Leicester City defender Danny Simpson insists the prolonged absence of star striker Jamie Vardy won't stop the Premier League leaders clinching the most incredible title triumph in English football history at Manchester United on Sunday.

Claudio Ranieri's side have the eyes of the world on them as they head to Old Trafford knowing a victory against United would see the 5,000-1 outsiders crowned champions for the first time in their 132-year history.

Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho was on Thursday provisionally suspended for 30 days after failing a drugs test, European football's governing body UEFA announced.

The France international reportedly tested positive for a fat burner after Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Manchester United in the Europa League on March 17.

Pep Guardiola's decision to leave Germany striker Thomas Mueller on the bench for Wednesday's 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final was roundly criticized by German media on Thursday.

"Super solo from Atletico! Poor selection from Pep", read the headline on Bild's front page, questioning why the Bayern coach began the game without Mueller, "his best scorer away from home in the Champions League", or French winger Franck Ribery.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is a major doubt for the Spanish giants Champions League semi-final, second leg against Manchester City on Wednesday after Madrid confirmed he is suffering from a hamstring strain.

"Following tests carried out today on Karim Benzema in the Sanitas La Moraleja University Hospital, he has been diagnosed with a strained right hamstring," the club said in a statement on Thursday.

A collective euphoria has gripped Leicester's humdrum streets as the often-overlooked English city stands at the cusp of achieving global sporting immortality by winning football's most coveted league title.

Many in the medium-sized Midlands city will not talk about the possibility of one of sporting history's most unlikely triumphs for fear of jinxing their heroes.

A sweep of the press room before Leicester City's recent victory over Swansea City confirmed the extent to which their pursuit of Premier League glory has captivated global audiences.

Journalists from as far afield as Finland, Turkey, South Korea and Australia mingled in the queue for a pre-match meal, while a 10-strong Japanese contingent sat around a table discussing how Shinji Okazaki would fare in the absence of his suspended strike partner Jamie Vardy.

South Korean athletes at the Rio Olympics will wear long-sleeved kit impregnated with mosquito repellant to protect them from the Zika virus, the national Olympic committee said Thursday.

Brazil -- epicenter of the mosquito-borne Zika virus outbreak, which is blamed for birth defects in babies -- hosts the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.

The Golden State Warriors brushed off the unsettling absence of injured star Stephen Curry on Wednesday to demolish the Houston Rockets and advance to the next round of the NBA playoffs.

The Warriors' hopes of successfully defending their NBA crown received a blow on Sunday after Curry was sidelined for at least two weeks with a sprained knee ligament.

Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola conceded his side had paid a heavy price for a slow start as Saul Niguez's sensational 11th minute solo effort handed Atletico Madrid a slender 1-0 from their Champions League semi-final, first leg on Wednesday.

The German champions dominated possession, but struggled to create chances as Atletico held out for their 33rd clean sheet of the season to take a huge step towards their second final in three years.

A large, topless, heavily tattooed figure pounding a drum has become iconic at Leicester football matches as the underdog club closes in on the Premier League title.

Shaven-headed Lee Jobber's back is covered with a large inked crest of Leicester City and his ample stomach bears the words "wide load".