Barcelona contest the Club World Cup in Japan boasting arguably the most devastating strike-force the game has seen and as red-hot favorites to lift the trophy for a third time.

Barring any shocks, Argentina's River Plate will await the European champions in the final in Yokohama on December 20.

Louis van Gaal says he is unable to defend himself following Manchester United's Champions League exit, but he insists the Red Devils are improving under his tenure.

United crashed out with a 3-2 defeat at Wolfsburg, who made club history by reaching the knock-out stages as Group B winners.

Cristiano Ronaldo struck four times to set a new record for goals scored in the Champions League group stage as Real Madrid also equaled the record victory in the competition with an 8-0 mauling of Malmo on Tuesday.

Troubled French striker Karim Benzema also scored his first hat-trick for five years, whilst Mateo Kovacic added his first goal for the Spanish giants.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic set another record as Paris Saint-Germain finished their Champions League pool phase on a positive note in beating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

Brazilian Lucas Moura broke the deadlock on 57 minutes before record goalscorer Ibrahimovic set the seal on their group A victory with the second four minutes from time.

Fernando Llorente came back to haunt his old side Juventus as Sevilla sealed their shot at another Europa League title with a 1-0 win over the Italian champions on Tuesday.

Victory for Unai Emery's men allied to Manchester City's come-from-behind 4-2 win against Borussia Moenchengladbach propelled Sevilla into third place in Group D and a place in the competition they have won for the past two years.

Raheem Sterling marked his 21st birthday with a decisive brace as Manchester City secured top spot in Champions League Group D by overpowering in-form Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-2 on Tuesday.

With 10 minutes left City trailed, goals from Julian Korb and Raffael having canceled out David Silva's 16th-minute opener, but a stunning late surge by the hosts saw Sterling strike twice in two minutes to put City in charge before substitute Wilfried Bony added a fourth.

Former Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius was released on bail Tuesday after his conviction for his girlfriend's murder, as his lawyers said they would launch an appeal to South Africa's constitutional court.

"The case is postponed until April 16 2016. The applicant is released on bail of 10,000 rand ($690)," judge Aubrey Ledwaba told Pretoria High Court.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics organizers said Tuesday they have received more than 14,500 suggestions for a new logo after the original choice was withdrawn because of a plagiarism scandal.

The organizing committee in August dropped the emblem put forward by Japanese designer Kenjiro Sano following allegations it too closely resembled that of a theater in the Belgian city of Liege created by designer Olivier Debie.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points as the Dallas Mavericks put rookie Kristaps Porzingis and the New York Knicks in their place with a 104-97 victory at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

Latvian rookie Porzingis -- who idolized German star Nowitzki as a schoolboy -- top scored with 28 points in a furious late onslaught for New York but it was not enough to overhaul Dallas.

Gary Neville will be handed a baptism of fire as Valencia boss when the Spanish side host Lyon in the Champions League on Wednesday hoping to seal their place in the last 16.

The match will be Neville's first as a head coach after he was surprisingly hired by business partner and Valencia owner Peter Lim until the end of the season despite his lack of managerial experience.