Essien: Ghana midfielder Michael Essien will miss the African Nations Cup finals in Egypt later this month. Essien, Africa's most expensive player after joining Chelsea for 38 million euros, damaged ankle ligaments in a Premier League match last Monday. He is joined on the sidelines by Ghana's Udinese midfielder Sulley Muntari and their Modena striker Asamoah Gyan, who became the latest casualty in training on Wednesday.

CASSANO: Real Madrid coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro says new signing Antonio Cassano must work on his fitness before he can make his Real Madrid debut. "He arrived with a significant muscle strain and is working on a personalised programme to get him into shape," Lopez Caro said. "It will take him a few days of individual training to get him to his best level."

Parma: Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz has been given a deadline of January 15 to complete a deal that would make him the new owner of Italian Serie A club Parma. Sanz has seemed the most likely buyer of the club since last August when he made an initial payment of 7.5 million euros on the full price of 27.5 million. However, he has not yet paid the outstanding 20 million.

Schwarzer: Middlesbrough accepted a transfer request from Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer yesterday. "We are disappointed that Mark has made this decision but respect his feelings," Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren said. Australia international Schwarzer joined Middlesbrough from Bradford in 1997. The 33-year-old has played 342 first-team games for the club, the last of which was Monday's 2-2 Premier League draw at Newcastle.

Sommeil: Man. City defender David Sommeil has been charged with violent conduct by the English FA for his tackle on Tottenham's Lee Young-pyo. Sommeil's studs-up challenge on the South Korean in the 73rd minute of the Premier League game which Spurs won 2-0 at the City of Manchester Stadium on Wednesday was missed by referee Alan Wiley. Lee, who was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury, described the tackle as the worst he had ever suffered and was fortunate to escape with deep bruising.

Basketball: Peugeot League - SN Suns vs Loyola 29-62; Kerygma vs Luxol 37-70.

MFA Division III: Kalkara vs Pembroke 1-1; Zejtun vs Sta Venera 0-5.

English Fa Cup: Third round - Port Vale vs Doncaster 2-1.

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