Football: Injury may rule out Dortmund's Sammer

Football

The European er of the Year, Matthias Sammer, is doubtful for Wednesday's European Cup semi-final second leg against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The Borussia Dortmund libero failed a fitness test on a groin injury prior to Saturday's top-of-the-table Bundesliga match against Bayern Munich.

In his absence Borussia could only draw 1-1 at home against their rivals despite taking the lead through Karlheinz Riedle, who missed the first leg against United a fortnight ago.

Sammer, who was suspended for that game, has played only 13 out of 28 league matches because of injury and suspension but the coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, vowed to do "everything we can" to get him fit. Nor is he their only doubt for a match which Dortmund lead 1-0 from the first leg; Sammer's fellow international Stefan Reuter also failed a fitness test for the weekend match.

Newcastle are poised to sign the Georgian international striker, Temur Ketsbaia, from AEK Athens. Ketsbaia, 29, has scored 27 goals for his country and is valued at pounds 3m, but the Geordies hope to sign him for nothing under the Bosman ruling.

Mark McGhee, the Wolves manager, has put contract talks with 14 players, including Steve Bull, on hold until he knows which division the club will be playing in next season. Four points from the last six games has left Wolves staring at a play-off place rather than automatic promotion.

Nottingham Forest's Premiership fate will be decided without the assistance of their goalkeeper Mark Crossley, who is to have surgery for a hernia and therefore miss the rest of the season. Alan Fettis will continue to deputise.

Willie Johnston, the former Scotland international, is involved in a bid to take over troubled Raith Rovers. It is in opposition to that of the former manager, Jimmy Nicholl, who declared his interest in a bid last week.