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A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Balotelli pitches his lot to get in Italian starting line up

Mario Balotelli has made a major pitch to be a part of Cesare Prandelli’s starting line up at Euro 2012, insisting that he can be the Italy coach’s flexible friend at the tournament where the 2006 world champions will be in Ireland’s group.

“I want to be a winner out there,” he said yesterday, “a player who entertains the crowd. Euro 2012 is something important for me.”

As things stand it is far from clear that the Manchester City striker, who barely featured in the qualifiers, will play a major part at the finals although he clearly has an eye on the second striker’s role which is up for grabs in the absence of Giuseppe Rossi and claimed yesterday to have a special relationship with Antonio Cassano, the Prandelli favourite who is returning from a long lay-off prompted by a stroke and the subsequent need to undergo heart surgery.

“I don’t know what links Cassano and myself,” says Balotelli. “We are very similar, we get on well – on and off the pitch. When he wasn’t well I told him that I wouldn’t go to the Championship unless he did.”

EMMET MALONE

Liverpool interest in Villas-Boas cools

The prospect of Andre Villas-Boas becoming Liverpool manager has receded after the club’s owners, who have offered Louis van Gaal the position of sporting director, cooled their interest in the 34-year-old.

Villas-Boas has been a frontrunner for the Anfield vacancy following Kenny Dalglish’s sacking last Wednesday and hoped to hold formal talks with the principal owner, John W Henry, and the chairman, Tom Werner, as the Liverpool hierarchy settle on a shortlist for the post.

The former Porto and Chelsea manager, however, has not been approached for an interview. While his candidacy cannot be discounted completely, he has seen his prospects diminish amid interest from Fenway Sports Group in Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rodgers and possibly the man they wish to oversee a new managerial structure at Liverpool, Van Gaal.

Roma have also approached Villas-Boas since he was sacked by Chelsea in March but are also keen on their former striker, now Catania coach, Vincenzo Montella.

Guardian Service

Premier League record losses

The Premier League’s 20 clubs collectively made a loss of £392 million (€489m) last year, after spending all of their record £2.2 billion (€2.75) income. Of the clubs which were in the Premier League in 2010-11, the year of most clubs’ latest published accounts, only five made a profit, of £71 million (€89m) in total.

Of the other clubs, 14 made losses, totalling £464 million (€579m). Manchester City, in the third year since Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought the club and began to pour in money to acquire a team capable of winning the Premier League, lost £197 million (€246m), the greatest financial loss in the history of football.

Chelsea lost the next highest amount, £68 million (€85m) during 2010-11. Liverpool lost £49 million (€61m).

Manchester United, despite spending £50 million (€62m) in interest on the debts loaded by United’s owners, the Glazer family, won the championship having spent less on wages, at £153million (€190m), than Chelsea and City, and still made a profit of £12 million (€15m). Guardian Service

Barton's QPR future in doubt after receiving 12-game ban

Joey Barton has been banned for 12 matches and fined £75,000 (€94,000) by the English Football Association, an unprecedented tariff that places his future at Queens Park Rangers in serious doubt.

Before the ruling the club had already met to discuss options regarding their captain.

After finding the midfielder guilty of two charges of violent conduct in QPR’s 3-2 defeat a Manchester City on the season’s final day the chairman of the FA regulatory commission stated that Barton’s behaviour “tarnishes the image of football”.

For the two violent conduct counts Barton was handed an eight-game suspension to follow on consecutively from the four matches he will already miss for being sent off in the game.

After receiving the red card for appearing to strike Carlos Tevez, Barton then kicked Sergio Aguero and attempted to headbutt Vincent Kompany.

After the hearing, the regulatory commission chairman condemned the midfielder’s actions, saying: “There are rules of conduct that should be adhered to, and such behaviour tarnishes the image of football.”

Bosingwa and Kalou shown door at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have released two more of their Champions League-winning team, with Jose Bosingwa and Salomon Kalou told to find fresh employment.

The London club, who have already allowed Didier Drogba to leave, have chosen not to take up the option on Bosingwa while Kalou, who is at the end of his contract, has not been granted new terms.

Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and Paulo Ferreira and Frank Lampard, who each have one year remaining on their contracts at Stamford Bridge, will be invited for new contract talks over the summer.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have had a €40 million offer for 19-year-old Brazil midfielder Lucas Moura rejected according to Sao Paulo president Juvenal Juvenico.