Lionel Messi marked his return from illness with a brilliant goal as Barcelona beat Argentina's River Plate 3-0 to capture a record third Club World Cup on Sunday.

The Spanish giants welcomed back Messi after a bout of kidney stones and the mercurial Argentine scored with a clinical finish on 36 minutes, before a lethal Luis Suarez double destroyed River's hopes.

Owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi has hit out at Paris Saint-Germain's fans for being too "well-behaved" in an interview published on Saturday.

Speaking to Le Figaro newspaper, the Qatari billionaire said he wants the club's supporters to make more noise in cheering on their dominant heroes at the Parc des Princes.

Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne says Jurgen Klopp's vibrant personality has infused his side with the belief they can win the Premier League this season.

Klopp's side are 11 points behind leaders Leicester City in ninth place as they prepare to face Watford at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Guus Hiddink will be waiting in the wings when Chelsea begin life after Jose Mourinho with a crucial Premier League clash against fellow strugglers Sunderland on Saturday.

Hiddink is Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's top choice to replace the sacked Mourinho on a caretaker basis until the end of the season while he searches for a long-term successor.

The Montreal Impact on Friday denied that striker Didier Drogba had been contacted about a return to English Premier League club Chelsea, in turmoil since sacking manager Jose Mourinho.

"The rumor about Didier Drogba is unfounded," Major League Soccer's Impact posted on their official Twitter account. "No contact has been made with the club or him."

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists he isn't worried about renewed speculation that Pep Guardiola is being lined up to take his job at the end of the season.

Guardiola is expected to announce on Sunday that he will leave Bayern Munich once the current campaign finishes and that has triggered a fresh stream of reports claiming City will try to hire the Spaniard.

Germany striker Thomas Mueller, defender Jerome Boateng and Spain's Javi Martinez have all extended their contracts with Bayern Munich until 2021, the club said on Friday.

The three-time defending German champions also extended midfield holder Xabi Alonso's deal until 2017.

Jose Mourinho's sacking by Chelsea was depicted as an early Christmas carve up on Friday as the British press reported he had been let go after a holiday lunch with players.

"Jose gets stuffed: Christmas lunch with team... then Mourinho's sacked after losing toxic dressing room," wrote the Daily Mirror.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has ruled out an immediate return to the Santiago Bernabeu for Jose Mourinho, despite holding "good memories" of the Portuguese national's spell in charge of Madrid.

Mourinho left Chelsea "by mutual consent" according to the English champions on Thursday, two years after returning to the Premier League from Madrid, where he won one La Liga title in three years in charge.

Cleveland superstar LeBron James scored 33 points to lead the short-handed Cavaliers to a 104-100 NBA victory over Oklahoma on Thursday that halted the Thunder's six-game winning streak.

James scored 33 points and handed out 11 assists, with his nine rebounds leaving him just one shy of his first triple-double of the season.