Ryan Giggs said there is no excuse for Manchester United's poor start to the season and insists the players, not manager David Moyes, are to blame.

United has won only two of its opening six matches in the English Premier League - its worst start to a season in 24 years - and is 12th in the standings.

Kobe Bryant is heading to Germany to have a medical procedure unrelated to the torn Achilles tendon he sustained in April.

The Los Angeles Lakers said on Thursday that Bryant is expected to return early next week.

Tottenham overcame cold conditions to maintain its billing as the Europa League's top contender thanks to a confident victory on Thursday, when a goalkeeping gaffe sparked Valencia to its first win.

Tottenham, the English Premier League club which has spent heavily this offseason and sold Gareth Bale, wasn't the only team to make it two-for-two in wins: Genk, Fiorentina, Eintracht Frankfurt, Rubin Kazan, Sevilla, Swansea, Salzburg, and Ludogorets Razgrad are also perfect.

Formula One teams say next year's weight rules for cars could push taller and heavier drivers out of the sport, but the chances of it being revised are unlikely because that would require consensus within the notoriously divided group.

The combined weight limit for car and driver will be raised from 642 kilograms to 690 next year, but the 2014 cars — which require radical changes to accommodate V6 turbo engines — are likely to be more than 50 kilograms heavier than existing models so, in effect, the allowance for drivers will fall.

World Cup-winning All Blacks flanker Jerome Kaino is returning to New Zealand rugby after a two-year playing stint in Japan.

The 30-year-old Kaino, a veteran of 48 tests, left New Zealand immediately after the 2011 World Cup final and after playing all but 90 seconds of New Zealand's six matches at the world tournament.

Claims that migrant workers are treated like slaves in 2022 World Cup host Qatar were center stage on Thursday as global football's governing body FIFA met behind closed doors.

Already scheduled to debate shifting the 2022 edition from the World Cup's traditional June and July slot in order to escape the stifling Gulf heat -- a plan which has angered European leagues that fear mid-season havoc -- FIFA found the spotlight shifting to alleged human rights abuses against the workers paving the pay for the tournament.

Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp must serve a two-match Champions League ban for his "irresponsible" rant at a match official.

UEFA said the automatic one-match suspension after his sending off for "pestering a match official" has been increased to a two-match sanction.

Bayern Munich and Real Madrid produced dominant performances in the Champions League on Wednesday as the likes of Arjen Robben and Cristiano Ronaldo found the net on a good night for Europe's top forwards.

Robben helped Bayern outclass Manchester City 3-1 away, a demonstration that Bayern's defense of the title is right on track with two wins from two games.

David Stern is soon on his way to the Philippines and Taiwan. After that, it's off to Beijing and Shanghai.

His final months as commissioner are the NBA's boldest yet when it comes to playing internationally, and he thinks bringing the league around the globe will remain important long after he's left office in February.

Li Na kept alive local hopes of a first homegrown champion in the China Open when she reached the quarterfinals with a tough 7-5, 6-4 win over Sabine Lisicki of Germany on Wednesday.

Also, 2005 champion Rafael Nadal edged Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-4, 7-6 (3) to move into the third round.