Transfer deadline day failed to deliver a flurry of major early moves as clubs continued to weigh up their options, with Wolfsburg remaining relaxed over their proposed deal with Chelsea for Germany winger Andre Schurrle.

Fiorentina goalkeeper Neto had a day to forget in the Serie A yesterday.

Football these days is full of greedy young men and grasping young women, players and their WAGs, a set of people who inhabit a world of their own, utterly separate from the world of their fans.

Adrian Mutu’s move from Cesena to Genoa has fallen through after the Grifoni club pulled out of the transfer.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky were included in the Czech Republic squad for next week’s friendly against Ireland.

Four goals from Lionel Messi put third-placed Valencia to the sword on a night when Barcelona could have scored a dozen but for the efforts of visiting goalkeeper Diego Alves.

Nil-nil is a scoreline that can tell you a lot or a little.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has revealed Roma captain Francesco Totti could return to the national team at Euro 2012.

LIONEL MESSI scored his fifth hat-trick of the season as Barcelona posted a comfortable win at Malaga.

BARCELONA defender Gerard Pique has hailed team-mate Lionel Messi as the finest player in the world as the Argentinian waits to discover if he has won the FIFA Ballon d’Or award for 2011 today.

SIMONE FARINA is an unlikely football hero.

HEADING into another international break in this stop-start season is not just frustrating for fans right across Europe, it’s a serious concern for managers, coaches and players.

Former Italy international Nicola Legrottaglie would welcome a move to Queens Park Rangers this summer.

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has left Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli and Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi out of the Azzurri squad for their upcoming games against Slovenia and Ukraine.

Defender Dorin Goian scored the only goal as Palermo shocked Serie A leaders AC Milan to win 1-0 in the San Siro.

Sampdoria have confirmed the sacking of head coach Domenico Di Carlo with Alberto Cavasin coming to replace him.

AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta will be sidelined for three weeks after dislocating his left shoulder during his team’s 2-0 triumph over Cesena yesterday.

AC Milan maintained their four-point lead at the top of Serie A thanks to a 2-0 win over Cesena at the San Siro this evening.

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri insists there is no cause for alarm despite his side drawing their last two league games.

BARCELONA star Lionel Messi is set to spend up to three weeks on the sidelines with an ankle sprain.

Rafael Benitez has dismissed the latest jibe from predecessor Jose Mourinho as he attempts to maintain Inter Milan's domestic dominance when Serie A resumes this weekend.

Liverpool goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri has completed his move to Serie A newcomers Cesena.

Liverpool have completed the £2.3m signing of goalkeeper Brad Jones from Middlesbrough.

West Ham striker Carlton Cole has been named in a 20-man squad by Nigeria to face South Africa in a joint 2010 World Cup and African Nations Cup qualifier early next month.

Fans of six Serie A clubs have been banned from travelling to their respective away games on November 24-25 in the wake of Sunday’s football-related violence.

REAL MADRID beat Sevilla 3-2 in a topsy-turvy match at the Santiago Bernabeu to go second in La Liga.

TORINO will battle it out with Mantova in the Serie B play-off final for the last remaining promotion place to the top flight.

Libyan international midfielder Saadi Gaddafi has stepped down from the Juventus board, clearing the way for him to make his playing debut with Perugia.

BOHEMIANS striker Glen Crowe has retained his place in Brian Kerr’s 23-man squad for the Republic of Ireland’s two Euro 2004 qualifiers against Albania and Georgia next month.