Blatter Issues Warning

Manchester United will face “unprecedented repercussions” if the English Premier League champion goes to court to challenge the eight-month ban and $87,000 fine imposed on defender Rio Ferdinand for missing a drug test, Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, FIFA’s president, warned Sunday.

The club is appealing the ban imposed by the English Football Assn., and Coach Alex Ferguson has said Manchester United would back Ferdinand all the way.

“He has got a right to protect his reputation, even if it means going to court,” Ferguson said.

“I hear of a threat to go to the civil courts -- even to the European courts -- but that is strictly prohibited in our rules,” Blatter told England’s News of the World tabloid. “And if you take that action, the repercussions will be unprecedented.

“You do not go to court. You present your case to the [Court of Arbitration for Sport] tribunal in Lausanne [Switzerland] or you pay the consequences. These are the rules of FIFA, and they will be adhered to.”

Pachuca Is Champion

Pachuca won the Mexican league title for the third time in five years when it defeated the Tigres of UNL, 3-2, on aggregate, despite losing the second leg of the final, 1-0, on a 90th-minute goal by Nestor Silvera on Saturday at Monterrey, Mexico.

Having won the first match, 3-1, Pachuca packed its defense, and the Tigres’ frustration at that tactic boiled over in the final half an hour. UNL’s Antonio Sancho, Eduardo Rergis and Irenio Soares were red-carded by referee Marco Rodriguez, who also ejected Pachuca defender Joel Huiqui.

Pachuca previously won the title in 1999 and 2001.

Cienciano Prevails

A 77th-minute goal by Carlos Lugo earned Cienciano of Peru a 1-0 victory over River Plate of Argentina in front of 44,000 at Arequipa, Peru, and the championship of the Copa Sudamericana.

The teams had tied the first leg of the final, 3-3, at Buenos Aires last week.

Cienciano’s triumph gave Peruvian soccer its first international title at any level since the national team won the Copa America in 1975.

Berlin’s Move

The opening ceremonies for the 2006 World Cup in Germany probably will take place in the Olympiastadion at Berlin, even though the opening match will be played at Munich.

“It’s all but decided,” Otto Schily, Germany’s interior minister, told the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, adding that Blatter already had approved the idea of splitting the two events for the first time.

Egypt’s Pledge

In a bold move that it hopes will sway voters, Egypt’s government pledged $1.52 billion to help pay for the cost of staging the World Cup in 2010.

Egypt is competing with Libya, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia for the right to play host to the quadrennial world championship. Ali el din Hilal, the country’s youth and sports minister, said Egypt’s geographic location, secure political situation and hotel and media facilities should count in its favor.

An inspection team from FIFA will visit Egypt on Jan. 23, and FIFA will make its decision in May.

Quick Passes

World Cup winner Daniel Passarella of Argentina, who coached Monterrey to the Mexican title six months ago, has been fired by the club in a disagreement over which players to sign for next season.... Inter Milan has denied reports in Italy that the club has signed Serbian midfielder Dejan Stankovic from Lazio and Brazilian striker Adriano from Parma.... One month after being fired as Colombia’s national coach, Francisco Maturana, 54, has been hired as coach of Colon in the Argentine league.

Times wires services contributed to this report.