Charlotte Hornets and owner and former NBA great Michael Jordan and golfer Tiger Woods, who rarely speak out on social issues, have also called for change.
A rampant Borussia Dortmund are by no means favourites to reach the Champions League final despite their crushing 4-1 win against nine-times winners Real Madrid, coach Juergen Klopp said on Wednesday.
Manchester United and Liverpool, English football's two most decorated clubs, were drawn together in the last 16 of the Europa League on Friday.
Schick on target again as Leverkusen win, Leipzig thrashed 5-1
Klopp is understood to be open to the idea of a move, the reports said, adding that talks between Liverpool and his representatives were progressing well.
At least half a dozen players suffered injuries in Bundesliga, highlighting concerns about plunging straight into competitive action after a two-month stoppage without warmup matches.
Xavi mentioned again on Saturday that the club faced problems. Similar comments had reportedly annoyed Laporta earlier in the season.
The former Borussia Dortmund player was substituted as a precaution early in the second half of the 3-2 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on May 18.
Bayern Munich players were out in force celebrating their domestic double after Pep Guardiola's team clinched the German Cup.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The games sounded more like Sunday kickabouts or high-intensity training sessions than the return to action of highly-paid professionals in the world's best attended football league with normally an average of about 42,000 spectators per game.
German soccer teams started the week in isolation on Monday after going into seven-day quarantine ahead of the Bundesliga season restart on Saturday, with club bosses saying completing the campaign amid the coronavirus outbreak will not be easy. The German Football League (DFL) decided last week to resume the first and second division from May 16 after a two-month suspension, making it the first major sports league to attempt a restart.
Robert Lewandowski struck twice as champions Bayern Munich eased past Freiburg 3-1 on Saturday to secure a record 15th win in a row and the Pole became the first foreign player to score 33 goals in a Bundesliga season. Erling Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund beat closest challengers RB Leipzig 2-0 away on Saturday to wrap up second place in the Bundesliga.
France and Spain will step up security ahead of the Champions League quarter-finals in Madrid and Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, top officials said, as Islamic State threats cast a shadow over Europe's top club soccer tournament.
Manchester United will be clutching at the final straw of a sobering season when they attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit against Greek side Olympiakos and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday.
Bayern Munich eased past Nuremberg 2-0 on Saturday with Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben on target to maintain a perfect start to the season and join a cluster of teams with nine points at the top of the table.
Bayern Munich conceded a stoppage-time equaliser through VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy from the penalty spot for a 2-2 on Saturday, the champions' third consecutive Bundesliga draw.
Real, chasing a 15th European Cup, levelled in the 83rd with Vinicius's penalty, after Rodrygo was felled by a clumsy challenge from Kim Min-jae, to set up a mouth-watering return leg in Madrid next week.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday.
In the other pairings, English champions Manchester United will take on Greek club Olympiakos, while AC Milan take on Atletico Madrid.
Bayern Munich overcame the heartbreak of losing two finals in three seasons by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in a memorable all-German Champions League final in Wembley on Saturday to become European champions for the fifth time.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho could not understand how his well-drilled side let Robert Lewandowski score four goals in Borussia Dortmund's 4-1 win on Wednesday but vowed that his team could still reach the Champions League final.
Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels could have been facing a dressing down from coach Juergen Klopp but ended up the hero with the equaliser in Wednesday's 2-2 Champions League last-16 first-leg match.
This is the first time a player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has topped the list in eight years.
Roundup of the matches being held across major football leagues in Europe
Barcelona thrashed Real Betis 5-1 on Wednesday to book their spot in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
After days of speculation, the charismatic 48-year-old was expected to finally sign his contract as replacement for Brendan Rodgers, who was sacked on Sunday.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in his 150th European appearance to give Real Madrid a 3-1 victory at Borussia Dortmund, their first against them in Germany, and make it two wins out of two matches in their Champions League Group H.
Antoine Griezmann and Samuel Lino scored in each half to give Atletico Madrid a 2-0 win over Lazio on Wednesday that secured them top spot in Champions League Group E, the first time since 2016 that they had reached the knockouts as group winners.
Germany midfielder Ilkay Guendogan has been ruled out of Euro 2016 after sustaining a serious knee injury in training with Borussia Dortmund, the club said on Friday.
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Tuesday.
Seven times reigning winner Lionel Messi was not nominated for this year's Ballon d'Or for the first time since 2005 and nor was his Paris Saint-Germain team mate Neymar.
A summary of Tuesday's Champions League Round of 16, Second Leg, matches.
IMAGES from the soccer matches played across leagues on Friday
Steve McCLaren's VfL Wolfsburg slumped to another Bundesliga defeat on Saturday with a 2-0 loss at Borussia Dortmund while Michael Ballack was injured in Bayer Leverkusen's 2-2 draw at Hanover 96.
Liverpool's players oozed confidence in the post-Luis Suarez era as they began their final countdown to the start of the Premier League season.
Free from the extra burden of European football, Liverpool have a strong chance to win the Premier League this season under a "ruthless" Juergen Klopp, according to Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski. Liverpool, who finished eighth in the league standings last season, are fourth in the table this campaign, having beaten Arsenal, Chelsea and champions Leicester City in their opening seven games.
The Argentine legend will play in a testimonial match for the former Brazilian international defender at Borussia Dortmund on November 13.
Real Madrid's Welsh winger Gareth Bale has joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for FIFA's Ballon d'Or award.
Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson will reportedly be consulted over the appointment of the successor of the sacked David Moyes at the Old Trafford club.
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