Lionel Messi has been impressed by Cristiano Ronaldo's start to life back at Manchester United and retains fond memories of their "beautiful" rivalry in LaLiga.

Portugal international Ronaldo has scored nine times in 13 appearances for United since making a sensational return to the club at the end of August.

That is a goal tally bettered by only six other players from clubs in Europe's top five leagues over the same period, with Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (17) leading the way.

Despite Ronaldo's form and ability to bail out his side with late goals, United have endured a poor campaign and sacked manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday.

But with less than half of the campaign played, Messi does not believe a Ronaldo-inspired United can be entirely ruled out of the Premier League title race.

"They're a very strong team with great players," he told Marca. "Cristiano already knew the club, but that was in another stage and now he has adapted in an impressive way. 

"From the beginning he has scored goals as always and had no problems adapting. In the Premier League, United have not been as good as we all thought.

"But it is a very difficult and even competition in which things take a lot of turns. After December it changes a lot and anything can happen."

Messi and Ronaldo have won 11 of the last 12 Ballons d'Or between them – the exception being Luka Modric's triumph in 2018 – in a period that has been dominated by the pair.

Not only have the superstar forwards fought for individual honours, they also battled it out for domestic and European team honours during nine years together in LaLiga.

While Ronaldo has long since departed Real Madrid and Messi is no longer at Barcelona, the latter believes their rivalry will live long in football folklore.

"It's been a long time since we stopped competing in the same league," Messi said. "We competed individually and as a team for the same goals. 

"It was a very beautiful period for us and also for the fans because they enjoyed it very much. It is a beautiful memory that will remain in the history of football."

With Messi aged 34 and Ronaldo approaching his 37th birthday, the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are now considered the next big talents in world football.

Mbappe is a contender for this year's Ballon d'Or after scoring and assisting a combined 50 goals in 46 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain in all competitions in 2021.

Only Lewandowski (58) has been directly involved in more goals this year, but PSG risk losing Mbappe to Madrid next year when his contract expires.

Messi, now a team-mate of Mbappe's following his shock free transfer from Barca in August, is unsure whether the France forward will still a PSG player next season.

"The truth is I do not know," he said. "Only he knows what he has in his head and what he is going to do. I can only say that I am happy that he has stayed here this year.

"He is a very important player for us and to fight for the objectives we have. He is fully focused on our goals. And then he will decide what he will do when the season is over."

Vinicius Junior has signalled his intent to sign a new long-term deal as he sets out to match the achievements of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos in a Real Madrid shirt.

Brazil international Vinicius is into his fourth season as a Madrid player and has made 135 appearances in all competitions since his debut in September 2018.

Only four Madrid players have featured more times for the club during that period – Luka Modric (138), Thibaut Courtois (142), Casemiro (143) and Karim Benzema (155).

However, Vinicius is still some way short of the 438 appearances made by Ronaldo and the 671 games Ramos played for Madrid before the pair departed for pastures new.

The 21-year-old still has another two-and-a-half years to run on his existing contract and appears happy to stay on beyond that, with talks over a new deal reportedly ongoing.

"I am lucky to have been here for three years and I want to be here for much longer," he told El Larguero. 

"I want to have a great career like Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos did. And also like Marcelo is doing here."

Vinicius declined the chance to join Barcelona in favour of signing for fierce rivals Real Madrid in 2017, a decision the Flamengo academy product does not regret.

"The two clubs looked for me and I decided to go to Real Madrid for the project and for what they did for me," he said. 

"I thought it was the best project for me and it was the club with which I had the most affinity. 

"I always loved Real Madrid I always loved Cristiano Ronaldo and all the players. I chose well and I want to stay here for a long time."

Vinicius has enjoyed a fine start to the 2021-22 campaign with 10 goals and five assists in all competitions for Madrid.

Benzema is one of only seven players in Europe's top five leagues to have been directly involved in more goals this term, the prolific striker having scored 14 and set up eight.

The pair have built up a good connection at Madrid and Vinicius believes his team-mate's form across 2021 should see him crowned as the world's best player next month.

"Karim is a great player, I love playing with him," Vinicius said. "He always helps me. I want to continue playing with him to have a great season.

"Now we are playing a lot more time together. We already know what the other one is going to do. I hope he wins the Ballon d'Or."

The Memphis Grizzlies scored the final seven points of the game for a stunning 119-118 road defeat of the Utah Jazz on Monday.

After Bojan Bogdanovic made a pair of three-pointers to give Utah a 108-112 lead with 1:28 to play, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. combined to make four free throws and Jackson hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 5.7 seconds to play as Memphis (9-8) pulled out the win.

Utah (11-6) missed their final four shots of the game and also turned the ball over twice in the final 20 seconds. 

Morant had 32 points to lead all scorers and added seven assists, while Desmond Bane scored 28 and Jackson finished with 26. 

Bogdanovic led the Jazz with 24 points and Rudy Gobert contributed 23 on nine-of-10 shooting while grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds and blocking five shots. 

Durant, Nets hold off Cavaliers

Kevin Durant had 27 points and nine rebounds while James Harden chipped in 14 points and 14 assists for the Brooklyn Nets in a 117-112 road victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting off the bench for Brooklyn (13-5) as Darius Garland led Cleveland (9-9) with 24 points and 11 assists as he made only nine of 27 shots from the field. 

Tyrese Maxey scored 24 and Andre Drummond collected 23 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers (10-8) pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 102-94 defeat of the Sacramento Kings (6-12) despite playing without Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and Seth Curry. De'Aaron Fox led the Kings with 23 in Alvin Gentry's first game as interim head coach. 

Jaylen Brown scored 19 points in 23 minutes as he returned to the Boston Celtics lineup after missing the previous eight games with a right hamstring strain. Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 30 as the Celtics (10-8) defeated Houston 108-90, sending the Rockets (1-16) to their 15th consecutive loss as they fell to 0-11 on the road. 

The Phoenix Suns held off a late charge by the San Antonio Spurs to prevail 115-111 for their 13th consecutive win. Devin Booker had 23 points to lead the Suns (14-3) while Deandre Ayton added 21 points and 14 rebounds. 

Bulls draw blanks from field

The Chicago Bulls entered Monday level with the Nets for the best record in the Eastern Conference but could not find their shooting touch in an ugly 109-77 home defeat against the Indiana Pacers. The Bulls (12-6) made 31 of 85 shots from the field (36.5 per cent), including just six of 28 (21.4 per cent) from three-point range. They scored 30 points in the second quarter but just 47 in the other three combined as Indiana (8-11) built an earl lead, then ran away with it in the second half. 

It took Jaylen Brown a while to get heated up Monday in his first game in two and a half weeks, but the Boston Celtics liked what they saw once he got going. 

Brown returned to the Boston lineup after missing eight games with a right hamstring strain and did his part as the Celtics pulled away from the woeful Houston Rockets in the second half for a 108-90 victory. 

Head coach Ime Udoka said before the game that Brown likely would be limited to 24 minutes, and he ended up playing 23, scoring 19 points on six-of-13 shooting from the field. 

The 25-year-old guard missed his first three shot attempts before sinking a jumper midway through the first quarter, but he did not show signs of his usual self until the second half. 

Midway through the third quarter, Brown embarked on a personal 10-0 run capped by a pair of three-pointers just 24 seconds apart to boost the Boston lead to 72-50. 

"He got warm, then got on that flurry in the third quarter," said Udoka. "To have him back in that third quarter to see what he did was a great sign."

Udoka said Brown "still doesn't feel normal, normal" so the team likely will take care to avoid rushing him back to his typical load of about 36 minutes per game. 

Any contribution figures to be a positive for the Celtics, who have now won three in a row for the first time this season as Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 30 points Monday.

All of the Celtics' big-picture plans include Brown as a key piece, though, so seeing him back on the court was a relief. 

"Once he was able to get a couple baskets, you could just see that he felt more comfortable with everything and he opened up," said team-mate Al Horford. "He's such a good player that he'll find his way."

Robert Williams III also returned to the Boston lineup after missing three games with a knee injury. The big man attempted just one shot from the field, and made it, but made his presence felt by racking up 15 rebounds. 

Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz are among the newcomers on the ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2022, which was announced Monday by the Hall.

Their arrival coupled with 2022 being the last year on the ballot for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens guarantees questions about how the game should grapple with the legacy of performance-enhancing drugs will remain at the forefront for another election cycle.

Ten-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) can vote for up to 10 of the 30 players on this year's ballot, and a candidate must receive at least 75 per cent of the votes to be elected. Results will be announced on January 25. 

The BBWAA did not elect anyone last year, with Curt Schilling coming the closest at 71.1 per cent followed by Bonds (61.8) and Clemens (61.6). 

All three will be in their 10th and final year on the writers' ballot, along with Sammy Sosa. 

Bonds, Clemens and Sosa have seen their candidacies stall thanks in part to long-standing rumours of PED use, and Rodriguez and Ortiz could face similar hurdles. 

Unlike the others, Rodriguez was suspended for violating MLB's drug policy, missing the entire 2014 season, while Ortiz reportedly was among the players who tested positive during unofficial survey testing in 2003. 

Voters will have to weigh that against their impressive on-field accomplishments. Rodriguez is one of the best hitters the game has ever seen, a three-time American League MVP and 14-time All-Star whose 696 home runs and 2,086 RBIs rank fourth in baseball history. 

Ortiz was a 10-time All-Star who led the Boston Red Sox to three World Series titles after a decades-long drought for the franchise and remains one of the most beloved figures of his era. 

Other first-time players on the 2022 ballot include longtime first baseman Mark Teixeira, 2007 National League MVP Jimmy Rollins, 2006 AL MVP Justin Morneau, 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy and the man who won that award the next two seasons, Tim Lincecum. 

Closers Joe Nathan and Jonathan Papelbon, catcher A.J. Pierzynski, speedy outfielder Carl Crawford and slugger Prince Fielder also are on the ballot for the first time.

Players must get at least five per cent of the vote each year to remain on the ballot for the following election. 

Other holdovers from previous ballots back this year include Scott Rolen (52.9 per cent last year), Omar Vizquel (49.1), Billy Wagner (46.4), Todd Helton (44.9) and Gary Sheffield (40.6). 

LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart have both been handed suspensions following their chaotic confrontation during the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. 

Four-time NBA champion James received a one-game ban for "recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation" at Little Caesars Arena, ruling him out of the Lakers' game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. 

Stewart was left bloodied after being caught in the face by James when jostling for position on a free throw. He reacted angrily and attempted to pursue the 36-year-old on multiple occasions, with a large-scale brawl ensuing on the court.

Stewart was suspended for two games without pay "for escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing … James in an unsportsmanlike manner". 

Both players were ejected following the incident in the third quarter of the Pistons' 121-116 loss to the Lakers. 

Jose Mourinho made good on a promise to buy Felix Afena-Gyan an €800 pair of trainers after his match-winning exploits for Roma at the weekend. 

The Ghanaian 18-year-old scored a double off the bench to lead Roma to a 2-0 Serie A victory over Genoa on Sunday, ending their three-game winless streak in all competitions. 

He became the first player born since January 1, 2003 to score in the Italian top flight and the third-youngest foreigner to score at least twice in a single Serie A game. 

Afena-Gyan celebrated his first goal, which came when he slotted home Henrikh Mkhitaryan's throughball in the 82nd minute, by running over to Mourinho. 

"I promised him a very expensive pair of shoes, for 800 euros, and he came to me to make sure I didn't forget," Mourinho told broadcaster DAZN. 

"I really like his coldness, his physicality, but above all his humility." 

Afena-Gyan on Monday shared a video on Instagram of himself unboxing the new shoes in the presence of Mourinho. He included the caption: "Forever grateful Sir. I'll make you proud."

Speaking to Roma's official website after the game, Afena-Gyan said of Mourinho: "He is teaching me a lot and I am learning a lot from him. He is someone who has achieved a lot during his career and he is a great person. I am glad to be working with him. 

"He encourages me day in and day out to do everything that will help me improve in future. So I am happy to be working with Jose Mourinho. I thank him very, very much. I thank him a lot. He's a great person." 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic acknowledged his shoulder charge on Cesar Azpilicueta was stupid but insisted he would "100 per cent" do it again. 

In the closing stages of Sweden's 1-0 defeat to Spain this month, which meant they would have to go through the play-offs to reach the 2022 World Cup, Ibrahimovic steamed into Azpilicueta and sent him flying to the ground. 

The veteran striker was shown a yellow card that has ruled him out of Sweden's play-off semi-final in March. 

But Ibrahimovic felt it was important for him to stand up for a team-mate and teach the Chelsea defender a lesson. It is not a decision he would change if he had his time again. 

"The other day in the national team, I gave a tackle to [Azpilicueta]. I did it on purpose. I'm not ashamed to say it because he did something stupid to my player. Acting big to my player," Ibrahimovic told The Guardian. 

"It was a stupid thing but I would still do it to make him understand: 'You don’t f****** do that. You don't have balls to do it against me. But I will show you what happens if you do it to me.' That’s why I did it. 

"It's not about missing the play-offs. It's about making the guy understand you don't take the p*** out of somebody laying [on the ground]. You don't attack a dog that doesn't talk. Attack the one able to do something. It's too easy to pick on my team-mates who are 20 years old and very nice guys. I hope he understands now. 

"I'm not afraid to say it to you. I did a stupid thing. [But] I will do it again. 100 per cent. 

"That is what I say about being 'perfect'. Being myself is perfect for me. I don't need filters to ask them what kind of questions you will give me." 

Asked if Azpilicueta had said anything to him after the game, Ibrahimovic replied: "What can he say? He will not say it to me but he will say it to my player – who will do nothing because he's too nice. 

"It was not a good thing by me, but I would still do it. That's me. I'm not ashamed to say it." 

Luka Doncic's status remains in question as the Dallas Mavericks aim to end their losing streak and quickly avenge a defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Mavs coach Jason Kidd was "hopeful" Doncic could play in LA, yet the Slovenian was absent again on Sunday as the Clippers claimed a 97-91 win at Staples Center. 

Doncic has missed each of their past three games, all of which have ended in defeat, the Mavs having lost back-to-back games to Western Conference champions the Phoenix Suns prior to heading to southern California. 

Eleventh in the NBA in points per game with 24.9, the Mavs did not require any further illustration of Doncic's importance. 

Yet their efforts without him over this three-game stretch have hammered the point home, Dallas ill-equipped to deal with two fellow Western Conference playoff hopefuls in his absence. 

By contrast, the Clippers have impressed of late without Kawhi Leonard, the two-time Finals MVP yet to play a game this season as he recovers from surgery to repair a partial tear of his ACL. 

The Clippers have won seven of their past 10, Paul George unsurprisingly shouldering the burden sans Leonard and putting up 26.4 points per game. 

Having lost to the Clippers in a fascinating seven-game series in the first round of last season's playoffs, the Mavs will surely be desperate for some measure of revenge, but the odds will be stacked against them if they are again without a player considered by some to be the best in the world. 

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Dallas Mavericks - Jalen Brunson

Brunson has taken on the role of facilitator in chief without Doncic. 

The fourth-year point guard is averaging 5.5 assists per game this season and has 27 over his past three games, including 10 in a double-double in the second loss to Phoenix. 

If Doncic is unavailable, Brunson will be relied upon once more as the Mavs' creative force. 

Los Angeles Clippers - Luke Kennard

Kennard is taking advantage of his increased minutes with Leonard on the shelf. 

He is averaging 10.2 points per game and providing significant value from beyond the arc. 

His three-point percentage of 43.9 on 98 attempts is 12th in the NBA but is short of his career high of 44.6, which he set last year. 

That suggests room to grow for the former Detroit Piston, and the Clippers will hope he can show that development on Tuesday and in the rest of what will be a challenging season minus their best player. 

KEY BATTLE - Porzingis or George to the fore

The previous game between the teams may have lost some of its lustre with Leonard and Doncic sitting out, but Porzingis and George did their best to set up a thrilling finale.

After trading buckets late in the fourth quarter at Staples Center, it was the Clippers who came out on top.

Porzingis finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and two blocks and has finally shown signs of consistency recently. Across the Mavericks' past 10 games, the Latvian has played eight times and averaged 23.1 points on 50.4 per cent shooting from the field, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.

He will need to be on top of his game for Dallas to stand a chance, with the red-hot George, who is sixth in the league in scoring and shooting 44.1 per cent, sure to take charge and make the Mavs pay if Porzingis comes up short.

​HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Clippers' win on Sunday means they have now won two of their past three in the regular season against the Mavs and will hope it starts a run of victories over Dallas, having won four in a row between February 2019 and August 2020.

Xavi believes Pedri was a deserved winner of the 2021 Golden Boy award but will not rush the Barcelona midfielder back into action. 

Spain international Pedri was a landslide victor in the voting for Europe's best player aged under 21 – his 199-point advantage over runner-up Jude Bellingham making it a record-breaking success. 

The 18-year-old featured in more games in all competitions (52) for Barcelona last season than any other player, accumulating four goals and six assists in the process. 

He then became the youngest player to represent Spain at a major tournament during Euro 2020, finishing the competition with more passes completed in the final third (177) than any other player. 

Pedri followed that up by travelling to Tokyo for the Olympic Games and helping his country win a silver medal. 

The heavy schedule may well have taken its toll on him, with a thigh issue ruling him out since September and limiting him to just four appearances this term. 

Pedri signed a new contract until 2026 in October but reportedly suffered a second setback in his recovery from injury and could be facing another month out. 

Xavi was pleased for Pedri to have something to celebrate during a tough time and is keen to welcome him back into the fold, but acknowledged the club cannot rush him. 

"I'm happy for him because he deserves it [the Golden Boy award]. He has made a difference and is an extraordinary player," said Xavi. 

"It's an important, prestigious award. And I'm glad for him because he's having a difficult time. 

"We are going to try to get him back as soon as possible because he is a key player, a difference-maker. I don't have a specific date, but the important thing is he does not relapse again, plays calmy and recovers 100 per cent." 

Lyon will have to play home games without fans in attendance until at least December 8 as a result of the crowd trouble that saw their Ligue 1 fixture with Marseille postponed.

Sunday's match at Groupama Stadium was halted after Marseille star Dimitri Payet was hit by a bottle hurled by a spectator. 

The former West Ham playmaker was preparing to take a corner amid a hostile atmosphere when he was struck on the side of the head by a plastic bottle full of liquid.

Payet went to ground and required treatment, with players taken from the field at the direction of referee Ruddy Buquet.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas later apologised to Payet and confirmed a spectator had been arrested in connection with the incident.

A statement from the Ligue de Football Professionnel said Lyon's next home match versus Reims will be played without fans, with a disciplinary committee scheduled to announce any further punishment and the outcome of the game versus Marseille on December 8.

Among possible further sanctions is a points deduction, with Nice having been docked two, one of which was suspended, following crowd trouble at their game against Marseille this season.

French football has been plagued by a series of incidents this term, starting from the opening weekend when Marseille midfielder Valentin Rongier was struck by a bottle when celebrating a goal scored by Payet against Montpellier.

Payet was also targeted in late August when Nice fans hurled bottles onto the pitch. Payet threw a bottle back into the stands, which led to a pitch invasion from Nice ultras. On that occasion, the game was abandoned and replayed behind closes doors at Troyes' neutral ground in October, with Nice served their points penalty.

Last month, Saint-Etienne and Angers saw their fixture delayed by an hour after angry supporters hurled flares onto the pitch and demanded the resignation of Saint-Etienne boss Claude Puel. There was also trouble at Saint-Etienne's game against Lyon, while the meeting between Lens and Lille in September was held up after rival fans clashed at half-time.

French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu told France Info radio: "They have to come to an agreement, this kind of problem is for the league to solve. 

"I think that everyone must understand that it is the survival of French [football] that is at stake."

Gareth Southgate says it would have been "very difficult to live with" walking away from the England job with a potentially "very exciting" few years ahead.

England manager Southgate and his assistant Steve Holland on Monday signed new contracts until December 2024.

The former Three Lions defender will lead his country in the World Cup next year and attempt to go one better by winning the next European Championship in three years' time.

Southgate led England to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and they were beaten by Italy in the final of the rescheduled Euro 2020 at Wembley in June.

The 51-year-old feels he has unfinished business after coming so close to winning a first major tournament since 1966.

He said in a media conference: "The reality is we had already agreed [to stay]. Although we didn't feel it right to announce things before we qualified for the World Cup we knew what we wanted to do.

"In football, when you have a team who are a good team and you've done a lot of the work culturally, where they are at a point where they can challenge, you want to have a go.

"We still believe that's possible [to win a trophy]. It's an aim we should have as a team. To step away at a moment when the next few years could be very exciting, I think that could have been very difficult to live with.

"If this contract is the last I think I would still only be 53 by the end of it and I'd like to think I have a long life to live after that."

He added: "There was never a consideration that I wouldn't go to Qatar. What I wanted to be sure of was that I was wholly committed beyond that.

"It is something I feel deserved time. The way it ended for us [in Euro 2020] took a lot of emotion and energy. We were so quickly into World Cup qualifying, I wanted to allow that time for consideration."

Southgate feels England have learned from the heartbreak of falling short in the past two major tournaments.

"I think the players are at a point now where they're getting lots of big match experience, we've had a couple of near misses which, while painful, are games we've learned so much from," he said.

"We have to be at the latter stages consistently. It's the process of winning for any team, we're starting to get to those latter stages consistently and we must continue to do that.

"The response from the fans and the nation has been incredibly fulfilling. There was a period I heard people saying they didn't care about international football but I think that was a case of being hurt.

"It's been unbelievably rewarding [uniting the fans]. The players care about playing for England, there are moments when they break, when they're under huge pressure, but we've been able to refresh the team and bring new players in and whoever we have selected has performed at a really consistent level."