SPORT | IN BRIEF
Uefa uphold Wenger suspension
FOOTBALL: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will serve a two-match Champions League suspension after his appeal against the punishment was rejected by Uefa. The Frenchman was initially given the suspension in the wake of the Gunners’ play-off first leg at home to Udinese. Wenger will now be banned for the Champions League group games at Borussia Dortmund and at home against Olympiakos. Meanwhile, Wenger could be without Thomas Vermaelen for up to two months after the Belgian defender underwent ankle surgery yesterday.
Stars to turn out for Barbarians
RUGBY UNION: South Africa’s Victor Matfield, Danny Cipriani and Jamie Roberts are among the first players to have accepted invitations to play for the Barbarians against Tri Nations champions Australia at Twickenham on 26 November. Matfield led the Barbarians to victory over New Zealand in 2009 and for his second appearance he will have South Africa team-mate Bakkies Botha alongside him at lock.
Great Britain bow out in style
BASKETBALL: Great Britain were knocked out of Eurobasket despite producing an 88-81 win in an exciting final group game against Poland in Panevezys. NBA star Luol Deng again led the GB scorers with 28 points and Joel Freeland added 27, including hitting all 12 of his shots. GB lost their first three games against the top seeds in the group, but finished with two successive wins. “We just won a close one against a great team,” said Freeland.