FOOTBALL TODAY

Manchester City top Champions League prize money table

Manchester City earned €83.8 million (£75.8m) in Champions League prize money last season, topping the table of UEFA payments to clubs.

Although City lost in the semifinals to eventual winners Real Madrid, their share of lucrative British television rights lifted them above Madrid's €80m slice of the €1.345 billion UEFA prize fund.

Juventus were third with €76.2m despite losing in the last 16, with the Italian champions getting the largest TV rights share of almost €53m.

Ronaldo reunites with coma patient

A Real Madrid fan awoken from a coma by listening to a goal from the Portuguese superstar met up with his hero at a hotel in Warsaw. Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed an emotional reunion with Polish fan David Pawlaczyc at the team's Warsaw hotel on Wednesday.

David hit the headlines in 2014 when he was roused from a coma after listening to a replay of Ronaldo scoring a goal.

The youngster, who had been knocked off his bike by a car in August 2013, awoke after a specialist suggested playing a recording of the moment when Ronaldo netted his third goal for Portugal in a World Cup play-off against Sweden He was then invited by the forward to a Champions League game at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2014, where he watched the match from a VIP box.

'Messi was in no mood to talk' - Aguero responds to tunnel fight reports

Sergio Aguero played down the severity of a reported tunnel bust-up featuring compatriot Lionel Messi following Manchester City's 3-1 Champions League win over Barcelona.

According to a Spanish radio station, Messi was embroiled in a spat with an unnamed City player that began when the teams left the pitch at the Etihad Stadium. Messi is alleged to have shouted, "stupid, come here and show your face, don't hide," as his adversary departed into the City dressing room. Man City have dismissed the report as completely untrue.

On the alleged fracas, Aguero said: "[I saw] nothing. I thought Messi said something to me but he didn't, and then we [the other players] talked about other stuff.

Mourinho hands Mkhitaryan lifeline by including him in Man Utd squad

Henrikh Mkhitaryan could return from his Manchester United exile after being named in Jose Mourinho's squad for the Europa League trip to Fenerbahce. The Red Devils boss has included the Armenian in his squad to face Fener in the Europa League, while Phil Jones also returns.

Mkhitaryan has become a peripheral figure at Old Trafford since joining from Borussia Dortmund during the close season and last featured for the first team in the 2-1 derby loss to Manchester City in September, when he was substituted at half-time.

Anthony Martial is set to feature in attack and Zlatan Ibrahimovic may have the chance to address his recent goal drought, but Chris Smalling is absent once more, with Michael Carrick, Memphis Depay and Antonio Valencia all remaining in Manchester.

Liverpool striker Danny Ings out for up to nine months with knee injury

Liverpool striker Danny Ings has been ruled out for up to nine months with cartilage damage to his right knee.

Ings missed most of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury in his left knee and had been working his way back to full fitness.

The striker has made two first-team appearances this campaign and has flourished for Michael Beale's under-23 side, scoring seven goals in his outings for Liverpool's second string in recent months.

'None of those buys would scare me' - Ferdinand slams Tottenham's summer signings

Rio Ferdinand has criticised Tottenham's summer transfer business, claiming none of their five signings would have put fear into their rivals before the start of the season. Spurs brought in five new faces ahead of the 2016-17 season but the former Manchester United defender believes Victor Wanyama is the only one to have made an impact so far. 

Spurs brought in Victor Wanyama, Vincent Janssen, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou and Moussa Sissoko, as well as Pau Lopez on a season-long loan, as they looked to build on finishing third in 2015/16.

But, although Mauricio Pochettino's men remain undefeated in the Premier League after 10 games, they have drawn five of them and Ferdinand believes the blame for that lies with their summer buys.

Better than Walcott & Alli: Hazard named PFA fans’ Player of the Month

Eden Hazard has been named the PFA's Premier League Player of the Month for October following his upturn in form under Antonio Conte. The Blues playmaker struck three goals and claimed an assist in four appearances during the month, lifting the Stamford Bridge club to fourth in the Premier League table.

Stoke's Joe Allen, Tottenham's Dele Alli and Southampton's Charlie Austin were also included in the shortlist, as well as Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson.