Claudio Ranieri is refusing to entertain the prospect of a Premier League title challenge from Leicester City even though his side travel to Everton on Saturday as surprise leaders.

Ranieri's side, who began the season among the favorites for relegation, have stunned the rest of the division with a superb run that has left them two points clear of second placed Arsenal.

Chelsea start life after Jose Mourinho with a vital showdown against Sunderland on Saturday as the crisis-torn Premier League champions look to climb away from the relegation zone.

Prior to his sacking on Thursday, Mourinho insisted that while the club was struggling near the bottom three, they were not in a relegation fight.

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is already looking towards life after football as he unveiled plans to invest over €37 million ($40m) in hotels bearing his “CR7” moniker in his native Portugal, Madrid and New York.

"Many footballers finish their careers without knowing what they want to do. For me it's clear - I want to take care of my brands," Ronaldo told AFP on Thursday.

Atletico Madrid sealed their place in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey with a ninth consecutive win in all competitions thanks to Thomas Partey's solitary goal against Catalan minnows Reus on Thursday.

Ghanaian midfielder Thomas struck his first goal for the club eight minutes after half-time to complete a 3-1 aggregate win for an Atletico side without the rested Diego Godin and Antoine Griezmann.

Jose Mourinho's sacking by Chelsea is likely to entrench his reputation as a manager who effectively guarantees short-term success, but for whom legacy-building represents an unsolvable puzzle.

The Portuguese, whose remarkable record earlier in his managerial career earned him the famous nickname 'The Special One', returned to Stamford Bridge in June 2013 after three increasingly bitter years at Real Madrid.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has left the club "by mutual consent" after a disastrous start to the season, the Premier League champions announced on Thursday.

"Chelsea Football Club and Jose Mourinho have today parted company by mutual consent," the club said in a statement on their website, confirming earlier media reports.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said Thursday he wants Jose Mourinho to still be in charge of Chelsea when Paris Saint-Germain play the English club in the Champions League next year.

The Swede added that he was surprised at seeing his former coach in such trouble -- Chelsea have lost nine games, are 16th in the Premier League and there is speculation Mourinho is about to be sacked -- but insisted that would not make PSG favorites when the two sides meet next February and March.

Luis Suarez fired a hat-trick as Barcelona overcame the loss of Lionel Messi to kidney problems to beat China's Guangzhou Evergrande 3-0 and reach the Club World Cup final on Thursday.

The Spanish giants will face Argentina's River Plate in Yokohama on Sunday when they will be chasing a record third title.

American Abby Wambach, whose 184 goals make her the top scorer in international football history, retired with a bang on Wednesday, saying the U.S. Soccer Federation should fire men's coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

The 35-year-old striker helped the Americans win this year's Women's World Cup.

Japanese rugby pin-up Ayumu Goromaru, one of the stars of the World Cup, is set to strike fear into opponents after being made a certified "Master of Ninjas."

The Japan Ninja Council said it awarded him the honor Wednesday because the full-back's kicking pose -- hands clasped together, index fingers pointing upwards and slightly squatting -- evoked images of the ancient stealth warriors.