The FIFA Club World Cup opener between Liga MX side Tigres and Ulsan Hyundai was halted on Thursday due to under-inflated balls being used during the match.

Shortly after the match -- a 2-1 Tigres win -- kicked off at Al Rayyan stadium in Qatar, both teams complained to referee Esteban Ostojich about the apparent softness of the ball on the pitch. Ostojich requested a switch that seemed to end the issue, but following a throw in favoring the Asian champions, a different ball was also deemed to have insufficient pressure.

- Cignac power Tigres to Club World Cup semifinals
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Following the second round of complaints from players, Ostojich halted the match for three-and-a-half minutes to ensure all balls were properly inflated in order to restart proceedings between Ulsan and Tigres, who made their Club World Cup debut following a 2-1 win over LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions League final in December.

No further issues were reported.

Controversy surrounding under-inflated balls is nothing new to American sports fans. Legendary quarterback Tom Brady was suspended four games and his team -- then the New England Patriots -- was fined and docked draft picks for what the NFL called "conduct detrimental to the integrity of the NFL" relating to the doctoring of game balls during a playoff game in 2014.

When Thursday's match restarted, Kim Kee-hee's opener for Ulsan in the 24th minute was cancelled out by Andre-Pierre Gignac's first-half brace, sending Tigres to the competition's semifinal to face Copa Libertadores champions Palmeiras on Sunday in a bid to make history. No CONCACAF team has ever made the Club World Cup final.

Ulsan Hyundai will end their run in the competition in the fifth-place match, also to be played on Sunday. In their only prior experience at the tournament, the South Korean side finished sixth in 2012 after losing to Liga MX's Monterrey as well as Japanese side Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

The great-grandson of Italy's late fascist dictator Benito Mussolini hopes he will not be judged by his name after being called up for the youth team at Serie A club Lazio.

Romano Floriani Mussolini, 18, has been part of the squad for Lazio's Under-19 'Primavera' team for the past two matches, including their 2-0 loss to Juventus on Saturday.

"Here at Lazio I'm judged only for the way I play and not because my surname is Mussolini," Romano told newspaper Il Messaggero.

"I hope I can make my debut for the Primavera one day."

Romano is the third child of Alessandra Mussolini and husband Mauro Floriani, and great-grandson of Benito Mussolini, who was prime minister of Italy from 1922 to 1943 after a fascist coup.

Alessandra is a former member of the European Parliament for Forza Italia.

The 18-year-old defender is currently completing his last year at the St George British International School in Rome, which is close to Lazio's training ground.

A minority of Lazio fans, known as "ultras", have links to the far right. A number of banners expressing pride in the fascist movement have been flown at the Stadio Olimpico's Curva Nord over the years.

In 2005, club icon Paolo Di Canio gave a fascist salute to Lazio fans in the Curva Nord after playing in a derby win against city rivals AS Roma.

After receiving a ban, Di Canio was reported to have said "I am a fascist, not a racist". He has since said he was misquoted.

It is unclear whether Romano has signed a professional contract with Lazio. The club were unavailable for comment when contacted by Reuters.

Europe's leading leagues will hold an online meeting on Friday to discuss UEFA's plans to change the Champions League format, with a major reshaping of the group stage on the agenda.

UEFA has been consulting with clubs and leagues about how to liven up the group stage and a switch to a new format with more games is the preferred option of European soccer's governing body.

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The discussions have focused on scrapping the round-robin stage, where there are currently eight groups of four clubs with each team playing three opponents at home and away.

That format often results in matches with the top teams qualifying with a game or two to spare.

UEFA is considering replacing it with a format in which the 32 clubs would play 10 different opponents and qualification would come from one league table.

That would allow for more games and -- UEFA hopes -- more games that matter, generating higher revenues and greater fan interest.

The plan, dubbed the "Swiss model," has yet to meet any major resistance and was backed by European Club Association chief Andrea Agnelli, the president of Juventus, although he indicated he may push for a broader expansion.

"I think it is a great system because it is scalable. The number of games you play in the early stages can be a non pre-determined number of games," he said last week.

The leagues will be keen to ensure that any expansion of European club competitions does not encroach on domestic football and have been clear they will not accept weekend Champions League fixtures.

The European Leagues organisation also wants to see an increase in "solidarity payments" from European competition revenue to domestic football and a guarantee that qualification to competitions will continue to be based on domestic league position.

While there appears to be a broad consensus about changes to the format of the tournament, UEFA is likely to face some tricky negotiations about the financial distribution mechanism from their competitions, sources say.

The Champions League match between Bundesliga club RB Leipzig and Premier League champions Liverpool on Feb. 16 will not be played at Leipzig's stadium, the German Ministry of the Interior confirmed on Wednesday.

Last Saturday, flights from the U.K. and other high-risk countries were banned by the German government to stop the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus.

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While RB Leipzig pushed for an exception, the German Ministry of the Interior confirmed to German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur on Wednesday that there will be "no special rules for professional sports."

The government agency added they had informed RB Leipzig on Wednesday that their case did not fall under the handful of exceptions outlined in the government order.

Leipzig now have until Monday to propose an alternative venue -- which could be in a neutral country -- to UEFA.

"The Corona Protection Order agreed by the federal government last Friday envisions only a few exceptions and no special arrangement for professional athletes,'' the ministry said in an emailed statement. "The federal police has told the RB Leipzig club today that the circumstances of the given case do not meet the requirements for an exemption.''

The Bundesliga club also would be able to travel to Anfield and back for the first leg, as German passport holders and residents are allowed to travel to Germany, where they'd be tested straight away.

Under the COVID-19-related regulations for the Champions League released by the European football's governing body earlier this week, the home side are responsible for the organisation of a neutral venue.

Leipzig could also try to convince Liverpool to swap the games, but, according to German outlet Bild, the Premier League side are not willing to do so.

The two legs of the Champions League round of 16 must be completed by April 2. If Leipzig fail to propose a suitable venue, UEFA could decide to rule the match 3-0 in Liverpool's favour.

The German club are confident they will be able to find a neutral venue.

"We are in talks and we are working on a solution. We will be playing somewhere," Leipzig executive Oliver Mintzlaff told the news agency SID late on Thursday.

In the Europa League, Arsenal's home and away games against Benfica may be affected by British restrictions on travel to and from Portugal.

Simon Harmer has confirmed his hopes for a South Africa comeback after signing to play for the Titans in the domestic T20 competition. Harmer turned his back on international cricket when signing on a Kolpak deal with Essex in 2017, but the UK's withdrawal from the European Union has opened the door for a return.

The offspinner, who will continue to feature in county cricket as an overseas player, had previously suggested CSA would need to "swallow their pride" in order to welcome back a number of Kolpak exiles - players such as Kyle Abbott, who also made his first steps in that direction by joining the Titans last month.

"I still have massive desire to play cricket in South Africa, so I was trying to find some cricket," Harmer said. "I knocked on every door, and the Titans jumped at it.

"I will be looking to put pressure on people above me. That's how I'm wired. I am always looking to get better, and I still have some aspirations to play for South Africa. That is why I am back."

Harmer is from Pretoria originally, although it took a move down to Port Elizabeth to study at university for him to break into South Africa's domestic set-up, first with Eastern Province and then the Warriors franchise. More recently, he has featured in the Mzansi Super League with the Jozi Stars, helping them to lift the title in 2018-19.

With Essex, Harmer took over the captaincy of the T20 side in 2019 and led them to a maiden Vitality Blast success. He has been the leading spinner in England's first-class competitions, contributing to three titles in four seasons at Essex.

"It's really come full circle," he said. "The Titans have backed me, I feel very welcome, and I am really excited for what is to come.

"There are quite a few young spinners here that I want to work with. When I first started at the Warriors, Johan Botha and Nicky Boje showed me the ropes. I want to help here as much as I can, as a sounding board, and hopefully throw a few ideas around."

Although CSA's T20 Challenge - which is being played in place of the MSL due to the restrictions caused by Covid-19 - does not yet have a confirmed window, it is likely to be pushed back to March after Australia's decision to postpone their tour of the country. The format is set to see the teams play each other once during a shortened group stage.

Speaking about the signing of Harmer, Titans coach Mandla Mashimbyi said: "He is someone I used to hate to play against, because you knew he was always in the game. He has a high level of skill, and a lot of knowledge. For me, he is arguably the best spinner in the world at the moment, so it is great to have him here."

The Champions League match between Bundesliga club RB Leipzig and Premier League champions Liverpool on Feb. 16 will not be played at Leipzig's stadium, the German Ministry of the Interior confirmed on Wednesday.

Last Saturday, flights from the U.K. and other high-risk countries were banned by the German government to stop the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus.

- Stream LIVE games and replays on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

While RB Leipzig pushed for an exception, the German Ministry of the Interior confirmed to German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur on Wednesday that there will be "no special rules for professional sports."

The government agency added they had informed RB Leipzig on Wednesday that their case did not fall under the handful of exceptions outlined in the government order.

Leipzig now have until Monday to propose an alternative venue -- which could be in a neutral country -- to UEFA.

"The Corona Protection Order agreed by the federal government last Friday envisions only a few exceptions and no special arrangement for professional athletes,'' the ministry said in an emailed statement. "The federal police has told the RB Leipzig club today that the circumstances of the given case do not meet the requirements for an exemption.''

The Bundesliga club also would be able to travel to Anfield and back for the first leg, as German passport holders and residents are allowed to travel to Germany, where they'd be tested straight away.

Under the COVID-19-related regulations for the Champions League released by the European football's governing body earlier this week, the home side are responsible for the organisation of a neutral venue.

Leipzig could also try to convince Liverpool to swap the games, but, according to German outlet Bild, the Premier League side are not willing to do so.

The two legs of the Champions League round of 16 must be completed by April 2. If Leipzig fail to propose a suitable venue, UEFA could decide to rule the match 3-0 in Liverpool's favour.

The German club are confident they will be able to find a neutral venue.

"We are in talks and we are working on a solution. We will be playing somewhere," Leipzig executive Oliver Mintzlaff told the news agency SID late on Thursday.

In the Europa League, Arsenal's home and away games against Benfica may be affected by British restrictions on travel to and from Portugal.

Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard will not play Thursday against the 76ers because of an abdominal strain, adding to Portland's growing list of injuries.

Lillard, the NBA's third-leading scorer, indicated that he considered sitting out Portland's previous game Tuesday against the Wizards, saying he "felt like I could barely move out there to start the game."

Lillard initially was listed as questionable against Philadelphia on the NBA's official injury report, but the Blazers ruled him out later Thursday afternoon.

Portland starters CJ McCollum (foot), Jusuf Nurkic (wrist) and Derrick Jones Jr. (foot) all are sidelined with long-term injuries, and swingman Nassir Little (knee) also has been ruled out Thursday against the Eastern Conference-leading Sixers.

Lillard scored 32 points Tuesday to lead injury-plagued Portland to a 132-121 victory in Washington. He said after the game that he was "pushing and fighting" throughout the contest because he "knew how important this one was for our season."

Lillard, 30, is averaging 29.1 points and 7.3 assists -- the eighth-best mark in the NBA -- in 20 games this season.

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James led the first round of fan voting for this year's NBA All-Star Game.

The update was released by the NBA on Thursday afternoon.

Durant, who missed all of last season -- his first as a member of the Nets -- with a torn Achilles tendon, led all players with 2,302,705 votes, slightly ahead of James' 2,288,676, the top total in the Western Conference.

Stephen Curry (2.11 million) was the only player besides Durant and James to exceed 2 million votes, and as a result was the runaway leader for the top spot among West guards. Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (1.39 million) was second, followed by Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (998,853) in third.

Durant was followed in the East's frontcourt by Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo (1.75 million votes) and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (1.58 million), with the three of them well ahead of Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (822,151) in fourth.

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal, the NBA's leading scorer, led all East backcourt players with nearly 1.3 million votes, and was closely followed by Durant's fellow stars in Brooklyn: James Harden (1,093,611) and Kyrie Irving (1,014,763).

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young were a distant fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively.

In the West, James was followed in the frontcourt by Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (1.47 million), LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (1.28 million) and Lakers teammate Anthony Davis (1.19 million), with Leonard's teammate Paul George a distant fifth.

All-Star voting began on Jan. 28, with fans able to vote either via the NBA's website, its app or on Twitter, and will continue through Feb. 16. The All-Star starters -- which are determined through fan voting (which accounts for 50% of the vote), media voting (25%) and player voting (25%) -- will be announced on TNT on Feb. 18. The reserves -- which are voted on by the NBA's coaches -- will be announced on TNT on Feb. 23.

Representatives from the Major League Baseball Players Association spoke with White House officials Thursday morning about the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic amid ongoing discussions over health and safety protocols for the start of spring training and the regular season.

A players' association spokesman told ESPN that the conversation was "helpful and informative."

The call took place one day after The Athletic reported that the union opted out of another call last week that included officials from both MLB and the White House. According to The Athletic report, the union believed that government officials would pressure both MLB and the players to delay the upcoming season.

The Athletic report has been criticized on social media by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood and former major league pitcher Tom Koehler, who now works as an agent.

Earlier this week, the union rejected MLB's proposal to delay the start of spring training to March 22 and the start of the regular season to April 28, with a 154-game season playing out into October and the postseason carrying over into November.

The MLB proposal also included expanded playoffs, a topic that presumably will be revisited by the two sides in the weeks ahead. The union's contention has been that it does not want to swap the implementation of the universal designated hitter for the expanded playoffs, in the belief that the universal DH is something that is desired by the teams, as well as the players.

On the eve of last summer's 60-game season, an agreement was forged rapidly in the last hours before the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals played the season opener.

As it stands, MLB and the players are preparing to start spring training on time in less than two weeks, with club officials waiting for the final agreement on the health and safety protocols.