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■ENGLAND

Benitez wants new contract

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez wants the US owners to give him a new contract by the end of the month to ensure stability during the English Premier League title chase. The Spaniard wants another four-year deal from Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr to match the length of the current contract that expires at the end of next season. Hicks called the 48-year-old Benitez this week to suggest talks start next week. “My idea is to do it as soon as possible before the end of the month,” Benitez said. “If I can stay here for a long time, I would be very pleased. It is rare to see managers at clubs for a long time, but that would be the right way. Stability is the key to winning trophies and being contenders for the title.”



■PERU

Under-20 tournament moved

Peru was stripped of the right to host next year’s South American under-20 championship on Friday because of a long-running dispute between the government and the country’s soccer federation. South American Football Confederation spokesman Nestor Benitez said the tournament would instead take place in Venezuela, which hosted last year’s senior Copa America. Benitez said the Peruvian government had refused to support the hosting of the tournament because of its row with the soccer federation.



■ENGLAND

Hargreaves goes to Colorado

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has traveled to Colorado to see if a noted sports surgeon can treat his lingering tendinitis. The 27-year-old England international has suffered from the injury since joining United from Bayern Munich in July last year and has been receiving injections to alleviate the pain. However, that has been ruled out as a viable long-term solution. Hargreaves featured in less than half of United’s games last season and has made just three appearances this campaign — the last coming at Chelsea in September. “It is difficult when you are out for such a long time through injury,” manager Alex Ferguson said on Friday. “It is frustrating for the lad and we want to try and help him. With tendinitis at the front of the knee, when he gets involved in football-related training, the pain really surfaces.” Ferguson hopes American specialist Richard Steadman can find a solution while Hargreaves is at his Vail clinic.



■ARGENTINA

Simeone quits River Plate

Former Argentina captain Diego Simeone quit as coach of River Plate on Friday, one day after their dismal domestic form was compounded by elimination from the Copa Sudamericana. “He has told us that, as from Sunday, he will no longer be coach,” River Plate director Rodolfo Cuina told the cable news channel TN in Mexico, where River were knocked out by Guadalajara on Thursday. Simeone, who won 106 caps and played at three World Cups has seen his team drop to the bottom of the championship after a run of 11 domestic games without a win.



■GERMANY

Cologne end losing streak

Cologne ended a four-game losing streak against Hannover when they rallied to win 2-1 in the only Bundesliga match on Friday. Visiting Hannover went ahead after 15 minutes when Jan Schlaudraff slotted the ball home from 20m out. But Pedro Geromel tied the score in the 43rd minute when the ball barely crossed the goal line and Wilfried Sanou sealed the victory in the 72nd minute with a deflected shot.


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