Mario Balotelli is back in the Italy squad more than three years after his last appearance in an Azzurri shirt.

Italy coach Roberto Mancini included the striker in a 35-man squad announced Monday for a three-day training camp this week, ahead of the World Cup playoffs in March.

Russia and China oppose "the politicization of sport and demonstrative boycotts" ahead of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday in an address to his country's athletes.

The U.S. is among several countries which have said they will not send politicians or other representatives to next month's Games in a so-called diplomatic boycott, citing concerns over human rights in China. Putin plans to attend the Olympics and to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Lionel Messi returned, another marquee signing Sergio Ramos scored as Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 4-0 victory over Reims on Sunday to restore their Ligue 1 lead to 11 points.

Football superstar Lionel Messi has bagged himself a shirt signed by fellow Argentine soccer fanatic Pope Francis, the Vatican's sports association said Monday.

Karim Benzema's house was broken into on Sunday while the French striker was playing for Real Madrid against Elche, police sources told AFP on Monday.

Competing in the giant slalom at the Beijing Olympics will be a giant step for 17-year-old Kiana Kryeziu and her country of Kosovo.

Kryeziu is the first female athlete from Kosovo at the Winter Games after she met the qualifying standard during races held in Italy.

Rafael Nadal finally got the better of a crazy, long tiebreaker and knew he'd won half the battle.

After saving four set points and missing with the first six of his own, Nadal finally clinched a tiebreaker that lasted 28 minutes and 40 seconds to set himself on course to secure a spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals for a 14th time.

Having scored a record 41 goals in just 29 league games last season, Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski aims to stay injury-free in order to better his own Bundesliga milestone this campaign. 

Novak Djokovic's long-time coach Marian Vajda said Australia's deportation of the world number one was "unjust" but said the Serb had not had his "last word in tennis".

A philosophical Naomi Osaka said Friday she "is not God" and cannot always win after the defending champion was knocked out of the Australian Open in the third round by unseeded Amanda Anisimova.