Football

Turkish football club Trabzonspor's Salih Dursin was sent off for flashing a red card to the referee in a Super Lig match against Galatasaray.

All the pressure was on Diego Simeone's squad on Sunday, since they desperately needed a win to keep pace with Barca. But they were unable to break through fourth-place Villarreal's iron-clad defence.

East Bengal rode on defender Bello Rasaq's header to defeat Salgaocar 2-1 and jump to second place in the I-League on Sunday.

The Belgian playmaker has not come close to the high standards he set last term, amid speculation that he was being courted by Paris Saint-Germain. Hiddink says Hazard has to step up.

The FIFA ethics committee says it has completed its investigations into former CONMEBOL vice presidents Luis Bedoya of Colombia and Sergio Jadue of Chile.

FIFA's ethics committee on Wednesday sanctioned German football legend Franz Beckenbauer with a warning and a light fine for failing to cooperate with a probe into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Navi Mumbai is one of the six provisional venues for hosting the 17th edition of the tournament that India will host next year in September-October.

Edinson Cavani came off the bench to score the winner as Paris Saint-Germain beat Chelsea 2-1 in a pulsating first leg in the last 16 of the Champions League.

A court in Egypt on Monday jailed 15 hard core football fans known as "ultras" for trying to kill the chairman of the popular Cairo-based Zamalek club, an official said.

Lionel Messi passed up the chance to net his 300th La Liga goal and instead put a hat-trick on a plate for team mate Luis Suarez with an outrageous penalty routine that evoked memories of Barcelona great Johan Cruyff on Sunday.

Van Gaal said he would be "disappointed" if he gets to know that Manchester United management have held meetings with Portuguese Jose Mourinho about possibly replacing him.

Mohun Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen apologised for making inappropriate comments against the AIFF but felt it sometimes becomes necessary to make the authorities understand the problems teams face over scheduling of matches.

Louis van Gaal has confessed he does not know if he will still be Manchester United manager should he fail to lead his team to a top four finish in the current campaign.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has admitted to lying to fellow France international Mathieu Valbuena over a sex video at the centre of an alleged blackmailing attempt, Le Parisien reported on Friday.

India were held to yet another goalless draw, this time by a resilient Nepal who thus confirmed their final berth for a second successive time in the women's football competition.

Napoli and Juventus both recorded narrow victories against relegation-threatened sides to remain first and second in Serie A on Sunday ahead of their showdown in Turin next weekend.