Chivu compounds Roma cup blow

AS Roma defender Cristian Chivu faces a month out after twisting his right knee during the Italian club's UEFA Cup elimination by Middlesbrough FC. The 25-year-old Romanian international left the field four minutes from time, and was immediately sent for a scan at Rome's Villa Stuart hospital. The Giallorossi are pushing for a place in next season's UEFA Champions League.

English club Tottenham Hotspur FC have signed Czech starlet Tomáš Pekhart from SK Slavia Praha, with the 16-year-old set to move to north London from 1 July. Of the striker voted the Czech Republic's junior player of the year for 2005, Tottenham sporting director Damien Comolli said: "Tomáš has the excellent combination of a strong physical presence, agility and technical ability. He is an exciting prospect."

Olympique Lyonnais captain Claudio Caçapa and right-back Anthony Réveillère both turned out for the French champions' reserve side against AS Monaco FC last night after overcoming thigh injuries. Caçapa, who played for an hour, and Réveillère could be available when Lyon travel to FC Sochaux-Montbéliard on Saturday.

The Latvia Football Federation has accepted an offer from the Football Union of Russia to play a friendly in Moscow on 16 August. The two countries met in FIFA World Cup qualifying with Russia winning 2-0 at home and drawing 1-1 away. Latvia will also travel to Hartford on 28 May to play FIFA World Cup finalists the United States.

A law was passed in France yesterday which allows clubs to ban violent spectators from attending matches without the need for a trial. Thirty Paris Saint-Germain FC supporters have already been banned and will have to show up at a local police station when the club are in action at the Parc des Princes.

The local council will announce on Friday where LOSC Lille Métropole's new stadium is to be built after plans to refurbish the Grimonprez-Jooris were scrapped. A three-site short list has been drawn up.

Sweden's oldest football club Örgryte IS have revealed that they have slipped into the red and are "looking into various ways of solving this". In 2004, Örebro SK were relegated after falling foul of criteria set for the élite licence, which stipulate that teams must either be free of debt or have "an acceptable and realistic plan" to become so. Khenneth Tallinger, chair of the licensing committee, said: "Örgryte start in a more critical position than Örebro as their figures are even worse. However, we'll have to take into account the plans they have for finding a solution on 5 April."

Hibernian FC midfielder Dean Shiels could make a first-team comeback in the near future, having recovered from an operation to remove an eye just six weeks ago. The 21-year-old Northern Irish international is training again and manager Tony Mowbray hopes to welcome back the former Arsenal FC trainee in the not-too-distant future. "Dean is now pain-free and has no irritation," said Mowbray.

Ukrainian midfielder Dmytro Semochko has left FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk to join Russian club FC Luch-Energia Vladivostok. The 27-year-old former FC Karpaty Lviv player, who spent four seasons in Russia with FC Uralan Elista from 2000-03, made 37 league appearances for Dnipro, scoring three goals.

Portsmouth FC defender Richard Duffy, who is spending the season on loan at Coventry City FC, will return to the English Premiership team in the summer after signing a new contract. The 20-year-old has made just one league appearance for Portsmouth, the club he joined from Swansea City FC during the 2003/04 campaign.

New HNK Hajduk Split coach Luka Bonačić is recovering from concussion in hospital after being attacked by several men with baseball bats outside his home on Wednesday evening. Reports in Croatia suggest Bonačić, who was appointed last month, was beaten by supporters furious at Saturday's 1-1 draw against NK Slaven Koprivnica - after which police prevented fans from storming the Hajduk dressing room.

Two of NEC Nijmegen's brightest prospects have signed contracts until 1 July 2008. The 18-year-old goalkeeper Nicholas Skverer and defensive midfielder Dominique Scholten, 17, are the players in question.

Dunfermline Athletic FC midfielder Darren Young has been ruled out of Sunday's Scottish League Cup final against Celtic FC. The 27-year-old, who has been struggling with a stress fracture, has broken down in training and may now sit out the remainder of the Premier League season.

All this weekend's matches in Serbia and Montenegro have been postponed until next Tuesday due to continued bad weather. Two cup semi-final matches due to be played on Wednesday - FK Radnicki Niš-FK Crvena Zvezda and OFK Beograd-FK Kolubara - have been rescheduled for 12 April.

Meanwhile, FK Zeta have been awarded a 3-0 victory after their match against FK Buducnost Podgorica last Saturday was abandoned after 79 minutes. With the scores level at 2-2, Buducnost director Zarko Vukcević ordered his players to leave the pitch.

FC Porto will face Sporting Clube de Portugal in the Portuguese Cup semi-finals following today's draw. The match is scheduled for 22 March at the Estádio do Dragão. Holders Vitória FC take on Vitória SC at home in the other semi-final on 23 March.