Las Palmas make their first visit to the Santiago Bernabeu for 13 years on Saturday hoping to avoid the same punishment they received in a 7-0 thrashing on their last trip to the capital.

The Canary Islanders have already changed their coach just nine games into their return to the top flight as Paco Herrera was sacked despite guiding them to promotion.

Manchester United face a difficult visit to Crystal Palace on Saturday with their legendary former midfielder Paul Scholes the latest high-profile figure to question Louis van Gaal's tactical approach.

Two home games in the space of four days saw United record consecutive goalless draws against Manchester City and Middlesbrough in the League Cup, the latter leading to a penalty shoot-out which saw them exit the competition 3-1.

Facing a crunch match against Liverpool on Saturday, embattled Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho must confront an adversary who condemned him to one of the most painful defeats of his career.

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool's new manager, was in charge of the Borussia Dortmund side who ousted Real Madrid in the 2012-13 Champions League semi-finals, dashing Mourinho's dream of bringing the European Cup back to the Bernabeu in what he knew would be his final season at the club.

Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button are set to be hit with more grid penalties at this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix if McLaren go ahead with more engine changes for both drivers.

Alonso has already used 10 engines in the first 16 races of this season and is expected to use another of the latest Honda power units.

Swiss great Roger Federer Thursday encouraged ball kids to break their golden rule and approach him for photos and autographs at next year's Australian Open in Melbourne.

Ball boys and girls are forbidden to make personal requests to players, but in a video message sent to the 380 children who will officiate at the 2016 tournament, Federer asked them to interact with him during the Grand Slam.

Nico Rosberg wants to clear the air with newly-crowned triple world champion Lewis Hamilton when the Mercedes team gathers at the "high altitude" Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez ahead of this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.

Four days after the spectacular and tumultuous United States Grand Prix in Texas, where the pair clashed on lap one before Hamilton secured a bold, title-clinching triumph, the 30-year-old German wants an explanation of their wheel-banging duel.

Wayne Rooney failed to convert a spot-kick as Manchester United lost 3-1 on penalties to second-tier Middlesbrough in the League Cup on Wednesday, while Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool edged Bournemouth.

After 120 goalless minutes at Old Trafford, the fourth-round tie went to penalties and with Rooney, Michael Carrick and Ashley Young all fluffing their lines, Championship side Middlesbrough pulled off a memorable win.

Los Angeles Galaxy's bid for a record sixth MLS Cup crown came to a juddering halt on Wednesday as the reigning champions suffered a season-ending 3-2 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in the opening round of the playoffs.

A star-studded Galaxy side featuring former England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and Ireland international Robbie Keane paid the price for a shoddy defensive display.

The Minnesota Timberwolves recorded an emotional season-opening victory Wednesday by toppling Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers 112-111, just 72 hours after losing head coach Flip Saunders to cancer.

The two NBA league doormats from last year put on an exciting display as the Timberwolves rallied from a nine-point half-time deficit then forced Lakers guard Louis Williams to miss a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer.

Barcelona's Javier Mascherano admitted to two counts of tax fraud totaling just over 1.5 million euros ($1.64 million) before a judge on Thursday.

Mascherano arrived at the court in Gava, a coastal town on the outskirts of Barcelona where the player resides, at 0900 local time (0800GMT) accompanied by his lawyers.