PREMIER LEAGUE:

Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon is a doubt for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League derby at Arsenal as he is struggling with a foot injury.

Swansea’s Spanish stars face a daunting trip to Valencia in their first-ever Europa League group stage campaign as long-haul journeys to Russia, Moldova and northern Norway beckon for Tottenham.

Tottenham have completed the signing of Romania defender Vlad Chiriches from Steaua Bucharest.

The spat between Tottenham and Real Madrid over Gareth Bale’s transfer to the Bernabeu continued on Thursday after the Spanish club’s vice-president accused Daniel Levy of holding up the deal.

Tottenham 3 Dinamo Tbilisi 0

Unsettled Tottenham star Gareth Bale has failed to report for training for a second day.

Real Madrid target Gareth Bale did not report to Tottenham’s training ground this morning, it's understood.

Tottenham’s new signings have been given a crash course in the importance of the north London derby ahead of Sunday’s clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham midfielder Paulinho has revealed how his wife Barbara had to persuade him not to quit football after he was the victim of racist abuse while playing in eastern Europe.

Tottenham have put Gareth Bale’s transfer to Real Madrid on hold as they look for new signings after being snubbed by Willian.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND, FIRST LEG:

Dinamo Tbilisi 0 Tottenham 5

Tottenham technical director Franco Baldini is in Madrid for talks over the sale of Gareth Bale, it is understood.

Andre Villas-Boas has denied that a deal has been agreed for the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.

Andre Villas-Boas expects a “frantic” end to the transfer window that he admits could see Gareth Bale leave Tottenham.

Tottenham will be without star forward Gareth Bale for the first leg of their Europa League play-off against Dinamo Tbilisi because of a foot injury.

Tottenham’s biggest ever spending spree looks set to continue with the purchase of Anzhi Makhachkala forward Willian.

Gareth Bale has been ruled out of action for two weeks by Andre Villas-Boas, but the Tottenham manager failed to clear up the uncertainty surrounding the star’s future on the brink of the new Premier League season.

Gareth Bale will not be involved in Tottenham’s start to the Premier League season, manager Andre Villas-Boas has announced.

Sevilla will face Polish side Slask Wroclaw in the Europa League play-off round as they attempt to make another push for silverware.

Georgia captain Kakha Kaladze may not be fit to face Ireland in their upcoming World Cup qualifier.

Darren Fletcher returns as expected to a much-changed Scotland side for their Euro 2008 qualifier against Georgia in the Boris Paichadze national stadium in Tbilisi tonight.

Georgia coach Klaus Toppmoller has challenged Scotland to show their attacking credentials in tonight’s European Championship qualifier in Tbilisi.

SCOTLAND manager Alex McLeish claims his players have every right to be confident ahead of tonight’s crunch qualifier in Georgia and insists they will not be caught up in the sort of hysteria which surrounded the ill-fated 1978 World Cup campaign under Ally MacLeod.

Champions League regulars Dynamo Kiev still have plenty of work to do if they are to reach the tournament’s third qualifying round.

UEFA are “gathering information” following suspicious betting patterns on a UEFA Cup match.

Sochaux 0 Newcastle 4

Sporting Lisbon ended Dinamo Tbilisi’s interest in the UEFA Cup with a crushing 4-0 victory at the Boris Paichadze stadium in Georgia.

Sochaux 0 Newcastle 4

GRAEME SOUNESS has warned Newcastle midfielder Nicky Butt to learn his European lesson as he prepares for a scrap with Sochaux.

NEWCASTLE manager Graeme Souness will re-live some of his most bitter football memories when he sends his team out against Dinamo Tbilisi in the UEFA Cup tonight.

Newcastle midfielder Nicky Butt will complete his European ban when Dinamo Tbilisi arrive at St James’ Park tomorrow.

Gary Speed has rejected claims by Newcastle manager Graeme Souness that Bolton employ bully-boy tactics.

Greece may be the European Nations champions but their club sides struggled as the group stage of the UEFA Cup got underway with all three representatives beaten.

MIDDLESBROUGH have landed the most glamorous ties of the new-look UEFA Cup - but also face the most difficult opponents of the inaugural group phase of the competition.

Newcastle and Rangers should have high hopes of progressing through the first-ever group stage of the UEFA Cup following today’s draw but Middlesbrough and Hearts face stiffer tests.

Newcastle have been drawn to face Sporting Lisbon, Sochaux, Panionios and Dinamo Tbilisi in the UEFA Cup group stage.

Today’s first round draw in Monaco paired eircom League side Shelbourne, whose quest to reach the Champions League was ended on Tuesday by Deportivo la Coruna, against French League side Lille.

The complete draw for the first and second qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League has been made today.

Republic of Ireland U-21 1

GEORGIA coach Ivo Susak has major worries ahead of tomorrow’s Euro 2004 Group 10 qualifier against Ireland with at least five key players missing through injury and suspension.

Blackburn chief executive John Williams declared Rovers’ UEFA Cup draw against Celtic as “absolutely fantastic”.