Lyon reach League Cup ‘quarters’

PARIS, France (AFP) — Seven-time French champions Lyon reached the League Cup quarter-finals yesterday with a 3-2 win over fellow Ligue One side Reims.

Lyon, who have won the League Cup just once in 2001, twice took a two-goal lead only to see Reims come back to trail by just a goal.

Goals by France international forward Bafetimbi Gomis and Alexandre Lacazette — both scorers in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Marseille — seemingly put Lyon in a comfortable position at 2-0 up by the hour mark.

Gomis nodded home at the far post from Lacazette’s cross in the 58th minute while the latter extended their lead on the hour with a super right-foooted shot after excellent lead-up work by playmaker Yoann Gourcuff.

Gourcuff, whose inconsistency has attracted criticism, restored their two-goal advantage — after Prince O’Niangue had made it 2-1 — eight minutes from time with a cracking shot from long range having already gone close only to see his shot come back off the post.

Among ties later yesterday, St Etienne were due to face champions Paris Saint Germain in Paris.

Barcelona say Messi’s recovery on schedule

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona says Lionel Messi’s recovery from a hamstring tear is on schedule, meaning he should be back on the pitch in January.

Barcelona say a club doctor examined Messi in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and found his left hamstring injury is “progressing well”.

The Spanish champion says Messi will go through more tests tomorrow.

Messi, the four-time World Player of the Year, hasn’t played since November 10 when he sustained his third, and most serious, injury of the season.

Barcelona have lost two games without their star but maintain a share of the league lead along with Atletico Madrid.

Judge orders Barcelona to present Neymar contract

MADRID, Spain (AP) — A Spanish judge ordered Barcelona to hand over documents related to the signing of Brazil striker Neymar yesterday while he considers hearing a lawsuit brought by one of its club members regarding the cost of the transfer.

Judge Pablo Ruz gave Barcelona five days to present the “contract or contracts signed by Neymar Da Silva Junior or his representatives and the papers indicating the amounts received for the contracts” and its financial reports from 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Barcelona club member Jordi Cases brought the suit against club president Sandro Rosell, accusing him of misappropriation of funds.

The lawsuit claims that the transfer cost to acquire Neymar from Brazilian club Santos in June was higher than the 57 million euros announced by Barcelona.

Barcelona spokesman Toni Freixa insisted on Monday that the official transfer sum was correct. He said 17.5 million euros were paid to Santos but that the club could not reveal the recipients of the remainder due to a confidentiality agreement.

Olympic medallist Michael Rogers tests positive

AIGLE, Switzerland (AP) — Olympic bronze medallist and three-time world time trial champion Michael Rogers of Australia has tested positive for clenbuterol.

The International Cycling Union said yesterday that Rogers is provisionally suspended while his national federation investigates the case.

Rogers tested positive for clenbuterol at the Japan Cap on October 20, the governing body said.

The previous week Rogers rode to an 11th-place finish at the five-day Tour of Beijing. Widespread use of clenbuterol in livestock farming in China and Mexico has made those countries a well-known risk for athletes as it’s easier to ingest the substance there.

Clenbuterol, which helps build muscle and burn fat, is the substance Alberto Contador tested positive for at the 2010 Tour de France. Contador was stripped of his victory and served a two-year ban.

Rogers joined Contador at Team Saxo-Tinkoff last season from Team Sky, where he rode in support of 2012 Tour winner Bradley Wiggins.

Pope given San Lorenzo’s trophy after victory

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis celebrated his beloved San Lorenzo’s victory in the Argentine soccer championship yesterday, congratulating team members, reminiscing about going to the stadium as a child and hoisting up the team’s trophy in St Peter’s Square for all to see.

Club members gave Francis the trophy and the glove goalie Sebastian Torrico used to block the ball in the final minute of Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Velez Sarsfield, securing the title.

Referencing another big moment in Argentine soccer history — Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup — club Vice-president Marcelo Tinelli said Francis performed a “miracle” on Sunday: “For us, it was the hand of God, the hand of the Pope,” he joked.

Both the glove and trophy will remain at the Vatican, a belated birthday gift to Francis, who turned 77 this week.

The former Jorge Mario Bergoglio is a lifelong fan of the Saints of San Lorenzo, and has been a member (ID No 88235) since 2008.

The team draws its name from a priest, Lorenzo Massa, who offered to let a group of youths use church grounds to play instead of the streets of Buenos Aires, in the early 1900s. Bergoglio grew up in the Flores neighbourhood of the Argentine capital near the stadium and formed a bond with the team.

Real defender Ramos free to play against Valencia

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos will be free to play against Valencia on Sunday after the club’s appeal against his 18th career red card in the game with Osasuna last Saturday was successful.

The first of Ramos’ two yellow cards in the first-half of the 2-2 draw in Pamplona was rescinded by the competition committee of the Spanish Football Federation yesterday.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti had described the Spanish international’s dismissal as “hard to understand” and the Italian will be relieved that Ramos is available for the trip to the Mestalla as he has a shortage of options at centre back.

Portuguese international Pepe is suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season against Osasuna, whilst Raphael Varane remains sidelined by a knee injury.

Madrid are also hopeful that Gareth Bale will be fit to face Valencia despite being ruled out of Wednesday’s Copa del Rey clash with Olimpic Xativa due to a calf injury.