Berlin - Around 10,000 dairy farmers in three German cities protested Wednesday about the collapse of milk prices to around 0.20 euros (26 cents) per litre.

"We are standing with our backs to the wall," said Romuald Schaber, chairman of the Federation of German Dairy Farmers (BDM), at a rally in the northern city of Hanover.

Dairy farmers are seeking a two-fold increase in the amount they are paid for their milk as well as a retention of milk quotas due to disappear under European Union regulations in 2015.

Stuttgart  - Russian seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova and Nadia Petrova posted hard-fought three-set victories on Wednesday to reach the second round of the Porsche Grand Prix.

The fifth-seeded Kuznetsova needed five match points to defeat German qualifier Andrea Petovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 in 2 hours 6 minutes.

Petrova, the sixth-seeded 2006 champion and 2008 runner-up, was on court 20 minutes longer in her victory against Zheng Jie of China 6- 4, 5-7, 6-4.

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."

Bremen, Germany - Werder Bremen have held talks with Italian Serie A giants Juventus over their Brazilian playmaker, Bremen sports director Klaus Allofs has confirmed.

Allofs told Wednesday's local Kreiszeitung Syke newspaper that there had been discussions by phone with Juventus but "no negotiations."

"When a club has an interest (in a player) it's normal that you telephone each other," he was quoted as saying.

Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday pledged her country's support for Latvia in its struggle to recover from the economic and financial crisis.

Conditions attached to a rescue package put together by the European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF) for Latvia needed to be politically viable, she said after talks with Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis in Berlin.

Hamburg - German referee Wolfgang Stark Wednesday defended his performance in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Chelsea after coming in for criticism from the Spanish side.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola criticised Stark for some of his decisions, saying the referee should have sent off fellow German Michael Ballack for a foul which he claimed warranted a second yellow card.