News of all that transpired on and off the field.
Chelsea have signed Stoke City's Bosnian international goalkeeper Asmir Begovic on a four-year contract, the Premier League champions confirmed on Monday.
The draw for the eight groups for the final round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which will be played from June 12 to July 13 in Brazil, was just held in Costa do Saupe near Salvador de Bahia.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Italy's famously demanding coach Antonio Conte is not letting up at his players even after they made sure of a place in the round of 16, and top spot in their group at Euro 2016, with one match to spare. Midfielder Marco Parolo told reporters on Sunday that Conte, whose halftime tirades are part of Italian football folklore, was still hammering away at his squad and keeping them on their toes. Italy, who are considered dark horses rather than one of the favourites to win the tournament, face Ireland in Group E in Lille on Wednesday, having already beaten Belgium and Sweden without conceding a goal.
Knee injuries have sidelined him for large parts of this season, however, and the Belgium international has started only four Premier League games.
It has been a busy World Cup for Kazan's mural artists and in the early hours of Thursday morning they were back at work again painting the face of Neymar on a wall behind the Brazil team hotel.
List of international sports events affected by the coronavirus that has killed over 900 people and infected more than 40,000 in China
Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini believes he was made the scapegoat for the team's torrid time under former manager David Moyes in the Premier League last season.
Spain defender Sergio Ramos was surprised to learn that the country's record appearance maker and long-time captain Iker Casillas had been left out of the Spain squad by coach Julen Lopetegui. The Spain players met up with their new manager for the first time on Monday to prepare for the international friendly in Belgium on Sept. 1 and their opening World Cup qualifier at home to Liechtenstein on Sept. 5.
"I want to reach the highest level possible as a player and I think the most important thing is that at the end of the season we can be happy and maybe have some titles," playmaker De Bruyne told the City website (www.mcfc.co.uk).
Prime Minister David Cameron will lead a show of solidarity with France at an England-France soccer match in London on Tuesday following the bloody attacks on Paris, with English fans expected to sing the French national anthem.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
'If you take a point or even lose, it's not ideal but there are still almost 30 games to go so this result won't be the deciding factor in who wins the title'
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Clubbed in a veritable group of death for next year's World Cup, Australia believe they can spring a surprise while fellow Asian qualifiers Japan, South Korea and Iran were more cautious with their optimism despite being dealt kinder draws.
Juventus's hopes of reaching the Champions League last eight suffered a blow when the two-times European Cup winners slumped to a 1-0 defeat in their last-16 first leg at Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday. Manchester City finally produced a Champions League performance worthy of their status as one of European football's elite clubs by beating Real Madrid 2-1 away in Wednesday's last-16 first leg after pulling off a stunning late fightback.
World champions Germany and perennial also-rans Albania do not share much in common in football but both were united in joy on Sunday when they qualified for Euro 2016 in France along with Romania and Poland.
IMAGES from all the Bundesliga action on Saturday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Chelsea have signed Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga for a world record 80 million-euro ($92.8 million) fee from Athletic Bilbao, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.
The 2026 soccer World Cup could be split between up to four countries, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday, announcing the organisation would encourage applications to co-host the tournament.
'If Liverpool bought me then they know how to use me. That's why I came here -- I'll show I can play with my feet too'
'Everton can confirm that Wayne Rooney has rejoined the club from Manchester United on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee'
United's Ibrahimovic, Roma's Dzeko find the net thrice to give clubs first leg advantage
While the lack of squad-strengthening is causing consternation amongst the fans, Tottenham's squad is still young and looks more than capable of standing its ground.
Lopetegui blends youth and experience in Spain World Cup squad
Spain goalkeeper David de Gea made a rare error which led to his side drawing 1-1 at home to Switzerland in a World Cup warm-up friendly on Sunday which the hosts dominated but failed to make their superior possession count.
Thirty-two countries, ranging from Finland and Sweden to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Macedonia and Kazakhstan, have declared interest in hosting matches at Euro 2020 which will be staged across the continent.
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made two outstanding saves to deny Neymar as battling Mexico held Brazil to a 0-0 draw in their World Cup Group A match on Tuesday, ending the hosts' 10-game winning streak in the process.
Eden Hazard underlined his claims to be voted Player of the Year with another match-winning display as Premier League leaders Chelsea stormed 10 points clear with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Saturday.
Antonio Conte bowed out as Italy coach on Saturday after a Euro 2016 shootout defeat by Germany sounding almost broken-hearted that he was leaving behind a "fantastic" group of players.
The stability and pragmatism of Carlos Queiroz's seven-year reign has firmly established Iran's as Asia's number one team, but the nation will go to the World Cup hoping to advance for the first time to the knockout phase.
Manchester City have signed French central defender Aymeric Laporte from Spanish club Athletic Bilbao, the Premier League leaders said on Tuesday.
Sterling, 24, had a hand in all five goals, including an 11-minute hat-trick, as City romped to a 5-1 Champions League victory over Italian side Atalanta on Tuesday, to take his tally to 12 goals in 13 appearances this season.
For Manchester United, the answer to a slump in form or a crisis of confidence comes in 50 pound notes. Millions of them.
Teenager Curtis Jones grabbed a 58th-minute winner as an injury-hit Liverpool qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Ajax Amsterdam at Anfield on Tuesday.
Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Spain playmaker Juan Mata from Premier League rivals Chelsea.
Unai Emery's side were heading for a demoralising defeat, three days after losing meekly to Sheffield United in the Premier League, but substitute Pepe's late intervention kept the Gunners top of Group F with a maximum nine points.
Rafael Nadal is recovering satisfactorily from appendicitis and will continue a course of antibiotics in a bid to be fit for the remainder of the 2014 season, the World No 2's spokesman said on Thursday.
