Dortmund confirm Odonkor absence

BV Borussia Dortmund

The Russian Football Union (RFS) has handed a five-match domestic ban to FC Zenit St. Peterburg midfielder Vladislav Radimov. The Russian international received the suspension for criticising, in the press, the decision of the RFS disciplinary body to punish only two of the players involved in a mass brawl during the Premier League game between PFC CSKA Moskva and FC Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast in August. The 28-year-old was invited to explain his "unethical and offensive public comments", but after failing to attend a hearing today, was banned and fined €830.

Belgian club K. Lierse SK have lost defender Jonas De Roeck for around five weeks after the 24-year-old tore a hamstring. De Roeck suffered the injury late in Sunday's 3-2 victory at KV Oostende, and further examinations have confirmed the seriousness of the problem.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC midfield player Reueven Oved has joined promoted side Hapoel Haifa FC on loan until the end of the current campaign. The 22-year-old has not appeared for Maccabi since the opening day of the Israeli Premier League season.

Sporting Clube de Portugal are safely into the fifth round of the Portuguese Cup after a 3-1 win at second-division Associação Naval 1º de Maio, with Fabio Rochemback opening the scoring for the 13-time cup winners on four minutes. Although Éder equalised on the hour, the Brazilian struck again ten minutes later before Carlos Martins confirmed Sporting's last-32 place in added time. FC Porto bowed out, however, Vitória SC earning a 2-1 victory thanks to two Nuno Assis goals. Although Porto played the last 14 minutes with ten men as Costinha was forced off by injury after a collision with Flávio Meireles, Derlei did pull a goal back with ten minutes left, but it was not enough. Holders SL Benfica rested several key players but were still 3-1 winners against second division side Clube Oriental de Lisboa, Tomislav Šokota scoring twice and Geovanni getting the other. Benfica right-back Miguel was injured late in the game, however, and will see a club doctor on Thursday to determine the nature of his problem.

Meanwhile, AC Sparta Praha were surprisingly knocked out of the Czech Cup by second division side SIAD Most in the third round, losing 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The Czech league leaders fielded an unfamiliar lineup as coach František Straka opted to rest a number of first-choice players, and fell behind to Tomáš Pilar's tenth-minute opener. Although Michal Meduna levelled near the hour, Sparta were unable to find a winner and Rastislav Michalík's shoot-out miss proved decisive.