Italy

Manchester United fans are planning a mass protest against Rupert Murdoch's bid for Britain's most celebrated soccer club in a spirited attempt to defy market forces.

The European Commission has asked for more details of the proposed European Super League following a meeting with Media Partners, the company behind the project.

Italian Communications Ministry Undersecretary Michele Lauria has said no formal accord had been signed between Rupert Murdoch and Telecom Italia to sell a stake in the Italian phone company's broadcasting unit Stream.

Media Partners head Rodolfo Hecht has said he was encouraged by the willingness of the EU to consider the merits of his Super League proposal.

European Union competition chief Karel Van Miert has said he would take a close look at whether plans for a breakaway European Super League complied with EU law.

The Italian Soccer League has said it will call a "time out" before discussing a project backed by Media Partners and JP Morgan to create a pan-European Super League.

Italian soccer club Lazio , which floated on the Rome Bourse in May, has announced a net profit for 1997/1998 of 7.0 billion Italian lire ($4.18 million).

The future of digital television in Italy is shaping up into a scrap over soccer as Telecom Italia strives to hammer out a deal by Friday and global media baron Rupert Murdoch considers whether to join in.

UEFA's rigid opposition to a proposed breakaway European Super League, will get it nowhere, AC Milan's managing director Adriano Galliani said on Tuesday.

AC Milan, the soccer club controlled by Italian media magnate Silvio Berlusconi, should be listed on the bourse by the end of 2000, the club's vice president Adriano Galliani said on Tuesday.

French pay television company Canal Plus is in talks with four more Italian football clubs following its recent broadcasting rights accord with the country's four main teams, a company official has said.

Europe's leading national soccer coaches have said a Super League would act against the interests of international football.

The release of players for the Confederations' Cup has topped discussions at the recent FIFA executive committee meetings, pushing the threat of a European super league and doping concerns onto the back burner.

Six more of Europe's most prominent soccer clubs were invited on Monday to attend a meeting of the newly-formed UEFA Task Force on Friday to discuss the future of the game on the continent.

The president of Italy's National Olympic Committee (CONI), which is under investigation for flawed dope tests, said on Monday he was resigning.

Europe's leading professional soccer leagues have said they would boycott January's conference after a meeting of European leagues in Brussels.