Mönchengladbach move for Thijs

VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach have completed the signing of Belgian international Bernd Thijs from Trabzonspor. The 26-year-old, who only made a handful of appearances for the Turkish team in the last three months, passed a medical in Mönchengladbach on Monday and signed a contract until the summer of 2008 on Thursday after agreeing to have his contract with Trabzonspor terminated. "We have been watching Bernd Thijs for a while now and we are happy that we have finally managed to sign him," said Mönchengladbach's sporting director Christian Hochstätter. "He has got a strategic mind, can play the deadly pass and can score goals."

VfB Stuttgart's Belarussian international midfield player Aliaksandr Hleb escaped with cuts and bruises following a car crash in Minsk on Wednesday night. The 23-year-old, who finished second in Belarus's Player of the Year award earlier this week, was not seriously hurt in the accident, although his passenger suffered cranial injuries and the driver of another car sustained a thigh injury.

In France, FC Girondins de Bordeaux striker Hervé Bugnet has signed for Ligue 2 side Montpellier HSC. The 23-year-old former Under-21 international's contract with Bordeaux was due to expire in the summer, but player and club agreed to end the deal early and allow Bugnet to join Montpellier, who knocked Paris Saint-Germain FC out of the Coupe de Ligue before France's winter break.

Malta's national team ended 2004 on a positive note with a goalless draw against an Andalusian Select XI in a friendly match on Wednesday evening. Before a crowd of 11,000 in Spain, Malta produced an impressive overall display against a team including RC Deportivo La Coruña striker Diego Tristán and Valencia CF defender Carlos Marchena, with Andrew Cohen a constant menace to the Andalusian team's defence. An experimental Malta side, with Jamie Pace making his full debut, almost fell behind a minute before the hour as Jeffrey Chetcuti handled in the box, only for Rodolfo Bodipo to shoot wide from the spot. Cohen's lob almost gave Malta what would have been a prestigious victory, but drifted wide, while Massimo Grima and Trevor Cilia were introduced late on to make their first appearances for their country.

Scotland's leading referee Stuart Dougal has suffered a brain haemorrhage, it has been revealed. The 42-year-old FIFA official was diagnosed with the problem shortly before Christmas as he recovered from surgery to repair a damaged disc in his back and complained of severe migraines. A scan revealed he had suffered a brain haemorrhage, but fortunately the brain rectified the problem without requiring further surgery. Dougal, who was a fourth official at UEFA EURO 2004™, hopes to be back in action by the end of the season.

Panionios NFC and Juan Martin Parodi parted company on Wednesday. The Uruguayan attacking midfield player had requested to be released from his contract six months before it expired in order to return to his homeland, citing a personal problem.