Author: Agence France-Presse - AFP

The expanded Champions League league phase will reach a dramatic climax Wednesday with 18 simultaneous matches across Europe, as teams like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain fight to stay in the competition. There is a real incentive for finishing in the top eight places of the giant, 36-team standings – those sides will skip the two-legged knockout round playoffs next month, getting some precious rest as they advance straight to the last 16 in March. Liverpool, with seven wins out of seven, and Barcelona are the only two teams to have already guaranteed a place in the last 16 after…

The expanded Champions League league phase will reach a dramatic climax Wednesday with 18 simultaneous matches across Europe, as teams like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain fight to stay in the competition. There is a real incentive for finishing in the top eight places of the giant, 36-team standings – those sides will skip the two-legged knockout round playoffs next month, getting some precious rest as they advance straight to the last 16 in March. Liverpool, with seven wins out of seven, and Barcelona are the only two teams to have already guaranteed a place in the last 16 after…

Spinner Jomel Warrican claimed five wickets to help the West Indies secure their first Test victory in Pakistan in nearly 35 years on Monday. The West Indies won the second Test in Multan by 120 runs on day three to draw the series 1-1. Pakistan triumphed in the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan. Warrican finished with nine wickets in the match – 19 in the series – to give the hosts a taste of their own medicine on sharply spinning pitches. The last time the West Indies won a Test in Pakistan was in Faisalabad in November…

Spinner Jomel Warrican claimed five wickets to help the West Indies secure their first Test victory in Pakistan in nearly 35 years on Monday. The West Indies won the second Test in Multan by 120 runs on day three to draw the series 1-1. Pakistan triumphed in the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan. Warrican finished with nine wickets in the match – 19 in the series – to give the hosts a taste of their own medicine on sharply spinning pitches. The last time the West Indies won a Test in Pakistan was in Faisalabad in November…

Jannik Sinner departs Melbourne with growing recognition as a potential tennis great but now faces a doping hearing at sport’s highest court that could result in a ban of up to two years. The Italian swept past Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 Sunday in a clash of the top seeds to win back-to-back Australian Opens and shore up his status as the runaway world No. 1. He also won the U.S. Open last year, fast building a case for greatness. But the 23-year-old’s career has been dogged for the past nine months by a major doping scandal that should…

Jannik Sinner departs Melbourne with growing recognition as a potential tennis great but now faces a doping hearing at sport’s highest court that could result in a ban of up to two years. The Italian swept past Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 Sunday in a clash of the top seeds to win back-to-back Australian Opens and shore up his status as the runaway world No. 1. He also won the U.S. Open last year, fast building a case for greatness. But the 23-year-old’s career has been dogged for the past nine months by a major doping scandal that should…

Jannik Sinner departs Melbourne with growing recognition as a potential tennis great but now faces a doping hearing at sport’s highest court that could result in a ban of up to two years. The Italian swept past Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 Sunday in a clash of the top seeds to win back-to-back Australian Opens and shore up his status as the runaway world No. 1. He also won the U.S. Open last year, fast building a case for greatness. But the 23-year-old’s career has been dogged for the past nine months by a major doping scandal that should…

Kylian Mbappe’s hat trick on Saturday propelled Real Madrid to a commanding 3-0 victory over Valladolid, extending their lead at the top of La Liga to four points. Second-place Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 at home earlier against Villarreal, while Barcelona, third, trail Los Blancos by 10 points before hosting Valencia on Sunday. Mbappe has hit his devastating best in recent weeks after struggling for consistency following his summer switch from Paris Saint-Germain. The French superstar climbed to 15 league goals for the season, trailing only Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, on 16. Mbappe’s first Madrid treble helped his team, playing without suspended…

Kylian Mbappe’s hat trick on Saturday propelled Real Madrid to a commanding 3-0 victory over Valladolid, extending their lead at the top of La Liga to four points. Second-place Atletico Madrid drew 1-1 at home earlier against Villarreal, while Barcelona, third, trail Los Blancos by 10 points before hosting Valencia on Sunday. Mbappe has hit his devastating best in recent weeks after struggling for consistency following his summer switch from Paris Saint-Germain. The French superstar climbed to 15 league goals for the season, trailing only Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, on 16. Mbappe’s first Madrid treble helped his team, playing without suspended…

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka put her close friendship with Paula Badosa aside Thursday to sweep past the Spaniard into a third successive Australian Open final and stay on track for a 26-year first. The Belarusian world No. 1 romped home 6-4, 6-2 on Rod Laver Arena and will meet either Polish second seed Iga Swiatek or American 19th seed Madison Keys in Saturday’s decider. The hard, fast courts of Melbourne Park have been the 26-year-old’s happy place. She has now won 20 straight matches at the Australian Open to close in on a third consecutive crown – something that hasn’t…