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Soccer Capsules: English WCup bid CEO wants end to infighting
Comments 0 | Recommend 0WEMBLEY, England — England's World Cup bid leaders are trying to shift attention away from criticism of their own shortcomings — from within and outside the country — after commanding the spotlight for all the wrong reasons during the early stages of process.
Not only has the English bid to stage the tournament in 2018 or '22 been dismissed as lightweight by FIFA vice president Jack Warner, but its own leadership board has been plagued by persistent infighting.
"It's clearly not been helpful but we have to draw a line in the sand," bid chief executive Andy Anson said Thursday.
Dumping British sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe and prime ministerial adviser Richard Caborn from the board two weeks ago had been an attempt to refocus the campaign.
But then Dave Richards, chairman of the all-powerful Premier League, resigned suddenly from the board earlier this week and the fallout was still being felt Thursday at Wembley Stadium when 15 English cities presented their cases for which stadiums should be included in the bid.
"Clearly there have been issues but we have to move on," Anson told a media round-table at the national stadium. "All I care about now is that we pull together from this moment, unite together and try our best as a country to bring the World Cup here.
"We've got tough competition but let's not navel gaze anymore, let's get on the front foot and start attacking and get this brought to England ... It is time to put all the personal issues aside."
The level of introspection in England frustrates bid leaders, who aren't seeing similarly critical coverage in rival countries.
Other European contenders are Russia, Netherlands-Belgium and Spain-Portugal, while the United States, Australia, Russia and Japan are also bidding. Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea have applied only for the 2022 tournament.
The 24 members of the FIFA executive committee will vote on the host of both tournaments in December 2010.
The bidding nations will be using the buildup to next Friday's 2010 World Cup draw in South Africa to push their cases.
And England, which last hosted the tournament in 1966, is relying on to the star power of Los Angeles Galaxy and AC Milan midfielder David Beckham.
"Success (in South Africa) will be first and foremost about how the individual interactions with the FIFA executive committee members go," Anson said. "We are lucky that we have got Beckham available and we are taking advantage of that and we are going to use it to help the campaign."
Despite a lack of financial support from the British government, Anson said there would be no problems raising the 15.5 million pounds ($25.6 million) required for the bid.
Each of the successful English cities will have to contribute 250,000 pounds when their stadiums are confirmed as part of the bid next month.
Chile faces possible World Cup expulsion
ASUNCION, Paraguay — Chile could be kicked out of the World Cup unless Chilean club Rangers drops a court case by Dec. 3 contesting its disputed demotion to the second division of the national soccer league.
CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American soccer, said Thursday it was notified by FIFA about the possible sanction.
Rangers were deducted three points for using six foreign players — the limit is five — in a league match on Nov. 8. The three points cost them relegation to the second division, and last week they appealed the case to a Chilean court.
Chile, which has not played in the World Cup since 1998, is one of five South American nations that have qualified for next year's tournament in South Africa.
Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay have also qualified.
The appeal by Rangers has forced the Chilean league to suspend play in its postseason playoffs.
"If Rangers don't drop the case, then FIFA could expel (the national federation) because they can't expel a club," Harold Mayne-Nicholls, president of the Chilean federation, said on radio Agricultura. "This could bring consequences that would be deadly for Chilean football."
Elsewhere
Police question 2 players in match-fixing scandal
FRANKFURT — German police have questioned two players from the Fortuna Duesseldorf soccer club Thursday in connection with the widening match-fixing scandal in Europe.
The two play for the reserve side of the club, which competes in the fourth-tier league. The main Fortuna team is in the second division.
The club gave no further details about Thursday's interrogations.
Patrick Neumann, the captain of SC Verl, another fourth-tier German club allegedly involved in the scandal, has decided to cooperate with authorities and "tell them all he knows," the player's lawyer Lutz Klose said.
"But he doesn't have much to confess," Klose said.
Neumann and teammate Tim Hagedorn have been suspended by the club.
In another development, police raided the apartment of a 21-year-old person suspected of trying to bribe a player of the fourth-tier Goslar club into throwing a match. The player reported the attempt to the club, which then informed police.
Meanwhile, the Bavarian justice ministry reportedly has drafted a law that would punish match-fixing, doping and other manipulation in sports by up to 15 years in prison.
The questioning of the two Fortuna players came one day after UEFA announced that five clubs in Albania, Latvia, Slovenia and Hungary are suspected of match-fixing.
German prosecutors are leading an investigation in Europe, with 200 games under scrutiny, including qualifying matches for the Champions League. UEFA has called it the biggest match-fixing scandal to date.
The prosecutor's office in Bochum, which specialized in cracking down on organized crime, has declined to give details about its ongoing investigation besides saying that 15 people have been arrested in Germany and two in Switzerland.
Prosecutors believe an international gang is suspected of bribing players, coaches, referees and other officials to manipulate games so that the gang would make money by betting on fixed games. About 200 people are suspected of being involved and the ring leaders are believed to have made at least $15 million.
"In Europe, you have the bribery, in Asia you have the betting and in Berlin you have the cashing in," Joerz Ziercke, the president of the Federal Crime Office, the German equivalent of the FBI, said at a conference Thursday.
German authorities originally named nine countries where they believe the manipulations had occurred — Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Switzerland and Turkey.
On Wednesday, UEFA also named clubs in Albania and Latvia and identified the five as KF Tirana, FC Dinaburg, KS Vllaznia, NK IB Ljubljana and Honved Budapest. Seven qualifying games in the Champions League and the Europa League between July 16 and Aug. 6 involving the five clubs were allegedly manipulated.
In an announcement on its Web site, Honved said it was ready to cooperate and believed it was innocent, although it added that "all clubs, including Honved, could have players ready to betray their club, fellow players and supporters for their own selfish financial gain."
Honved, the best known of the five clubs, enjoyed its glory days in the 1950s, when it featured such stars as Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis and Jozsef Bozsik.
"We welcome the investigation naturally and we will help UEFA in every way we can to bring the investigation to a successful conclusion," Honved owner George Hemingway said.
Honved's 5-1 loss to Fenerbahce in Europa League qualifying is under suspicion.
"We believe ... both our club and our players are totally clean and we believe that we will be exonerated at the end of the investigation," Hemingway said.
The Albanian soccer federation said both Albanian teams named — KF Tirana and KS Vllaznia — will play in weekend league matches and no action would be taken against the clubs, officials or players until the probe is concluded.
"We fully support the ongoing investigation and are cooperating," Albanian soccer federation spokesman Tritan Kokona said, adding that the federation would impose sanctions if the clubs are found guilty of any wrongdoing.
The Ljubljana team in Slovenia said on its Web site that it was "deeply disappointed and embittered" by reports that the club was implicated in the scandal and called for a speedy conclusion to the inquiry.
The team's director, Nenad Protega, promised the club would do everything to help clear up the matter.
The Latvian federation last month banned Dinaburg for the rest of the season after receiving information that the general manager and coach were betting on the team's matches.
The two officials, general manager Oleg Gavrilov and Tamaza Pertia, were banned for life.
The federation acted after receiving information from UEFA about club officials betting on the team's own matches.
-- Nesha Starcevic
Everton eager for ground-share with Liverpool
LIVERPOOL, England — Everton is considering asking Liverpool to ground-share after having plans to build a new stadium rejected by the British government.
Everton had planned to join forces with supermarket chain Tesco to build a new stadium and shopping complex on the outskirts of Liverpool. Everton chief executive Robert Elstone said Thursday that the club was "bitterly disappointed" by the decision to throw out proposals for a 50,000-seat stadium to replace Goodison Park.
While neighbor Liverpool has had plans to replace Anfield approved, the American-owned club is still trying to raise the finances for the project amid the global economic crisis.
Due to opposition from fans, both clubs have previously been reluctant to consider sharing a stadium, however Elstone now says Everton is not against the idea — if it makes financial sense.
"It's certainly one of the options that we will need to cover," Elstone said. "A shared stadium is perhaps an option if it's affordable. We have to look at where we can raise money, because potentially Liverpool will have to obviously contribute to that, and Liverpool City Council perhaps might need to find some money.
"Our history is one of creativity and innovation and if we are the first major English club to look at sharing then we're not scared of making those decisions."
Liverpool, though, said that sharing with Everton is "not on our agenda," insisting that plans to build a new stadium in the adjacent Stanley Park remain on track.
"Liverpool are progressing forward with our own stadium. That is the position we are still in," Liverpool deputy executive director Peter Shaw said. "The LFC stadium is quite far progressed and once the financial markets reopen for business the LFC stadium will progress further."
AC Milan's Gattuso angry at exclusion from team
MILAN — AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso is unhappy with losing his place as a regular starter with the Serie A team and said Thursday that he deserved to be playing.
"I shouldn't have to wait until someone plays badly or gets injured before I'm used. I think I'm still worth my place," Gattuso told Sky Italia. "I'm not happy at the moment. I can never think that I'll no longer be indispensable to this team after 11 years. I cannot come around to this idea."
The Italy international has fallen out of favor this season and found himself out of the first team after coach Leonardo changed the side's formation.
The Brazilian coach has made captain Massimo Ambrosini and Andrea Pirlo his first choice midfield pairing, with France midfielder Mathieu Flamini providing cover.
"I have spoken with Leonardo," Gattuso said. "Three months ago Milan was my home and it still is. You can't get rid of 11 years.
"I always have a good rapport with my coaches because doing my part is in my character. I don't have any problem with Leonardo, we haven't argued. He makes his choices and I have a great deal of respect for him."
In recent weeks, Gattuso has been linked with a move to Manchester City during the January transfer window. And with the 2010 World Cup coming up, Gattuso wants regular football to ensure he stays in coach Marcello Lippi's thoughts.
"I'm not thinking about protecting my place in the national team," Gattuso said. "But I hear from Lippi regularly and he has said that if I play, even if it is only a bit, there will be space for me in South Africa."
Avram Grant appointed Portsmouth manager
PORTSMOUTH, England — Avram Grant was appointed manager of Portsmouth on Wednesday, taking over a team struggling to get out of the Premier League's relegation zone.
Due to work permit issues, Grant will officially remain the director of football when he leads the last-place team against Manchester United on Saturday.
The Israeli's last match in charge of a club was also against United. In May 2008, he coached Chelsea when the team lost the Champions League final on penalty kicks.
Grant was fired by Chelsea after less than a season as manager and didn't return to English football until Portsmouth hired him as director of football last month.
Now he is replacing manager Paul Hart, who was fired earlier this week after collecting just seven points from 13 matches.
"Avram is a very experienced and respected manager who has managed at the highest level. The board believes he is the man to help steer the club out of the relegation zone," Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie said. "He knows the club, the players and the setup at Fratton Park, so it was the logical move to make him the next manager."
Portsmouth said that securing a new work permit for the 54-year-old Grant involves a "technical change" to his status.
UEFA opposes IOC on Olympic players' eligibility
NYON, Switzerland — European soccer leaders have unanimously backed a proposal to limit participation in future Olympic Games to players under the age of 21.
The International Olympic Committee wants to keep the status quo of under-23s plus three overage players, which allows countries to bolster their teams with star talent and enhances the appeal and credibility of the Olympic tournament.
But UEFA's strategy council of clubs, national associations, leagues and players' unions unanimously agreed Thursday that the men's Olympic tournament should be changed to under 21.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has previously suggested dropping the age limit, or even abolishing the limit altogether but barring players with World Cup experience. Europe's top clubs don't want to lose players for preseason training and Champions League qualifying matches.
FIFA and the IOC have been struggling to reach an agreement on player eligibility since current rules nearly prevented Barcelona star Lionel Messi from leading Argentina to the gold medal in Beijing last year. In that instance, it was a "club versus country" dispute.
UEFA has eight delegates on FIFA's 24-member ruling executive, which will discuss the issue in South Africa next week. FIFA will then send a report to the IOC's executive board, which meets Dec. 9-11.
Kroenke ups Arsenal stake, closes in on takeover
LONDON — American businessman Stan Kroenke has bought his second batch of shares this week in English soccer club Arsenal, edging closer to the threshold that forces him to make a takeover bid.
The Premier League club said Thursday that Kroenke acquired 20 more shares at a cost of $281,280.
The Denver-based businessman took his stake in Arsenal to 29.9 percent on Monday by purchasing 10 shares. If he reaches 30 percent, he has to make a takeover bid.
Kroenke, who also owns the Colorado Rapids, the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche, needs to buy 42 more shares to take his holding to 30 percent.
Alisher Usmanov is the club's second-largest shareholder with a 25-percent stake, but the Russian businessman has not been invited to join the board of directors.
French league match called off due to swine flu
PARIS — The French soccer league has called off Saturday's game between Monaco and Montpellier because three Montpellier players have contracted swine flu.
The LFP said in a statement Thursday that a new date for the match will be decided next week. The players were not named.
Last month, Marseille's home game against rival Paris Saint-Germain was called off six hours before kickoff because PSG players Ludovic Giuly, Mamadou Sakho and Jeremy Clement had swine flu.
Juventus docs face 3 month ban for doping offenses
TURIN, Italy — The Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping commission has recommended that two doctors with soccer club Juventus be banned for three months for doping violations.
Bartolomeo Goitre and Luca Stefanini stand accused of breaking Italy's anti-doping code, a note on CONI's Web site said on Thursday.
In October the pair were held responsible for Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro failing a doping test. Cannavaro was given medicine containing cortisone after he was bitten by a mosquito, but failed to submit the required extenuating circumstances form.
Audi to buy 9-percent stake in Bayern Munich
MUNICH — German automaker Audi is acquiring just over nine percent of Bundesliga soccer club Bayern Munich.
Audi AG, which has been sponsoring Bayern since 2002, will acquire a 9.09-percent stake in Bayern Munich AG between March 2010 and July 2011 for $135.64 million, according to a joint statement Thursday.
Bayern Munich AG is the sole owner of the Allianz Arena and the deal will help the club pay off the stadium.
Adidas, the sports apparel company, owns 10 percent of Bayern.
Hamburg's Ze Roberto to have ankle surgery
HAMBURG — Hamburger SV midfielder Ze Roberto requires ankle surgery and will miss the team's last four games prior to the Bundesliga's winter break.
Hamburg, which has not won in its last five league games, says Ze Roberto will have surgery in Switzerland.
The 35-year-old Brazilian is the club's leading scorer this season with five goals. He damaged a ligament in his right ankle less than three weeks ago.
League Previews
Liverpool looking to rebound against Everton
LONDON — Eliminated from the Champions League, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez now needs to rally his team for Sunday's Premier League match at local rival Everton.
The Reds, who finished second in the league last season, are in seventh place about a third of the way through the campaign — 13 points behind leader Chelsea. Only the top four teams in the league qualify for next season's Champion League.
"We know that in the league we have got to start winning — and winning soon — as we are not in the top four," Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano said. "This is strange for the club and the supporters because in the last four years we have always been in there, fighting for the title or to get into the Champions League and we need to start winning games, so that we can do that again."
Liverpool hasn't won in the league since it beat Manchester United 2-0 on Oct. 25.
"We know it is going to be very difficult on Sunday," Mascherano said. "But this is a really important game for us and for our supporters and we have got to start winning in the league again by beating Everton."
Everton hasn't fared much better recently, losing at Hull 3-2 Wednesday to leave the team with just one win in its last seven games.
The club's fans have been used to top-six finishes in recent seasons, but the team is now four points above the drop zone.
"It is up to the players to take responsibility, but I take responsibility for the players I select," Moyes said. "We could be dragged into a relegation fight — particularly because of the injuries and individual performances. But I am the one who has to take responsibility for the team."
After the ailing Merseyside rivals meet at Goodison Park, the focus later Sunday shifts to the title race with Chelsea's trip to London rival Arsenal, which is eight points behind the leaders in third place.
"It is a very good moment for us and we have to keep this going because the players are in good condition and have a good mentality," Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said after Wednesday's 1-0 win over FC Porto in the Champions League. "This victory against Porto was necessary to maintain this moment. We know very well that Sunday will be a very difficult match but we know that now is a very good time to play Arsenal."
Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka, who scored Wednesday's goal, believes this season will deliver his first Premier League winners' medal since 1998, when the Frenchman was at Arsenal.
"Winning it with Chelsea will be even bigger than when I did it with Arsenal," Anelka said. "That will mean I'm in one of the biggest teams in the world."
Arsenal defender William Gallas, who has a swollen eye after a collision with teammate Andrei Arshavin in Tuesday's Champions League match against Standard Liege, is a doubt for Sunday. He also picked up an ankle injury in the game.
"There's a big question mark about him at the moment," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "The eye is still very, very, very swollen. The ankle should be all right."
Defending champion Manchester United, which is five points behind Chelsea, travels to last-place Portsmouth on Saturday.
Portsmouth will be coached by Avram Grant, who was appointed Thursday to replace Paul Hart.
"Avram is a very experienced and respected manager who has managed at the highest level," Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie said. "He is the man to help steer the club out of the relegation zone."
Also Saturday, Tottenham travels to Aston Villa, sixth-place Manchester City hosts Hull, Fulham faces Bolton, Blackburn hosts Stoke, Burnley is at West Ham and Sunderland travels to Wigan. On Sunday, Wolverhampton plays Birmingham.
-- Rob Harris
Ronaldo, Messi ready for Barcelona-Real Madrid
MADRID — Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are back from injury and will face each other in the "clasico" derby between Barcelona and Real Madrid, the Spanish league's most eagerly anticipated match of the early season.
Messi was rested during Barcelona's 2-0 Champions League win over Inter Milan after injuring his left thigh muscle in league play, while Ronaldo returned from a nearly two-month absence to play about 20 minutes in Madrid's 1-0 win over FC Zurich on Wednesday.
With Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic also recovered from a hamstring injury, Sunday's match at the Camp Nou has all the ingredients to become a classic as Madrid holds a one-point lead over the defending champions in the standings.
"It's difficult to play against them but we also have our own weapons and we're going to do things well so that we can get the win," Ronaldo said. "We want to win in the Camp Nou, and we're going to do things well to give ourselves a chance at victory."
Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema will all be experiencing their first derby after Madrid spent heavily in the offseason to close the gap on Barcelona, which became the first Spanish club to win the league, Champions League and Copa del Rey titles in one season.
Madrid will be eager to show a better side than in the last meeting, a record 6-2 loss at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. But Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini remains troubled by his team's play even if it has managed to start the season well.
"Of course their style of play is distinct. They have a clear concept while we're in the midst of searching out a different way from last year," the Chilean coach said. "We're worried because this isn't the style of play we want for the team. It's not the style I like as a coach."
Even without Messi and Ibrahimovic, Barcelona showed it can easily dominate behind its high speed passing game orchestrated by Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.
The duel is the first between Messi and Ronaldo since the Portugal winger's €94 million ($136 million) move from Manchester United.
"I'm very optimistic that Leo will play," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, who believed Tuesday's win over Serie A champion Inter would provide an extra boost. "(Madrid) are leaders, of course, but how would you not expect them to be after spending €270 million?"
Barcelona's only major injury doubt remains Yaya Toure, who has swine flu, while Madrid midfielder Jose Maria "Guti" Gutierrez is out with a leg injury.
On Saturday, Sevilla and Valencia will look to take advantage of any potential draw in Barcelona to gain ground in the standings. Sevilla plays last-place Malaga while Mallorca visits Valencia. Sporting Gijon plays Villarreal.
Madrid leads the league with 27 points, followed by Barcelona with 26, Sevilla with 25, Valencia with 24 and surprise contender Deportivo La Coruna, which plays at Racing Santander on Sunday, with 22.
Also Sunday, it's: Valladolid vs. Tenerife; Getafe vs. Xerez; Almeria vs. Athletic Bilbao; Zaragoza vs. Osasuna; and Atletico Madrid vs. Espanyol.
-- Paul Logothetis
Italian teams looking for respite after mixed week
MILAN — Italy's four Champions League teams will be out to put a mixed week of European action behind them when they return to Serie A this weekend.
Only Fiorentina qualified for the knockout round, while Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan must all wait until the final round of matches before securing their places in the next phase of Europe's top club competition.
At home, Inter is out to maintain its five-point lead at the top of the Serie A when it hosts Fiorentina on Saturday. However, the team will have to improve from its 2-0 loss at Barcelona.
"(Inter president Massimo Moratti) came into the changing rooms after the match," Inter captain Javier Zanetti said. "He was disappointed like everyone, because we wanted a different type of match and a different result.
"Now we have to think about Sunday and the match against Fiorentina."
Fiorentina beat Lyon 1-0 to progress to the knockout stage of the Champions League for the first time in 10 years. That result, however, hasn't helped the team in Serie A, where it has slipped to seventh.
"I hope that (Stevan) Jovetic and (Alessandro) Gamberini are in the shape to return, but we shall see," Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli said. "Qualifying will add to our season as it will help us learn how to play in big matches, though if we get some injuries life could get difficult."
Second-place Juventus needs a win to stay in touch with Inter at the top of the standings.
Like Inter, Juventus had a disappointing Champions League loss that leaves it needing a point at home against Bayern Munich to progress.
Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara has worries over his attack ahead of the game at Cagliari. Vincenzo Iaquinta is out with a knee injury and David Trezeguet is absent with a strained calf.
Alessandro Del Piero returned for the loss to Bordeaux, but it was from his mistake that the French team scored. Amauri, meanwhile, is a shadow of the player who terrorized defenses when he first moved to the club.
"I'm not sure if it is a question of form, nor is it a question of the system we use," Ferrara said about Amauri. "He's just returning from a back injury, but we do need to get the best out of him."
Milan will travel to Catania hoping to bounce back from the 1-1 draw against Marseille. Milan coach Leonardo at least could take solace in the continuing return to form of striker Marco Borriello, who scored his first European goal of the season.
"Personally I feel fine," Borriello said. "It has only been a month since I've started playing again and I'm able to score goals that have been useful to the team, because whenever I score it seems we either win, or at least draw, but we haven't lost.
"In this team every player has an important role. No one is indispensable, but I've been able to find space for myself."
Also, it's: Udinese vs. Livorno; Genoa vs. Sampdoria; Atalanta vs. AS Roma; Bari vs. Siena; Chievo Verona vs. Palermo; Parma vs. Napoli; and Lazio vs. Bologna.
-- Jeremy Inson
Bayern hopes to rebound in Bundesliga
FRANKFURT — Having revived its chances of advancing in the Champions League, Bayern Munich will be seeking to put its Bundesliga campaign back on track when it visits Hannover on Sunday.
Bayern has drawn its last three Bundesliga games and is six points behind leader Bayer Leverkusen in seventh place after 13 matches.
Coach Louis van Gaal has been under growing pressure and Wednesday's 1-0 win over Maccabi Haifa was a welcome respite. Although Bayern didn't play particularly well, the victory means it can still advance to the knockout stage of the Champions League if it beats Juventus in Turin in the final group match.
Van Gaal now has that game and four others in the Bundesliga to convince the increasingly skeptical Bayern management that he's worth keeping beyond the Christmas break.
The Dutch coach dropped Luca Toni from the squad before Wednesday's match after yet another spat with the Italy striker.
Uli Hoeness, who is slated to replace Franz Beckenbauer as club president on Friday after 30 years as general manager, said Toni was not suspended but had been fined €25,000 ($37,500) for an interview in which the striker said his relationship with van Gaal was all but finished and that he wanted to return to Italy.
It was the second time Toni had been critical of van Gaal in recent weeks.
Van Gaal, asked about Toni's desire to leave, said it was not his decision but up to Bayern's board.
"If he wants to leave, he has to find a club," van Gaal said.
Hoeness sounded a more conciliatory note.
"We have five important games until Christmas," Hoeness said. "Christmas is a time of peace and then we'll see in January."
"What's missing is an apology. If that happens, I think there is still a chance between him and van Gaal," Hoeness said.
Leverkusen also plays Sunday, at home against Stuttgart.
Leverkusen, which drew 1-1 at Bayern in the previous round, has 27 points and a one-point lead over Werder Bremen, which hosts defending champion Wolfsburg on Saturday and hopes to extend its 20-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Schalke, third on 25 points, travels Saturday to Borussia Moenchengladbach. Fourth-place Hoffenheim hosts Borussia Dortmund and fifth-place Hamburger SV, which is winless in its last five games, travels to sixth-place Mainz.
Also Saturday, Hertha Berlin hosts Eintracht Frankfurt and Nuremberg meets Freiburg.
Bochum kicks off the 14th round on Friday against Cologne. Both clubs are in trouble, with Bochum second from bottom with 11 points while Cologne is just one point above the drop zone with 12.
-- Nesha Starcevic
Lyon seeks win over Rennes in French league
PARIS — Lyon needs a convincing win over Rennes on Sunday to boost confidence after a dismal run of form that has seen the seven-time former French league champions win only one of their last six games.
Tuesday's 1-0 loss to Fiorentina in the Champions League followed an embarrassing 1-1 draw at last-place Grenoble last weekend, when it conceded a late equalizer when Grenoble — without a win all season — was reduced to 10 men.
"We need a big win to get our confidence back," Lyon winger Michel Bastos said. "It would be perfect to do it on Sunday, in front of our own fans."
Third-place Lyon has not won this month, drawing 1-1 at home with Liverpool in the Champions League and 5-5 at home with Marseille in a game that saw Lyon come back from a 4-2 deficit to lead 5-4 with just seconds remaining.
Hit by injuries, particularly in defense, Lyon coach Claude Puel has rarely been able to field a settled team.
"We have to lift our heads up and keep going," Lyon midfielder Miralem Pjanic said. "We feel sad, because we tried everything (against Fiorentina) and it didn't work."
Lyon's dip in form and Bordeaux's back-to-back league losses opened the door for Auxerre to move into first place with its neat one-touch football and stylish approach under veteran coach Jean Fernandez. He nurtured young talents such as former France great Zinedine Zidane and Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri.
Auxerre has 26 points from 13 games, while second-place Bordeaux and Lyon are a point behind. Bordeaux has a better goal difference than Lyon.
Bordeaux, which beat Juventus 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, travels to play Nancy on Sunday, while Auxerre is at struggling Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.
Auxerre lost the first three games of the season without scoring a goal, and won only once in the opening seven games. After Poland striker Irinieusz Jelen came back from injury, the team was transformed and can now earn its eighth straight win of the season at Parc des Princes.
But Fernandez must do so without Jelen, who took a blow to his right knee in training Wednesday.
Knowing how much his team relies on Jelen, Fernandez sounded pessimistic about his team's chances.
"It's easier for everyone when he's around. He's the only player who can make runs from deep," Fernandez said. "Without him, we'll have the same problems we had (at the start of the season)."
Anything but a win for PSG will heap the pressure on coach Antoine Kombouare and his players after Friday's 1-0 loss to rival Marseille. PSG's notoriously hostile fans have not seen a home win since the team beat Lille 3-0 on Aug. 30.
Kombouare is losing patience just weeks before the transfer window opens again.
"It's been a hard week for me, because I was not at all happy with my players," Kombouare said. "It wasn't just the defeat, it was the fact that they got stuck into us and we couldn't find a way to respond."
Kombouare added that Marseille "walked all over" PSG, and he sent out a stern warning to his players.
"It's hard to accept. I hope I never have to watch a match like that ever again," he said. "Given where he are in the league, a lot of teams are ahead of us and every game becomes complicated. I expect a huge response from my players."
Kombouare hopes to welcome back Claude Makelele from injury, but has a doubt over midfielder Clement Chantome, who is struggling to recover after taking a heavy tackle from Marseille striker Brandao.
"Claude is better now," Kombouare said. "He is training regularly and getting treatment so I hope he will be available."
Also Saturday, it's: Lille vs. Valenciennes; Lorient vs. Grenoble; Sochaux vs. Nice; Toulouse vs. Boulogne; and Lens vs. Marseille.
On Thursday, the French football called off Saturday's game between Monaco and Montpellier because three Montpellier players have swine flu. They were not named.
Marseille's game against rival Paris Saint-Germain was called off last month because three PSG players had swine flu.
Le Mans plays Saint-Etienne in Sunday's other game.
-- Jerome Pugmire
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