It remained an unanswered question when Abahani, the traditional crowd pullers, conceded a 4-0 defeat after they went down to Brothers Union by the same margin in the group B match of the Independence Day Gold Cup football at the Bangabandhu Stadium on Monday. This was the biggest-margin victory for Brothers Union against Abahani since the club started playing football.
   The local football buffs after taking a deep dive into their memories failed to recollect when Abahani conceded a defeat by this margin. Abahani drew 4-4 with Mohammedans in the Federation Cup back in 1977.
   Victor Edwards, the Russian forward of the orange outfit, struck the killer blow hitting a hat-trick and the speedy Moroccan midfielder Hisham Inani scored the other. Abahani got some opportunities either side of the lemon break but never found the net. Skipper Joy and striker Farhad hit the crosspiece to indicate the day was not for Abahani.
   The defence of Brothers Union comprising Jewel Rana, Masud Rana and Sujon made all the difference as the Abahani attackers rarely found the space to bother the Brothers Union custodian and Masud Rana, the veteran left-back, once cleared the ball from the goalline and his timely interception foiled another almost sure Abahani effort.
   The two overseas recruits of Abahani – Chilean defender Felix and Argentine midfielder Jose Ignesio Scojari – could hardly make any impact putting in an average performance while the two foreign players of Brothers Union were at the heart of every Brothers move.
   Abahani in the 15th minute drew the first blood with Farhad feeding Ujjal whose effort was blocked by a diving Masud Rana. But Brothers took the lead in the 24th minute as Siraji floated a corner-kick which was headed by Jewel Rana to onrushing Victor Edwards who blasted a volley into the far corner of the net.
   Just two minutes later Sujon took a free-kick from the midfield and Victor Edwards outwitted three Abahani defenders to put the ball into the net with a spectacular header. Abahani custodian Nizam foiled two consecutive attempts from Siraji and Hicham Inani in the 31st minute as he was in the right position to punch the ball away.
   But four minutes before the halftime Brothers sealed the fate of the match when a neat through pass from Abul set Hicham Inani free from the attempted off-side trap and he sped away to beat Nizam with a fierce shot from a hand-shaking distance.
   After the interval Abahani pushed forward in search of a goal and in the 52nd minute Zahed Parvez rolled the ball wide with Brothers custodian Shakil lying outside the post. In the 77th minute Ignesio Scojari’s shot was kicked away from the goalline by Masud Rana. Farhad swung a free-kick from the top of the box but the ball beat Shakil in the air only to hit the crosspiece. Just a few minutes earlier Joy’s headed effort shaved off the cross bar.
   Edwards completed his hat-trick in the second minute of the injury time when Parvez Babu set him free with a neat through ball from the midfield and the Russian shrugged off his marker and the custodian before prodding it in.
   Abahani, with three points, now must have to beat Farashganj in the last group match to seal a semi-final spot.

Australia (570/8 dec) lead New Zealand (244) by 326 runs at stumps, day 4
   New Zealand were praying for more rain to save them from defeat in the second Test against Australia after a batting collapse at the Basin Reserve.
   The Kiwis were in deep trouble when bad weather intervened and forced play to be abandoned before the final session of the fourth day, leaving them needing to survive the final day to force a draw.
   Australia captain Ricky Ponting had already enforced the follow-on after New Zealand were dismissed for 244 at tea — 326 runs short of Australia’s massive total of 570 for eight declared.
   However, play was called off before the Kiwis had begun their second innings when the heavens opened and the covers were placed on the pitch.
   Monday’s first session had also been washed out but the Australians still managed to bowl New Zealand out when the sky briefly cleared between lunch and tea. New Zealand had resumed at 122-4 in their first innings but lost their last six wickets for 78 runs to give Ponting the chance to push for victory.
   Vincent top-scored with a patient 63 off 164 balls after starting the day on 38, while Daniel Vettori smashed eight boundaries in making a brisk 45 off 63 deliveries.
   Kasprowicz and leg spinner Shane Warne captured three wickets each for Australia while Glenn McGrath got two and Jason Gillespie and Michael Clarke one apiece. Vincent and night watchman James Franklin made a bright start, adding 58 for the sixth wicket before Franklin got a thick edge to Kasprowicz on 26 and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist took a simple catch.

Dhaka Metro Green became the champion beating Khulna Division by 56 runs in the final of the Age Group Development Tournament Under-13 phase-II at the Gulshan Youth Ground on Monday. Dhaka Green won the toss and decided to bat first. Saddam Khan scored a spectacular 93 for the hosts to post massive 257 runs in 50 overs.
   In reply, Khulna were bundled out for 201 runs in 41.4 overs. Nasiruddin Rony scored highest 55 runs for the Divisional team. Abu Hanif was the most successful bowler for the winners who picked up five wickets conceding 23 three runs in his 10 overs. Saddam Khan of Dhaka Green was adjudged the man of the final.
   Khondokar Jamil Uddin, the vice chairman of the Game Development committee of Bangladesh Cricket Board, distributed the prizes among the winners as chief guest.

India’s off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been reported for a suspect bowling action for his second consecutive Test match and the third time in his career, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday.
   ICC match referee Chris Broad reported Harbhajan at the end of the second Test against Pakistan in Kolkata on Sunday. He called for an investigation into the delivery of the ‘doosra’—a ball that spins away from right-hand batsmen.
   ‘The report relates specifically to the bowler’s action when delivering the ‘doosra’,’ Broad said, adding he arrived at the decision after consulting on-field umpires Darrell Hair and Steve Bucknor.
   ‘It was noticeable to the umpires and me that there was an apparent change in action when bowling this delivery between the first innings of the match, when no concerns were raised, and the second, which then prompted the report to be made.’
   He will be allowed to play till investigations are completed, meaning he will be available for the third and final Test against Pakistan on Thursday and the subsequent six-match one-day series.
   But if investigations show he straightens his arm above the permissible limit of 15 degrees, Harbhajan could be kept out of international cricket for 12 months.

Roger Federer successfully defended his Indian Wells ATP Masters Series title, defeating Lleyton Hewitt 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in Sunday’s final to claim his 26th career singles crown.
   The world number one Federer is undefeated in his past 17 finals and has won seven titles in eight tournaments dating back to the US Open.
   ‘This week I have been playing and feeling fantastic,’ said the 23-year-old Federer, who earned 455,000 dollars in prize money. ‘The pressure is off now and I feel a huge sense of relief.’
   In the final game of Sunday’s championship he built a 40-0 lead then clinched the victory with his 14th ace of the match.
   Federer said he would celebrate the win by going to dinner with his girlfriend.
   ‘I am not a big party guy that goes crazy,’ said Federer, who has won four of the last six Grand Slams. ‘I like to have a party once in awhile but it is not a must after a win.’
   Switzerland’s Federer is off to a personal best 26-1 this year and looks to be as close to unbeatable as anyone has been on the tour in years.
   He was certainly dominant in this tournament, having not dropped a set in winning back-to-back Indian Wells titles. He beat Tim Henman 6-3, 6-3 in last year’s final.
   Federer hammered 41 total winners and just three double faults to Hewitt’s 18 winners and seven double faults in the one hour, 52 minute match.
   Four-time major winner Federer has won a record 17 straight finals he has appeared in, going back to October 2003 and he is 41-1 since the start of the US Open.
   Federer also continued his domination over world number two Hewitt, winning the last seven encounters, including six victories in 2004.
   ‘All the finals in a row that’s fantastic,’ Federer said of his remarkable run. ‘I didn’t have a great record in finals at the beginning of my career. To come through is special, especially in the first Masters Series of the year.’
   This was the first Indian Wells final between the number one and number two players in the world since 1995, when Pete Sampras beat fellow American Andre Agassi.
   Federer jack-hammered his way through the men’s draw here with ease, earning straight-set victories over Mardy Fish, Gilles Muller, Ivan Ljubicic, Nicolas Kiefer and Guillermo Canas. His toughest test was against Ljubicic whom he beat in two tiebreakers.
   Hewitt has played well in big tournaments the last six months, but titles have eluded him.
   Hewitt also looked tired in the first set and Federer began the match by breaking Hewitt’s serve in the opening game. Hewitt’s frustration grew as the set progressed as he smashed a ball against the score clock after being broken again in the seventh game.
   Federer closed out the first set by not dropping a point in a flawless serving game.
   In the second set, Federer took advantage of a service break in the seventh game and then hammered three aces in winning the final game.
   He broke Hewitt again in the first game of the third set and kept the pressure on until the end.
   Sunday’s final marked a return to the best-of-five set format in the Indian Wells championship match.

The West Indies Players Association criticised cricket authorites on Sunday for barring captain Brian Lara and six other players from the first Test against South Africa later this month, the latest development in a feud over sponsorship contracts.
   WIPA president Dinanath Ramnarine urged the West Indies Cricket Board to reconsider its decision ‘so that the best team is selected while legal argumentation regarding the contracts... take their course’.
   Ramnarine warned that players may take tougher actions if the board did not reconsider, though he was vague about what steps those could be.
   Players may have ‘no other alternative but to take such actions as may be necessary to protect our members’ rights and the interest of West Indies cricket,’ he said.
   ‘We trust that it does not come to this and good sense prevails on the part of the board.’
   ‘The players and their career, and the hopes and aspirations of Caribbean people, should not be made scapegoats in this issue,’ Ramnarine added.
   The cricket board announced late on Saturday that Lara had been omitted because he gave ‘a non-committal response’ to an invitation to play in the Test, which starts on March 31 in Guyana.
   Lara, 35-year-old veteran of 112 Tests, and six other players were initially deemed ineligible for selection because of their endorsement contracts with Cable and Wireless, a competitor of official the WICB’s sponsor Digicel.
   The board, however, last week lifted the ban on Lara, saying his contract differed from the other six because it was ‘entered into with the constructive knowledge of the board and with its blessing’.
   The other six players — Dwayne Bravo, Fidel Edwards, Chris Gayle, Ravi Rampaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Smith — were still prohibited from playing.
   The board suggested Lara had agreed to participate only if the others were allowed to play.
   ‘Brian Lara gave a non-committal response to the West Indies Cricket Board’s invitation to make himself available for the match, in which he neither accepted nor rejected the invitation,’ the board said.
   ‘In his response, Lara put a proposition to the board that could not have been entertained because it would require players to be selected on the team who were ineligible due to the nature of their personal endorsement contracts.’
   Ramnarine expressed his ‘wholehearted support for the position which Mr. Lara has taken in response to the board’.
   The board’s decision came despite pressure from Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell and other Caribbean leaders to include the seven players.
   Lara’s absence is the latest setback for the West Indies, which has dropped to third-to-last in the International Cricket Council rankings, above only Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
   In Lara’s 40 Tests as captain, the West Indies have lost 23, won 10 and drawn seven. Lara has scored 26 Test centuries, a West Indies record he shares with Sir Garfield Sobers.
   No one answered the phone on Sunday at Lara’s home in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

Vijay Singh’s double-bogey at the last cost him victory at the Bay Hill Invitational on Sunday, but even as Kenny Perry celebrated his win, Singh regained the world number one ranking.
   Perry and Singh were tied until Singh hit his approach shot into the water at the par-four 18th, handing Perry victory.
   Singh aimed at the flag with a seven-iron from 174 yards, but the shot landed a few feet short, hit the rocks and bounced into the hazard.
   ‘I thank Vijay for giving me the tournament,’ said Perry, who had the luxury of being able to play safe to the left side of the green before two-putting from 70 feet for a two-shot victory.
   ‘He attacks the pin on just about every hole. He has no fear,’ Perry said. ‘That’s just the way he plays golf.
   ‘I was stunned when he came up short. Watching his ball, it looked like it was going to fly right next to the hole. That was nice, knowing I could play left and three-putt to win.’
   Perry shot a steady two-under-par 70 to finish at 12-under 276, while Singh carded a 69 and tied for second with Graeme McDowell at 278.
   South African Retief Goosen (70) finished another five shots behind in fourth place.
   ‘I was trying to win,’ Singh said. ‘I just hit the wrong club. The wind shifted on me. It was an aggressive shot and if I catch the right wind, I probably would have stiffed it.’
   And Singh sounded as if regaining the world number one ranking, two weeks after he surrendered it to Tiger Woods, was little consolation.
   ‘Well, big deal, I lost the golf tournament,’ he said. ‘I just want to win the golf tournament. I really wasn’t worried about the ranking. It’s a shame that’s happened, but you’ve got to look forward.’
   It marked the second straight week that Singh has faltered in the closing stages. At the Honda Classic he missed a short putt to lose a playoff to Ireland’s Padraig Harrington.
   Woods started the final round nine shots off the pace was never in contention. He shot a 72 to tie for 23rd at 1-under 287.
   ‘It was a frustrating week,’ said Woods, who has won this event four times. ‘I didn’t really have it, didn’t putt well, didn’t hit the ball well, and consequently I wasn’t in contention.’
   South African Ernie Els, who arrived at Bay Hill fresh from two straight European Tour wins, also had a chance to claim the number one ranking, but never mounted a serious challenge.
   He barely made the cut and finished one-under.
   Perry, 44, who missed only nine fairways the entire tournament, collected 900,000 dollars for his eighth PGA Tour victory.
   ‘I never got nervous,’ Perry said. ‘I was actually enjoying it. I like competing against the best. I don’t stress like I did back in my 20s, and it shows. I’m very confident about my game and very relaxed. Most guys fade away in their 40s, but I’m still strong and healthy and still hit it a long way.’

Australia’s cricketers’ union said Monday negotiations with Cricket Australia over distribution of games revenue had reached an impasse.
   Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Tim May said talks between the ACA and Cricket Australia were at a stalemate after the CA board of directors rejected a proposal endorsed by the respective organisations CEOs.
   May said talks had reached a critical stage as CA continued with efforts to dilute the players’ share of the games revenues.
   Under the current memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two sides, players receive 25 percent of Australian cricket revenue, with the governing body seeking to reduce the players’ share to 23 percent.
   May said despite making significant progress during negotiations with CA chief executive James Sutherland, proposals developed in conjunction with Sutherland had been rejected by the CA board.
   ‘The ACA has at all times approached these negotiations with the intention of balancing the interests of the game with those of the players,’ May said in a statement released Monday.
   ‘We believe that our rejected proposal properly reflects such balance. To achieve this balance, the players have committed in excess of two million dollars (1.58 million US) from the player payment pool to be dedicated to junior cricket development.
   May said the head body had rejected the goodwill gesture from the players’ association.
   ‘It is disappointing that CA seek to ‘reward’ the players contribution by reducing the players share of the games revenues.

Newcastle striker Patrick Kluivert all but ended his international career on Monday as he announced that even if he was called up to the Dutch national squad he would probably turn it down.
   The 28-year-old forward - scorer of 40 goals in his 79 international appearances - told the Newcastle Journal that he felt his priorities lay with the Premiership club, whom he joined from Barcelona last summer.
   ‘To be honest, if I was called up I do not think that I would go,’ said Kluivert, who first made an impression with the Ajax side that won the 1995 Champions League.
   ‘It does not bother me if I am called up or not. That chapter in my life is probably closed.’
   Kluivert had a miserable Euro 2004 where his poor relations with the then national coach Dick Advocaat saw him play no part in the tournament as he sat on the bench with Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Makaay of Bayern Munich being preferred.
   ‘All I care about is Newcastle United and doing well for Newcastle,’ said Kluivert, who was part of the Dutch teams that went out on penalties in both the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 semi-finals.

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan on Monday advised speed merchant Shoaib Akhtar, who missed the Indian tour because of a hamstring injury, not to rush his comeback to international cricket.
   ‘Any bowler in the world requires match fitness after such a long lay-off. But when it comes to Shoaib Akhtar, he needs more fitness because he bowls at such pace that until everything is correct and in rhythm, he wouldn’t be destructive,’ Imran said.
   ‘I know for myself that express fast bowlers need more time than medium pacers. When I say fitness, I mean match fitness. His match fitness has to be top class. I would advise him not to rush his return,’ Imran said reacting to reports regarding Shoaib’s return.
   A local daily on Monday quoted Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan as saying that the final decision on Shoaib Akhtar joining the team would be taken this week.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has found no place for Alessandro Del Piero in his squad for next Saturday’s 2006 World Cup qualifier against Scotland at Milan’s San Siro stadium.
   Del Piero has scored 11 goals in Serie A this season, but his recent good form has failed to win over Lippi who knows the Juve captain well having coached him at Juventus before taking the Italy job.
   Inter Milan striker Christian Vieri is also missing having not played for almost a month because of a knee injury.
   Roma’s fiery forward Antonio Cassano, who is yet to feature under Lippi due to injury and disciplinary problems, is one of six strikers in the 23-man line-up.
   Juventus defender Gianluca Zambrotta is suspended, so Palermo’s Fabio Grosso and Fiorentina’s Giorgio Chiellini will battle it out to replace him on the left-hand side.
   Italy are top of Group Five with nine points from their four matches played, while Scotland have taken just two points from their three matches.

Rahul Dravid’s match-winning performance in Kolkata has lifted him to the top of the ICC Test Player Rankings. Dravid’s twin centuries, 110 and 135, boosts him to 892 points, a career best tally, just ahead of Jacques Kallis who has 886.
   Anil Kumble, India’s other Kolkata hero, has jumped to fourth in the bowling rankings after his 10-wicket haul, which included 7 for 63 in the second innings to wrap up the Test. Kumble has moved ahead of Shoaib Akhtar, who has missed this series with injury, while Danish Kaneria, Pakistan’s legspinner, remains in 13th position.
   India have two further batsmen in the top 10, Virendar Sehwag is at six and Sachin Tendulkar is seventh as he waits for that elusive 35th Test century.
   Inzamam-ul-Haq remains Pakistan’s highest rated batsman, in 14th spot, his problems continuing against Kumble – who has dismissed him in every innings of the series to date.

Liverpool have boosted their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Everton in a passionate Merseyside derby.
   Liverpool led on Sunday through first-half goals by captain Steven Gerrard and Spanish playmaker Luis Garcia before a 77th-minute red card for their Czech striker Milan Baros threw Everton a lifeline at Anfield.
   Everton’s Australian midfielder Tim Cahill capitalised with a fine strike on 82 minutes but Liverpool held on during a thrilling finale for a priceless win in the race to finish fourth. They now trail Everton by only four points.
   Birmingham City beat Aston Villa 2-0 in the Midlands derby and two Peter Crouch goals hauled Southampton out of the relegation zone, giving them a 3-1 win at Middlesbrough.
   However, Sunday’s spotlight was trained on Merseyside and the battle for England’s final slot in the Champions League qualifying round.
   Everton kept hold of that prized fourth place on 51 points despite their defeat, but the lead was cut to four points over fifth-placed Liverpool and to five points over Bolton Wanderers with eight games to play.
   Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, whose men are through to a quarter-final with Juventus in this season’s Champions League, told Sky Sports News, ‘I’m delighted with the players and the supporters. It’s a fantastic victory for the club.
   ‘We were losing players (to injury) every 20 minutes and in the end with 10 men it was a fantastic job. Luis had an ankle problem and it was almost like playing with nine men.’ As for denying Everton fourth slot, he added, ‘We put pressure on them today and we will try do the same in the next games.’
   Everton manager David Moyes said, ‘I thought Liverpool were very good, excellent in the first half. They competed, they put us under pressure and they showed that they wanted a game.’
   Liverpool knew it was a must-win game and Gerrard rose to the occasion in the 27th minute, lashing his shot below the Everton wall after Dietmar Hamann had nudged a free-kick to him on the edge of the area.
   The second followed five minutes later after a speculative long shot by Spaniard Fernando Morientes was parried on to the crossbar by Everton goalkeeper Nigel Martyn and Garcia headed the rebound into an empty net.
   Liverpool were cruising until Baros, who had missed two glaring chances to score, was sent off for a wild, high challenge on Everton skipper Alan Stubbs.
   Cahill reduced the arrears with a low shot on the bounce but Liverpool held on.
   It was a much more tame affair at St Andrews in the Midlands derby which was effectively decided by a goalkeeping blunder.
   Birmingham took a deserved lead after 52 minutes when Emile Heskey powered past two defenders and Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen let the striker’s near-post shot slip beneath him.
   Midfield substitute Julian Gray made it 2-0 in the 89th minute, pouncing on sloppy defending to steer home a shot from close range and give City their second ‘double’ over their local rivals in three seasons.
   City manager Steve Bruce felt his team had made amends after losing 2-0 to relegation battlers West Bromwich Albion in another Midlands derby a fortnight ago.
   ‘They owed everybody who supports this club a performance after West Brom and today they’re forgiven,’ he said.
   Southampton moved just outside the drop zone, swapping places with Palace, after Crouch scored twice in seven minutes midway through the second half at the Riverside to secure their first away win of the season.
   Southampton, who took the lead through Andreas Jakobsson before being pegged back by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s equaliser in the first half, are now 17th on 27 points.’

AC Milan rejoined Juventus at the top of Serie A with a 2-0 win over Roma here Sunday for the reigning champions’ eighth consecutive league victory and their 10th in all competitions.
   After a goalless first-half, Hernan Crespo put Milan ahead with a superb header before winning a penalty which Andrea Pirlo converted.
   AC Milan and Juventus both have 66 points with just nine games of the season left to play.
   Juventus, who along with Milan are through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, beat Reggina 1-0 on Saturday in Turin where Alessandro Del Piero scored the only goal.
   Roma, who had Christian Panucci and Francesco Totti sent off, fell one place to eighth by virtue of a poorer goal difference than Bologna.
   Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf said his team were able to overcome a stubborn Roma side by raising the game’s tempo after the break.
   ‘We were much quicker going forward and we put them under much more pressure,’ said the Dutch midfielder.
   ‘The first-half we didn’t play to our potential, but in the second we always had the conviction that we could open the game up.’
   Milan broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute at the Olympic stadium.
   Georgian defender Kakha Kaladze crossed from the left to the back post where Crespo outjumped Panucci and planted a firm header wide of Roma keeper Giancarlo Curci.
   Roma fell further behind eight minutes later when Panucci blocked Crespo’s goalbound header with his hand to concede a penalty. Panucci was shown the red card and Pirlo coolly slotted the spot-kick into the top corner.
   Totti also saw red in stoppage time for a second yellow card.
   Earlier Sunday, Inter Milan defeated Fiorentina 3-2 at the San Siro to strengthen their position in third place.
   All of Inter’s goals were scored by South Americans. Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso gave them the lead with a right-footed volley, before Giampaolo Pazzini equalised for the visitors with an acrobatic scissor kick.
   Argentinian Juan Sebastian Veron restored Inter’s advantage with a rasping right-footed drive eight minutes after the break, before Colombian defender Ivan Cordoba headed the home side’s third goal.
   Cordoba then put through his own net three minutes from time to give Inter a few anxious moments before the final whistle.
   Inter’s win was soured by a right knee injury to Adriano. The Brazilian striker, who scored a hat-trick in Tuesday’s Champions League win against Porto that took Inter through to the last eight, was carried off in the 43rd minute after colliding heavily with Enzo Maresca, although early reports said the injury was not serious.
   Inter have 50 points from their 29 matches played, two more than Udinese who won 2-1 at home to Lecce. Sampdoria fell one place to fifth after losing 2-1 at home to bottom club Atalanta.
   Livorno threw away a 2-0 lead in their 3-3 draw with Cagliari, while Parma also shared six goals at home to Palermo.
   Sergio Pellissier scored twice as Chievo improved their chances of surviving relegation with a 3-1 home win over fellow strugglers Brescia, while Messina drew 0-0 at home to Bologna.

Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand has blasted talk of a move to English Premiership leaders Chelsea, and admitted for the first time he was partly to blame for the controversial drugs affair which threatened to tarnish his career.
   The England centre-half has been rumoured to be a target for the Blues but the Londoner maintains he has no burning ambition to go back to the capital.
   Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon organised the deal that took Ferdinand to Old Trafford from Leeds United three years ago but the 26-year-old is in no mood to renew acquaintances.
   The defender added that even a long-held desire to ply his trade abroad is some way off being fulfilled.
   ‘There has been talk in the media about Real Madrid and Chelsea but there have been no offers for me while I have been at United and if there were I would dismiss them straight away,’ he told the fanzine Red Issue.
   ‘I can’t see myself wanting to go anywhere while we are winning with United and doing well.
   ‘I am enjoying my football. I am enjoying my life where I am living. I don’t think I have ever woken up somewhere that is so comfortable since I left London.
   ‘As a kid, I always said I would like to go abroad, not just for the football but for the lifestyle, to see what it is like.
   ‘In the future you never know, your feelings could change, but I don’t see myself having a burning desire to go abroad just yet.’
   United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has already identified Ferdinand as the next captain when midfielder Roy Keane eventually quits Old Trafford, although the defender insists he would happily remain in the background if it meant Keane continuing his playing career.
   Of far more importance to Ferdinand is silverware.
   A Premiership winner in his first season with United, he recognises the chance of adding another championship medal to his collection is likely to end in failure this season, leaving him with just the FA Cup to play for.
   ‘Winning the league was the highlight of my career so far,’ he said.
   ‘As a kid, it is something you always dream about. It’s just a great feeling and you need more of it.
   ‘It’s sickening watching anyone else win anything. You can’t watch the television or read the papers for weeks when another team wins something.’
   Ferdinand would already have been the proud owner of an FA Cup winner’s medal if it had not been for the eight-month ban imposed following his failure to take a drugs test at United’s Carrington training ground in September 2003.
   For the first time, Ferdinand has admitted to his own failure in the affair, apologising to United supporters, but hinting he had been victimised in receiving such a massive punishment – one month more than Adrian Mutu’s suspension for actually failing a test.
   ‘I apologise because obviously I wasn’t responsible enough (on the day of the test),’ he said.
   ‘If that meant missing eight months of football, then obviously I wasn’t responsible enough.
   ‘I could go on for ages and ages, but there is stuff which happened before, with other players, and the precedents that were set, and they went beyond them in my case.
   ‘I take it there is some deep lying thing underneath of what happened.’

Real Madrid made up some ground on Barcelona in the Spanish title race with a 1-0 victory over Malaga on Sunday thanks to a second-half goal by Roberto Carlos.
   Barcelona’s 1-0 victory at Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday night put them a massive 14 points ahead but Madrid, looking set for a second successive season without silverware, are now just 11 points in arrears in second.
   The three points eased the pressure on Madrid coach Wanderley Luxemburgo
   because the 29-time Spanish champions had only earned four points in their previous five fixtures.
   Madrid’s players were whistled by a section of their own fans when they ran on to
   the Santiago-Bernabeu pitch in a clear indication of their unrest.
   After an uneventful first half, Madrid went ahead thanks to the superb left foot of Roberto Carlos, who, fed by Ronaldo, found the net from fully 25 metres with half an hour to go.
   However, Barcelona are still fully in command following their Deportivo victory.
   Although Rafa Marquez was sent off for a second yellow card early in the second half as they defended Ludovic Giuly’s 10th-minute opener, Frank Rijkaard’s men held on to win.
   It was Frenchman Giuly’s sixth goal of the season for the Catalan club, and it was the only one in what was an otherwise eventful match.
   Following a free-kick by Marquez, Deportivo keeper Gustavo Munua punched the ball away.
   Though Barca’s Brazilian defender Sylvinho intercepted the ball in the area, he completely mistimed his shot but Giuly, surging forward at the far post, got on to the end of it to find the net.
   A few minutes before half-time, Deco nearly added a second when his shot from just outside the area took a flighted deflection on to Munua’s crossbar.
   Marquez’s marching orders came in the 52nd minute but despite being a man down Barcelona managed to hold on for the win.
   Sevilla beat Real Mallorca 1-0 on Sunday but the match was marked by the hospitalisation of Venezuelan international Juan Arango.
   Arango lay unconscious for several moments on the pitch after being elbowed in the head by Sevilla defender Javi Navarro.
   Valencia meanwhile are still in with a chance of qualifying for the Champions League next
   season following a 3-1 win
   over Getafe, also on Sunday, with goals from Francisco Rufete, Marco Di Vaio and Mista.

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Chelsea, their manager Jose Mourinho, assistant manager Steven Clarke and club security official Les Miles on charges of bringing the game into disrepute.
   The charges, announced on UEFA’s website on Monday, follow the first leg of the Champions League knockout round game in Barcelona when the Spanish side beat Chelsea 2-1.
   In a statement UEFA said they had opened the case ‘for making false declarations....’
   ‘By further disseminating these wrong and unfounded statements, Chelsea FC allowed its technical staff to deliberately create a poisoned and negative ambience amongst the teams and to put pressure on the refereeing officials.’
   After the Barcelona game Chelsea accused referee Anders Frisk and Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard of meeting in a dressing-room at halftime.
   Mourinho sent his side out late for the second half and refused to attend the mandatory post-match news conference.
   Frisk announced his retirement from refereeing 10 days ago after he said he received death threats from fans.

Sporting Lisbon are chasing Real Madrid star Luis Figo.
   The Portugal international is expected to be released from his contract at Real 12 months early at the end of this season.
   Sporting are already sounding out sponsors to assist in bringing Figo back to his old club, but won’t move officially until the 32-year-old’s exit from Real is rubberstamped.
   Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson spoke of his admiration for Figo last week, while offers have also arrived from Brazil. Sporting are banking on their emotional ties with Figo to clinch his signature should he become available in June.

In a frantic 80 minutes all remaining tickets for Bayern Munich's Champions League quarter-final home leg with Premiership leaders Chelsea on April 12 were sold out, the German club confirmed on Monday.
   The Olympic Stadium holds 59,000 fans for European games and no tickets are available for what is an eagerly-anticipated encounter between the respective leaders of the Bundesliga and English Premiership.
   Chelsea host Bayern in the first leg at Stamford Bridge on April 6 with the return leg in Munich six days later.

Santos whiz Robinho has spent the week in contact with Real Madrid over the future of coach Wanderley Luxemburgo.
   Robinho has admitted to Real directors some concern that Luxemburgo could be sacked before his arrival in the summer.
   The Brazil international regards his former Santos coach as a second father, particularly after the support he received from Luxemburgo during his mum's kidnapping late last year.
   In the 41 days his mother was missing, Robinho was taken care of by Luxemburgo, who made sure Santos shielded him from the media. The youngster will never forget the support he received and will forever remain loyal to potentially his new Real coach.
   A Real representative is reported to have informed Robinho last week, 'You do not have to worry, in the last days the club and the players have shown absolute support for Luxa continuing next season.'

Juventus goalkeeper Gigi Buffon has hinted he’d be interested in speaking with Real Madrid about a future move.
   The Italy international was the subject of an enquiry from Real last week and while he is contracted until 2009 at Juve, admits, ‘I am Italian and for me to wear the Bianconera shirt is the maximum.
   ‘I’ve been part of this club for four years and to stay here could be the best solution. ‘But for the future, I cannot exclude the possibility of playing in a foreign country. It would be a great experience.’

Real Madrid striker Ronaldo apologised for throwing a plastic water battle into the crowd after being abused by fans during his side's narrow 1-0 home win over Malaga on Sunday.
   The incident occurred when the Brazilian international was being substituted five minutes from time and had to endure a barrage of whistles as he walked off the field.
   'When I got close to the bench two young lads shouted racist insults against me and my mother. I reacted in the wrong way, but the insults were very bad...It was nothing, really,' Ronaldo told reporters after the game.
   March has not been a good month for Ronaldo, who was sent off during Real's Champions League defeat by Juventus in Turin 12 days ago.