Dundalk head coach Vinny Perth believes only a small number of the club's fans were involved in sectarian chants picked up by television microphones during Monday night's Unite the Union Champions Cup tie against Linfield at Oriel Park.

For Felipe Contepomi it’s on a par with River Plate v Boca Juniors; for CJ Stander and Johann van Graan a reminder of Bulls versus Stormers games.

What's more, there's a Tipperary link to River's defeated rivals Boca Juniors too.

River Plate won the Copa Libertadores by coming from behind to beat rivals Boca Juniors 3-1 in extra-time of their controversially rearranged final in Madrid.

Stand down Richard Scudamore and company, think again Paul Merson; is the Munster Hurling Championship now The Best League in the World?

The PES 2017 demo is now available to download on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime

Everton 0 Manchester City 2: Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini claimed it’s too early to compare this team with his 2014 Premier League-winning vintage.

Erik Lamela’s rabona goal in the Europa League is being hailed as a Goal of the Season contender already, but it turns out the 22-year-old has done it before - as a teenager in Argentina.

Radamel Falcao’s father has revealed Real Madrid were unwilling to make a financial effort to sign his son.

As far as Real Madrid are concerned, there is no debate to be had – Alfredo Di Stefano was, quite simply, “the best footballer of all time”.

Colombia 2 Ivory Coast 1

The police came at a frantic space in vans, cars and motorbikes, all with sirens blaring and blue lights flashing.

PREMIER LEAGUE:

Tottenham’s summer spending spree passed the £90m mark when they completed the signing of Erik Lamela from Roma.

Southampton’s record signing Pablo Osvaldo says he will not make the mistakes his compatriot Mario Balotelli made in the Premier League, says Joseph Sexton

Juventus have confirmed the signing of striker Carlos Tevez from Manchester City on a three-year deal.

Anyone with an ounce of taste has been reading one American writer in particular for the last couple of years.

Inter Milan have released Colombian defender Nelson Rivas, the club confirmed today.

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini insists his club have no chance of signing Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli.

Alejandro Sabella will take over as Argentina coach until after the 2014 World Cup finals, Argentinian Football Association president Julio Grondona has confirmed.

The Argentinian Football Association are to implement a radical change to the country’s domestic competition with the top two divisions combining to make a 38-team tournament from 2012/13.

Fans of historic Argentine soccer club River Plate fought running battles with police after the team was relegated to the second division for the first time in its 110-year existence.

ONE of the most famous names in South American football, 33-time Argentina champions River Plate, suffered their biggest humiliation last night with relegation to the second division for the first time.

WIND back to August, and a one-on-one chat with Barcelona’s new signing David Villa at the training ground. A recent World Cup winner, Villa was enthusing about his new life at Camp Nou when Barça’s press chief walked past.

Catania have confirmed the appointment of former Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone as their new coach.

Everton’s pre-season trip to Ghana has been cancelled because of scheduling problems.

Manuel Pellegrini today described his appointment as the new coach of Real Madrid as a “dream come true”.

CELTIC manager Gordon Strachan claimed his side can come back stronger in Europe after they finished off their Champions League campaign with an encouraging 2-0 win over Villarreal at Parkhead last night.

Javier Mascherano has revealed he has “no feeling” for former club West Ham as he prepares to face the east Londoners at Anfield.

Tottenham will insist on their valuation of Dimitar Berbatov being met before allowing the striker to leave White Hart Lane.

TOTTENHAM are willing to make Dimitar Berbatov play reserve-team football if they do not receive a suitable offer for the striker from Manchester United.

River Plate striker Radamel Falcao Garcia has moved to end speculation about a possible move to Arsenal by insisting his future lies in Argentina.

SAMIR NASRI feels he has all the qualities to fit right in with Arsenal’s culture of “amazing football”.

Liverpool 2 Reading 1

Javier Mascherano has signed a four-year contract with Liverpool, the club have confirmed.

ARGENTINA’S director of rugby Les Cusworth is convinced the best is yet to come from Juan Martin Hernandez, the Pumas fly-half dubbed rugby’s Maradona.

FELIPE CONTEPOMI cannot envisage a better time for Argentina to break their duck against South Africa than in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

RIMAS ALVAREZ KAIRELIS is confident Argentina will let their rugby do the talking after seeing the hype around the squad reach unprecedented levels following their qualification for the World Cup knockout stages.

Recently-crowned Argentina World Cup Under-20 winner Angel Di Maria claims negotiations with English Premier League club Arsenal are going well.

Aston Villa have completed the signing of West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker.

Nigel Reo-Coker will become Aston Villa’s second most expensive signing if his £8.5mmove from West Ham goes through today.

Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan has emerged as a major summer target for Aston Villa.

Bolton and Reading have been kept apart in South Korea’s Peace Cup this summer.

Aston villa manager Martin O'Neill has told Colombian striker Juan Pablo Angel he "will not stand in his way" if he has the chance to play in Major League Soccer in America.

Aston Villa’s club record signing Juan Pablo Angel is on the verge of completing a move to major League side New York Red Bulls.