Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson received a welcome boost on Friday after it was confirmed Phil Jones had not suffered a fractured cheekbone against Fulham.

England international Jones was forced to leave the field after 20 minutes of Wednesday's 5-0 rout of the Cottagers following a heavy aerial collision.

Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly on the verge of taking over at big-spending French club Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG is widely expected to part ways with Antoine Kombouare despite leading the French league going into the winter break, with French and Italian newspapers reporting Friday that Ancelotti is close to being hired as his replacement.

Barcelona says midfielder Andres Iniesta will be sidelined for at least two weeks after injuring his right thigh in a Copa del Rey match on Thursday.

Iniesta tangled with Hospitalet goalkeeper Carlos Craviotto in the 28th minute, and was substituted two minutes later as coach Pep Guardiola held his head fearing the worst.

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure has been named African Player of the Year at an awards ceremony in the Ghanaian capital Accra.

The Manchester City player won ahead of Mali and Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita, with Ghana forward Andre Ayew — who plays for French club Marseille — third.

Big-spending Malaga was drawn against defending champion Real Madrid for the Copa del Rey's round of 16, while Osasuna gets the unenviable task of facing 25-time champion Barcelona.

Barcelona routed third-tier side Hospitalet 10-0 over two legs to advance, while Madrid easily overcame another minnow in Ponferradina.

Coming off a miserable season in which it won only one race, Ferrari plans to introduce its completely revised 2012 car during the "the first few days of February."

Ferrari President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo announced the team's plans late Wednesday at the automaker's Christmas party.

Reigning league MVP Derrick Rose has signed a five-year, multi-million dollar contract extension with the Chicago Bulls.

The 23-year-old Rose averaged 25.0 points and 7.7 assists last season, his third in the NBA since the Bulls drafted him with the number-one overall pick three years ago. Details of the contract were not released.

The lawyer for Luis Suarez announced plans Wednesday to appeal against the striker's eight-game ban for racially insulting Manchester United's Patrice Evra, while his Liverpool teammates publicly backed their teammates in a statement.

Alejandro Balbi, who is Suarez's lawyer and agent, told reporters in Uruguay about the plans to appeal just as the forward was getting ready to play in Liverpool's 0-0 draw at Wigan in the Premier League.

Manchester United kept up their pursuit of leaders Manchester City with a 5-0 victory at Fulham but the three points came at a cost as England duo Phil Jones and Ashley Young were injured.

Both will now miss games over the holiday period and beyond. Jones, who was back in defense to replace Rio Ferdinand after a lengthy spell in midfield, was forced off early on after being hit in the jaw by the arm of Clint Dempsey.

Kobe Bryant did not play in the Los Angeles Lakers' preseason finale against the Clippers on Wednesday night because of a torn ligament in his right wrist, and his status for the season opener on Christmas Day is up in the air.

A MRI revealed the extent of the injury, which occurred early in the in the third quarter of the Lakers' 114-95 loss to the Clippers on Monday night. Bryant was examined by Dr. Steven Shin of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. Depending on the degree of the tear, he could be sidelined as long as three to four weeks.