Europe

LONDON — Chelsea has asked for Saturday's FA Cup quarterfinal game at Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors for "sporting integrity" because they are unable to sell tickets due to restrictions imposed by a British government licence.

Chelsea, who have made the request to the FA board, are dealing with government restrictions on their operations after sanctions were imposed on their Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

Middlesbrough ticket update.

Vinícius Júnior's transformation this season has been well documented. The 21-year-old is now one of LaLiga's finest finishers and far more efficient in the final third, while his combination play with Ferland Mendy, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema from Real's left-hand side makes for some of the most exciting viewing in football.

The Women's FA Cup prize fund will increase to three million pounds ($3.92 million) from next season, England's Football Association said on Monday.

The FA did not specify how the new amount will be allocated but said a disproportionate part of it will be invested in the early rounds of the competition.

We can today announce a new landmark investment into the Vitality Women’s FA Cup that will see the competition’s prize fund receive a significant uplift to £3m per year.

More info:

Seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady ended his brief retirement on Sunday when he announced he would be returning for a 23rd season in the National Football League (NFL).

Following are 10 sporting greats who enjoyed success after coming out of retirement:

MICHAEL JORDAN (BASKETBALL)

Basketball great Jordan shocked the sport when he announced his first retirement at the age of 30, months after winning his third NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1993.

Sam Kerr struck in stoppage time to keep alive Chelsea's Women's Super League title hopes as they snatched a 1-0 win on Sunday over a dogged Aston Villa side, but Arsenal remain top after a 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Kerr latched on to a long ball from keeper Zećira Mušović and fired home in the second minute of added time before wheeling away and taking off her shirt in celebration as second-placed Chelsea kept up the pressure on Arsenal.

24 matches played, 24 matches won, 136 goals scored, six conceded and one Primera División title secured with six games still remaining. There's no stopping Barcelona Femení in Spain now after the team's 5-0 beatdown of Real Madrid at Estadi Johan Cruyff on Sunday, and it'll again be Real Madrid that's tasked with stopping Barça in Europe when the two sides square off in the Champions League quarterfinals later this month.

LONDON - Ukrainian winger Andriy Yarmolenko and Spanish midfielder Pablo Fornals scored a goal each as West Ham defeated Aston Villa 2-1 at home on Sunday, ending Steven Gerrard's side's run of three consecutive wins in the Premier League.

Yarmolenko had been granted compassionate leave after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last month and then fell ill, missing West Ham's 1-0 Europa League loss in Seville on Thursday.

LEEDS, England - Joe Gelhardt came off the bench to score a stoppage-time winner for Leeds United as they snatched a thrilling 2-1 home victory over fellow strugglers Norwich City in a pulsating Premier League clash on Sunday.

Leeds looked to have thrown away three vital points in the battle for relegation when Kenny McLean fired home Teemu Pukki's pass in the 91st minute, but Gelhardt spared their blushes in a game the hosts should have won comfortably.

Chelsea played its first home match since owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government and disqualified by the Premier League — leaving the club in limbo and immediately needing a new owner — on Sunday, and it was fittingly against Newcastle, which has been steadily climbing the table since its own new owners flexed their financial might in the January window.