Less than three weeks after the spectacular exploding tire failures seen at the British Grand Prix led to calls for a drivers' strike, the same men this week praised Pirelli for their latest racing rubber.

A week ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, and back on the same Silverstone circuit that saw four violent blowouts in the June 30 race, some of Pirelli's leading critics were forced to change their tune.

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina is to be loaned out to Serie A side Napoli next season where he'll be reunited with former Reds coach Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool Echo reported Friday.

The 30-year-old Spaniard has spent eight years at Anfield but the arrival of Simon Mignolet from Sunderland has meant he has lost his first-choice status.

Athletics received just the tonic it needed at a thrilling Diamond League meet in Monaco on Friday after a week tainted by the positive drugs tests of two of the best-ever male sprinters.

The failed tests of American Tyson Gay and Jamaican Asafa Powell, second and fourth fastest men of all time, and Powell's compatriot, three-time Olympic medalist Sherone Simpson, again brought into question the credibility of track and field just ahead of the world championships in Moscow.

Cancer-stricken Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova quit on Friday to undergo further treatment for his illness, the president of the Spanish champions, Sandro Rosell, said.

The 44-year-old Vilanova had a tumour removed from a salivary gland in his throat in November 2011 and in December 2012 he suffered a relapse.

Portuguese rider Rui Costa won the mountainous 19th stage of the Tour de France with a solo breakaway on the final climb, while race leader Chris Froome was still descending to the finish.

Costa secured his second stage win of the race after catching Frenchman Pierre Roland about a quarter of the way up Friday's fourth and final major ascent of Col de la Croix Fry.

Fans will pay a standard $90 for tickets to see World Cup matches in Brazil next year, $10 more than in 2010 in South Africa.

Announcing ticket rates Friday, FIFA said $15 seats will be available to Brazilian students, people over 60 and members of social programs. In 2010, South African residents could pay $20.

Italian World Cup-winning defender Gianluca Zambrotta has joined Chiasso in the Swiss League second division.

Chiasso announced in a statement that the 36-year-old Zambrotta has signed a one-year contract and will also work as an assistant coach.

After five grueling hours of riding, as he strained and sweated to victory in an eye-popping Tour de France stage with crowds that turned cycling's most famous climb into a huge and raucous high-mountain party, Christophe Riblon didn't want it to stop.

Winning a Tour stage is always special.

AmaZulu beat Manchester City 2-1 with an 89th-minute penalty on Thursday and left last season's Premier League runner-up with two losses from two games on its pre-season tour of South Africa.

Carlington Nyadombo hit the winner from the spot after the South African top-flight team led in the 20th minute through striker Bongani Ndulula. James Milner equalized at Durban's Moses Mabhida World Cup stadium with a crisp volley six minutes later, City's first goal on tour.

Former Australia coach John Buchanan has resigned as New Zealand's director of cricket, continuing a major shakeup in the sport's management and administration.

While local media blamed the breakdown of his relationship with national coach Mike Hesson, Buchanan said on Friday he is leaving the position after two years for family reasons.