Hamburg  - German World Cup winner Lothar Matthaeus and Maccabi Netanya have cancelled the coaching contract between the two parties that was to run until 2010, German media reported Wednesday.

Matthaeus is quoted as having said that he was disappointed his coaching stint with the club had come to an end. "The recession forced the club to approach me. I accepted their situation, but am sad as I would have liked to have coached them for longer."

Barcelona (Spain), Apr. 29 : Chelsea football club coach Guus Hiddink has hailed his team for successfully forcing a draw against Spanish football champions Barcelona at their Nou Camp home ground, saying "My heroes bleed for me."

The Blues became the first side this season to stop Barcelona scoring at home as this Champions League semi-final.

Hong Kong - English football premier league team Liverpool was Wednesday accused of pricing itself out of the market making "outrageous" demands to play in Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong Football Association source told the South China Morning Post the team's planned exhibition at the Hong Kong Stadium in July had been scrapped because of the financial demands.

Barcelona - Barcelona defender Rafa Marquez will almost certainly be out of action for the rest of the season, after breaking the cartilage in his left knee in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg 0-0 draw at home to Chelsea. The Mexican defender suffered the injury in the 49th minute, and was stretchered off in tears of pain.

The digital versions of Mundo Deportivo and Sport claim that he has torn the external cartilage in his left knee and will need an immediate operation. They speculate that Marquez could be out of action for up to three months.

Barcelona - Chelsea were pleased to battle out a 0-0 draw away to Barcelona on Tuesday, in a tight and tactical Champions League semi-final first leg match. Few teams have managed to control the brilliant Barcelona attack this season, but Chelsea did so thanks to some indefatigable defensive work - and thanks to Barca's stars having an uninspired night.

London - Portsmouth denied Alan Shearer his first win as Newcastle United manager after a 0-0 draw at St James's Park on Monday night. The point lifts Newcastle into 18th place, above neighbours Middlesbrough on goal difference on 31 points with just four matches remaining. Portsmouth remain four places higher on 38 points.

With Newcastle sitting in the relegation zone before the match, Shearer had staked his team's hopes of survival on winning their three remaining home games, starting with the match against Portsmouth.