Champions League - Schalke party boys axed

Eurosport - Tue, 11 Dec 11:24:00 2007

FOOTBALL 2007-2008 Bundesliga Schalke Krstajic Rakitic
 - 0

Team mate Jermaine Jones, who was with them in the club but is suspended for Tuesday's match, has been fined, Schalke said.

Schalke must beat Rosenborg on Tuesday in Group B to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.

Coach Mirko Slomka was furious after seeing photographs of the players at the nightclub after Saturday's 2-2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt and less than three days before the club's most important match of the season so far.

"The behaviour of the players is absolutely unacceptable," Slomka said. "They know how they should prepare for a game ... and the rules have been broken in a massive way."

Serb Krstajic, 33, is one of Schalke's most experienced defenders. Rakitic, a 19-year-old midfielder from Croatia, has played in all five of Schalke's group games so far.

Schalke trail Rosenborg by two points in Group B going into Tuesday's game. A win will be enough to take the German side through in second place behind Chelsea.

Reuters

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account