Baggio blow

Veteran's World Cup ambitions damaged by inury

BRESCIA, Italy (AP) -- Roberto Baggio, whose latest injury may have ended any hopes he had of playing in the World Cup, has been ordered to take a "complete rest" by Brescia's team doctor, a club spokesman said Friday.

The forward reinjured his left knee Thursday in an Italian Cup match -- just his second appearance since returning from a three month absence.

Baggio left Brescia for his home in the northeastern town of Caldogno where he will rest for two days, spokesman Edoardo Piovani said.

"We will only know the full extent of the injury after doing proper tests on the knee when he returns," Piovani said.

The injury, described by news reports as a "sprain," left Baggio face-down and motionless for nearly a minute, soon after he entered as a substitute following halftime in a first-leg Cup semifinal match against Parma.

Parma fans offered applause of encouragement when the ponytailed player was carried off the field on a stretcher. Parma won the match 2-0.

Baggio, bidding to make the Italian squad to play in his fourth World Cup, had looked sharp in his return Sunday in Brescia's 3-1 win over Lecce in league play.

But any further lengthy layoff is likely to end the 34-year-old's hopes of appearing in the tournament.

Ronaldo returns to Brazil for treatment

ROME (Reuters) -- Inter Milan forward Ronaldo is to return to Brazil for a week in a bid to shake off a troublesome hamstring injury.

The Brazil striker was expected to return to the Inter Milan first team last week but was injured again in a practice match in Mallorca.

Quoted on the official Inter Milan Web site, former twice World player of the year Ronaldo confirmed he would be returning to South America: "I'll be in Brazil for a few days, I need it in order to fully recover."

But Ronaldo refuted suggestions he may be returning to Brazil for the carnival and added: "Parties? I don't think so -- only gym and rest.

"We got some fitness indications in France and we are creating a harder programme together with our staff.

"I will follow a diet because I've been out for a while but I'm not worried about my weight. In fact, when I come back from Brazil, I'll be almost fit.

"We all have to give our best in order to help Inter to win the Scudetto. I must prepare myself and concentrate. This Inter need a super Ronaldo." Second-placed Inter Milan faces Torino on Saturday.

Dallas refuses move to Juventus

ROME (Reuters) -- Greece defender Traianos Dellas has refused a move to Juventus -- to the fury of Perugia president Alessandro Gaucci.

Dellas, who signed for Perugia from AEK Athens last summer, failed to turn up to a meeting where he was expected to sign for Juventus on Thursday.

A furious Gaucci believes that Dellas wants to see out his contract with Perugia before joining Roma on a free transfer in the summer, a move he accused Dellas of securing before he was legally allowed to.

"We want justice and Dellas's refusal to sign for Juventus confirms my suspicions," said Gaucci, quoted in Friday's Gazzetta Dello Sport.

"We were waiting for him in Turin but he did not turn up, saying they could not get there because of the fog.

"We have proof of his agreement with Rome when he was not allowed to. We have dates of the meetings between Dellas and Roma."

But Dellas hit back, denying that he had done anything wrong. "I was always going to say no to Juventus and I want to decide my own future.

"When I was signed by Perugia, I told them I would sign for one season and after two months the president told me either to sign a new deal or go to the reserves.

"I know I have many offers in Italy but also abroad but there is still time to decide."

Trtibunal to rule on doping bans next week

ROME (AP) -- CAF, Italy's highest sports tribunal, said Friday it would rule on Feb. 8 on appeals of doping suspensions handed out to international stars Japp Stam and Josep Guardiola.

The league disciplinary commission issued the suspensions after both players tested positive for the banned steriod Nandrolone after Serie A matches last fall.

Stam, a Dutch defender who joined Lazio this season, was given a five-month suspension. Guardiola, Brescia's veteran Spanish midfielder, was suspended for four months.

The two players, who have denied any wrongdoing, are asking the CAF to acquit them and lift the suspensions. Anti-doping prosecutors are also appealing, asking for stiffer punishments.

Defense lawyers have suggested that nutritional supplements might have caused the positive test results.

 

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Reuters contributed to this report.