The first leg of Arsenal's tie against Benfica, which was due to be played at the Estadio Da Luz on Feb. 18, has been moved to Rome while the second leg will be played in Athens at Olympiakos Piraeus' ground a week later. Spurs said their first leg away to Austrian side Wolfsberger will now take place in Budapest, Hungary next week.
* Double Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso said he was well and looking forward to the start of the season after fracturing his jaw in a road accident while cycling in Switzerland. The Spaniard's Alpine (Renault) team said he will remain under observation for 48 hours after an operation on Friday (Feb 12) and expected him "to be fully operational to undertake preparation for the season".
* Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes his side's sensational La Liga form will be tough to maintain in the second half of the season. Leaders Atleti are on course for a 100-point season after picking up 51 points from their opening 20 games of the campaign, losing just once and shipping only 12 goals as they raced away at the top of the table.
* Krasnodar have been fined 15,000 euros (US$18,187) for a late kickoff in their Champions League group match at Chelsea in December, UEFA said in a statement on Friday.
* Argentina’s Hernan Crespo signed a two-year contract to coach Sao Paulo on Friday, giving a late boost to their faltering league title hopes, the Brazilian club announced.
* Manchester United need their midfielders to score more goals and Scott McTominay has the characteristics to get into double figures despite being deployed as a defensive midfielder, manager ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday. McTominay, 24, has scored seven times in all competitions this season, including in United's last three fixtures with Tuesday's extra-time winner against West Ham United sending them through to an FA Cup quarter-final against Leicester City.
* Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel would love to bring more academy players into the first team squad after some of the youngsters helped the club progress in the FA Cup, he said on Friday. Billy Gilmour, Reece James and Tammy Abraham combined for the latter's goal against Barnsley while Callum Hudson-Odoi was also one of the brighter sparks in Thursday's 1-0 victory that set up a quarter-final tie at home to Sheffield United.
* England's rugby Premiership will not feature relegation this year and will increase to 13 clubs next season to accommodate the winners of the second-tier Championship, the Rugby Football Union said on Friday.
* Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said they will guard against complacency following a 15-match unbeaten run in all competitions ahead of a testing schedule where they face Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Arsenal. Guardiola's City are top of the Premier League with 50 points after 22 games, five points clear of rivals Manchester United who have played a game more.
* Defending champion Novak Djokovic faces a fitness battle to continue in the Australian Open after suffering what he described as a "muscle tear" during a five-set win over Taylor Fritz on Friday. The 33-year-old, seeking a record-extending ninth title in Melbourne, was cruising after winning the opening two sets of his third-round clash but a slip at 1-1 in the third set almost derailed his progress.
* Paris St Germain forward Neymar's latest injury can be blamed on a hectic match schedule and the COVID-19 crisis, coach Mauricio Pochettino said on Friday. Neymar has been ruled out for four weeks with a groin injury, meaning he will miss the first leg of PSG’s Champions League last-16 tie at his former club Barcelona on Tuesday.
* Liverpool have suffered another defensive injury as manager Juergen Klopp confirmed makeshift centre back Fabinho would miss Saturday's Premier League clash at Leicester City with a muscle problem.
* Dominic Thiem produced a comeback for the ages to overhaul a fired-up Nick Kyrgios in a five-set classic at the Australian Open on Friday and send a baying crowd home in disappointment on the last night before a five-day lockdown in Melbourne. In the bearpit atmosphere of Kyrgios's favourite John Cain Arena, US Open champion Thiem dragged himself off the canvas in a thrilling 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over the Australian showman to reach the fourth round.
* Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan have been named Premier League Manager and Player of the Month respectively for January, the league said on Friday.
* Australia's second-most populous city will enter a five-day snap coronavirus lockdown, authorities said on Friday, banning spectators for much of the Australian Open tennis tournament.
* Second seed Simon Halep eased past Russian Veronika Kudermetova 6-1 6-3 to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open for the fourth straight year on Friday. Up next is a last-16 encounter with the winner of Fiona Ferro's later match against Iga Swiatek, the Polish teenager who downed Halep 6-1 6-2 at the same stage of last year's French Open on her way to her maiden Grand Slam title.
* World number one Ash Barty withdrew from the Australian Open doubles on Friday, raising concerns over her fitness for the singles as she manages a thigh strain.
