MADRID, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Spanish champions Real Madrid are interested in signing Roma midfielders Daniele De Rossi and Alberto Aquilani, sports daily Marca reported Wednesday.

TBILISI, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - The Georgian Football Federation has decided to sack the country's national coach Klaus Topmoller of Germany, the federation press service reported Wednesday.

Federation chief Nodar Akhalkatsi said that the federation had finalised the details of the cancellation of the contract in agreement with Topmoller.

BAMAKO, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Nigerian Stephen Keshi has been named as the new coach of Mali, the west African country's football federation announced on Wednesday.

He replaces Frenchman Jean-Francois Jodar who was sacked on March 12 following his side's poor performances at the African Nations Cup in Ghana in January.

LOS ANGELES, April 1, 2008 (AFP) - Mexico fired national football team coach Hugo Sanchez and replaced him on an interim basis with Jesus Ramirez, the Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday.

The 49-year-old Sanchez served just 16 months as head coach and was criticized for Mexico's poor showing in a March tournament where the national team failed to qualify for the Olympics.

GLASGOW, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Rangers manager Walter Smith admits his side could be a victim of their own success ahead of the visit of Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of their UEFA Cup quarter final on Thursday.

The Ibrox side are on course to complete a domestic treble and are also hoping to add the European trophy to their season's haul.

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Schalke 04 coach Mirko Slomka says his side showed Barcelona too much respect as the Spanish giants left Germany with a 1-0 win from the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final.

PORTSMOUTH, England, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp is sweating on the fitness of left-back Hermann Hreidarsson ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against West Bromwich Albion at Wembley.

The Iceland international has three stitches in an Achilles wound while, up front, winger John Utaka is doubtful because of a hamstring problem.

LIVERPOOL, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez issued a call for improved spectator behaviour as police began to investigate reports of crowd abuse by fans of both sides during the Reds' 1-0 derby win over Everton.

PARIS, April 2, 2008 (AFP) - German powerhouses Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen will look to record comfortable first leg leads in their UEFA Cup quarter-finals on Thursday and all but set up a tantalising semi-final between themselves.

CARDIFF, April 1, 2008 (AFP) - Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion played out a goalless draw in their Championship clash at Ninian Park here on Wednesday ahead of their respective FA Cup semi-final encounters at Wembley this weekend.