NYON, Switzerland -- UEFA has barred Serbian title winner Red Star Belgrade from next seasons Champions League for not paying its debts. Lawyer Milloy Jersey . The 1991 European Cup winner was judged "in breach of a number of provisions of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations," UEFA said in a statement. Clubs must show they have paid player salaries, transfer fees, and social taxes before being granted a license to enter UEFA competitions. UEFA said the judging panel of its club finance monitoring body was told in April "of the existence of overdue payables as a result of a complaint." Red Star has 10 days to file an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The club was due to enter the Champions League second qualifying round, and make its first appearance in Europes top competition for seven years. It would need to beat three opponents to reach the 32-team group stage. League runner-up Partizan, Red Stars city rival, stands to get the Champions League berth. Serbias football association also faces UEFA sanctions for granting Red Star its license. "An investigation against the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) might be opened within the coming days by the chief investigator for alleged breaches of the club licensing regulations," UEFA said. All clubs must prove their financial integrity to a national association before being formally approved to represent their country in the Champions League or Europa League. UEFAs licensing system pre-dates the FFP rules but has been given a higher profile as a weapon to curb clubs who overspend and avoid paying debts. Trent Dilfer Jersey . -- Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale searched more than three quarters for five guys who would play well together. Larry Allen Jersey . 28 with a Vancouver entry for the first time in 10 years and a novel new collective bargaining agreement.MILWAUKEE -- No charges will be filed in a nightclub fight involving Milwaukee Bucks centre Larry Sanders. The Milwaukee County District Attorneys office announced the decision Thursday after reviewing the "altercation" that happened early Sunday. Sanders sat out the Bucks 109-104 victory Wednesday night over Cleveland because of a sore thumb. The team said Sanders hurt the thumb in the previous game, a loss in the home opener last week to Toronto. Coach Larry Drew said Thursday at practice that Sanders has told him that he should have never put hhimself in such a position in the first place. Leon Gray Jersey . "Its unfortunate that it happened but he has to learn from it and I believe that he will. At least I hope he will." Drew said. Sanders missed practice Monday after his wife went into labour. He missed practice Tuesday because of the thumb injury. Sanders signed a four-year, $44 million contract extension in the off-season after a breakout 2012-13 campaign. Hes averaging 2.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in three games so far this season. The Bucks host Dallas on Saturday night. ' ' '

MINNEAPOLIS -- Josh Willinghams time in Minnesota could be waning, with the trade deadline approaching and the veteran outfielder in the final year of his contract. Air Force 1 Off-White Outlet . His swing is back, even if he might be going. Willinghams tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning sent the Twins to a 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night. "I felt better, yeah, so hopefully I can keep going and help us win some games. Thats my goal," Willingham said. As for the possibility of being dealt? "I pay seriously zero attention to it," Willingham said, while his three young sons played around in the clubhouse behind him, focused on their Popsicles and blissfully oblivious to a scenario in which their father would find himself on a new team later this summer. Kurt Suzuki had a two-run double among his three hits, Trevor Plouffe hit an RBI double and the Twins beat the Indians at home for the first time in more than 11 months. "Coming off the All-Star break and losing three in a row, you obviously dont feel real good about yourself. So we needed a big win," Willingham said. Suzuki, a first-time All-Star selection who was the catcher for the ninth inning of the American Leagues victory here at Target Field last week, posted his ninth three-hit game this season. He raised his batting average to .311 and is 25 for 63 in his last 17 games. In another All-Star game reprise, Glen Perkins pitched a perfect ninth for his 23rd save in 26 chances. One week ago, the Home Run Derby was delayed by rain on a cool, autumn-like evening. Tack on about 30 degrees and thick humidity, and thats what the conditions were like for this series opener, which began with a first-pitch temperature of 89 degrees. Willingham sent the sweaty Twins fans home happy with his dead-pull line drive that just cleared the left-field wall against Bryan Shaw (4-2), his ninth homer and only his second this month. "We were all blowing really hard in the dugout for that to get out," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. Shaw threw a full-count slider. "Not where I was trying to put it," he said. Casey Fien (5-4) picked up the victory, despite allowing an RBI single by Roberto Perez in the top of the eighth that cost Twins starter Kris Johnson his first career win. "Mine will maybe come later. Maybe not. You never know. Its the Twins victory that counts the most," said Johnson, who was sent back to Triple-A Rochester after the game to make room for Tuesdays starter, rookie right-hander Yohan Pino. Teetering on the brink of veteran-sell-off mode before the trade deadline, the Twins emerged from the All-Star break by being swept by Tampa Bay. But they snapped back from that and, in their first time hosting the Indians this year, ended a six-game home losing streak to their division rivals. The Indians lost shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera to spasms in his lower back after two innings. Chris Dickerson delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in his place, and Mike Aviles quickly shifted back to his natural shortstop spot after his first start of the season in centre field. Yan Gomes hit third, having not batted higher than fifth all season and getting most of his time in the seventh slot, and hit an RBI double. Hes 10 for 21 with five RBIs in his last six games. Johnson finished five innings in his third major league start, his longest appearance yet. Rookie T.J. House, who made eight starts earlier this season, was recalled from Triple-A Columbus to take the mound in Minnesota. House also completed five innings, giving up three runs. NOTES: The Twins tabbed Pino (1-2, 4.39 ERA) to pitch Tuesday, his sixth major league start. Pino will be recalled from Rochester for the third time in a little more than a month. The Indians will also bring their starter, RHP Danny Santana, up from Triple-A. Santana (1-4, 5.53) was sent to Columbus on May 16. ... Twins 1B Joe Mauer (strained muscle on his right side) took grounders before the game. Gardenhire, asked whether he had ever hurt an oblique in his playing days, quipped, "I didnt even know I had one. I never swung good enough to really actually pull an oblique." ... Indians All-Star Michael Brantley started the game on the bench for a break and hit a pinch-hit double in the eighth. He stayed in the game in centre field. Air Force 1 China . The teams all-time leading scorer, DeRo has won everything there is to win in MLS. Air Force 1 Blue Outlet . Now the Minnesota Vikings have set their sights on soccer.ATLANTA - The Atlanta Falcons, who will be without injured wide receiver Roddy White in Sundays game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have signed receiver Darius Johnson from the practice squad. Johnson, who joined the Falcons as an undrafted college free agent from SMU, led Atlanta with 13 catches for 158 yards and one touchdown in the preseason. The Falcons placed leading receiver Julio&nbssp;Jones on injured reserve with a foot injury and signed receiver Brian Robiskie last week. Air Force 1 Sale . White, who has hamstring and ankle injuries, will miss the first game of his nine-year career, ending his streak of playing in 133 consecutive regular-season games. Atlantas top receivers against Tampa Bay are expected to be Harry Douglas, Kevin Cone and Drew Davis. ' ' '

SALVADOR, Brazil -- France is striking at the World Cup again, this time in a way the fans back home will approve of. Tony La Russa . Four years ago to the day, Frances players shamed the nation by going on strike at the last World Cup. On Friday, the team put on a striking attacking display, blowing Switzerland away with a 5-2 win on Friday to take total control of Group E and put themselves in position to avoid a showdown with Lionel Messis Argentina in the next round. "We were all magnificent tonight," said goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, one of only four holdovers from the shambles of Frances last World Cup. "We cant let ourselves get flooded by emotion and must stay calm. But were going to savour this." Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud and winger Mathieu Valbuena alls scored one goal and created another to underline both the newfound team spirit in this team and the lethal versatility in attack. "When you score five goals, its ecstasy," Valbuena said. "It was a great night for us. We hurt them with our quick attacks and with the variety of our play," France coach Didier Deschamps said. Giroud and Blasie Matuidi scored a minute apart and Valbuena added another before halftime. Benzema made up for a first-half penalty miss with a poachers finish in the 67th, and then turned provider for Moussa Sissoko, who made it 5-0 in the 73rd. "Karim is confirming that hes in very, very good form," Deschamps said." Hes in great shape athletically." Switzerland pulled two consolation goals back as Blerim Dzemaili scored with a free kick in the 81st and Granit Xhaka slotted in the second in the 87th. Benzema thought he had scored his second -- and the goal of the night -- but his curling, first-time strike was ruled out because Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers blew his whistle for full time just seconds before the shot. "I didnt hear the whistle," he said. Friday marked the fourth anniversary of Frances infamous World Cup training ground strike four years ago in South Africa, when the players shamed a nation back home. How different things look from 2010. "We have to carry on this way and to keep this strength, this irreproachable team spirit we have," Valbuena said. France has scored eight goals in two games in the tournament and Benzema could even afford to miss a penalty. "Its a huge satisfaction within the team but were not going to get carried away," Deschamps said. "We shouldnt think were prettier than we are." Switzerlands demise came rapidly, after centre half Steve Von Bergen came off with blood pouring down from under his left eye after Giroud kicked him in the face in the sixth minute. He was replaced by Philippe Senderos and things went from bad to awful from then on for a makeshift defence against the ferocious pace of Frances breaks from midfield and the slick movement of its interchanging forwards. "They can go very far in this tournament," Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said through a translator. "We have seen Frances potential. They had an explosion of power." Deschamps had dropped midfielder Paul Pogba, who was lucky not to be sent off against Honduras for aiming a wild kick at Wilson Palacios, warning him that he needs to control his temper better. After coming on as a substitute, Pogba sent an exquisite pass with the outside of his right boot that had Senderos kicking at air, and Benzema finished confidently for his third goal of the tournament. The Real Madrid forward then instigated a move and waited for Sissoko to break down the right, serving him with an inch-perfect pass. The Swiss conceded far too easily. Giroud jumped above Behrami from near the back of the penalty area to head powerfully under the crossbar in the 17th minute. Then, Valon Behrami gave the ball away to Benzema, who fed Matuidi sprinting down the left, and the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder slotted neatly inside the near post. The Swiss had only one shot on target in the first half, with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris diving low to keep out Mehmedis drive. Shaqiri picked up the rebound and scuffed a low shot that rolled just wide. That close miss went unpunished by Benzema, who missed from the spot after being tripped by Johan Djourou in the 32nd. Yohan Cabaye hit the crossbar from the rebound. It mattered little as Giroud galloped into space down the left and picked out Valbuena at the back post in the 40th with a classic counterattacking goal. Paul DeJong . - Hitting was supposed to be the Pittsburgh Pirates weakness coming into the season yet they lead the major leagues in home runs through the first 16 games of the season. Tyler ONeill . -- Blake Griffin scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds, DeAndre Jordan had 14 points and 22 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the Golden State Warriors 98-96 on Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round series.Sochi, Russia (SportsNetwork.com) - Speed skating has belonged to the Netherlands at the Sochi Olympics and that did not change on Tuesday. The Dutch swept another event, grabbing three more medals in the mens 10,000 meters at Adler Arena. Jorrit Bergsma was the top finisher in Tuesdays event, setting an Olympic record with a time of 12 minutes, 44.45 seconds in the grueling race. Sven Kramer was 4.57 seconds off Bergsmas time, while Bob de Jong finished at a distant 13:07.19 seconds, 22.74 ticks off Bergsmas incredible time. Still, de Jong earned bronze and gave the Netherlands a total of 19 medals in speed skating during these Olympics. Twelve of those medals have been won by the men. It marked the fourth event in Sochi that the Dutch have swept. The women won all three medals in the 1,500 meters, while the men also filled the podium in the 500 and 5,000 meters. Bergsma cllaimed a bronze in the mens 5,000 back on Feb. Rangel Ravelo . 8, with Kramer taking gold. However, it was the 28-year-old Bergsma coming out on top Tuesday in a repeat of his first-place finish at the 2013 World Single Distances Championships, also held in Sochi. For Kramer, he may view his silver as a disappointment. The 27-year-old, who picked up his sixth Olympic medal with his second of Sochi, was in line to win this event four years ago in Vancouver, but was disqualified for an illegal lane change. It also was the fourth Olympic medal of de Jongs career and each has come in this event. That includes a gold in 2006 and a bronze four years ago. South Koreas Lee Seung-Hoon, who took gold in Vancouver after Kramers DQ, finished fourth on Tuesday with a time of 13:11.68. American Emery Lehman, 17, finished 10th, one spot ahead of fellow U.S. skater Patrick Meek. ' ' '