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■SOCCER

Robinho may get his way

Real Madrid have said they do not want to keep Robinho against his will after the Brazil forward expressed his desire to join Chelsea before the transfer deadline expires next weekend. However, the Spanish champions made it clear Robinho will have to resolve his contractual position before he is allowed to move. “Real Madrid have become aware of the declarations by the player and deeply regret their content,” the club said in a statement on their Web site on Friday. “Real Madrid would never want to retain a player against his wishes and as a result they have no alternative but to accept his unilateral decision to rescind his contract if that is what the player wants.” Real did not make it clear if they would negotiate a deal with Chelsea for the sale of Robinho or if they were insisting he reaches an agreement to end his contract which has a buy-out clause of 150 million euros (US$223 million). Earlier on Friday, the Brazilian, who is under contract until 2010, said he was determined to sign for Chelsea. “I’ve told the president, the directors and the coach that my aim is to leave Real Madrid,” the 24-year-old told Spanish news agency EFE in an interview. “I’m telling the truth. I want to leave and I have got the character to tell the press that I’m not aiming to stay at Real Madrid ... I want to play in the Premier League,” he added.

■SOCCER

Novices top Bundesliga

Newcomers Hoffenheim topped the Bundesliga on the first day of the German league season a week ago to complete an impressive adventure from the lower divisions. Hoffenheim was ignored as unimportant small fry until the club managed to climb through four league levels, reaching the Bundesliga this season. To general astonishment the officially named TSG 1899 Hoffenheim topped the league after the first weekend of the campaign with a 3-0 win over Cottbus. Hoffenheim is backed by millionaire German businessman Dietmar Hopp, who made a fortune developing computer software and headed the giant SAP group. The 68-year-old Hopp returned to the club he played for when a youngster to pilot its sudden rise to prominence. Soon a new Dietmar Hopp stadium will open with a 30,000 capacity, almost 10 times the population of the town itself.

■SOCCER

Kaka to miss season opener

Brazilian star Kaka of AC Milan will miss the start of the Italian soccer season next Sunday, the club’s Web site said on Friday. Kaka underwent surgery in Brazil in May to correct a problem with his left knee. A club statement said: “Professor Martens confirmed that the player’s knee is inflammated, and advised him to continue for 15 days with the therapeutic protocol he is following.” AC Milan play Bologna in the first match of the season.

■FOOTBALL

Player suffers neck fracture

Houston Texans wide receiver Harry Williams was carried off the gridiron field after suffering a fracture of the neck during the first quarter of Friday’s preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. Williams was hurt while attempting to tackle Dallas’ Isaiah Stanback on a kickoff just over two minutes into the contest. Williams collided with teammate Nick Ferguson and went down without moving. Williams suffered a fracture of the C3 vertebra and was to undergo surgery at Presbyterian Hospital. “He’s got movement throughout his body,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “All the feedback I’m getting is that Harry will be fine.”