News
FA fines Derby, Forest over player brawl (AP) UNICEF appoints Messi a Goodwill Ambassador (AP) Lyon gaining momentum as Bordeaux's dip continues (AP) Man U out to protect Premier League lead at Fulham (AP) BRIEF-Soccer-Inter's Balotelli to miss Catania match (Reuters) Real Madrid seeks response after European exit (AP) Humbled AC Milan turns focus back to Serie A (AP)
Derby and Nottingham Forest have each been fined 45,000 pounds ($67,000; ?49,500) by the Football Association after players and coaching staff from both sides began fighting at a League Championship game for the second time this season. Trouble flared close to the benches during Derby's 1-0 victory at Pride Park in January and the FA charged both teams with failing to control their players.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has been appointed a UNICEF global Goodwill Ambassador. The 2009 FIFA World Player of the Year received the honor in a ceremony in Barcelona. A UNICEF statement said Messi's "determination to use his fame to help the world's most vulnerable children" led to his being chosen for the role.
Lyon's impressive run of form is gaining momentum at a crucial time in the season, with Claude Puel's team knocking out Real Madrid in the Champions League the same night defending champion Bordeaux slipped up again to open up the French title race. Lyon's 1-1 draw at Real Madrid on Wednesday sent it through to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2006.
Boosted by an impressive 4-0 Champions League triumph over AC Milan, Manchester United now has to concentrate on staying on top of the Premier League. After Wayne Rooney took his goals tally for the season to 30 with two more against the Italian club, United has a home game against a Fulham side which has won only one league game in 14 away from home and should be confident of staying two points...
Inter Milan forward Mario
Balotelli will miss the Serie A leaders' visit to Catania on
Friday after sustaining a knee injury in training, the club said
on their website (www.inter.it).
Real Madrid will be under the microscope this weekend as it seeks to respond to its shock midweek elimination from the Champions League when it resumes its league campaign at Valladolid. Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Lyon on Wednesday, putting the French team through to the quarterfinals on aggregate.
AC Milan insists that its humbling 4-0 loss to Manchester United won't affect its performance in Serie A, where it has moved within four points of leader Inter Milan. The shutout in England that ousted Milan from the Champions League was Milan's worst performance in Europe in six years, since getting beat 4-0 by Deportivo La Coruna in the 2004 quarterfinals.