Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone on Thursday blasted the controversy surrounding world champion Sebastian Vettel's Brazilian Grand Prix overtaking maneuver as a "joke".

Ferrari had contacted Formula One's governing body, the FIA, concerning the move by the Red Bull driver during last weekend's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix that won him a third successive title.

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta were on Thursday shortlisted for this year's Ballon d'Or, football's world governing body FIFA and sponsors France Football magazine said.

Barcelona forward Messi, 25, has already won the title three times and the Argentine is again favorite to win the prize, which will be presented in Zurich on January 7 after votes from journalists, national team captains and coaches.

Luiz Felipe Scolari is back in charge of Brazil's national football team, 10 years after leading the team to the 2002 World Cup title.

The Brazilian football federation said Thursday that Scolari has been hired to lead the team through the 2014 World Cup at home. He replaces Mano Menezes, who was fired last week because the federation didn't like his methods.

Hardened by coach Diego Simeone and fueled by striker Radamel Falcao, Atletico Madrid appears poised to finally break Real Madrid's dominance of the Spanish-capital derby with a long-awaited victory its fans have been coveting for 13 years.

Atletico enters Saturday's game at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in second place and a commanding eight points ahead of its crosstown rival after its best start in club history with 11 wins, a draw and one defeat.

Borussia Dortmund will need to stop the seemingly unstoppable at Bayern Munich on Saturday to retain any realistic hopes of successfully defending its Bundesliga title.

Dortmund is already 11 points behind the league leader, which has won 12 games from 14 and lost just once, becoming the fastest side in 50 years of the Bundesliga to claim the unofficial title of "autumn champion."

Inter Milan President Massimo Moratti denies the club is blackmailing Wesley Sneijder into signing a new contract, saying the Netherlands midfielder is not playing purely for footballing reasons.

Club director Marco Branca said over the weekend that Sneijder wouldn't play again for Inter until he made a decision about his future, and a new deal which requires him to take a pay cut.

Ferrari is considering an appeal that could result in Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel being stripped of his Formula One title for an illegal overtaking maneuver in the season-ending race.

Video footage from Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix appears to show that Vettel passed Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso's while there was a yellow caution light being shown.

Joe Johnson scored 18 points, and Andray Blatche had 17 points and 13 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets beat the Boston Celtics 95-83 on Wednesday after Rajon Rondo was ejected for fighting.

The Celtics point guard was ejected after he shoved Kris Humphries to retaliate for the Nets forward's hard foul against Kevin Garnett. Humphries and Brooklyn forward Gerald Wallace were also sent off the court for their roles in the second-quarter skirmish.

Robin van Persie's first-minute strike earned Manchester United a nervy 1-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday, keeping the team top of the Premier League by a point ahead of archrival Manchester City.

The Netherlands striker grabbed his ninth league goal when his shot deflected off James Collins and over the head of goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen after just 32 seconds, making it the quickest goal in the league this campaign.

Two goals by David Villa on Wednesday eased Barcelona into the fifth round of the Copa del Rey with a 3-1 home win against Alaves to advance 4-1 on aggregate.

Alaves silenced the Camp Nou ahead of celebrations to mark its 113th birthday later this month by taking the lead when Borja Viguera headed Miquel "Miki" Martinez's long-range cross into the net in the 17th minute.