A round-up of today's other news in brief
Chelsea set to fail in bid to change 6pm kick-off time
CHELSEA’S HOPES of getting the kick-off time of their FA Cup semi-final with Tottenham brought forward are set to be dashed. Reports claim the Blues will lobby for the tie to be played earlier than Sunday week’s scheduled 6pm start if they avoid defeat in tonight’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Benfica.
But it is understood the kick-off time is fixed and there are no plans to move it to give Chelsea more time to prepare for a potential European semi-final first leg against Barcelona or AC Milan at Stamford Bridge the following Wednesday.
Manager Roberto Di Matteo was “angry and disappointed” on Friday after learning of the late start to the FA Cup tie.
Uefa fine Porto €20,000 over Balotelli chants
UEFA HAVE fined Portuguese club Porto €20,000 after their supporters racially abused Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli in February.
The European governing body last night confirmed the punishment following a meeting of their control and disciplinary body which took place last week.
City lodged a complaint after Balotelli was subjected to monkey taunts during the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie at the Estadio do Dragao on February 16th.
Porto have three days to appeal against the verdict.
There were outbreaks of monkey chanting throughout the game, which City won 2-1, but it appeared most noticeable when Balotelli was substituted 12 minutes from time.
Porto coach Vitor Pereira later claimed there may have been a misunderstanding and that fans were actually chanting, “Hulk, Hulk, Hulk” at the club’s star player.
That has been dismissed by Uefa.
Cassano's return a boost to Italy's Euro 2012 hopes
AC MILAN forward Antonio Cassano can resume playing again after undergoing heart surgery last November in a boost to Italy’s Euro 2012 hopes. Cassano was passed fit following a scientific legal evaluation at the Institute of Sports Medicine in Milan, the Serie A champions said yesterday.
The 29-year-old underwent minor heart surgery in November after falling ill on the plane back from a match against Roma, sidelining him just as he had hit one of the best spells of his career.
Cassano was Italy’s top scorer in the Euro 2012 qualifiers with six goals and has become a regular under coach Cesare Prandelli after he was overlooked by his predecessor Marcello Lippi. Born in Bari, Cassano has had a colourful career marked by tantrums and personality clashes.
He joined Milan at the start of last year. Cassano became a key factor in their Serie A triumph in May and was enjoying another good season until he fell ill.
Chamakh, Taarabt in hot water
ARSENAL AND QPR were yesterday leaving it to Arsene Wenger and Mark Hughes to decide whether to reprimand Marouane Chamakh or Adel Taarabt for being pictured with shisha pipes after Saturday’s game between the sides.
Gunners striker Chamakh and Rangers playmaker Taarabt were photographed holding the pipes in a bar following the match at Loftus Road.
The Morocco team-mates both featured in QPR’s shock 2-1 win over Arsenal. Taarabt opened the scoring with his first ever Premier League goal, while Chamakh came off the bench late on.
Chamakh has struggled to make an impact since joining Arsenal almost two years ago and has scored just once in 17 appearances this season. Reports suggest manager Wenger will offload him this summer.
Shisha is a waterpipe in which fruit-scented tobacco is burned using coal, passed through a water vessel and inhaled through a hose.
Administrators expect five bids
RANGERS’S ADMINISTRATORS are anticipating up to five bids for the club before today’s deadline for final offers. Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy is reportedly weighing up an offer although he last night denied having submitted one already.
Joint-administrator David Whitehouse told the club’s official website: “It could be we end up with at least four, possibly five bids being submitted.”
Bids are expected from the Blue Knights consortium led by former Rangers director Paul Murray, US-based investment form Club 9 Sports and a Singapore-based group.
Whitehouse does not expect Craig Whyte to prove an obstacle to a deal being done, although the majority shareholder’s intentions remain unclear.
Duff and Phelps expect to reveal the preferred bidder next week. Whitehouse told rangers.co.uk: "The best and final bids are due to be submitted by tomorrow at 5pm. I am told that Craig Whyte will not be an impediment to any deal."
