Houllier omits Diouf

Gerard Houllier, the Liverpool manager, will leave out El Hadji Diouf from the Uefa Cup quarter-final second leg against Celtic on Thursday.

The Senegal striker has been fined two weeks' wages by the club after appearing to spit at supporters in the first leg at Parkhead, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Uefa, Europe's governing body, is looking into the incident and is expected to reach a decision today or tomorrow.

"I don't think it will be right to play Diouf," Houllier said. "We need a sense of serenity around this game. I have told the player and he understands the situation. It will be better for him not to play. I think there would be too much pressure put on him if he played in this match, and we need to remember he is still a young boy."

The Spanish midfielder Gerard Lopez will return to the Barcelona team for tomorrow's Champions' League match at Newcastle United. The midfielder has been out for two months with a knee injury.

John Gregory, the Derby manager, has been given a five-match touchline ban and a £7,500 fine by the Football Association for using abusive and insulting language towards the fourth official during the 6-2 defeat to Portsmouth at Fratton Park on 8 February. The ban will come into effect from 31 March.