Real Madrid assistant manager Aitor Karanka was delighted with the contribution of 20-year-old striker Alvaro Morata after their 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

But he called into question the judgment of referee Jose Luis Paradas Romero after he sent-off Sergio Ramos after just 18 minutes.

French leader Paris Saint-Germain defended shoddily and was dominated in midfield as it lost 3-2 at relegation battlers Sochaux on Sunday to give rivals Lyon and Marseille renewed hope in a title race that looked to be getting away from them.

While Marseille and Lyon won their matches this weekend, PSG lost for the first time since December 1 and conceded three goals for the first time this season against a valiant Sochaux team that was in 17th place before kickoff and has nothing like PSG's massive spending power.

With their domestic titles seemingly wrapped up during the two-month Champions League break, Barcelona and Bayern Munich now have the luxury of focusing on winning a fifth European Cup.

Bayern Munich, 15 points clear in the Bundesliga, opens the knockout phase at Arsenal on Tuesday, while the first chapter in another blockbuster Barcelona-AC Milan clash is the following night in the last 16.

South African police have found a bloodied cricket bat at the home of Oscar Pistorius, a local newspaper reported Sunday, following the Valentine's Day killing of his model girlfriend.

The star Olympian and Paralympian athlete was charged on Friday with the murder of 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp who was shot dead at his luxury Pretoria home in a case that has gripped the world.

The distinctive outer shell of the London 2012 Olympics Basketball Arena is being put on the market because no use has been found for the temporary building so far, The Times newspaper reported Saturday.

Barr Construction, which built the arena, is seeking expressions of interest by March 31 for the steel and PVC-molded structure that some compared to a mattress or a cake with icing on, thanks to its white, ripple-effect appearance.

Rafael Nadal advanced to the semifinals of the Brazil Open late Friday, with a difficult three-set win over Argentine Carlos Berlocq.

The 26-year-old Spaniard, ranked number five in the world, won his singles quarterfinal match 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours 24 minutes against the 30-year old Argentine, ranked 78th in the world.

Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic admits his side have only themselves to blame for their spluttering form as they bid to avoid an FA Cup embarrassment in Sunday's fourth round replay against Brentford.

Rafael Benitez's team were below their best again in an unconvincing 1-0 win at Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday and the lackluster display only added to the impression that the Blues are painfully out of sorts.

Michael Jordan, the basketball superstar who won six NBA crowns and boosted the sport's worldwide appeal, celebrates his 50th birthday on Sunday with a powerful legacy 10 years after his final game.

Jordan, cut from his high school team as a sophomore, used that slight and every other he faced as inspiration to ignite a career like no other, becoming in the eyes of many the greatest player to ever dribble a basketball.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has insisted his multi-million pound side will not underestimate giant-killers Leeds in their FA Cup fifth round tie at Eastlands on Sunday.

Mancini's side are effectively out of the Premier League title race, with the defending champions trailing cross-town rivals and leaders Manchester United by 12 points with 12 games remaining, and were knocked out of the Champions League in the group phase.

Miami's LeBron James had 39 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as the Heat trampled the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-100 on Thursday in a clash of NBA title contenders before the All-Star break.

Chris Bosh chipped in 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Heat won their sixth straight against the Thunder dating to the sweep of last year's NBA Finals.