next month's World Cup qualifier match, a report said. . . . more . . .
German football federation acts against suspect ref (Jan 26, 2005)
The German football federation (DFB) announced it had taken legal action against the referee suspected of match-fixing. . . . more . . .
Japan midfielder Koji Nakata to play for Marseille (Jan 26, 2005)
J-League club Kashima Antlers said it failed to renew a contract with Koji Nakata, allowing the Japan midfielder to play for French club Marseille. . . . more . . .
Busy City in rush before transfer window closes (Jan 26, 2005)
Manchester City confirmed they had finalised a six-month loan deal for Kiki Musampa, Atletico Madrid's left-sided midfielder. . . . more . . .
Stevie Wonder fires Liverpool into League Cup final (Jan 26, 2005)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard emphatically drew a line under his club's recent problems by firing them into the League Cup final at the expense of Championship side Watford. . . . more . . .
Liverpool's Cup joy tainted by Pongolle injury (Jan 26, 2005)
Liverpool's League Cup semi-final win over Watford has come at a heavy price with striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle picking up a serious knee injury in Tuesday's game. . . . more . . .
Howard nightmare recurs as Chelsea keep quadruple bid on track (Jan 26, 2005)
Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard was forced to relive the worst moment of his career as Chelsea booked a League Cup final date with Liverpool with a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. . . . more . . .
Lyon back in the winning groove (Jan 26, 2005)
Lyon picked themselves up after their first defeat of the season with a 2-1 win over coach Paul Le Guen's former club Rennes. . . . more . . .
Watford out to inflict further misery on Liverpool (Jan 25, 2005)
Sobering defeats last week to Burnley in the FA Cup and Southampton in the Premiership will ensure Liverpool line up desperate to make amends in their League Cup tie against Watford. . . . more . . .
Van der Sar extends Fulham contract (Jan 25, 2005)
Edwin van der Sar has signed a contract extension with Fulham that will keep him at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2006, the English Premiership side announced. . . . more . . .
Tsunami benefit match finishes all square (Jan 25, 2005)
Germany and a Bundesliga international select XI played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in a benefit match for the victims of the tsunami disaster that struck Indian Ocean coastlines on December 26. . . . more . . .
Hoyzer scandal: under-fire ref's colleagues quizzed (Jan 25, 2005)
Four German referees have volunteered to give information to the German Football Federation (DFB) to clarify whether their colleague, Robert Hoyzer, manipulated matches he had wagered money on. . . . more . . .
Juventus midfielder Nedved out for three weeks: agent (Jan 25, 2005)
Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved will be out for three weeks after suffering an injury to his left knee against Brescia at the weekend, the Czech player's agent Zdenek Nehoda revealed. . . . more . . .
Ferguson can leave Blackburn if price is right (Jan 25, 2005)
Scotland captain Barry Ferguson has been given a green light to leave Blackburn and return to Rangers, but only if the Scottish giants meet their six million pounds valuation of the player. . . . more . . .
Gerrard fires Liverpool into League Cup final (Jan 25, 2005)
Steven Gerrard emphatically drew a line under Liverpool's recent problems by firing Liverpool into the League Cup final at the expense of Championship side Watford. . . . more . . .
Sochaux break their 20 year Velodrome jinx (Jan 25, 2005)
Marseille's run of good form under new coach Philippe Troussier came to an abrupt end in front of their own fans when they were beaten 2-0 by Sochaux. . . . more . . .
Newcastle fine Bellamy 80,000 pounds (Jan 25, 2005)
Newcastle have fined striker Craig Bellamy 80,000 pounds, equivalent to two weeks' wages, in a move that appears to signal the exit for the Wales international following his bust-up with manager Graeme Souness. . . . more . . .
Anelka set for Turkish move (Jan 25, 2005)
Turkish side Fenerbahce were reported to have reached a deal with Manchester City to take their France striker Nicolas Anelka on loan for the rest of the season. . . . more . . .
Arsenal's Toure in elbow trouble (Jan 25, 2005)
Arsenal defender Kolo Toure has been charged by the Football Association for an alleged elbow into Alan Shearer's back during Newcastle's weekend match at Highbury. . . . more . . .
Alonso injury adds to Benitez problems (Jan 25, 2005)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez admits that Xabi Alonso is unlikely to play again this season after breaking his ankle against Chelsea. . . . more . . .
The sky is the limit for Mourinho, says dad as manager voted best coach (Jan 25, 2005)
The sky is the limit for Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, his father claimed, after the Portuguese manager was voted the best football coach in the world in 2004 by the International Football Federation of History and Statistics. . . . more . . .
Bremen interest prompts Bayer into Schneider talks (Jan 25, 2005)
Bayer Leverkusen are keen for German international Bernd Schneider to end his career at the club after German champions Werder Bremen revealed their interest. . . . more . . .
Di Canio to face disciplinary hearing over alleged fascist salute (Jan 24, 2005)
Lazio captain Paolo Di Canio is to face a disciplinary hearing over a fascist salute allegedly made by the veteran striker in last month's Rome derby, the Italian football federation (FIGC) revealed. . . . more . . .
Arsenal fined 10,000 pounds for using unlicensed agent (Jan 24, 2005)
English champions Arsenal were fined 10,000 pounds by the Football Association after admitting using an unlicensed agent in the transfer of teenage striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie from Ajax. . . . more . . .
Fans braced for 2006 World Cup ticket race (Jan 24, 2005)
The scramble for tickets for the 2006 World Cup in Germany begins on February 1 this year with the organising committee confirming that exactly 812,000 tickets are on sale to the general public via the internet. . . . more . . .
Mourinho denies Beckham slight (Jan 24, 2005)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insisted he had not criticised England captain David Beckham following weekend press reports he would not sign the Real Madrid midfielder. . . . more . . .
Palece reject new Spurs' bid for Routledge (Jan 24, 2005)
Crystal Palace have rejected a 2 million pound bid from Tottenham for winger Wayne Routledge. . . . more . . .
Referee scandal casts dark cloud over German football (Jan 24, 2005)
Robert Hoyzer was a largely unknown second division German referee until Saturday afternoon but in the space of 24 hours he has become the most talked about man in German football. . . . more . . .
Lebanese millionaire steps in to save Servette (Jan 24, 2005)
A Lebanese businessman has come to the rescue of financially-crippled Swiss side Servette. . . . more . . .
Diouf steals the show from Blackburn (Jan 24, 2005)
A late goal by Senegalese international El Hadji Diouf handed Bolton an undeserved 1-0 victory over Blackburn. . . . more . . .
German referee Hoyzer refutes betting allegations (Jan 24, 2005)
The man at the hub of Germany's snowballing refereeing scandal, Robert Hoyzer, has denied manipulating football matches that he had placed large sums of money on. . . . more . . .
Souness and Bellamy in Newcastle war of words (Jan 24, 2005)
Controversial Welsh international striker Craig Bellamy's future at Newcastle United was thrown into doubt after a public falling out with manager Graeme Souness. . . . more . . .
Strasser extends Gladbach contract (Jan 24, 2005)
Borussia Monchengladbach have extended the contract of Luxembourg international Jeff Strasser by two years until June 2007. . . . more . . .
Ancelotti magnanimous in defeat as Livorno humble AC Milan (Jan 24, 2005)
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted his team deserved their shock 1-0 defeat away to Livorno which left the defending Serie A champions five points behind leaders Juventus. . . . more . . .
Gladbach want more of the same from Aussie skipper (Jan 24, 2005)
Australia captain Craig Moore had an immediate impact on his debut for Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach scoring the decisive goal in Saturday's 1-0 win over Arminia Bielefeld. . . . more . . .
Scandal referee Hoyzer could have fixed other matches: DFB (Jan 24, 2005)
German referee Robert Hoyzer, suspected of fixing a German Cup match on which he had bet money, could have fixed other matches, the German football federation (DFB) said. . . . more . . .
Arsenal's Edu set for Spain (Jan 24, 2005)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Edu is set to leave Highbury for Spanish side Valencia. . . . more . . .
