The Qatar FA have ended their cooperation with Uruguayan Jorge Fossati, who supposedly needed too long to recover from surgery.

Premiership side Chelsea have signed free agent Mineiro. The Brazilian was out of contract since the end of last season.

Russian league leaders Rubin Kazan are through to the quarter finals of the national cup. Penalties were needed to eliminate Amkar Perm.

Holders Paris Saint Germain beat Monaco while Marseille lost to bogey team Sochaux and St Etienne were thrashed 4-1 by second division bottom club Guingamp in French League Cup action on Wednesday.

Boca Juniors and Estudiantes De La Plata are close to a spot in the quarter finals of the Copa Nissan Sudamericana after first leg wins on Tuesday.

Chelsea have completed the signing of experienced Brazil midfielder Mineiro as cover for the injured Michael Essien.

West Ham United said Wednesday they would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against a potential 30-million pounds fine for their part in the Carlos Tevez affair.

Middlesbrough and Austria defender Emanuel Pogatetz says he will apologise for the horror tackle that left Manchester United youngster Rodrigo Possebon in hospital.

Michal Listkiewicz, president of the Polish Football Association (PZPN), admits in the German press on Wednesday he has concerns whether his country will be ready to co-host Euro 2012.

Rafael van der Vaart endeared himself to the Real Madrid fans with a hat-trick as the champions crushed Sporting Gijon 7-1 on Wednesday to go second in the table.

Germany striker Miroslav Klose proved last week´s leg injury is behind him as defending German Cup holders Bayern Munich beat 2007 champions Nuremberg 2-0 in Wednesday night´s second round tie.

An inspired substitution from coach Jose Mourinho allowed Inter Milan to stay top of the Serie A table with a 1-0 victory over Lecce at the San Siro on Wednesday.

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes admitted his side had only themselves to blame for a humiliating League Cup exit at the hands of League One club Brighton.

New West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola has admitted he may not be allowed to strengthen his squad in January as the club faces up to a potential 30-million-pound bill for the Carlos Tevez affair.

England´s League Managers´ Association (LMA) said Wednesday it was "astonished and dismayed" by the recent verbal attacks on Arsene Wenger by UEFA president Michel Platini.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday after learning that promising Brazilian teenager Rodrigo Possebon had not broken his leg, as first feared, after a horror challenge by Middlesbrough´s Emanuel Pogatetz.

World football´s ruling body FIFA on Thursday fined the Croatian Football Federation 30,000 Swiss francs after Croat fans racially abused England striker Emile Heskey during a World Cup qualifier.