Havelange: Joao Havelange, the 99-year old former president of FIFA, has been hospitalised with respiratory problems, doctors said yesterday. His condition is “stable,” Rio de Janeiro’s Samaritano hospital said in a statement. They would not say when he was interned. It is the second time in two years that Havelange has been hospitalised for pulmonary issues.
Club rankings: Italy are closing in on England in the UEFA rankings with Juventus contributing to the upsurge after beating Man. City in the Champions League this week. The gap between the two countries now stands at 2.7 points. Serie A can only claim the fourth Champions League spot at the Premier League’s expense in 2017-18.
TV rights: Telecoms group Altice has won exclusive French broadcasting rights for English soccer’s Premier League for the next three seasons, dealing a blow to current broadcaster Canal Plus, owned by rival group Vivendi. Altice and the Premier League announced that the contract covers the 2016/17 to 2018/19 seasons, with exclusive rights in France and Monaco, plus non-exclusive rights in Andorra, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Wilson: Manchester United striker James Wilson has joined Brighton on loan. The 19-year-old has made only two appearances for United this season, coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 defeat by Arsenal and starting in the League Cup loss to Middlesbrough last month. Wilson joins a Brighton team that are unbeaten in the Championship this season and lie third in the table.
Wollscheid: Stoke City centre-back Philipp Wollscheid will undergo a late fitness test ahead of today’s Premier League visit to third-from-bottom Sunderland, manager Mark Hughes said. Hughes’s team have the fourth-best defensive record in the league this season, conceding just 12 goals in 13 league games. Much of that is down to Wollscheid and Ryan Shawcross, who returned to the team at the end of October after a three-month injury lay-off.
The Championship: Hull vs Derby County 0-2.
Scottish Premiership: St Johnstone vs FC Dundee 1-1.
Women’s Football: Friendly – Malta vs Azerbaijan U-19 0-0.
Fixtures
Bundesliga
Played yesterday
Darmstadt vs Cologne - 0-0
Today – 15.30
Bayern Munich vs Hertha Berlin
Hanover vs Ingolstadt
Hoffenheim vs B. M’gladbach
Mainz vs E. Frankfurt
Werder Bremen vs Hamburg
Tomorrow
B. Dortmund vs Stuttgart - 15.30
Augsburg vs Wolfsburg - 17.30
B. Leverkusen vs Schalke - 17.30
Leading standings: B. Munich 37; B. Dortmund 29; Wolfsburg 24; Hertha Berlin 23; B. M’gladbach 22.
Primera Liga
Played yesterday
Levante vs Real Betis - 0-1
Today
Barcelona vs Real Sociedad - 16.00
Atl. Madrid vs Espanyol - 18.15
Malaga vs Granada - 20.30
Las Palmas vs Deportivo - 22.00
Celta Vigo vs Sporting Gijon - 22.05
Tomorrow
Getafe vs Villarreal - 12.00
Eibar vs Real Madrid - 16.00
R. Vallecano vs A. Bilbao - 18.15
Sevilla vs Valencia - 20.30
Leading standings: Barcelona 30; Atl. Madrid 26; R. Madrid 24; Villarreal, Celta Vigo 21; Eibar 20; Valencia 19.
Ligue 1
Played yesterday
Lyon vs Montpellier - 2-4
Today – 20.00
Angers vs Lille
Ajaccio vs Lorient
Nantes vs Bastia
Paris SG vs Troyes - 17.00
Reims vs Rennes
Toulouse vs Nice
Tomorrow
Saint-Etienne vs Guingamp - 14.00
Bordeaux vs Caen - 17.00
Marseille vs Monaco - 21.00
Leading standings: PSG 38; Lyon, Caen 25; Nice 24; Angers, Monaco 23; Saint-Etienne 22; Rennes 21; Lorient 20; Guingamp, Nantes 19.