Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero has become the latest player to sign for Queens Park Rangers during the current transfer window, the English Premier League club announced late Thursday.

The 25-year-old has agreed a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee after making 60 appearances for Los Blancos.

Andres Iniesta of Barcelona beat off a strong challenge from club mate Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid to be named on Thursday as UEFA's Best Player in Europe last season.

Iniesta, 28, won the live poll, conducted by journalists from each of UEFA's 53 member countries during the Champions League draw ceremony, to take the award that Messi won in its inaugural season last year.

Fate largely smiled on Manchester United and holders Chelsea in Thursday's Champions League draw, but Manchester City found themselves drawn into a daunting group with Real Madrid, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea, who beat Bayern Munich on penalties in last season's final to claim the trophy for the first time, were drawn in Group E alongside Italian champions Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Danish debutants Nordsjaelland.

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll ended months of speculation over his future by joining West Ham on a season-long loan on Thursday.

Carroll's future at Anfield has been in doubt since Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admitted the England forward might be an awkward fit for the smooth passing style he wants the Reds to use.

Crowd favourite Usain Bolt coasted to victory in the men's 200m in the Diamond League meeting in Zurich on Thursday, clocking a meet record of 19.66 seconds in inclement weather conditions.

Bolt, fresh from his second successive triple gold haul at the Olympics, came into the final stretch just ahead of compatriot Nickel Ashmeade on his inside.

The red, white and blue sticker that U.S. Open ballperson Ryan McIntosh wears on his carbon-fiber prosthetic right leg packs a meaningful message: "Freedom is not free, but it's worth fighting for."

Yet if the time he spends chasing tennis balls and handing water and towels to the world's best players goes the way he hopes, hardly anyone will notice it.

Real Madrid took advantage of quick goals plus an early sending off to beat 10-man Barcelona 2-1 Wednesday to win the Spanish Super Cup on away goals after the two-legged tie ended 4-4.

Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo put Madrid in control with goals inside 23 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu to take advantage of Barcelona's poor start.

Lance Armstrong introduced himself as a seven-time Tour de France champion at a cancer conference on Wednesday.

"My name is Lance Armstrong. I am a cancer survivor," he said to open his speech to the World Cancer Congress. "I'm a father of five. And yes, I won the Tour de France seven times."

Kim Clijsters' singles career ended where she wanted it to, just not the way she hoped.

The four-time Grand Slam champion lost 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) to 18-year-old Laura Robson of Britain in the second round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday, and will head into retirement after she finishes playing in doubles at Flushing Meadows.

Angry Xavier Malisse vented his frustration over line calls at umpire Carlos Ramos and a heckler in expletive-filled fashion Wednesday during a first-round U.S. Open loss to ninth-seed John Isner.

Isner advanced 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 7-6 (11/9) after two hours and 56 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the first time the American had started his Flushing Meadows fortnight in the 23,700-seat main court.