SOUTH COAST derbies between French sides Monaco and Marseille are always a tightly contested affair - with the stakes arguably even higher than usual this season.

Wolfsburg returned to the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-0 win over Bochum although their stay at the top could be short-lived.

VALENCIA suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to nine-man Sevilla last night to leave Barcelona five points clear at the top of the Primera Liga table.

Manchester City manager Kevin Keegan is on the brink of missing out on his number one summer transfer target.

REAL Madrid took full advantage of a slip-up by title rivals Valencia when they stretched their lead at the top of the Primera Liga to eight points following a 4-2 victory over struggling Celta Vigo last night.

TOTTENHAM caretaker manager David Pleat yesterday expressed his sympathy for departed Glenn Hoddle and said the club have made no plans for a successor.

The Scottish Football Association have dismissed reports linking Scotland manager Berti Vogts with a move to Olympiakos.

FULHAM’S rookie boss Chris Coleman last night acknowledged his first challenge is to fight off the predators circling in the wake of Jean Tigana’s £43 million spending spree and club record losses of £33.6 million.

Chris Coleman today became the Premiership’s youngest manager when he was rewarded for saving Fulham from relegation by being appointed full-time boss on a one-year rolling contract.

JUVENTUS coach Marcello Lippi believes his newly-crowned Italian champions have nothing to fear when they take on European champions Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Bobby Robson heaped praise on his “lanky Bambi” after Shola Ameobi rekindled Newcastle’s Champions League hopes in Germany.

BOBBY ROBSON jetted out to Germany on the eve of his 70th birthday as crisis club Bayer Leverkusen sacked manager Klaus Toppmoller.

BAYERN MUNICH kept the wheels firmly on their push for an 18th title with a 5-0 crushing of city rivals 1860 Munich.

Bayer Leverkusen have sacked coach Klaus Toppmoller just two days before their Champions League clash with Newcastle.

REAL SOCIEDAD saw their Spanish first division lead dwindle to just two points after a goalless draw with relegation-threatened Espanyol yesterday afternoon.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Klaus Toppmöller insists his side‘s Bundesliga clash with Nürnberg on Saturday is more important than tomorrow‘s Champions League visit to Inter Milan.

Glasgow welcomed back Real Madrid to the scene of one of their greatest European triumphs.

Nigeria have asked Bayer Leverkusen coach Klaus Toppmoller to lead their team in this summer's World Cup.

Sir Alex Ferguson claims Manchester United face a tougher test against Bayer Leverkusen tonight than they did when they famously beat Juventus three years ago.

Alex Ferguson has tried to dampen the optimism, ahead of Manchester United's Champions League semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Gerard Houllier is convinced Manchester United can overcome Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier refused to condemn his players as they tumbled out of the Champions League tonight.

Bayer Leverkusen captain Jens Nowotny remains optimistic of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League after his strictly watching brief at Anfield last night.

Bayer Leverkusen will be without influential captain Jens Nowotny for the Champions League quarter-final first leg at Anfield tomorrow night.

Arsene Wenger stressed his belief in Arsenal’s ability to win the Champions League after their biggest victory in the competition moved them to within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

PSV Eindhoven have rejected Bayer Leverkusen coach Klaus Toppmoller's claim that Mark van Bommel has agreed to join Arsenal in the summer.