FIFA has denied Didier Drogba's request for special permission to leave Shanghai Shenhua on loan ahead of the official transfer period, ending speculation he could join former club Chelsea immediately.

FIFA said it informed Drogba he won't be exempted from international transfer rules while under contract with the Chinese Super League club, whose season ended this month.

A football match between Muslim imams and Catholic priests has helped raise funds for a new kindergarten in Bosnia.

More than 4,000 people paid 1 euro ($1.30) to watch the game in the central town of Zenica on Wednesday night, cheering "Bosnia, Bosnia" and celebrating whoever scored.

Japanese skaters Mao Asada and Daisuke Takahashi will be aiming to secure berths in the Grand Prix final at this weekend's NHK Trophy, the sixth and final event of the International Skating Union's GP series.

Asada, who won the Cup of China two weeks ago, can wrap up a place in the GP final in Sochi next month with a podium finish here.

Swimming Australia says it has accepted the resignation of chief executive Kevin Neil, a move which follows the national team's poor performance at the London Olympics.

Neil was due to appear next week at a government inquiry into the sport after Australia failed to win an individual gold medal in the pool for the first time since 1976.

Real Madrid and AC Milan, with 16 Champions League titles between them, advanced to the knockout stage on Wednesday, along with Borussia Dortmund and Schalke to make it three out of three teams from Germany.

Nine-time champion Madrid held on for 1-1 at Manchester City with 10 men, eliminating the English Premier League champion in the process. Also in Group D, Dortmund beat Ajax 4-1 to go through as the top team.

Chelsea surprisingly brought Rafael Benitez out of the coaching wilderness on Wednesday, hiring the Spaniard in an interim role after mercilessly firing the man who guided the club to its first Champions League title just six months ago.

Benitez agreed to a contract with the European champions until the end of the season, nearly two years after being fired by Inter Milan in his last coaching position. He filled the vacancy created by Roberto Di Matteo's sudden departure earlier in the day following the team's dip in form over the past month.

Didier Drogba has asked FIFA for special permission to move on loan from his Chinese club despite being outside the official transfer window.

FIFA said Wednesday it is considering the former Chelsea forward's request for an exemption from international rules.

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has been sacked after the European champions were left facing elimination at the group stage of the Champions League, the club said on Wednesday.

"Chelsea Football Club has parted company this morning with Manager Roberto Di Matteo," a statement said, following Tuesday's 3-0 defeat by Juventus.

Russian police arrested around 60 hard-core football fans during the Champions League clash between Spartak Moscow and Barcelona, raising new concerns about fan violence, officials said Wednesday.

The Interfax news agency quoted police sources as saying the fans were arrested outside the Luzhkini stadium in Moscow during the second half of the game which Spartak lost 3-0 to the Catalan giants.

Los Angeles made Mike D'Antoni's debut behind the Lakers' bench a successful one by beating the Brooklyn Nets 95-90 on Tuesday night at Staples Center arena.

D'Antoni, limping after undergoing recent surgery, had been unable to take over behind the bench until Tuesday because of discomfort and tightness in his knee.