Napoli's Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has been hit with a four-match ban following his sending off in Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Udinese, a blow for his team who are battling with Juventus for the Serie A title.

Higuain was shown his second yellow card for kicking out at defender Felipe, prompting the striker to launch a verbal tirade against the referee. The 28-year-old had to be pulled away by team-mates as he tried to angrily remonstrate with Udinese players.

Cristiano Ronaldo, the Champions League's top scorer this season with 13 goals, can add to his tally and extend his record against German clubs in the knockout stages at Wolfsburg.

The 31-year-old is currently four short of matching his record in a Champions League season ahead of Wednesday's quarter-final, first leg, at the German league club with the return next Tuesday at the Bernabeu.

Chelsea confirmed on Monday that Italy coach Antonio Conte will take charge at Stamford Bridge in time for next season. Here AFP Sports looks at five things the former Juventus boss must focus on to get the troubled Premier League club back on track:

- Resolve Terry's future

When nouveaux riches Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City meet at the Parc des Princes in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, they will do so as two of the ogres of the modern game.

Two of Europe's financial powerhouses thanks to their oil-rich Middle Eastern owners, City are in the last eight for the first time while PSG are there for the fourth year in succession.

French emergency services carried out terrorist attack simulation exercises on Monday at selected fan zones and venues two months ahead of the 2016 European Championships.

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Health Minister Marisol Touraine both assisted at the exercise at a fan zone in the western city of Bordeaux which mobilized 600 fire fighters, police, army, and emergency services.

Formula One world championship leader Nico Rosberg's contract with the Mercedes team has shown up in the Panama Papers, leaked documents which reveal offshore financial dealings, German broadcaster ARD reported on Monday.

Revelations in leaked data from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca detailing how the world's wealthy including politicians and sports stars used its lawyers to set up offshore companies is sending shock waves around the world.

Wolfsburg's Germany midfielder Julian Draxler says facing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is any footballer's dream ahead of Wednesday's Champions League home quarter-final, first-leg, clash against Real Madrid.

"You can only be impressed with Cristiano Ronaldo," Draxler told SID, an AFP subsidiary.

After two successive season-opening wins, Nico Rosberg is "living the moment" but says he remains fearful of Ferrari following their demonstration of potential in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.

The 30-year-old German leads the embryonic drivers' championship by 17 points ahead of his Mercedes team-mate, defending three-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

Gonzalo Higuain's impressive scoring streak in Serie A is expected to be halted by an imminent ban that could end Napoli's bid for a long-awaited Serie A title.

Higuain hit his 30th league goal of the campaign on Sunday to pull to within five goals of retired AC Milan striker Gunnar Nordahl's all-time record of 35 goals in a single, 20-team Serie A season.

South Korea's world-record holding short track speed skater Noh Jin-Kyu has died after a battle with bone cancer, his family said Monday. He was 23.

Noh's sister, speed skater Noh Seon-Yeong, posted on her brother's Facebook page that he had died Sunday evening.