Frankfurt - German football has enjoyed a successful year despite the lost Euro 2008 final and some problems off the field, German football federation (DFB) supremo Theo Zwanziger said on Monday.

"We have had great sports highlights," said Zwanziger.

The men's national team reached the Euro 2008 final in Vienna which it lost to 1-0 to Spain. Joachim Loew's team then started the qualifying round for the 2010 World Cup with three wins and a draw, while the women's team won Olympic bronze in Beijing and qualified for the 2009 European championship.

Stuttgart - Stuttgart goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has called for Markus Babbel to be given a chance as coach of the Bundesliga club even without the German football federation's coaching badge.

The former Germany international defender Babbel has led Stuttgart to wins in both matches since succeeding the sacked Armin Veh a fortnight ago. Babbel, who was an assistant to Veh, has initially been made interim coach.

On Saturday he comes up against Bayern Munich, one of his former clubs, in the last day of the Bundesliga season before the winter break.

Berlin - German industrial production dropped sharply in October, data released Monday showed, adding to signs that the downturn in Europe's biggest economy was gaining momentum.

The Economics and Technology Ministry said output in the nation slumped month on month by a seasonally adjusted 2.1 per cent as a fast contracting global economy hits German industry.

Analysts had expected a more modest fall in October of about 2 per cent.

Helping to lead the October fall in output was a 3.1-per-cent drop in the production of capital goods such as plant and machinery.

Hanover, Germany - Midfielder Jan Rosenthal won't be used in the Hanover 96 go

Hamburg - Five teams are fighting for the last three places in the knockout stage of the Champions League when the last group matches take place on Wednesday and Thursday.

There is also plenty at stake for clubs now out of contention in the Champions League but seeking UEFA Cup participation as third-place finishers in their groups.

Roma, Chelsea, Girondins Bordeaux in Group A, and Panathinaikos and Anorthosis Famagusta in Group B are vying for the remaining three places in the last 16.

Berlin - Demonstrators occupied the Greek consulate in Berlin on Monday in protest at the shooting death of a 15-year-old youth by police in Athens.

A group of around 15 persons barged their way into the reception area of the building in west Berlin during the morning, embassy spokesman Pantelis Pantelouris said.

A female protester told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa the protest was directed at the Greek state, which she said bore responsibility for the teenager's death.

Police said negotiations were under way with the demonstrators in the consulate.