It's rare for a champion not to even qualify as a candidate to defend its title. But Atletico Madrid must be considered a long shot to hold onto its Spanish league crown after losing several players while Real Madrid and Barcelona both bolstered their already spectacular squads.

In Atletico's favor is coach Diego Simeone, the man who proved to be a master at the art of forging a team that is more than a collection of its parts.

Real Madrid is set to place an even greater emphasis on winning the Spanish league title after ending its quest for an elusive 10th European Cup last season.

For 12 straight years, Madrid's coaches and players had been tasked with winning another Champions League title, a mission that had grown into an obsession that overshadowed winning the domestic crown.

Antonio Conte is ready to turn Italy back into a powerhouse.

The former Juventus coach, who signed a two-year deal to take over the national team on Tuesday, is replacing Cesare Prandelli, who resigned immediately after Italy's early elimination from the World Cup in Brazil.

Diego Costa scored just 17 minutes into his debut and Cesc Fabregas had two assists in a superb performance as Chelsea opened its Premier League campaign with a 3-1 win at newcomer Burnley.

The hosts were given hope of a huge upset when Scott Arfield put Burnley in front in the 14th minute, but it was all Chelsea after that. Costa showed why Chelsea spent 32 million pounds ($53 million) to bring him in from Atletico Madrid when he slotted in the equalizer just three minutes later, and Fabregas set up Andre Schuerrle with a sublime pass in the 21st as the German World Cup winner made it 2-1.

Max Verstappen is set to become the youngest ever driver in Formula One after Toro Rosso announced that the 16-year-old Dutchman will join the team next season.

Verstappen has been racing in the Formula 3 European Championship this year, winning eight of 27 races, and joined the Red Bull Junior Team this month.

Luis Suarez and Neymar played their first match since their memorable exits from the World Cup on Monday, with the Brazil star scoring two goals to help Barcelona rout Mexican champion Leon 6-0 in a preseason friendly at Camp Nou.

The last time Suarez played he infamously bit an Italian opponent at the World Cup, adding a four-month ban from competitive matches to his growing list of punishments for misconduct.

Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs will miss both legs of the Champions League playoff against Besiktas after being ruled out for up three weeks with a hamstring injury.

The left back was hurt in Saturday's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, Arsenal's opening match of the Premier League season. Nacho Monreal will likely come on as a replacement.

Brian Williams didn't have to look hard for a photo of actress Allison Williams as a toddler in a Peter Pan costume. A framed one has been on display in the den of his family's Connecticut home for years.

The NBC "Nightly News" anchor and proud father said he emailed family members to see if they approved of him reporting on his daughter being cast in the lead role of "Peter Pan." NBC is airing a new version of the musical live on Dec. 4.

Taylor Swift is saying goodbye to country music, for now: The singer says she's releasing her first full-length pop album on Oct. 27.

The 24-year-old revealed in a livestream via Yahoo! on Monday that "1989," named for her birth year, is her "first documented official pop album."

An owl flew into a 10th story apartment in Coeur d'Alene, apparently opened a bird cage and killed one of two canaries inside, the residents said.

Sue Sausser said she awakened Sunday to find bird droppings and feathers all over her apartment, the Coeur d'Alene Press reported (http://bit.ly/1riwYfi).