Tony Pulis has left his position as Crystal Palace manager, plunging the club into turmoil just a day before it starts the English Premier League season.

Pulis walked away late Thursday, but Palace wouldn't confirm it until Friday, and said it was by "mutual consent."

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic tumbled out of the Western & Southern Open on Thursday, while second-seeded Roger Federer narrowly avoided an upset in the round of 16.

Tommy Robredo beat Djokovic, 7-6 (6), 7-5 before Federer escaped with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Gael Monfils in the night session.

Argentina striker Sergio Aguero has signed a new five-year contract with Manchester City, joining David Silva and Vincent Kompany in committing his future to the English champions this week.

The 26-year-old Aguero's new deal runs to 2019.

Former Juventus manager Antonio Conte was confirmed as the new coach of Italy after signing a two-year contract on Thursday.

The Italian football federation announced the appointment, three days after new president Carlo Tavecchio was elected. Tavecchio and Conte spoke on the phone early Thursday.

New Argentina coach Gerardo Martino will not make any drastic changes to the style of play that took the team to the World Cup final.

After being officially introduced on Thursday, Martino said he will keep the same philosophy and tactics of former coach Alejandro Sabella, who stood down after the World Cup in Brazil.

German World Cup-winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Netherlands winger Arjen Robben and Real Madrid and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo are the three contenders to win UEFA's Best Player in Europe Award for 2013/14.

The winner, to be announced on August 28 in Monaco, where the draw for the group stage of the Champions League is taking place, will succeed last year's victor Franck Ribery.

UEFA says it dismissed Legia Warsaw's appeal against forfeiting its Champions League place for fielding a suspended player against Celtic.

Legia can now seek an urgent Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing before Celtic plays Maribor in the first leg of their playoff next Wednesday.

Belgian international defender Daniel van Buyten, without a club since his contract with Bayern Munich expired in June, has decided to retire from the game at the age of 36.

Van Buyten had been approached by several clubs in Germany and France and had a concrete offer on the table of a contract with Belgian champions Anderlecht, who had offered him a one-year deal worth a million euros.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld Luis Suarez's four-month ban for biting an opponent at the World Cup, but cleared him Thursday to train with Barcelona.

CAS said FIFA's sanctions against Suarez are "generally proportionate to the offense committed."

Bayern Munich defensive midfielder Javi Martinez will miss much of the season after tearing left-knee ligaments in the German Super Cup.

The Bundesliga champion said on its home page that an examination one day after the injury "confirmed the fears" and that Martinez had torn ligaments.