Baros out for three weeks

News round-up.

BAROS OUT: Liverpool last night received confirmation that striker Milan Baros will be out of action for at least three weeks with a hamstring injury.

The Czech was substituted playing for his country against Macedonia in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night.

Early fears that the 23-year-old, who has scored 10 goals for his club this season, had sustained hamstring damage were confirmed when the player underwent a scan at Melwood.

With Djibril Cisse already out for the season, the news could not come at a worse time for Rafael Benitez, whose team face eight games in 25 days which could shape their season.

Included in that run are Champions League fixtures against Monaco and Olympiacos and Premiership matches against city rivals Everton and champions Arsenal.

FLYNN APOLOGISES: Sunderland midfielder Niall Flynn has apologised after being fined for his part in an incident in which paintball guns were used in public.

The 18-year-old Dubliner has been fined two weeks' wages - and ordered to undertake 60 hours' community service for the City of Sunderland Council after an internal disciplinary investigation, during which the teenager was suspended.

PIRES FINED: France and Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires will be fined for wearing the logo of a different sports company to the team's official sponsor adidas, the French football federation said yesterday.

Pires was summoned by the FFF to explain why he appeared in a sweater with a Puma logo during a TV show on October 10th when he was with the national side rather than Arsenal.

COACH SACKED: Cameroon have confirmed the sacking of team coach Winfried Schaefer following their 3-0 defeat to Germany on Wednesday. The German had been in charge since late 2001.

CZECH BRIBERY: Czech first division side Opava were fined and docked six points yesterday for trying to bribe a referee in a league match last season against Olomouc.

The Czech Football Union fined the eastern club €16,012. The six-point deduction drops them from 13th to last place.

More than 24 referees and club officials have been charged by Czech police for alleged bribe-taking or bribe-giving in the 2003-2004 season.