Liverpool's Martin Skrtel will serve a three-game suspension after losing his appeal against a charge for standing on Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, the Football Association announced on Wednesday.

The Slovakia center-back, 30, was charged with violent conduct on the basis of video evidence after referee Martin Atkinson missed the incident, which occurred at the end of United's 2-1 win at Anfield on Sunday.

Rafael Nadal vowed Tuesday to be ready for his Miami Masters opener in three days after seriously rolling his left ankle on the practice court.

The Spanish second seed suffered the setback on Monday but managed to practise for nearly 90 minutes on Tuesday, although not at full throttle, in a session that gave the 2014 Miami runner-up some much-needed confidence.

Fernando Alonso's return from his mysterious crash and concussion will give struggling McLaren a boost as the Formula One field strives to rein in Mercedes at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The season is only one race old but warnings are already flashing that Mercedes could dominate this year like few before it after world champion Lewis Hamilton led an untroubled one-two finish in Australia.

The father of Brazilian star Neymar on Tuesday said the mega-transfer deal which took the striker from Santos to Barcelona was "absolutely legal."

It comes with Spanish prosecutors requesting a prison sentence of two years and three months for Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and seven for his predecessor, Sandro Rosell, over the so-called Neymar affair.

Nearly nine years after Italy's biggest football scandal, the investigation has been closed with hardly any sentences given.

Former Juventus executives Luciano Moggi and Antonio Giraudo will not face jail for match-fixing after their prison sentences were eliminated by Italy's highest criminal court, which ruled that the statute of limitations expired.

Accusing it of practicing "modern slavery," a French campaign group has filed a legal complaint against construction giant Vinci for grave mistreatment of migrant workers in Qatar, the host country of the 2022 World Cup.

Vinci says it "totally refutes" the charge and will file a counter-suit against the group, Sherpa, for libel.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone renewed his contract with the Spanish champion on Tuesday for another five seasons until 2020.

Although he was linked with other clubs, including Manchester City as a possible replacement for Manuel Pellegrini, Simeone said he would "stay where I am" because he was sure the club would continue to grow.

The number of foreign players in English Premier League squads is set to be reduced under new rules designed to prevent the development of homegrown youngsters being stifled by imports.

The English Football Association announced Monday that the non-European players will find it harder to gain British work permits from May when more stringent eligibility requirements come into force. The FA is also trying to gain Premier League approval for new limits on foreign players in squads.

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has been charged with violent conduct by the FA following an incident with Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.

Skrtel appeared to step on de Gea near the end of his side's 2-1 defeat at Anfield on Sunday.

Stephen Curry had 24 points as the Golden State Warriors used a smothering defensive effort in the third quarter to pound the Washington Wizards 107-76 on Monday.

The Warriors held the Wizards without a field goal for nearly 11 minutes after halftime, with Washington missing its first 15 shots. Golden State outscored the Wizards 29-8 in the quarter to take a 24-point lead.