Gareth Bale filled the void left by the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, sealing Real Madrid's 19th Copa del Rey title with a late goal in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Barcelona.

Ronaldo's extra-time play gave Madrid the 2011 Copa del Rey title at Barcelona's expense. In his absence Wednesday, Bale scored in the 85th minute — his first goal in three "clasico" matches — to make sure Madrid repeated the feat.

The prosecutor at the murder trial of double-amputee Olympian Oscar Pistorius is continuing his cross-examination of one of the defense's forensic experts.

Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel was questioning materials analyst and former policeman Roger Dixon Thursday on the expert's findings regarding Pistorius' fatal shooting of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year.

The Premier League trophy could be out of reach for Manchester City after a 2-2 home draw with last-placed Sunderland on Wednesday that capped a demoralizing four days for title chasers.

Samir Nasri's 88th-minute equalizer at Etihad Stadium will be of little consolation to City, which is now six points behind league leader Liverpool and four points behind second-place Chelsea.

Crystal Palace dented Everton's hopes of Champions League football next season following a 3-2 away win in the English Premier League on Wednesday.

The Toffees had slipped into fifth place following Arsenal's 3-1 win over West Ham on Tuesday but could have reclaimed fourth spot with victory at Goodison Park.

Juventus striker Carlos Tevez has denied suggestions that a falling out with Lionel Messi is behind his ongoing absence from the Argentina side, saying that the two players "get on well".

"I don't know where they got such nonsense from! Everyone publishes it but the truth is that we get on well. We have shared moments together, training sessions, matches and there has never been a problem. He is a charming and very polite person," said Tevez in an interview with the Argentine daily Cronica on Wednesday.

As Earth's atmosphere warms alarmingly and fills with heat-trapping gases, and the writing on the wall — "People, we're in trouble!" — looms ever larger, Formula One has steadily become a guilty pleasure, the motorsport equivalent of blue whale burger or wearing panda fur.

All that precious fuel going up in smoke, speed, and outrageous noise. Unsustainable and increasingly unjustifiable.

Bayern Munich's Germany midfielder Toni Kroos will stay with the Bavarian giants until at least 2015, despite a reported huge offer from Manchester United, his agent said.

According to British newspaper The Guardian, Premier League giants United are prepared to offer Kroos a contract worth £260,000 per week (315,000 euros, $437,000) for him to play at Old Trafford next season.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer rushed into the third round at the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday, with both posting quick opening victories.

Top seed Nadal, champion at eight of the last nine editions, spent 72 minutes in smothering any upset hopes of Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili, who got off to a shock 3-1 lead before Spain's king of clay reeled him in for a 6-4, 6-1 success.

Lukas Podolski scored twice as Arsenal came from a goal down to beat West Ham 3-1 in the Premier League on Tuesday and provisionally reclaim the last Champions League spot.

Arsenal trailed to Matthew Jarvis' 40th-minute opener, but Podolski equalized before the break and Arsenal dominated the second half.

The Belgian federation has extended the contract of coach Marc Wilmots to the 2018 World Cup after he led the Red Devils to their first finals in a dozen years.

Under Wilmots, Belgium has become a contender to advance into the final stages of the World Cup in Brazil, and with a slew of talent from the English Premier League and La Liga, he has molded them into an exciting team which stood as high as fifth in the FIFA rankings late last year.