Veron told to shape up

Juan Sebastian Veron, who was a notable omission from Chelsea's side at Middlesbrough on Sunday, has been asked to increase his fitness before their next match.

Chelsea said on Monday that the Argentinian did not play in the 2-1 Premiership victory because he had been left behind in London to undergo intense fitness training.

The club's website quoted coach Claudio Ranieri as saying Veron is not yet working as much as he has in the past.

"Veron was used to a more intense training regime at Lazio," a Chelsea spokesman explained. Veron helped Lazio win Italy's Serie A title in 2000, the year before joining Manchester United.

Chelsea said Ranieri and Veron agreed that the midfielder should make the best of a week without international commitments after Veron's below-par performance in last week's shock 2-0 Champions League defeat at home to Besiktas.

Meanwhile, Veron's Chelsea teammate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has been left out of Holland's squad for their Euro 2004 tie with Moldova.