Irish attempts to reclaim the country’s place at the summit of European club rugby next season look like becoming even more difficult if the news from France that Marseille is being lined up to host the 2016 Champions Cup final rings true.

The ERC has assured supporters that Stade Velodrome in Marseille is ready to stage Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final despite a massivere development programme which is nearing completion.

When Steve McClaren stooped from being the wally with a brolly to giving a press conference in a Dutch accent while managing FC Twente he became the butt of all soccer jokes.

The Argentina Football Association have confirmed a star-studded 24-man squad to face the Republic of Ireland in the first ever international match played in Aviva stadium on Wednesday, August 11 (kick off 7.45pm).

Marseille 1 AC Milan 2

ARSENAL captain William Gallas has risked the wrath of his teammates by claiming they are “not brave enough in battle”.

ARE Internazionale cracking? A title race that looked like being a procession for the second year running has been thrown into doubt after a week of results that reduced the gap at the top to four points.

Everton 3 Larissa 1

Sven-Goran Eriksson has denied reports he is set to become Marseille coach in the summer.

FORMER France and Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez has confirmed he will return to French football to play for Ligue 1 strugglers Nantes.

THE mood was tense at France’s World Cup training camp after reports of a dispute between number one goalkeeper Fabien Barthez and his reserve, Gregory Coupet.

ALEXANDRE GAYDAMAK chose his first public appearance as Portsmouth’s new co-owner to warn supporters: ‘Don’t compare me with Roman Abramovich.’

PHILIPPE TROUSSIER will drop out of contention to succeed Brian Kerr when he agrees to take charge of Morocco later this week.

GHANA midfielder Michael Essien is poised to join Chelsea from Olympique Lyon, a source close to the French champions said last night.

Marseille claim their bid to sign Celtic star Bobo Balde is not dead despite confusion surrounding the deal.

MILAN striker Andriy Shevchenko has returned to form at just the right time to finish off PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League semi-final at the Philips Stadium tonight.

Phillipe Gatier

Didier Drogba was relieved initial investigations suggested the ankle injury that threatened to spoil his big night at Selhurst Park is not too serious.

FRANCE left-back Bixente Lizarazu has left German side Bayern Munich and signed a two-year contract with Olympique Marseille.

Newcastle must try again for only their third away Premiership win this season at Liverpool on Saturday but it will bring them only a UEFA Cup reprise at best after their Champions League chance disappeared against Southampton.

BARCELONA continued their slide into mid-table obscurity after slumping to a 3-0 defeat away to a lively Racing Santander in the Primera Liga last night.

FORMER Republic of Ireland striker Tony Cascarino claimed yesterday that he regularly received injections of unknown drugs to enhance his performance while playing for French club Olympique Marseille in the 1990s.

BAYERN Munich progressed to the knock-out stages of the Champions League defeating Anderlecht 1-0 in a tense Group A encounter at the Olympic Stadium.

AS ROMA and AC Milan leapfrogged Juventus to the top of Serie A with comfortable wins over Lecce and Modena respectively.

“HUMILIATION”, “Pantomime” and “Disaster” were some of the headlines that greeted Deportivo Coruna as they staggered back to Spain yesterday following their record 8-3 defeat at the hands of Monaco in the Champions League.

“HUMILIATION”, “Pantomime” and “Disaster” were some of the headlines that greeted Deportivo Coruna as they staggered back to Spain yesterday following their record 8-3 defeat at the hands of Monaco in the Champions League.

VFB STUTTGART continued their impressive Champions League debut with a 3-1 win at Panathinaikos, and share top spot in Group E with Manchester United.

REAL MADRID overcame the loss of an early goal to beat Porto 3-1 and maintain their winning start in Group F.

TWO goals from Ronaldo and one apiece from Roberto Carlos and Luis Figo allowed Real Madrid to come from a goal down to claim a 4-2 win over Olympique Marseille in their opening Champions League Group F match at the Bernabeu last night.

Today's Champions League group stage draw.

ERIC CANTONA has not ruled out a “revolutionary” return to football, but only to coach a big team such as Manchester United, the club that turned him into a star.

MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal will be among the top seeds in next season’s Champions League.

ENGLAND skipper David Beckham will be in plaster for up to eight weeks following confirmation that he fractured the scaphoid on his right hand during England’s 2-1 friendly win over South Africa.

LEE BOWYER’S advisors yesterday confirmed the former West Ham and Leeds midfielder is in talks with “a couple of clubs” as the race to secure his services hots up.

Daniel Van Buyten will sign for Manchester United in the summer, says the Sunday Mirror.

BAYERN MUNICH, reeling after their Champions League elimination in midweek, suffered a further setback when they were beaten 2-0 at Werder Bremen in the German first division yesterday.

BAYERN MUNICH destroyed Hamburg SV 3-0 on Saturday to pick up their second easy win in two weeks and move into third place in the Bundesliga while promoted VfL Bochum extended their unbeaten run to stay top.

BRAZILIAN, Elber struck four times as Bayern Munich put their German league title chase on track by hammering Arminia Bielefeld 6-2 on Saturday.

France defender Frank Leboeuf has resumed training with Marseille after a month’s absence due to a recurrent thigh injury.

George Weah has not ruled out a return to the Premiership next season.