Chelsea are hopeful Didier Drogba's head injury will be confirmed as nothing more serious than concussion after the Ivory Coast striker was taken to hospital during his side's 3-1 win over Norwich.

The Ivory Coast forward was stretchered off at Stamford Bridge on Saturday after a mid-air collision with Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy that was compounded by a heavy fall to the turf.

Joey Barton's first game for new QPR will come not as expected against Wigan on Saturday but against his former employers Newcastle a fortnight later.

The 28-year-old midfielder signed for the Premier League newcomers on a four-year-deal on Friday, and had been scheduled to make his debut 24 hours later against Wigan.

Veteran Formula One team chief Peter Sauber said on Saturday that he did not believe Renault's newly-promoted Brazilian 'pay driver' Bruno Senna could match dumped German Nick Heidfeld for driving skills.

In an interview with Blick newspaper, he said he thought the decision to change drivers midway through the season was "only about economic problems."

Australian Mark Webber had good reason to smile on Saturday morning after he topped the times in final free practice ahead of Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver was not only the fastest man around the spectacular and challenging Spa-Francorchamps circuit in cold and wet conditions, but did so on his 35th birthday when it was confirmed he had signed a contract extension for 2012.

The motto of the Asian Football Confederation is 'The Future is Asia', yet a series of recent controversies indicate the game seems unable to shake off its unhappy history of corruption, bribery and political interference across the continent.

Asian football may be making great strides in some areas — luring top quality players — but the problems off the pitch remain as a brake on development, with Syria's expulsion from the 2014 World Cup qualifiers being yet another example.

Two-times world champion Fernando Alonso has defended old rival Michael Schumacher's decision to return to Formula One -- despite the former 'red baron's' disappointing results with the Mercedes team.

Spaniard Alonso enjoyed a close rivalry with Schumacher when the now 42-year-old German driver was close to the end of his long and successful spell with Ferrari and he was rising to fame and success with Renault.

UEFA President Michel Platini is warning of "red lights flashing" across Europe because of football's financial problems.

Platini confessed on Friday to fearing for the future of professional football because of clubs going bankrupt and running up debts, and players going on strike in Spain and Italy.

As the U.S. Open approaches, the tennis world is focusing on Novak Djokovic and his remarkable season — and rightly so, according to the man he replaced at No. 1, Rafael Nadal.

"He deserves it," Nadal said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press after attending the tournament draw.

Bruno Senna will replace Nick Heidfeld in the Renault line-up at Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix, driving alongside Russia's Vitaly Petrov, the team announced on Wednesday.

"Lotus-Renault are happy to announce that Bruno Senna will race at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend," said a statement.

Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt on Thursday played down soaring expectations at the world championships in his "comeback season", insisting he still has work to do to become a legend.

The defending Olympic and world champion in the 100m and 200m, speaking two days before he launches his bid for glory in South Korea, said breaking his own world records was unlikely as he makes his way back from injury.