Eli Shvidler

The British press yesterday reported extensively on Eyal Berkovic's decision to hand a transfer request to Manchester City. Berkovic is unhappy at the club's decision not to extend his contract which has two years to run.

As things appear at the moment, the thoughts of Maccabi Tel Aviv's players and coach Nir Klinger are a million miles away from their upcoming games in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.

Only a week after his disastrous performance at the Israel Athletics Championship at which he failed to clear at 5.45 meters, European Champion Alex Averbuch set a personal best of 5.93 late Saturday night at the Madrid Grand Prix.

Raimondas Zutautas officially signed yesterday with Panathinaikos Athens. The 30 year old Lithuanian captain, who played for Maccabi Haifa for the past four seasons will earn $300,000 a year before premiums. Zutautas signed a one year contract with an option to extend it another year.

The Israel Football Association will ask UEFA to reconsider its ban on Israel hosting international or European club games following the cease-fire declared by the Palestinians.

The Spanish newspaper, AS, reported yesterday that Yossi Benayoun was likely to leave Racing Santander for Tottenham Hotspur, which is considered London's "Jewish team."

Hapoel TA vs. Armenian team; Maccabi Haifa vs. Welsh club

Panathinaikos FC's new coach came across as a relaxed, smiling and self-confident man at the press conference he gave yesterday in front of 60 Greek journalists, dozens of microphones and a handful of television cameras.

Yitzhak Shum's first press conference as coach of Panathinaikos FC this afternoon will be marred by the absence of Angelos Filippidis, the team's president.

Facing fiery fans and fickle management, Yitzhak Shum will have his work cut out for him in Athens

Maccabi Haifa coach Yitzhak Shum signed a two-year contract late Monday night with Greek first division runners-up Panathinaikos. According to reports from Greece, the deal is worth some 600,000 euros a year.

Recent developments on the diplomatic front could bring an end to the ban on hosting international and European club competition games in Israel next month when the Israel Football Association hosts its 75th anniversary celebrations.

Just 24 hours after informing UEFA that it wants to play its next two European Championship qualifying matches in Tblisi, Georgia, the Israel Football Association has been asked to "host" the games in the Turkish coastal resort of Antalya.

Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze and the country's soccer authorities at the weekend authorized the holding of Israel's two remaining Euro 2004 qualifiers against Slovenia and Malta in Tbilisi's Lokomotiv stadium.

While all Israeli eyes will be turned to Palermo for tonight's match, Slovenia will host Cyprus in a game that is likely to have a greater bearing on the final outcome of Group 1 standings than the Israel-France contest.

Israel landed in Palermo yesterday under heavy security ahead of its Euro 2004 qualifier against France on Wednesday.

The national team's previous two official matches ended in defeat (in 1999 and 1996). Israel fared a bit better in 1993, when it managed to play to a 2-2 tie in a friendly match against Cyprus at this stadium.

Cyprus coach Momcilo Vukotic yesterday named his final squad to face Israel and Slovenia in the upcoming Euro 2004 qualifiers.

Cyprus coach Momcilo Vukotic will name his final squad today to face Israel and Slovenia in their upcoming Euro 2004 qualifying matches, following his initial announcement of 24 players on Friday.