Soccer / Football : UEFA Champions League 2009/2010

Barcelona duo Dani Alves and Yaya Toure face spells on the sidelines after picking up injuries at the weekend. Brazilian full back Alves will be sidelined for three weeks after suffering the recurrence of a right calf muscle tear in the warm-up to Saturday's 2-1 league triumph over Getafe. Ivorian midfielder Toure has damaged a left thigh muscle during the game and will be absent for 10 to 15 days.

Kieran Gibbs is to have surgery on the foot injury sustained in November, ruling the 20-year-old out for the remainder of the season. The Arsenal defender, who fractured the first metatarsal on his left foot in a UEFA Champions League match against Standard Liege, broke into the first team last season, deputising for first choice lef-back Gael Clichy. Gibbs, who had made seven appearances this season, is now expected to miss five months.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson expects John O'Shea to miss the remainder of the season following complications after the defender suffered a dead leg. The injury is more severe than first expected after the Ireland international experienced discomfort in his country's controversial World Cup qualifying playoff second leg with France in November. Prior to suffering the injury, O'Shea had played 15 times for United this season.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has agreed to extend his contract with the European and Spanish champions by one year until the end of next season. The 39-year-old sought to end the speculation that had been growing over his future, with his contract due to end in June, by agreeing to sign a new deal under a newly elected club president in the summer. Guardiola led Barcelona to an unprecedented six major trophies in one year after replacing Frank Rijkaard at the start of the 2008/09 season, winning the UEFA Champions League, Spanish league, King's Cup, Club World Cup and Spanish and European Super Cups.

Defender Abdoulay Konko will be sidelined for at least four weeks after suffering a groin injury during Sevilla's 4-0 defeat to Barcelona last weekend. The 25-year-old has scored twice in 18 Primera Division and UEFA Champions League appearances this season. Fellow defender Sebastien Squillaci needs surgery on a troublesome knee problem, while Sergio Sanchez has suffered another setback in his battle with heart problems. Diego Perotti and striker Luis Fabiano also remain out of action. Frederic Kanoute is on African Nations cup duty with Mali.

Porto have made their first signing of the January window by acquiring Portuguese midfielder Ruben Micael on a four-and-a-half-year contract from league rivals Nacional. Porto have paid €3m for 60% of the 23-year-old player's rights. Despite scoring just two goals in 16 league matches this term, Micael has an impressive strike rate in Europe with five goals in six UEFA Europa League matches for Nacional.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina have reached an agreement with Porto for Argentine midfielder Mario Bolatti. No details over a transfer fee or contract have been released for the 24-year-old, who played only 15 league games with Porto since joining in 2007 from Argentinian club Belgrano. Bolatti impressed during a successful loan stint at Huracan in his homeland during the 2009 season, when he was voted the league's best player.

Olympiacos have parted company with Brazilian coach Zico after a string poor results that has left the team seven points adrift of arch-rivals Panathinaikos in the title race. The 56-year-old Brazil legend had only been in charge at the Greek champions for fourth months, having replaced Temuri Ketsbaia on September 16. Serbian Bozidar Badovic will take over in a caretaker capacity.

Badovic, 40, enjoyed some success in his brief spell in charge in September, leading Olympiacos to victories against AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Champions League and PAOK in the Greek League. Meanwhile, Olympiacos have signed Argentinian midfielder Jesus Datolo on a six-month loan from Napoli. Datolo is Olympiacos's second arrival of the January transfer window following the return of Lomana LuaLua as a free agent.

David Trezeguet will be sidelined for more than a month after suffering an ankle injury in Wednesday's 2-1 win at Parma. The 32-year-old French striker, who has scored seven goals in 13 Serie A games and one in the UEFA Champions League this season, was substituted 22 minutes into the game at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. Juventus said that medical tests revealed a strain in Trezeguet's right ankle and he will miss about 40 days.