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Football: Gattuso joins long list of Sion ex-managers

Swiss side FC Sion sacked their fifth manager of the season on Monday with Italian 2006 World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso relieved of his job after a series of poor results. Gattuso, appointed as player-manager in February, has been replaced by Michel Decastel, coach of the club's youth side for the remaining five games of the campaign. A statement on Sion's website explained that Gattuso was given his marching orders after the team under his guidance only mustered "10 points from the last 11 matches".

Football: PSG warn Real - respect Ancelotti contract

The chairman of French league champions Paris Saint Germain has called on Real Madrid to respect the contract of coach Carlo Ancelotti, seen as a potential target for the Spanish giants. In an interview to appear in its Tuesday edition, French sports daily L'Equipe said Nasser al-Khelaifi had warned Real that Ancelotti still had a year tying him to Parc des Princes. "A few days ago, the director general director of Real Madrid (Jose Angel Sanchez) contacted me to talk about him (Ancelotti).

Football: Milan close in on Champs League with Pescara rout

A Mario Balotelli brace and one apiece from Sulley Muntari and Mathieu Flamini put AC Milan within sight of Champions League football next season thanks to a 4-0 rout of already-relegated Pescara on Wednesday. Milan started the match knowing that three points would reinforce their grip on third place, which offers a qualifying round place in Europe's premier club competition.

Football: Job speculation is 'rubbish', says Mancini

Manager Roberto Mancini said speculation about his Manchester City future was "rubbish" and vowed to still be at the club next season after his side were stunned 1-0 by Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup final on Saturday. Spanish media reports claim Mancini could be replaced by Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini in the close season and City's defeat at Wembley Stadium left them without a major trophy for the first time in three years. However, Mancini struck a bullish tone after the game and flatly dismissed the rumours about his future at the Etihad Stadium.

Football: Blatter condemns new Italy racism

The head of football's world governing body FIFA, Sepp Blatter, on Monday denounced racist chanting that held up a weekend game between AC Milan and Roma. "Appalled to read about racist abuse in Serie A last night, but we're committed to action, not just words," Blatter wrote on his Twitter account @SeppBlatter. Play was held up for three minutes early in the second half of the game at the San Siro in Milan as Roma fans were warned to stop making racist chants. The target of the abuse was believed to be Milan striker Mario Balotelli.

Football: Uncertainty overshadows PSG title win

Overwhelming favourites at the campaign's outset, Paris Saint-Germain were eventually able to celebrate winning the Ligue 1 title with two games to spare, but uncertainty surrounding the future takes some of the shine off the capital club's triumph. No other team in France could keep up with a PSG side built thanks to the massive financial power of their Qatari owners, even if Marseille and Lyon provided greater resistance than had been expected.

Football: Milan, Roma in red mist, racism chants hold up game

AC Milan and Roma battled out a 0-0 draw on Sunday as both sides finished with 10 men while the game was delayed because of racist chanting. The point kept Milan in third place and on course for a Champions League spot. But red cards for Milan's Ghanaian Sulley Muntari and Roma skipper Francesco Totti, as well as more racist controversy, over-shadowed action on the pitch. Muntari was sent-off for manhandling the referee as the official reached into his pocket to book Mario Balotelli.

Football: Ancelotti hopeful Beckham will stay at PSG

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti on Saturday revealed that he believes veteran Englishman David Beckham will stay with the Ligue 1 club beyond the end of his current contract, which expires in the summer. Reports in Britain on Saturday suggested that Beckham - who has started just one Ligue 1 game - was mulling over a one-year contract extension and Ancelotti reckons the now-38-year-old still has something to offer.

Football: Toni winner boosts Viola as Palermo, Siena relegated

A first-half winner from Luca Toni secured a precious 1-0 win for Fiorentina over Palermo and relegated the Sicilians from Italy's Serie A on Sunday. Fiorentina's 20th win of the campaign kept them in fourth but boosted their push for a third-place finish which offers Champions League football next season via a preliminary round. Vincenzo Montella's side are now only one point behind third-placed AC Milan, who will look to restore their four-point cushion at home to Roma in Sunday's late match.

Football: Di Canio 'offered to leave' over fascism row

Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio revealed on Sunday that he offered to leave the club during the media storm over his political views that followed his appointment. Di Canio's arrival at the Stadium of Light provoked a maelstrom of controversy due to political statements he had made in the past, and forced him to release a statement in which he said he does "not support the ideology of fascism". The Italian met with Sunderland owner Ellis Short to discuss the matter and says he would have been prepared to walk away from the club.
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