Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is struggling to be fit for Portugal’s opening World Cup match due to tendinitis around his left kneecap, the national federation revealed today.

Jose Mourinho has questioned the assertion of Tottenham head coach Tim Sherwood that Chelsea’s next opponents Manchester City are the best team on the planet.

Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio has revealed that Argentinian full-back Gino Peruzzi will not be joining the club after all.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has no concerns about the form of influential striker Carlos Tevez.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini claimed he might have substituted striker Mario Balotelli after just five minutes of his side’s frustrating draw with Sunderland today.

President Nicolas Sarkozy defended his unpopular policies as having insulated France from the worst consequences of Europe’s debt crisis, declaring in a nationalistic speech to thousands of supporters that “the truth doesn’t scare me”.

The murder trial of a man who has admitted killing a teenager in a bar on Arranmore Island has heard evidence from his then wife that he had been “barred from the house with a barring order.”

The trial of a man accused of murdering a man by stabbing him with a broken glass in a bar on Arranmore Island has heard evidence from a pathologist about the cause of death.

Leinster scrum half Isaac Boss believes the foundations for Ireland's next generation of players is already in place with the likes of Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley poised to take on more responsibility at international level.

Shocks were conspicuous by their absence on the opening day of the US Open, with Venus Williams and defending champion Kim Clijsters among the seeds enjoying a comfortable passage into the second round at Flushing Meadows.

FRANCE coach Raymond Domenech has ignored the pleas of Zinedine Zidane and refused to pick his fit-again captain Patrick Vieira for the World Cup qualifying play-off against Ireland on November 14.

Max Mosley last night cast fresh doubt on his future as president of the FIA after issuing an angry letter to Luca di Montezemolo, accusing the Ferrari president of making “false statements.”

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp expects Alan Shearer to get bitten by the managerial “bug” and stay at Newcastle beyond this season, even if they are relegated.

Italy’s football federation have charged Juventus, former general manager Luciano Moggi and a number of match officials in the second part of investigations into the 2006 match-fixing scandal.

Ike Turner, whose role as one of rock’s critical architects was overshadowed by his ogre-like image as the man who brutally abused former wife Tina Turner, died today at his home in suburban San Diego.

DAVID BECKHAM faces a near-impossible task to turn football into one of the USA’s major sports, according to Alex Ferguson.

AN AUDIENCE with Ireland star Donncha O’Callaghan is rarely dull, especially when the giant lock forward removes the serious match-day mask as he did at Dromoland Castle this week for the launch of the new adidas tight-fit Munster jersey.

Imperial Cup winner Victram is bang on target for another assault on a major handicap hurdle in the totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill has hailed Alex Ferguson as “the Godfather of The Premier League” and praised the way he has adjusted his managerial style to the demands of football clubs in the 21st century.

TRAINER Shaun Keightley is planning to appeal against the three-year suspension imposed by the Jockey Club over the running and riding of Red Lancer at Wolverhampton in 2003.

Bono is giving a reformed criminal a boost as he plans a pop career after calling him "the most important Jamaican artist since (Bob) Marley".