Sports

Asian Games-bound Indian football team, reduced to 10 men for the last 20 minutes, snatched a 1-0 win against visiting Pakistan in the first of the two friendlies.

Liverpool can take confidence from last season into the new campaign despite missing out on a first English championship for 24 years, Rodgers said.

Martino said Lionel Messi's role is that of the world's best player and Javier Mascherano has been a team leader for a very long time.

Injury sustained by Luke Shaw was caused by too many training sessions from new manager van Gaal, former assistant coach Raymond Verheijen said.

Veteran Belgium defender Daniel van Buyten announced his retirement on Thursday, ending speculation he was to join champions Anderlecht for the season.

Neymar completed his first full training session with the rest of the team on Wednesday, although he has not yet been cleared by team doctors to play games.

Villa look to be headed for another season of struggle in the EPL following a summer which exposed the turmoil and uncertainly surrounding the club.

Iniesta said that Suarez is desperate to return to the pitch as soon as possible in order to start playing with his new club.

"He's not leaving, he's a Real Madrid player. He has a contract until June 30, 2015 and that's all there is to say," Ancelotti said.

PSG have ended talks with Real on buying Di Maria because the Argentina midfielder is too expensive, the president of the Ligue 1 champions said.

Mads Junker and Morten Skoubo have played under Dynamos' Belgian coach Harm Van Veldhoven in Dutch Eredivisie league with Roda JC.

"Unfortunately, I have had that tough time at club level, then I have gone into a World Cup hoping that it is going to be really well. But it backfired," Gerrard said.

The 2014-15 fixtures also see new Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri return to San Siro to face former club AC Milan in their third match of the season.

Benfica have signed Bebe from Manchester United in a deal worth up to three million euros, the Premier League club said on Friday.

Atletico de Kolkata were the biggest spenders, splurging Rs.3.91 crore in buying 14 Indian players at the two-day Indian Super League players' draft.

Valencia's French defender Jeremy Mathieu will join Barcelona for a fee of 20 million euros ($26.9 million), the Catalan club said on Wednesday.