A round-up of today's other soccer news in brief
Higuain leaves it late for Real
REAL Madrid ensured they stayed in the Spanish title race after taking all three points in a dramatic second half against a Getafe side that will wonder how they let a point escape their grasp.
A dreadful first half from the hosts saw them go behind, before Gonzalo Higuain levelled just before the break and they came out after half-time with more spirit and emergency than they had shown before the break.
Getafe again took the lead though before the inconsistent Guti netted a second equaliser and after Javi Casquero had missed a penalty and Pepe had been sent-off, Higuain netted a superb goal in injury-time to win the game for a relieved Real.
The reigning champions knew that this was their chance to close the gap on La Liga leaders Barcelona to three points for 24 hours at least as they play third-placed Sevilla at Camp Nou tonight, but without the suspended Lassana Diarra in the midfield they looked disjointed. Real were also without injured pair Wesley Sneijder and Gabriel Heinz.
In the top-flight’s other game, Athletic Bilbao won 2-1 at bottom side Numancia.
Uefa wants games stopped if fans make racists chants
UEFA wants matches to be halted if fans make racist chants, the European governing body’s president Michel Platini said yesterday. Juventus were ordered to play their next home league game behind closed doors on Monday after fans racially abused Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli in Saturday’s 1-1 Serie A draw.
“We will call for play to be stopped for 10 minutes when these things happen and announcements to be made in the stadium,” Platini told a news conference in Rome. “If it continues the match will be stopped. Courage is needed when there is racism in the stands. That’s Uefa’s mission.”
Racist abuse is not uncommon in Italian soccer and small fines are usually handed out. However, the seriousness of Saturday’s incidents prompted the authorities to come down heavily on Juventus. “It is a difficult moment for the Italian soccer federation. It has taken its responsibility,” added ex-Juventus player Platini. Italian federation president Giancarlo Abete, who hopes to bring Euro 2016 to the country, told reporters that rules would be changed to allow games to be stopped because of racist chanting. “The Italian system already gives the authorities the power to suspend the game in the case of banners that incite racial discrimination,” he said.
Twins rejected Arsenal, Real
MANCHESTER United starlets Fabio and Rafael Da Silva have revealed they turned down the chance to join Arsenal and Real Madrid.
The full-back twins, who both played in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat by Everton, said: “Arsenal were interested and we also spoke to Madrid. But we chose United because they worked hard and everyone knows them,” left-back Fabio said. The pair have also spoken about the relationship they have built up with their manager.
“Senhor Alex (Ferguson) has always been very supportive of us. He likes to know what people are like on and off the field. He jokes around with us.”
Bellamy likely to miss rest of season
MANCHESTER Citymanager Mark Hughes has confirmed striker Craig Bellamy is almost certainly out for the rest of the season because of a knee injury.
Bellamy has missed the last three matches after suffering the setback during the Uefa Cup quarter-final first-leg defeat at Hamburg. Hughes said: “Craig has got to have complete rest for two weeks then he comes back for strength work. Hopefully he might get the last couple of games, but the probability is that he won’t.”
EVERTON targetJoao Moutinho has signed a contract extension with Sporting Lisbon which will keep him at the club until June 2014.
The 22-year-old Portugal midfielder attracted interest from several Premier League clubs after last summer’s European Championships, but last night committed himself to a further year with Sporting. His previous deal was due to expire in 2013. The new contract contains a withdrawal clause of €22.5 million, Sporting confirmed.
Santa Cruz says he wants transfer
ROQUESanta Cruz claims he has told Blackburn he wants to leave the club at the end of the season.
The 27-year-old, currently recuperating after undergoing a surgical procedure on his troublesome right knee last week, told a Paraguayan radio station he has informed Rovers he wants to move on in the summer.
I have already told them (Blackburn) and they know that before the transfer window closes I would like to continue my career at a bigger, more ambitious team, he told Radio Nanduti.
Even though I havent heard anything, I havent changed my mind.”
LIVERPOOLcan abandon hope of buying Argentine forward Mauro Zarate because Lazio are determined to keep their loan signing from Qatars Al-Sadd, the Serie A clubs president said yesterday. There is zero chance. Lazio will exercise their option to buy Zarate and they will not sell Zarate to Liverpool, full stop, Claudio Lotito said.
Media reports have said Liverpool are interested in the former Birmingham City striker, who has scored 12 league goals for the Rome club this season.
