Chelsea remain confident of winning £8m (€11.5m) in compensation from Juventus after sacked striker Adrian Mutu appeared before yesterday’s FA Premier League hearing in London.

Adrian Mutu is expected to be suspended for between six and eight months when he appears before a Football Association disciplinary hearing tomorrow.

Rio Ferdinand begins his appeal today against an eight-month ban for missing a drugs test with sports lawyers questioning the value of new evidence that his team will lay before the panel.

OUTSPOKEN FIFA president Sepp Blatter has blocked Rio Ferdinand’s path to civil action over his eight-month ban imposed for missing a drugs test.

Rio Ferdinand has received the backing of the PFA, Nike and the legal profession over his intention to appeal against his eight-month drugs ban.