More injury misery for Šmicer

FC Girondins de Bordeaux

FC Spartak Moskva have signed Austrian international defender Martin Stranzl from VfB Stuttgart for an undisclosed fee. Stranzl has inked a four-year contract and will replace Nemanja Vidić, who was sold to Manchester United FC, in the Spartak squad. The 25-year-old spent 18 months at Stuttgart following a move from TSV 1860 München. He becomes the second Austrian to play in Russia's Premier-Liga after Emanuel Pogatetz's loan spell at Spartak last season.

RC Strasbourg left-winger Ulrich Le Pen has been ruled out of Thursday's UEFA Cup Round of 16 return against FC Basel 1893 after picking up a thigh injury. The 32-year-old was hurt during Sunday's 2-1 French league defeat by Le Mans UC 72 and faces a two-week lay-off. The Swiss club lead 2-0 from the first leg.

Manchester City FC booked a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1993 with a 2-1 win against Aston Villa FC in their fifth-round replay at the City of Manchester Stadium. Goals from Georgios Samaras and former Villa striker Darius Vassell gave Stuart Pearce's side the lead, before Steven Davis pulled one back for the visitors. City play Bolton Wanderers FC or West Ham United FC in the last eight.

Pauleta came off the bench to score twice as Paris Saint-Germain FC defeated AS Lyon-Duchère of the fourth division 3-0 to become the first club to seal a spot in the French Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday. The Portugal striker struck in the 73rd and 75th minutes, adding to Carlos Bueno's opener after 30 minutes. The remaining seven ties will take place next week.

FC København's Danish title and Scandinavian Royal League hopes have taken a blow after striker Álvaro Santos broke a cheekbone. The 26-year-old Brazilian could be out for a month after colliding with team-mate Lars Jacobsen in training. "At the moment we are practically playing two matches a week, so it is not the best time this could have happened," said FCK sporting director Niels Christian Holmstrøm.

Aalborg BK have acquired the services of Swedish international striker Rade Prica, who will join the Danish club on a three-year contract from German side FC Hansa Rostock. The 25-year-old, who will complete the move when the Danish transfer window reopens at the end of the season, has six caps for Sweden and has scored 20 league goals in nearly four years at Hansa.

The remaining 61 minutes of last Sunday's Serie A game between Cagliari Calcio and ACF Fiorentina will be played on 22 March. With the score at 0-0, the match was suspended due to high winds after 29 minutes. Fiorentina are fourth in Serie A, one point above AS Roma and six behind third-placed FC Internazionale Milano.

Turkish side Malatyaspor have agreed an 18-month deal with coach Ümit Kayıhan, 24 hours after the resignation of his predecessor Ziya Doğan. Kayıhan has been working as a media pundit since his dismissal by Diyarbakirspor last season.

Norwegian champions Vålerenga IF have signed Danish international defender Allan Jepsen from Aalborg in a €300,000 transfer. The 28-year-old, who won his solitary Denmark cap in a friendly against Finland last June, began his career with AGF Århus and also had spells with SC Heerenveen and Hamburger SV. "Allan was the best option available in his position," said Vålerenga director Lars Bohinen. "He has speed, agility, and is good going forward." The left-back has a contract until 2008.

RC Deportivo La Coruña are ready to take a gamble against RCD Espanyol when they try to overturn a 2-1 deficit on Wednesday to reach the Spanish Cup final. Despite taking a fourth-minute lead through Rubén Castro, Deportivo slumped to a semi-final first-leg defeat on 9 February after second-half goals from Espanyol's Luis García and Walter Pandiani. "We are aware that Espanyol have the edge so we will have to take risks against them," Deportivo defender Manuel Pablo said.

PFC Litex Lovech coach Ljupko Petrović has been given a two-match touchline ban by the Bulgarian Football Union following a confrontation with the referee during Sunday's 1-1 home draw against league leaders PFC CSKA Sofia. His CSKA counterpart Miodrag Ješić has been suspended for one game, while match official Anton Genov has been banned until the end of April.

Belarussian international Igor Tarlovski has returned home to join FC Gomel from Russian side FC Fakel Voronezh. The 31-year-old midfielder, who has played for FC Dinamo Minsk and FC Alania Vladikavkaz, has signed a one-year deal with his new club. Meanwhile, champions FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk have landed 25-year-old Belarussian international defender Dmitri Rovneiko on a free transfer from FC Torpedo Moskva.

A new pitch has been installed at the Fußball Arena München in time for FC Bayern München's Bundesliga match against FC Schalke 04 on Sunday. The surface has been in a parlous state following the winter break, prompting Bayern to change the turf for the second time this season, having also relaid it in November. "The bad weather forced us to act," said Peter Kerspe, CEO of the company running the stadium.

Zaglebie Lubin won 2-0 in the first leg of their Polish Cup semi-final against Korona Kielce. Wojciech Łobodziński and Michał Chałbiński scored either side of half-time. The second leg will be played in Kielce on 21 March.

CF Os Belenenses did their survival hopes no harm with a 2-0 home win against high-flying SC Braga in the Portuguese Liga. The Lisbon club went ahead in the 17th minute through Sandro Gaúcho's header from Zé Pedro's corner. Albert Meyong then made it two six minutes after the interval to lift Belenenses to eleventh in the table.

Dinamo Moskvawill face FC Saturn Moskovskaya Oblast in the Russian Cup quarter-finals after both sides completed last-16 victories. Dinamo, 2-0 down from the first leg against FC Krylya Sovetov Samara, came back with goals from Denis Kolodin and Dmitri Kombarov before winning on penalties. Saturn held FC Amkar Perm to a 0-0 draw following a 1-0 first-leg success.

Falkirk FC midfielders Mark Twaddle and Darren Barr have signed new one-year contracts to keep them at the Scottish Premier League club until 2007. Barr, 21 on Friday, and Twaddle, 19, "are great up-and-coming players" who "have come through the ranks", said manager John Hughes.