Hyypia to end playing career

GERMANY, May 02 (AP): Bayer Leverkusen says veteran Finnish center back Sami Hyypia will retire at the end of the season and embark on a coaching career. Leverkusen said Monday that the 37-year-old former Liverpool defender will work on qualifying as a coach in his homeland next season. Starting July 2012, he will then get a two-year contract as an assistant coach at Leverkusen. The 1.93-meter (6-foot-4) Hyppia joined Leverkusen in 2009 after a decade at Liverpool, where he scored 35 goals in 463 appearances. In 2001, Hyypia helped Liverpool win the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup. He played every minute of 57 consecutive European competition games for the Reds between November 2001 and February 2006, including the 2005 Champions League final triumph over AC Milan.