Football: Parma tipped for Uefa Cup

PARMA HAVE been installed as 5-1 favourites to win the Uefa Cup after advancing to the third round with a 3-2 aggregate victory over the Polish side Wisla Krakow. Ladbrokes yesterday made another Italian club, Roma, second favourites at 6-1. Roma advanced 1-0 on aggregate after Tuesday night's goalless draw at Leeds.

Atletico Madrid, who beat CSKA Sofia 1-0 to advance 5-2 on aggregate, are next at 7-1.

Fiorentina, whose match against Grasshopper Zurich was abandoned after a linesman was injured by the explosion of a firework thrown from the stands in Salerno, were provisionally listed at 7-1. Uefa, football's European governing body, said it will decide by next Monday how to deal with the incident.

Liverpool, who overcame Valencia on the away goals rule, are 10-1 while Rangers, who face Leverkusen tonight, are rated at 20-1 for the cup.

Norway's former national coach, Egil Olsen, says he is tempted to take a year off despite an offer to manage Norway's Valerenga next season.

Olsen, who led Norway in the World Cup of 1994 and 1998, said he had received an offer of a permanent post at Valerenga, where he has had a temporary contract since August.

"I've been on this merry-go-round for 27 years... It's tempting to take a year off, I think only about having a weekend free from soccer," he said.