■ Brazil
Carlos to rejoin Santos
Veteran Brazil defender Antonio Carlos reached a deal to rejoin two-time Brazilian champion Santos next year. Antonio Carlos, who helped Brazil win the 1999 Copa America, was playing for first-division club Juventude. Details on the transfer were not disclosed. He will be reunited with former Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo. The 37-year-old defender and Luxemburgo won Brazilian league titles with Palmeiras in 1993 and 1994. "I'll stop playing soon and I hope to continue in the sport as a coach, so it will be very important to spend the next year observing coach Vanderlei closely," Antonio Carlos told the Gazeta Esportiva Web site on Sunday.
■ Spain
Real keen to offload Cassano
Real Madrid are keen to unload unwanted Italian striker Antonio Cassano. This was the news put out on Sunday on the digital version of sports daily Marca. According to Marca, Real sporting director Pedja Mijatovic has already told Cassano that he has "the green light to move on." Cassano, 24, has had frequent rows with compatriot coach Fabio Capello, who has largely left him on the subs' bench. Last month Cassano was suspended from the squad for criticizing Capello in the dressing-room, for not bringing him off the bench. Cassano will find it even harder to get on the field now that Ronaldo is finally fit again, and now that Real have signed teenage Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain.
■ World Cup
FIFA has time to appeal
FIFA won't have to immediately obey a US court ruling in a dispute over World Cup sponsorship rights. FIFA has appealed a Dec. 7 ruling that said MasterCard was entitled to sponsor the 2010 and 2014 World Cups despite Visa signing a deal with effect from Jan. 1. FIFA said that the New York Southern District Court ruled last Friday that it didn't have to immediately grant an eight-year deal to MasterCard pending the appeal. "Neither MasterCard nor Visa may demand fulfillment of the sponsorship contract during the appeal procedure," FIFA said in a statement on Sunday. MasterCard, a New York-based company and the US' second-largest credit card brand behind Visa, said it extended a sponsorship deal with FIFA that had made it the exclusive payments sponsor for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
■ England
Pardew to coach Charlton
Alan Pardew became Charlton's third coach this season after Les Reed left the Premier League club on Sunday. Pardew, who was fired on Dec. 11 as West Ham coach, signed a three-and-a-half year contract with Charlton. "Les Reed has left his position as Charlton's head coach by mutual consent," the club said in a statement on its Web site. "The club is making no further comment at this time, but will be holding a press conference on Boxing Day." Reed took over on Nov. 13 when Iain Dowie was fired after only 15 games in charge with the Addicks last in the standings. But Charlton won just once in Reed's eight games in charge and was knocked out in the quarterfinals of the League Cup by League Two club Wycombe last week. Dowie had been appointed before the season to replace Alan Curbishly, who is now coach of West Ham. Charlton is currently 19th in the standings, seven points behind 17th-place Blackburn.
■ Soccer
Zdenek Zeman fired
Zdenek Zeman was fired as Lecce coach and replaced by Giuseppe Papadopulo on Sunday. Papadopulo will take over the 14th-place Serie B club on Thursday, Lecce said on its Web site. Zeman made doping allegations against Juventus players when he coached AS Roma in 1998. They led to a judicial inquiry, but Juventus' team doctor and chief executive were acquitted of all charges last year.
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