A magistrate lifted on Thursday a ban on France striker Karim Benzema meeting teammate Mathieu Valbuena, whom he is suspected of trying to blackmail over a sex video, which has meant the two cannot feature on the same team. The public prosecutor appealed, but dropped an earlier statement that the ban would have to stay in place until the appeal was heard. The magistrate separately upheld a ban on Benzema contacting other people linked to the investigation. Real Madrid player Benzema, who denies any wrongdoing, has been suspended indefinitely from the France team because of suspicion of involvement in a scam to blackmail Valbuena over a video sex tape. Being allowed to meet Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Valbuena could, at least in theory, enable the two to play for the same team. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has said that Benzema should not play for France before being cleared.
Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm will captain Germany in place of injured Michael Ballack and Manuel Neuer will be the starting goalkeeper at next month's World Cup, coach Joachim Loew said.
La Liga champions Barcelona fell to their first opening day defeat of the season in 11 years when they were beaten 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao thanks to a sensational late overhead kick from veteran striker Aritz Aduriz.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has praised Italian rookie Vito Mannone for his impact during the Premier League club's goalkeeping crisis.
Roger Federer said his 'lethargic' countrymen got what they deserved at the World Cup after they were beaten 1-0 by Sweden in the Round of 16.
Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne is facing a potentially lengthy spell on the sidelines after he was carried off on a stretcher with a suspected knee ligament injury in Wednesday's League Cup semi-final win over Everton.
While the signing of a hard-working player who won two Premier League titles at City in five years since joining from Aston Villa is a coup for Liverpool, it also signifies the start of a squad makeover at City.
Pravin Jamnadas Gordhan, commissioner of South Africa Revenue Service since November 1999, is the frontrunner to succeed Finance Minister Trevor Manuel.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain scored in a 2-0 victory away to Racing Santander on Sunday to ensure Real Madrid hold top spot in La Liga before next weekend's visit of title rivals Barcelona.
Germany's exit has no bearing on England preparations for the World Cup latter stages and they will be going all out to win their final Group G match against Belgium, coach Gareth Southgate said on Wednesday.
Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic made his debut for Barcelona in the second half of their 1-0 defeat by Manchester City in the Joan Gamper Trophy on Wednesday.
Manchester United has reportedly identified French defender Eliaquim Mangala as the ideal replacement for Rio Ferdinand, who will be leaving Old Trafford at the end of the season.
Arjen Robben's superb strike sent Bayern Munich through to the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals on Tuesday despite a 3-2 defeat by Fiorentina in a thrilling last 16 second leg.
An injury time goal from Lukas Podolski rescued a 2-2 friendly draw for Germany against Ivory Coast on Wednesday, the home team's first game since last week's suicide of keeper Robert Enke.
Manchester United beat AC Milan 5-4 on penalties after their International Champions Cup match in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium ended 2-2 in regulation time on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo powered-home a fourth-minute header to give Portugal a 1-0 World Cup victory over Morocco that took them top of Group B on Wednesday and meant the unlucky North African side become the first to be eliminated from the tournament.
India will now face world number two Croatia for the Qualifiers in an away tie
The Bernabeu faithful have never taken Gareth Bale to their hearts with injury problems and a perceived lack of integration into the side often used as sticks to beat him with.
Bayer Leverkusen needed a second-half goal from defender Manuel Friedrich to earn a 1-1 draw with visitors Borussia Dortmund on Friday and move a point clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
Lewis Hamilton feels a fifth Formula One title would be his proudest achievement and he wants to seal it by winning Sunday's Mexican Grand Prix.
Gonzalo Higuain came off the bench to settle Real Madrid's jitters with a superb lob that completed a 4-2 home victory over Real Valladolid in La Liga on Saturday.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has been charged with misconduct for his comments about the referee after his side's 2-0 Champions League home defeat by Barcelona, UEFA said on Friday.
Caeleb Dressel lit up the pool by winning his fourth, fifth and sixth gold medals on Saturday but even his electric performance failed to brighten the mood on a dark day at the world swimming championships in Gwangju.
At 19, Milak is the youngest winner of the 200 butterfly since Phelps triumphed as an 18-year-old in 2003, the second of the American great's five world titles in the event.
Real Madrid squandered a chance to climb above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when they were held to a 0-0 draw at mid-table Osasuna on Sunday. A win would have put Real first in the standings on goal difference after Barca dropped their first home points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Villarreal on Saturday.
Defensive errors were again a common occurrence in the Arsenal backline, but Fiorentina failed to take advantage.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Saturday.
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie will miss the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Manchester United with a groin strain.
Indian hockey coach Jose Manuel Brasa has expressed confidence about the team winning the Champions Challenge Tournament in Argentina next month.
France wants to deport almost 50 Russian soccer fans, Alexander Shprygin, the head of a Russian supporters' group, said on Tuesday, saying French riot police had stopped a bus carrying fans in Cannes who were on their way to Lille.
Third-tier Alcorcon lost 1-0 to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Tuesday but dumped the nine-times European champions out of the King's Cup 4-1 on aggregate. Alcorcon operate on a budget of just over one million euros ($1.50 million), some 400 times smaller than Real's.
Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain scored twice for 10-man Real Madrid in a 2-0 home win over Getafe on Saturday that eased the pressure on coach Manuel Pellegrini. Real have 22 points from nine games and are one point behind La Liga leaders Barcelona after the champions were held to a 1-1 draw at Osasuna, Gerard Pique scoring in his own net in the last minute.
Manuel Pellegrini's future as Real Madrid coach was called into question on Wednesday after the big-spending side's 4-0 thrashing at third-tier Alcorcon in the first leg of their King's Cup tie.
Real Madrid suffered an astonishing 4-0 defeat at third-tier side Alcorcon in the King's Cup on Tuesday, humiliated in the first leg by a club with a budget more than 400 times smaller than the La Liga giants.
A rocket launcher and a huge cache of weapons were seized in Lyon.
Depleted Real Madrid ended a disappointing week with a 0-0 draw at Sporting Gijon on Saturday, handing champions Barcelona the chance to open a three-point lead at the top of La Liga.
German midfielder Ilkay Guendogan has joined Manchester City from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund on a four-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Thursday.
Schalke 04 won 2-1 at struggling VfB Stuttgart to stay on the heels of the Bundesliga leaders on Saturday while Bayern Munich notched their first victory in three games with a 2-1 triumph at Freiburg.
Arsenal right back Hector Bellerin will be in Spain's Euro 2016 squad, the country's football federation said on Tuesday. The 21-year-old Bellerin and the other 18 players named to face South Korea in a friendly in Wals-Siezenheim, Austria on Wednesday, have been guaranteed spots in the European Championship squad. Bellerin was included after Real Madrid right back Dani Carvajal sustained a leg muscle injury in Saturday's Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid. The Real Madrid and Atletico players in the squad will be named later on Tuesday when Spain coach Vicente del Bosque announces his final list.
Schumacher believes that Argentina's Juan Manuel Fangio remains the greatest F1 driver. Do you agree?
