Football news

The French League (LFP) has contacted the Italian authorities to investigate the legitimacy of the dual nationality passports held by Argentine players in Ligue 1.

Passports belonging to Bordeaux's Fernando Cavenaghi and Diego Placente, Toulouse's Mauro Cetto and Marseille's Renato Civelli, who all have dual Italian nationality, were being looked at.

Four non-European Union players are allowed per squad in Ligue 1 while a dual nationality Italian passport would allow the Argentines to be listed as EU players.

The French top flight was hit by a false passports scandal in 2001, with St Etienne being docked seven points because they were found guilty of fielding non-European players with EU passports.

Eriksson gets full backing

Beleaguered Mexico coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was given the full backing of the country's football federation after a 2-0 defeat away to arch-rivals the United States in a World Cup qualifier this week.

"There's total support for Eriksson because we have a commitment with him to get to South Africa," Justino Compean, president of the Mexican FA, said.

"There are 30 points to play for and we have lost the first three."

Eriksson said: "I want to continue. I have a contract and I think that if I left now, I would be a man with no courage."

The match was the first in the six-team mini league that forms the final stage of the marathon CONCACAF qualifying competition.

Ex-Italy player Bulgarelli dies 68

Former Italy and Bologna midfielder Giacomo Bulgarelli has died aged 68 after a long illness. Bulgarelli collected 29 caps for Italy between 1962 and 1967, scoring seven goals.

He was the captain of the side that suffered a humiliating 1-0 defeat to North Korea to crash out of the 1966 World Cup.

He was also part of Italy's 1968 European Championship winning squad, although he did not feature in any of the matches in the tournament finals.

Bulgarelli played the whole of his career, which spanned from 1958 to 1975, for Bologna. He helped them to their seventh Serie A title in the 1963-64 season and holds the club record for appearances with 486-391 of which were in the top flight.

France bid for Euro 2016

The French soccer federation (FFF) has submitted an application to host the 2016 European championships, the authority said in a statement.

"The (federation's) Federal council has confirmed France has applied to organise Euro 2016," the FFF said.

National federations have until March 9 to apply to UEFA over the hosting rights for the 2016 tournament.

France previously hosted the European championships in 1984 and also held the World Cup in 1998, tournaments they both won.

Bent wants more games at Spurs

Darren Bent, down the pecking order after the arrivals of Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane, wants to play more regularly in the Premier League and if his demands are not heeded he is prepared to leave Tottenham.

Bent, 25, has started only three of the Spurs' last 16 games. He told reporters he has held talks with manager Harry Redknapp about his situation.

"I've spoken to the manager a couple of times about my position but I can only hear the same thing so many times," Bent said.

"I'm not one of those who will just sit back and let his career pass him by. I need to play more games. I want to play football."

Hiddink excited about prospects

New Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink said he was excited at the prospect of managing a club challenging for three major trophies.

"The team are in several races, the FA Cup is there, the Champions League and also the League," he told Chelsea TV.

"All three roads are very important. The next game at Watford, and then Aston Villa and Juventus and then you go on the path of the Champions League."

"That is so attractive. The club has the experience to go to the Champions League final."

Hiddink, who has agreed a deal at Chelsea until the end of the season while remaining in charge of Russia, met the players for the first time on Thursday at a training session in Cobham where he was also greeted by club owner Roman Abramovich.

Veron cool on Lazio future

Juan Sebastian Veron said Lazio are looking to sign him again in summer but for the time being he is taking things calmly despite being mentioned freely in the transfer speculation.

Veron spent the prime of his career in Serie A where he lifted the UEFA Cup for Parma before joining Lazio and winning the league title in 2000.

The Argentine then failed to leave his mark at Manchester United and Chelsea before returning home to Estudiantes.

"I am always put in the middle of transfer speculation," Veron said.

"But I want to settle things and say that I will leave in June if the club don't bring in new players.

"Lazio president Lotito calls me every couple of weeks, but I don't want to talk about that right now... I just want to stay calm."