Örebro lose appeal against relegation

Örebro SK

Olympique de Marseille's French international goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has been disciplined by the Ligue 1 club after he spat at Moroccan referee Abdellah El-Achiri at the end of a friendly against Wydad AC in Casablanca last Saturday. The match was halted in the 80th minute after Marseille players left the pitch complaining of over-aggression from the opposition.

Spanish club Getafe CF will be without goalkeeper Javier Sánchez Broto for two months as he recovers from a knee operation. The 33-year-old tore the meniscus in his right knee in training on Thursday and was taken to hospital where he will undergo surgery today. Coach Quique Sánchez Flores has to decide whether to replace Broto with Sergio Aragoneses or Víctor Hugo ahead of Sunday's meeting with CA Osasuna.

It was also revealed today that Osasuna will play Club Atlético de Madrid in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. The other tie will pit Real Betis Balompié against Athletic Club Bilbao. The first legs will take place on 20 April with the return matches set for 11 May.

In Denmark, striker David Nielsen has signed for FC Midtjylland just two days after being dismissed by Aalborg BK for hitting a team-mate. The 28-year-old has agreed a three-year contract with the team ranked second in the Superliga and is expected to fill the gap left by Egyptian striker Mohamed Zidan's move to Werder Bremen.

Meanwhile, the Polish Football Federation has announced a three-and-a-half year deal with mobile phone company IDEA to sponsor the Ekstraklasa. Poland's top flight will now be known as the IDEA Ekstraklasa and the company's logo will appear on all promotional material as well as at every first division stadium.

Scottish Premier League side Heart of Midlothian FC are to release English midfielder Phil Stamp and versatile Canadian defender Kevin McKenna at the end of the season. Manager John Robertson claims the club cannot afford to continue paying the wages they are on, while McKenna has also expressed a desire to leave Tynecastle.

Eduard Ratnikov and Joel Lindpere have quit Estonia for clubs in Bulgaria. Winger Lindpere, who has played 35 times for Estonia, has joined Bulgarian Premier League leaders PFC CSKA Sofia from FC Flora in a €30,000 loan deal, with the option of a permanent €200,000 transfer in the summer. Estonian Under-21 midfielder Ratnikov has swapped FC Levadia Tallinn for PFC Beroe Stara Zagora, signing a two-and-a-half year contract.

Finally, KAA Gent have given Steve De Ridder his first professional contract. The attacking midfielder, who turns 18 on 25 February, has agreed a contract with the Belgian first division team until 30 June 2007.