Samaras setback hits City hopes

Manchester City FC

Feyenoord are to part company with five players when their contracts expire at the end of the season, with American international Cory Gibbs among them. The 26-year-old defender is on loan at ADO Den Haag along with midfielder Edwin de Graaf, who is also leaving the Rotterdam club. Others moving on are Chile midfielder Jorge Acuña, on loan at RBC Roosendaal, and reserve-team players Labinot Harbuzi and Ajsel Kujović.

Former player Piet Keizer has accepted a new role as technical adviser at AFC Ajax. The legendary left-winger has scouted for Ajax since April 2001, but will now report to and advise technical director Martin van Geel. The 62-year-old Keizer played for the Dutch club from 1961-74, winning the European Champion Clubs' Cup three times.

ADO Den Haag have signed Belgian midfielder Laurent Delorge on a three-year contract, with the deal taking effect from 1 July. Delorge, 26, was sacked in February by RSC Anderlecht, the club he joined last summer, for "wrongdoing" in connection with the match-fixing investigation that has hit Belgian football.

The Ivory Coast have finalised their warm-up schedule for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, with their last two friendly matches taking place in France. Henri Michel's side will play Chile on 30 May in Vittel, and Slovenia on 4 June in Evry-Bondoufle, a suburb of Paris.

Moldovan club FC Nistru Otaci have signed 26-year-old Georgian international goalkeeper David Khmelidze on a one-year contract. Khmelidze has previously been based in Russian football, where he also has citizenship.

RCD Espanyol have taken part in International Anti-Racism Day. The Spanish club, represented by board member Josep María Borrell, added photos of their squad, president and club mascot to a 1,000-picture mural hanging in Barcelona city centre. The artwork is a gesture condemning all racist and xenophobic behaviour.

Former Latvia defender Olegs Blagonadezdins has signed a two-year contract with FK Jurmala after leaving Skonto FC. The 32-year-old won the league 13 times with his former club and has played 70 matches for his country, including at UEFA EURO 2004™. Meanwhile, 26-year-old Georgia midfielder Levan Korgalidze has been loaned by Skonto to FC Kutaisi Torpedo until May.

FK Ekranas have won their second Lithuanian Super Cup after beating FBK Kaunas 2-1. The Panevezys side, who wrested the title away from Kaunas last season, opened the scoring through Ruslans Mihalcuks after 20 minutes, and doubled their lead late in the game through Mantas Savenas after Kaunas's Tomas Kancelskis had been dismissed. Givi Kvaratskhelia's late penalty gave Kaunas some consolation.