Zebre may be competing in the top tier of European club rugby this season but even if they beat Connacht this weekend to record their first victory in the Champions Cup, their heroics will go largely unnoticed in their home town of Parma.

Real Madrid 1 Bayern Munich 0

Italian football is the continuation of politics by other means rather than war.

Gareth Southgate is the overwhelming bookmakers’ favourite to replace Stuart Pearce as England Under-21s manager.

Football often takes itself too seriously, but for once the Champions League has produced two semi-finals that deserve the word historic.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona warmed up for this week’s Champions League quarter-final second legs with thumping La Liga victories on Saturday, but the mood around each camp differed markedly.

The best of the many pictures of the scrap between Roberto Mancini and Mario Balotelli showed the Manchester City manager curled into a kind of standing foetal position, clutching his head with his hands. The howl of rage was easy to imagine.

In football’s catechism of cliché it is customary to claim that some one-season wonder is “frighteningly good”.

Stephen Glass has been put in temporary charge at Shamrock Rovers after the club axed boss Stephen Kenny yesterday.

Ireland’s heroic U21 squad were yesterday swapping the euphoria of toppling Italy with a plan to break into the senior squad.

The life of a great football team is brief: as the great Hungarian coach Bela Guttmann observed, “the third season is fatal”.

Roberto Di Matteo has declared any manager would want the kind of “leaders” he inherited at Chelsea and insisted he had no problem with John Terry barking orders from the bench.

AS Christmas approaches, European football has a reassuringly traditional feel.

REALLY, it was a surprise that Giovanni Trapattoni was even in Kiev for yesterday’s Euro 2012 draw.

I DIDN’T want Fernando Torres to score against West Brom on Saturday. The reason?

FIORENTINA coach Cesare Prandelli has signed a four-year contract to take over as Italy boss when Marcello Lippi steps down after the World Cup.

Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli moved a step closer to taking over as Italy boss today with reports suggesting he has signed a four-year contract to succeed Marcello Lippi after the World Cup.

UNWORRIED and full of courage. That’s how Giovanni Trapattoni wants his Ireland side to face the French – “just like Trap the player when he came up against Pele”.

GIOVANNI Trapattoni believes that the days when managers like himself and Alex Ferguson could rule by fear are long gone.

ITALY coach Marcello Lippi has told Azzurri fans not to be alarmed by his team’s unimpressive performances of late.

Former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi has defended Italy coach Marcello Lippi’s decision to continue to leave Sampdoria forward Antonio Cassano out of his squad.

Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni is convinced his side can qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals.

Jose Mourinho has revealed his retirement plans but insists they do not include walking away from Chelsea this summer.

Real Madrid have announced the signing of Brazil defender Cicinho from FIFA World Club champions Sao Paulo.

MICHAEL OWEN will make his Premiership return with struggling Newcastle after the club pulled off their biggest transfer coup since landing Alan Shearer.

Real Madrid sporting director Arrigo Sacchi is “upset” by Owen’s departure and insisted the club were satisfied with his performances.

Real Madrid’s sporting director Arrigo Sacchi insists he wants Michael Owen to stay at the club despite mounting speculation over a return to the Premiership.

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry claims “money is not an issue” in the future of Steven Gerrard, but that view looks set to be tested to the limit following reports of a £32m (€47.2m) bid from Chelsea for the England midfielder.

Real Madrid have moved to end speculation on the future of Michael Owen by insisting the England striker is not for sale.

A SLIMLINE Diego Maradona arrived in Madrid yesterday saying he had put all his problems behind him and had come to Spain to catch up with old friends at Real Madrid.

Spain international Fernando Morientes is finally on his way to Liverpool, according to Real Madrid.

Wanderley Luxemburgo was appointed as Real Madrid’s third coach of the season today – and immediately outlined his determination to turn around the club’s faltering season.

LIVERPOOL’S third largest shareholder Steve Morgan yesterday withdrew his offer of a £70million cash injection.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez last night confirmed the appointment of Arrigo Sacchi as club manager.

Real Madrid coach Mariano Garcia Remon would like Liverpool target Fernando Morientes to stay at the Bernabeu but admits he may not be able to satisfy the striker’s desire for first-team football.

By James Whelan

George Burley has urged his players to keep their focus on tomorrow’s match at Anfield - and let matters elsewhere resolve themselves.

Blackburn hope to seal a deal with Parma for ex-Aston Villa striker Savo Milosevic after the weekend.

Italian Serie A side AC Parma have named Arrigo Sacchi as the team's new coach, according to Italian news reports.