Soccer Shorts

The English Football Association is bracing itself for a backlash from sponsors after agreeing a new four-year TV rights deal with the BBC and BSkyB.

Under the agreement unveiled yesterday all England's home games will be exclusively live on the BBC from the start of the 2004-5 season and it will share rights to the FA Cup with BSkyB.

The deal will anger the FA's five main sponsors who fear that, with the majority of coverage on the BBC, their ability to advertise during the build-up to games and in commercial breaks will be limited.

Barcelona's 'first' visit

Barcelona will bring their first-team squad to the Brandywell for next month's friendly with Derry City, it was confirmed last night.

The news will guarantee a capacity 10,000 sell-out attendance.

New format

Changes to the UEFA Cup were announced yesterday which will see the competition include a group phase from next year - but a group phase with a difference.

UEFA will change the format from the 2004/05 season so that 40 sides will be split into eight groups, and each club will play two home matches and two away rather than face each opponent twice.

UEFA have also announced proposed changes to the way European sides will qualify for the 2006 World Cup, which will now go to FIFA for approval.

UEFA want to split the 51 teams into three groups of seven teams and five groups of six. The eight group winners and two best runners-up would qualify automatically with the other six runners-up playing off for the three remaining spots.

Combined Olympic side Scotland, Wales and England yesterday gave a cautious welcome to the prospect of a Britain football team at the Olympic Games, which has been put forward by president of FIFA, Sepp Blatter.

However, Irish Football Association general secretary David Bowen expressed "serious reservations".

Big spender

Chelsea have tabled a £5 million bid for the Southampton defender Wayne Bridge and yesterday agreed a £6 million fee with West Ham for full back Glen Johnson.

New Russian owner Roman Abramovich appears to be lining up a summer spending spree after having an initial bid turned down for Edgar Davids. Chelsea were also reported to have approached former Real Madrid boss Vicente del Bosque.

Bellamy bailed

Newcastle United's Craig Bellamy has denied two charges of racially aggravated behaviour.

The 23-year-old spoke only to enter his pleas and confirm his personal details during a brief hearing at Cardiff Magistrates Court.

He was bailed to return for a pre-trial hearing on August 7th. Bellamy was charged in connection with an incident outside a nightclub in the Welsh capital on March 24th.

In Brief. . .

Australia international Brett Emerton has completed his move from Feyenoord to Blackburn Rovers. The highly rated midfielder moved for an undisclosed fee and has signed a four-year contract. Despite FIFA imposing an international transfer ban on Roma over an outstanding debt to Peruvian club Sporting Cristal, the Serie A side completed the signing of French midfielder Oliver Dacourt from Leeds United last night for £3.5 million. New Portsmouth defender Dejan Stefanovic has had his application for a work permit rejected. Julian Gray is expected to complete his "dream move" to Leeds within the next fortnight. The Crystal Palace winger has been training already with Peter Reid's side. Burnley have completed the loan signing of Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick. Rangers defender Lorenzo Amoruso is set to finally complete his move to Blackburn today. And Celtic's tour of Sweden ended on a high note yesterday with a 3-2 victory over Helsingborg.