Football

The FIFA Emergency Committee decided on 9 January 2016 to dismiss Jerome Valcke from the position of FIFA secretary-general with immediate effect, the football world body said in a statement.

Scholes has criticised United's style of play a number of times this season and offered a scathing assessment of their efforts during the 1-0 win over Sheffield United in Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie.

The Frenchman has set his sights on landing the trophy for a record seventh time, eclipsing the mark he shares with George Ramsay who led Aston Villa to six triumphs between 1887 and 1920.

The former Real and France midfielder watched his new charges crush Deportivo La Coruna 5-0 in La Liga with Gareth Bale scoring a hat-trick and Karim Benzema adding a double.

FIFA's ethics panel said on Saturday it had formally given outgoing President Sepp Blatter and European soccer head Michel Platini the reasons for their eight-year bans from the game, information both men could use in an appeal.

Angry Yaya Toure has described missing out on a fifth consecutive African Player of the Year award as "indecent", saying the decision brought "shame" on the continent.

Belgium winger Adnan Januzaj is returning to Manchester United after his one-year loan spell at Borussia Dortmund was cut short after half a season.

Grujic, who has played for Serbia at under-21 level and was a member of the under-20 squad that won the World Cup in 2015, will return to Red Star on loan to the end of the season.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) secretary Kushal Das on Wednesday admitted that the parent body is seriously mulling the option of a merger between the I-League and IMG-R promoted ISL as it would mean a national league with 17 teams.

Sacked Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez says it was "an honour and privilege" to lead the club he has always supported and has sent a "good luck" message to his successor, former France great Zinedine Zidane.

Zinedine Zidane is the right man for the job of Real Madrid coach, former team mate David Beckham said on Monday after the Spanish club sacked Rafa Benitez and replaced him with the French World Cup winner.

Pogba says the work culture at his current club Juventus is much tougher than Manchester United and four consecutive Serie A title bears testimony to that.

Khedira says his club Juve needs a little time to get into gear and it can beat Bayern when the two team meet at the Champions League Round of 16 next month.

The referee, however, made no mention of any misconduct from the crowd in his official report of Barcelona-Espanyol match on Saturday.

Barcelona have a one-point lead and a game to play, but the defending champions' latest stumble gives second-place Atletico Madrid the opportunity to provisionally move top of the table with a win over bottom-side Levante later.

Sunil Chettri scored the only other goal for India. In the final on Sunday, the hosts will play against the winner of the second semi-final between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, which is underway.