Real face disqualification as Barca ease through
Tim Hanlon, Reuters
Real Madrid could be thrown out of the King's Cup for playing an ineligible player in their 3-1 victory over Cadiz on Wednesday after Barcelona routed lower league Villanovense 6-1 to reach the last 16.
Real's Denis Cheryshev received a third yellow card playing for Villarreal in the semi-finals last season but he has not served the resulting ban and the Madrid club are set to be thrown out of the competition, Spanish media reported.
Cheryshev scored the opening goal before being substituted at halftime and Isco struck twice for Real against the third- tier side who pulled a late goal back through Enrique Marquez.
The potential disqualification heaps more pressure on Real Madrid who lost 4-0 at home to arch-rivals Barca in La Liga last month and are six points behind them in the standings after 13 games.
Youngster Sandro Ramirez hit a hat-trick and Munir El-Haddadi struck twice for a Barcelona second-string side who tore apart lower league Villanovense 6-1 to book the holders a place in the last 16.
With big names including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez rested, it was a chance for Barca's lesser lights to shine after a goalless first leg and Sandro and Munir took full advantage with deadly performances.
Liverpool hit Saints for six to reach League Cup semis
Reuters
Liverpool ran riot to reach the League Cup semi-finals with a 6-1 thrashing of Southampton on Wednesday in which Divock Origi grabbed a hat-trick and Daniel Sturridge scored twice as the Juergen Klopp juggernaut rolled on.
Jordon Ibe added his name to the scoresheet as Liverpool emphatically overcame the early blow of Sadio Mane putting the hosts ahead inside a minute to emphasise their resurgence since Klopp arrived at the start of October.
Klopp's side, who have now won seven of their last eight games in all competitions, will face Stoke City in the semi-finals while Premier League leaders Manchester City will play Everton in the other last-four clash after Wednesday's draw.
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Cahill signs new four-year Chelsea deal
Reuters
Chelsea's England defender Gary Cahill has signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at the club until 2019, the Premier League champions said in a statement.
The 29-year-old has become a pivotal figure in the Chelsea backline since joining from Bolton Wanderers in 2012, winning the Champions League, Europa League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup in his relatively short time at Stamford Bridge.
His partnership alongside John Terry at the heart of the Chelsea defence was a key component in their run to the Premier League title last season, with the west London club boasting the meanest rearguard in the top flight.
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La Liga agrees three-year 2.65 billion euro TV rights deal
Agence France-Presse
The Spanish league announced on Wednesday that it has agreed a domestic television deal worth a minimum 2.65 billion euros ($2.8 billion, £1.86 billion) for the next three seasons.
A subsidiary of telecommunications giant Telefonica, Movistar, will have first choice of one match from each round of fixtures for 250 million euros a season.
Meanwhile, multimedia communications group Mediapro have the rights to eight other La Liga games each weekend for 633 million euros a season.
Moreover, the deal is set to rise with eight other available packages including Copa del Rey games, highlights and one La Liga match per round of fixtures to be shown on free-to-air television still to be agreed.
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Italy's Giovinco voted MLS Most Valuable Player
Agence France-Presse
Italian striker Sebastian Giovinco, a former Juventus star who scored 22 goals for Toronto this past season, was named Wednesday as Major League Soccer's 2015 Most Valuable Player.
The 28-year-old from Turin was the league's joint-top scorer and laid on a league-best 16 assists for the Canadian club in his debut season, leading Toronto FC to its first playoff appearance.
Giovinco also captured the MLS Golden Boot and Newcomer of the Year awards and was named to the North American league's Best 11 all-star squad.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
