SPORTS

Madrid, Spain | AFP | “Bale es fantastico”, Real Madrid´s interim coach Santiago Solari said, but still took him off in the 71st minute against Real Valladolid on Saturday. Madrid were drifting towards a 0-0 draw at their Santiago Bernabeu home and, searching for inspiration, it was Bale´s number 11 …

Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Among a dazzling array of midfield options, it is the often unheralded Fernandinho who Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has relied on most in another stunning start to the season for the Premier League champions. The Brazilian will face old club Shakhtar Donetsk on …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Alexis Sanchez has endured a torrid start to his Manchester United career but hinted at better things to come with an impressive display in a central role ahead of the Champions League match against Juventus. The injured Romelu Lukaku missed the 2-1 win at …

Paris, France | AFP | Novak Djokovic’s return to the world number one spot, just five months after slumping to his lowest ranking in 12 years, leaves little doubt that he is one of the sport’s greats. The Serb is back on the top of the pile for the first …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Pep Guardiola said managing in England is a “dream come true” as he was honoured by the Football Writers’ Association fresh from a 6-1 Premier League victory against Southampton. The Manchester City manager was recognised for his side’s Premier League title last season and …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Xherdan Shaqiri has been left out of Liverpool’s travelling squad for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade, the Premier League club have announced. The midfielder was at the centre of controversy along with Switzerland teammate Granit Xhaka when they celebrated goals with …

San Francisco, United States | AFP | Video games are following television and music into the cloud, with console-quality play on its way to being a streaming service as easy to access as Netflix or Spotify. Computing power in data centers and devices from televisions to smartphones has surged and …

Barcelona, Spain | AFP | Lionel Messi could make an earlier return than expected against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday but Barcelona have hardly missed him. Four wins out of four, including a stroll past Inter Milan and a hammering of Real Madrid so severe it cost …

Tokyo, Japan | AFP | Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr said Monday he will come out of retirement to fight a Japanese kickboxer half his age, Tenshin Nasukawa, on New Year’s Eve in Saitama. The 41-year-old unbeaten American, who captured world titles in five different weight divisions and was considered …

New York, United States | AFP | Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa edged compatriot Shura Kitata to win the men’s title and Kenya’s Mary Keitany captured her fourth women’s crown Sunday at the 48th New York City Marathon, on Sunday. It was a historic day in perfect running conditions for 50,000 entrants …