European Roundup

Czech Republic's Nedved may end international career

ROME (Reuters) -- Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved is considering retiring from the international football so he can concentrate on his Juventus career, the Italian club said on Tuesday.

"I'm thinking about leaving the national side," Nedved told Tuesday's Gazzetta dello Sport. "I've already told (Czech coach Karel) Brueckner and within a month I'll make it official."

"It doesn't seem right that I was injured while playing for the Czech Republic and now I can't train with Juventus, who pay me. It's Juventus to whom I should be giving everything."

A Juventus spokeswoman confirmed the comments and the club posted excerpts from the story on its website, calling Nedved's announcement a "a declaration of love for Juve."

The 32-year-old made his debut for the Czech Republic against Ireland in 1994 and has played 83 times for his country.

He was forced to limp off the pitch injured after 40 minutes of last month's Euro 2004 semi-final against Greece, which the Czechs lost 1-0.

Nedved moved to Italy with Lazio in 1996, quickly becoming a firm favourite with the fans and helping the Rome-based club to victories in the Italian Cup in 1998 and the European Winners' Cup in 1999.

The following season he was highly influential as Lazio clinched the Italian league and cup double and Juventus paid out 41 million euros ($49.5 million) to secure his signature in 2001.

He was named European footballer of the Year in 2003.

Dynamo's Mendi scared to go out in Moscow

MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Dynamo Moscow's Senegalese defender Pascal Mendi says he was afraid to go out in the Russian capital because he is black.

"In Russia I have two main problems: 'racism and language'," Mendi was quoted as saying by Russian daily Sovietsky Sport. "I have to stay home most of the time because I'm afraid of racist attacks. I was told these things happen quite often in Moscow."

The 25-year-old, in his second season with Dynamo, said he was the victim of one such incident last year.

"It happened after my first match in Russia. I was walking home from the game, it's only a 10 minute walk, when I was attacked by three strong-looking young men," Mendi recalled.

"Luckily, I was able to run away from them. Such was my debut in Russian football..."

The stocky full back said he now rarely walks alone and is provided with a driver by the club.

Mendi's comments echoed those of other African players.

Former Spartak defender Jerry-Christian Tchuisse said last year he too was scared to walk the streets of Moscow.

"I would only go to a nearby store to pick up groceries, I didn't go anywhere else," Cameroonian Tchuisse said at the time.

"Unfortunately, there are people in Moscow who hate blacks.

Mendi said he would gladly move to France, where many of his compatriots play, or another Western country if the money were right.

"If I got the same pay I would, but not for less," he said.

"But in France, for example, you pay huge taxes while here in Russia we get cash."

Liechenstein calls up injured striker Beck

VADUZ, Liechtenstein (Reuters) -- Injured striker Thomas Beck has been included by Liechtenstein coach Martin Andermatt in an 18-man squad to face Estonia in a World Cup Gropu 3 qualifier in Vaduz on August 18.

Swiss Andermatt, appointed as coach of the Liechtenstein national team in March, is confident FC Chiasso forward Beck will recover from a foot injury that has sidelined him in recent weeks.

Andermatt keeps faith with the players who lost 2-0 to Greece and 1-0 to neighbours Switzerland in friendlies before Euro 2004.

The FC Vaduz coach has called up nine players from his club side, including uncapped goalkeeper Florian Meier and under-19 international midfielder Marco Ritzberger.

Liechtenstein will also face Luxembourg, Portugal, Latvia, Russia and Slovakia in Group 3.

Cypriot striker Okkas signs for Olympiakos

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Cypriot striker Yiannakis Okkas has signed a three-year deal to play at Olympiakos Piraeus, the first division club announced Tuesday.

Okkas, 27, left the cash-strapped AEK Athens. Financial terms of the contract were not announced.

Olympiakos is trying to regain its supremacy in the Greek championship. It lost the league title last year to archrival Panathinaikos Athens after winning it for seven successive seasons.

The Piraeus club has already signed Brazilian soccer star Rivaldo, and on Monday added Argentinian defender Gabriel Schurrer to its lineup.

Soccer bosses and the government have promised to raise standards in the sport -- with stricter finance checks and a crackdown hooligans -- following Greece's stunning victory in the European championships a month ago and improved facilities because the Aug. 13-29 Olympics.

Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.