Rome  - AC Milan defender Kakha K

Rome - AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani Tuesday sent a clear message to coach Carlo Ancelotti, saying he is only certain to keep his job if the Devils retain their current third place in the Italian Serie A, Italian media reported.

Galliani said that his message should already be clear to everyone and wondered if he "has lost his ability to communicate or others have forgotten how to listen."

Finishing third in the Serie A secures a berth in next season's Champions League without having to play a preliminary round, which is necessary for the fourth-placed club.

Rome - Juventus striker Amauri edged closer to being able to play for the Azzurri after his wife Tuesday became an Italian citizen, giving her husband the possibility to apply for an Italian passport.

Gazzetta. it reported that the Brazilian footballer's wife, Cynthia Cosini Valaderes, swore on the Italian constitution in a ceremony in Palermo, the Sicily town where Amauri played since 2006 before transferring to Juve last summer.

She obtained the citizenship due to her Italian ancestors.

Amauri, 28, has expressed an interest in playing for the world champions coached by Marcello Lippi.

Rome - A Vatican-sponsored academic conference marking the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species opened in Rome on Tuesday.

The five-day event includes seminars in which scientists, philosophers and theologians are set to discuss Darwin's theory of evolution in relation to the belief in divine creation.

Rome - Italy has confirmed its interest in making a bid to host football's European Championships in 2016.

The Italian federation FIGC will officially declare its interest to continental body UEFA by the deadline next Monday.

FIGC president Giancarlo Abete was quoted by Italian media on Tuesday as saying there had been informal contacts with the Italian government, which has given the thumbs up for a bid.

Italy failed in its bid to host Euro 2012 when Poland and Ukraine were chosen as joint hosts.

Rome  - AC Milan are close to obtaining the extension of David Beckham's loan from Los Angeles Galaxy, who will have him back at the end of the Serie A season, Italian media reported Monday.

The 33-year-old English veteran was due back to the US club on March 9 at the end of an 11-week loan.

His perfect fitting into the Devils' schemes, however, convinced Milan to ask Galaxy for an extension of the loan that the California club appear to have accepted.