The English champions remain top of the table on goal difference over Manchester United, but have now played a game more than the Red Devils.
* Struggling Valencia rode their luck to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Cadiz on Monday, enough to climb out of the relegation zone but not enough to relieve the pressure on coach Javi Gracia, whose side's winless run stretched to eight La Liga games.
* Arsenal have loaned centre back William Saliba to French Ligue 1 side OGC Nice on loan for the rest of the season in a bid to give him more playing time, the Premier League club announced on Monday (Jan 4). Saliba, who was signed by Arsenal in July 2019 for about 27 million pounds (US$36.59 million), spent last season on loan at St Etienne and has yet to make his debut for the Premier League club, with the 19-year-old only playing for the Under-21 side.
* Thai racer Alexander Albon will compete in selected rounds of the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) with Red Bull backing this season after losing his Formula One seat to Mexican Sergio Perez. The DTM said in a statement on Monday that the 24-year-old would race with an as yet unidentified team whenever his Formula One duties as a Red Bull test, reserve and simulator driver allowed.
* Teams involved in this week's League Cup semi-finals and April's final will be allowed to make five substitutions instead of three, the English Football League (EFL) said on Monday as they look to ease the burden of fixture congestion.
* Juventus' Brazil defender Alex Sandro has tested positive for COVID-19, the Italian champions said on Monday (Jan 4). The 29-year-old, who played in Sunday’s 4-1 home win over Udinese in Serie A, has gone into isolation.
* Two members of Barcelona's first team staff have tested positive for COVID-19, the Catalans said on Monday (Jan 4). A statement from Barca said the whole squad would undergo tests on Tuesday, in line with La Liga's protocol.
* Premier League football and other forms of elite professional sport in England will be allowed to continue despite new national lockdown restrictions announced by the UK government on Monday (Jan 4).
* World number one Novak Djokovic and second-ranked Rafael Nadal will headline a slimmed-down field at the coronavirus-hit ATP Cup, organisers said with the tournament cut in half to 12 teams.
* Bundesliga title contenders Bayer Leverkusen suffered a setback on Monday (Jan 4) when Karim Bellarabi was ruled out for up to four weeks as he needs surgery for a broken hand.
