FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Thursday he spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and that he has "full confidence" in Mexico as a host country for this year's World Cup soccer tournament despite violent incidents following the death of a powerful drug lord that left at least 70 people dead.

Last Sunday, the Mexican army killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes "El Mencho", the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CNGJ) sparking several days of violence. Cartel members burned cars and blocked roads in nearly a dozen Mexican states.

Real Madrid and Manchester City will face off in a Champions League knockout tie for the fifth season running after being drawn Friday to play each other in the last 16, while reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain will take on Chelsea.

The Spanish giants, record 15-time European champions, will host City in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next month before travelling to England for the return the following week.

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said his team's 2-1 win against Benfica on Wednesday to reach the Champions League last 16 was a victory for "everyone who is against racism".

Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Thursday that he had acquired a 25 per cent stake in Saudi-owned Spanish second-division club Almeria.

Hugo Alejandro Pérez was in his house a few miles from the Mexican stadium that is slated to host FIFA World Cup games when gunfire and explosions erupted just outside his door.

The 53-year-old restaurant owner was already skeptical about his city, Guadalajara, hosting the international sporting event.

A Moroccan court on Thursday sentenced 19 soccer fans to up to a year in prison on charges of hooliganism stemming from a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal that saw supporters try to storm the field.

After a hearing that lasted more than five hours, the presiding judge ruled that the fans — 18 Senegalese and a French national — were guilty of more than half a dozen charges, including damaging sporting facilities and committing violence during a sporting event.

Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé has a calf injury and will miss Saturday's Ligue 1 game against Metz.

The club said in its weekly medical bulletin on Friday that the Ballon d'Or winner will do gym work indoors over the next few days as he recovers.

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany has criticized José Mourinho for attacking the character of Vinícius Júnior after the Real Madrid star accused an opponent of racially insulting him during a Champions League match.

Benfica coach Mourinho suggested that Brazil forward Vinícius had incited Benfica's players with his celebrations after scoring the only goal in Tuesday's playoff match.

Johannes Dale-Skjevdal of Norway was the only biathlete to hit all 20 of his targets in the 15-kilometer mass start race Friday and skied his way to gold — Norway's 17th gold medal of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics — breaking the record for the most gold medals won by a nation at a single Winter Olympics.

Norway had set the record at the 2022 Beijing Olympics with 16 gold medals.

Cristiano Ronaldo was absent as Al Nassr advanced to the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League Two on Wednesday with a 1-0 win over Arkadag FC of Turkmenistan that secured a 2-0 aggregate victory.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo, who returned last Saturday after missing three straight games amid reports of discontent with the club's management, watched from the stands.