Brazil's former Manchester City defender Maicon has been dropped from the national squad due to a serious breach of discipline.

Image source, Getty Images

More on Sepp Blatter's decision to seek a fifth term. Blatter said he would officially inform the Fifa executive committee of his plans to stand for re-election at their next meeting on 25 and 26 September.

The 78-year-old Swiss was first elected President in 1998.

The election itself will take place at the Fifa congress next May.

Another European stalwart staying on is Italian playmaker Andrea Pirlo, who says he intends to continue playing for the national side at the age of 35. "I have been talking with [new Italy coach Antonio] Conte who asked me if I was ready to play again for the Azzurri and I told him that I was," the Juventus star told Gazzetta TV.

Pirlo, who has won 112 caps since making his international debut in 2002, adds: "It was a difficult decision to take. I had wanted to stop playing for the national side but he took over and he asked me to lend a hand."

From Manchester United's official Twitter feed:, external "Buona fortuna to Italian midfielder Davide Petrucci as he leaves #mufc by mutual consent. He's joining CFR Cluj in Romania as a free agent."

Ospreys confirm the signing we told you about earlier of South African lock De Kock Steenkamp on a three-year deal from Super Rugby side Stormers.

The 27-year-old could potentially play for Wales after a three-year residency period, with the Welsh Rugby Union having approved his signing.

David Ornstein
BBC Sport at the Manchester Central Convention Centre

"Fifa president Sepp Blatter has confirmed his intention to stand for re-election in a pre-recorded interview played to delegates at Soccerex, external - Football's leading business event.

"Speaking to The Daily Mail's Jeff Powell, he said: 'A mission is never finished and mine is not finished and I told that to Fifa congress and confederations in São Paulo.

"'I have the support of a huge majority of national associations saying please go on and be president in the future.'"

Fifa president Sepp Blatter, 78, first elected president of world soccer's governing body in 1998, confirms he will stand for a fifth term next year.

Phil McNulty
BBC chief football writer in Basel

"Beautiful day in Basel and plenty of England fans already in the city last night gearing up for the opening Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland. England manager Roy Hodgson is returning to a country he knows well after taking Switzerland to the World Cup in the United States in 1994 and accepts this may be the toughest assignment in the group.

"He needs a good result after the disappointment of England's World Cup failure in Brazil - but hinted that he would not see a draw as a completely unsatisfactory start.

"Hodgson says: 'We're focused on three points but if it's a point it's not the worst situation in the world. Switzerland are a very difficult team, first game in the group, away from home...'

"A victory and three points will be preferable to lift the mood of supporters anxious to see an improvement after the World Cup."

Image source, Gazzetta dello Sport

Italy's press reflect on a disappointing home Grand Prix for Ferrari at Monza on Sunday.

Fernando Alonso suffered his first mechanical retirement since 2009 while team-mate Kimi Raikkonen could only finish ninth.

La Gazzetta Dello Sport runs with the headline "Cartellino Rosso", which translates as Red Card.

After the race, Alonso said: "We have to recover from this".

Britain's Lewis Hamilton narrowed Nico Rosberg's world championship lead to 22 points with six races remaining after claiming victory at the Italian Grand Prix.

Hamilton says he intends to exploit what he believes is team-mate Rosberg's vulnerability to pressure in the title run-in.

Staying with Australian cricket, Aaron Finch has been named as their Twenty20 team captain after George Bailey stepped down from the role.

Australia's chief selector Rod Marsh admits he is "not confident" skipper Michael Clarke will be fit for next month's one-day series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. Clarke, 33, suffered hamstring trouble in a one-day match against Zimbabwe in Harare on 31 August and was forced to return early from the triangular series, which was won by South Africa.

Image source, Reuters

Novak Djokovic will miss Serbia's Davis Cup tie in India next weekend.

The world number one - who suffered a shock semi-final defeat at the US Open to Japan's Kei Nishikori - will not be joining the team for the play-off tie in Bangalore due to fatigue.

"He's had a demanding season and needs a respite," said national coach Bogdan Obradovic.

"Novak will be cheering for us from the bottom of his heart."

BBC Radio 5 live

The final part of the Graham Taylor interview with 5 live Breakfast this morning, and on the contentious subject of England's new skipper Wayne Rooney he says: "Sometimes, and Wayne might be this, you can almost take on too much inner responsibility when you are made a captain.

"This is a relatively new thing in Wayne's career. There is no doubt he is tremendously proud of it and a lot of people say he deserves it but it does take a little bit of getting used to both at club and country level.

"Let's just see how he handles it. If he wants to take on complete responsibility of the team because he is the captain then sometimes you don't see the best of him as an individual player."

Lisbon-based Portuguese daily sports newspaper A Bola, external is critical of manager Paulo Bento's team selection for Portugal's shock 1-0 home defeat by Albania in Sunday's Euro 2016 qualifier.

Image source, @

Its headline reads: "The team's biggest shame ever", and adds that even without Cristiano Ronaldo there was no excuse for the defeat.

Seamer Nathan Buck, 23, is to leave Leicestershire for Lancashire after turning down a new three-year contract at Grace Road.

We're asking for your views on Roy Hodgson's England team as they begin their Euro qualifying campaign in Switzerland tonight. Please keep them coming in to #bbcsportsday, the BBC Sport Facebook, external page and Google+., external

mrlb11:, external It's not that I dislike Hodgson, but he really has nothing to work with. You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

Ricky Coxhead:, external I honestly don't think Hodgson is the right man to take England forward, picks names over raw talent.

Joel Potter:, external Win and get off to a flying start or lose and Hodgson potentially gets the boot...Tough one.

Image source, AP

German newspaper Bild, external is less than complimentary about Germany's 2-1 win over Scotland on Sunday.

"The men from the land of the bagpipes" were granted far too many scoring chances by Joachim Low's side according to the German press.

The German's woes were compounded by a late ankle injury to midfielder Marco Reus (above) - who also missed out on the World Cup with a similar injury.

A fine strike in the final minute from Aiden McGeady gave the Republic of Ireland a 2-1 victory over Georgia in Tbilisi and manager Martin O'Neill said: "The winner was a stroke of genius from a really gifted footballer."

Northern Ireland match-winner Kyle Lafferty had the perfect response for his critics after playing a part in both goals in the 2-1 victory over Hungary.

"Obviously I had a lot to prove, there were a lot of people talking about how much I want to play for my country, saying I only give 50% but I think that's rubbish. Anyone who knows me knows I'm always up for selection," he says.