Arsenal defender Gabriel has had his claim of wrongful dismissal in the feisty local derby against Chelsea upheld by the FA, but Chelsea's Diego Costa has been banned for three matches with immediate effect.
Real Madrid have started the season flying with three wins from three games.
Didier Drogba scored twice to maintain the Ivory Coast's perfect start to the 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers on Sunday while other top contenders Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia also won.
Balotelli made his debut for his hometown club after completing a four-match suspension that he was handed at Olympique de Marseille last season, while the visitors were without Cristiano Ronaldo as he recovers from injury.
Juventus' wretched start to the season continued when they needed a late penalty to avoid defeat as the Serie A champions were held to a 1-1 home draw by early leaders Chievo Verona on Saturday.
Statistical highlights of the match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand played in Mumbai on Friday.
Arsene Wenger's team look likely to return to Europe's most prestigious competition next season.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A United Kingdom man has smashed the world record for 'most cars pulled by one man' by dragging 14 cars over a distance of 18 feet and two inches.
Wayne Rooney produced a spectacular overhead kick to earn Manchester United a 2-1 victory over Manchester City and a seven-point lead in the Premier League on Saturday.
Lionel Messi notched a 20th assist of the season to help a lacklustre Barcelona secure a 1-0 win away to Real Valladolid on Saturday, maintaining the pressure on La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo converted two penalties, both awarded for handballs and the second in the last minute, as Serie A leader Juventus twice hit back to draw 2-2 with Atalanta to move closer to a ninth successive Serie A title on Saturday.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and defender Branislav Ivanovic will be out of action until the end of January, the Chelsea website reported on Wednesday.
Olympiakos coach taken to hospital, match abandoned after crowd trouble
Liverpool opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League with an emphatic and hugely impressive 3-1 win over defending champions Manchester City.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni scored the 100th goal of his career to give Sao Paulo a 2-1 win over arch-rivals Corinthians in a pulsating Paulista championship derby marred by three red cards on Sunday.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo aggravated a leg muscle injury in Saturday's 2-1 win over city rivals Atletico, the La Liga club said.
Bolton Wanderers rose to fifth in the Premier League with a 2-1 win over local rivals Blackburn Rovers while in Sunday's other derby Wolverhampton Wanderers bagged a vital 1-0 triumph against Birmingham City.
Sergio Ramos made amends for his untimely own goal last week at Sevilla by scoring twice as Real Madrid bounced back from two successive defeats by beating Malaga 2-1 on Saturday to go four points clear at the top of La Liga.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Inter Milan's crisis intensified on Sunday with a 2-1 defeat at Chievo, where Samuel Eto'o appeared to commit a Zinedine Zidane-like headbutt that could result in a lengthy suspension.
West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell was given the all-clear to use his black bat in Australia's Twenty20 Big Bash League on Tuesday after it was initially banned for leaving marks on the ball.
List of major transfers in the top Premier League ahead of the 2019-20 season (all transfer fees as reported by British media):
Carlos Vela scored an injury-time equalizer to give West Bromwich Albion a 1-1 draw with Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers in a typically passionate Black Country derby on Sunday.
If Manchester City really are ready to challenge the Manchester United/Chelsea Premier League hegemony then Wednesday's derby at Eastlands is the time to prove it.
Manchester United's problems with injury and illness have left Alex Ferguson with "no idea" which players he will be able to pick for Wednesday's Premier League derby against Manchester City, the manager said.
A moment of perfect timing, agility and sheer audacity marked the return of Wayne Rooney's instinct for goal as he propelled Manchester United nearer to the Premier League title on Saturday.
The fire broke out at Ninho do Urubu, a state-of-the-art training centre that was expanded and opened only two months ago.
The 43-year-old from the small sub-tropical province of Misiones will become the second referee after compatriot Horacio Elizondo to officiate at both the opening match and final after being picked for Sunday's match between France and Croatia.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Sunday
A sensational solo goal by Nani and a Michael Owen header earned Manchester United a point as they twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Bolton Wanderers in a lively lunchtime kickoff in the Premier League on Sunday.
Thirteen teams have now qualified for the last 32 including Bayer Leverkusen, FC Zurich and Lazio who had already secured places in the next stage of the competition.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has dismissed speculation about his future at the Premier League club, saying he would like a long-term stay at Old Trafford provided the team's owners are happy with his input.
In one of the biggest achievements in Indian football history, unheralded Aizawl FC on Sunday lifted the I-League crown after they held Shillong Lajong 1-1 in a tense match in Shillong.
James Rodriguez netted twice and Dominic Calvert-Lewin became the first Everton player to score in the opening four matches of a Premier League season as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 on Saturday to stay top of the table with a maximum 12 points.
Manchester City forward Craig Bellamy and Manchester United defender Gary Neville both escaped charges from the Football Association on Tuesday following their antics in Sunday's highly-charged Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
Freezing temperatures and heavy snow have forced the postponement of this week's League Cup semi-final first leg matches.
Like last year, this year too smartphones dominated the most successful launches taking the top three slots, with two auto brands completing the top 5 line-up.
New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has urged his players to retain the aggressiveness they have shown during the pre-season, saying that the combative nature of the game was essential to the style of play he is looking to impose at the club. Six players were booked, while midfielder Cesc Fabregas was shown a red card, in Chelsea's feisty 1-0 victory over Liverpool on Thursday after Gary Cahill's early header condemned the Merseyside club to their first pre-season defeat.
David Silva scored a late goal as runaway leaders Manchester City won their 13th successive Premier League game and restored their eight-point lead with a 2-1 victory against West Ham United on Sunday.
