Madrid  - Spanish giants Valencia Wednedsay cancelled the contract of Ivan Helguera.

Helguera, 33, was under contract at Valencia until 2010, but is now a free agent to join any club in the January transfer window.

Helguera - who won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2000 and 2002 - joined Valencia on a free transfer in July 2007.

He has hardly played this season due to a stormy relationship with coach Unai Emery.

Madrid  - Sergio Busquets is about to extend his contract at Spanish giants Barcelona, according to the online versions of newspapers Marca and Mundo Deportivo on Thursday evening.

Busquets, 20, is poised to sign an improved contract which will last until 2013.

The negotiations are being carried out by Josep Maria Orobitg, the midfielder's agent, and Txiki Begiristain, Barca's technical secretary.

The youngster is the son of 1990s Barca keeper Carles Busquets.

London - Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has called on his side to make sure they are still head of the domestic pack when European competition resumes in February.

They lead the Premier League by a point, but the big question mark over them is the depth of their squad, and Benitez knows that the next few weeks, in the gap between the Champions League group stage and the start of the knockouts, is critical.

"We now have almost three months to concentrate on the Premier League, and the FA Cup," he told reporters.

Madrid - Real Madrid are determined to win away to historic rivals Barcelona on Saturday - against all the odds.

Three days ago the "madridistas" didn't seem to have a prayer in the Nou Camp, against a Barca side carrying all before them at home and in Europe.

Indeed, straight after Sunday's 4-3 defeat at home to Sevilla - which left Real fifth in La Liga, nine points behind leaders Barca - coach Bernd Schuster said that "right now, it's impossible for us to beat Barcelona."

This pessimistic statement was one of the reasons why Schuster was sacked on Sunday, and replaced by Juande Ramos.

London, Dec. 11 : England striker Wayne Rooney has been accused of stamping midfielder Kasper Risgard during a Champion League match between Manchetsr United and Aalborg.

The incident took place in the 41st minute of the match, reports The Sun.

It quoted Risgard as saying: "I don't know what happened but he was jumping on my chest. I don't know why but I think he was a little frustrated. I can see the marks, big marks.

Hamburg - Real Madrid powered to a 3-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg under new coach Juande Ramos while Bayern Munich and Porto also enjoyed victories in the Champions League on Wednesday.

European champions Manchester United were meanwhile held 2-2 by Danish visitors Aalborg, while Fiorentina and Dynamo Kiev clinched narrow wins to go into the UEFA Cup.