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AS Roma says captain Francesco Totti has undergone surgery on his right knee.

The Serie A club said Monday it was not clear how long Totti would be sidelined for but reports said the playmaker might be out for a month.

Totti struggled with knee problems last season and has missed games during this seasons Serie A campaign. In April 2008 he partially tore his anterior cruciate ligament and underwent surgery on his right knee.

Roma said in a statement that Totti had arthroscopy surgery Monday and that no other tears were found during the surgery. The club said the 33-year-old player would begin rehabilitation immediately but it was unclear when he might be fit to play again.

Totti retired from international play after Italy won the 2006 World Cup.

Barcelona thrashed Zaragoza 6-1 to move three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the Spanish league on Sunday, helped by a Seydou Keita hat trick and two goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The Catalans shrugged off their surprise loss to Rubin Kazan in the Champions League midweek and produced a dominant display. Three early goals put the European Champion out of reach by halftime.

Barcelona is now on 22 points, three ahead of Real Madrid, which failed to bounce back from its midweek loss to AC Milan in drawing with Sporting Gijon 0-0 on Saturday. Sevilla is third on 16 points.

We have proved that Barcelona is a big team, said Keita after the game. Im happy but I am not a goal scorer. If (Leo) Messi or Ibrahimovic scores, its better for the team.

Ibrahimovic and Messi, who led the attack with Andres Iniesta, were a constant threat for Barcelona.

With five minutes played, Xavi Hernandez found Messi in space but the Argentina winger shot just wide. A long pass from Xavi in the 12th found Ibrahimovic, who headed down for Messi - but his low shot was pushed round the post by keeper Juan Pablo Carrizo.

Barcelona finally took the lead in the 24th minute when Messi took a short pass from a corner and his cross connected with the head of the diving Keita to make it 1-0.

Five minutes later Carrizo got both hands to a rocketing shot from Ibrahimovic but couldnt keep it out.

Ibrahimovic was twice ruled offside after finding the net from a Messi assist. In the 41st Ibrahimovic was the provider when he cut in from the left and Keita swept his cross into the net.

The Swede combined with Keita moments later, flicking the Malians cross with the outside of his boot into the net for his second of the night.

A rare lapse by Barcelona allowed Jorge Lopez to burst through in the 78th and beat goalkeeper Victor Valdes with a stinging shot.

Messi struck back two minutes later, gathering a pass from Iniesta on the edge of the area and lobbing Carrizo to make it 5-1 and Keita scored his third when he headed in from a corner.

Goals from David Villa, Pablo Hernandez and Juan Manuel Mata gave Valencia a 3-0 win over 10-man Almeria on Sunday, taking the side up to fourth place in the standings.

Spain striker Villa returned to the starting line-up after spending most of the midweek Europa League game against Slavia Prague on the bench. He scored his seventh of the season when he rose to head in Hernandezs delicate cross in the 53rd minute.

Just after the hour, Almeria was reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Diego Alves was sent off for a rash challenge on Hernandez.

In the 74th minute, Hernandez saw substitute keeper Andres Esteban off his line and his long-range lob found the net.

Juan Manuel Mata made it 3-0 with a low drive in the 86th minute.

Valencia is level with Deportivo La Coruna on 15 points.

Earlier, Villarreal beat Malaga 2-1 to win its first game of the season and move off the bottom of the table.

Villarreal looked unsettled after seven league games without a win, but Nilmar da Silva calmed nerves with a goal in the 27th minute.

Malagas Albert Luque equalized just before halftime, but Joan Capdevilas low free kick put the hosts ahead again in the 52nd.

Weve suffered a lot, but when you are way down there in the standings thats how it is, said Villarreal coach Ernesto Valverde after the game. The win is very good, even though we had to suffer. We won without playing the way we wanted.

The result left Malaga bottom in the standings.

Also Sunday, Valladolid beat Deportivo La Coruna 4-0, Getafe defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-0, Osasuna drew 1-1 with Racing Santander and Tenerife edged Xerez 1-0.

On Saturday, nine-man Mallorca held Atletico Madrid to 1-1 and Sevilla drew 0-0 against Espanyol.

FC Porto moved to within three points of Portuguese league leader Braga Sunday after beating Academica 3-2.

One second-half goal from Mariano Gonzalez, and two from Farias were enough to clinch three points for Porto, although a late score By Academicas Moudou Sougou ensured a tense finish.

Also on Sunday, Setubal beat Leixoes 1-0 and Maritimo beat Pacos Ferreira 3-1.

Bragas seven-match winning run ended when it drew 1-1 against Rio Ave in the Portuguese league on Saturday.

Braga has made the best start to a league campaign in its history, leading the standings and unbeaten after eight games. However, on 22 points it is only three ahead of Porto and Benfica, which has a game in hand.

Also on Saturday, Leiria beat Naval 2-0.

Sporting looks to get back in touch with the leaders when it plays Guimaraes on Monday.

On Friday, Belenenses drew 0-0 with Olhanense.

Liverpool fans got good news on and off the field Sunday.

First managing director Christian Purslow said the team will have new investors within six months and that manager Rafa Benitezs job is secure. Then the gloom that had been engulfing the club was further lifted by a 2-0 victory over Manchester United.

A run of four straight losses before the win had intensified the pressure on American co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. to spend money to strengthen the squad.

Before the match, around 1,000 fans chanted Yanks out as they protested outside Anfield against Hicks and Gillett Jr., who were on a rare joint visit.

Hicks, who wildly celebrated Sundays first goal by Fernando Torres, and Gillett went public last month with their search for new equity after a Saudi Arabian prince said he wanted to buy a stake in the 18-time English champions.

And Purslow assured fans an injection of cash will be arriving soon.

There has been a huge amount of interest in the club from some extremely wealthy and expert investors, but it will take three to six months to pull that together, Purslow said. It means there will be new investment into the football club. Mr. Hicks and Mr. Gillett have no plans to sell their shares. We will be issuing new equity to new investors, broadening our ownership.

Hicks also owns the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars. Gillett recently sold the Montreal Canadiens but is still a majority owner of NASCARs Richard Petty Motorsports team.

Despite the recent poor run of results in the Champions League and Premier League, Benitez is still seen as the manager to deliver the clubs first English championship since 1990.

Benitez signed a new five-year contract in March despite winning only two major trophies since arriving in 2004 - the Champions League in 2005 and 2006 FA Cup.

Liverpool Football Club is on a long-term journey and that journey is to be the most successful club, firstly in our country and secondly in the world, and you dont do that by worrying about short-term results, Purslow said. You do that by having long-term plans centering on the people and the strategy. Rafa Benitez is absolutely central to that plan.

Purslow said neither of the teams pivotal players, Torres and Steven Gerrard, were for sale at any price.

Results from the 30th round of Major League Soccer (home teams listed first).

Thursdays Game

Chicago 1, Chivas USA 0

Saturdays Games

New York 5, Toronto 0

Kansas City 2, D.C. United 2

Real Salt Lake 3, Colorado 0

Los Angeles vs. San Jose

Seattle vs. Dallas

Sundays Games

Chivas USA vs. Houston

Columbus vs. New England

Results from the eighth round of the Portuguese first-division football league (home teams listed first).

Fridays Game

Belenenses 0, Olhanense 0

Saturdays Games

Rio Ave 1, Braga 1

Leiria 2, Naval 0

Sundays Games

FC Porto vs. Academica

Setubal vs. Leixoes

Maritimo vs. Pacos Ferreira

Mondays Game

Guimaraes vs. Sporting

—-
Spanish Football Results

Results from the eighth round of Spains first-division football league (home teams listed first).

Saturdays Games

Atletico Madrid 1, Mallorca 1

Sporting Gijon 0, Real Madrid 0

Sevilla 0, Espanyol 0

Sundays Games

Valladolid vs. Deportivo La Coruna

Getafe vs. Athletic Bilbao

Racing Santander vs. Osasuna

Tenerife vs. Xerez

Villarreal vs. Malaga

Almeria vs. Valencia

Barcelona vs. Zaragoza

Saturday, Oct. 31

Real Madrid vs. Getafe

Xerez vs. Sevilla

Osasuna vs. Barcelona

Athletic Bilbao vs. Atletico Madrid

Sunday, Nov. 1

Zaragoza vs. Almeria

Villarreal vs. Tenerife

Espanyol vs. Valladolid

Mallorca vs. Racing Santander

Malaga vs. Valencia

Deportivo La Coruna vs. Sporting Gijon

—-
French Football Results

Results from the 10th round of the French first-division football league (home teams listed first).

Saturdays Games

Bordeaux 3, Le Mans 0

Boulogne 1, Monaco 3

Grenoble 1, Nancy 2

Nice 4, Lyon 1

Saint-Etienne 0, Valenciennes 2

Sochaux 1, Lorient 0

Rennes 3, Montpellier 0

Sundays Games

Auxerre vs. Lille

Lens vs. Toulouse

Marseille vs. Paris Saint-Germain

—-
Dutch Football Results

Results from the 11th round of the Dutch first-division football league (home teams listed first).

Fridays Game

FC Utrecht 2, Roda JC 1

Saturdays Games

ADO The Hague 2, Sparta Rotterdam 3

Feyenoord 1, VVV Venlo 0

Vitesse Arnhem 0, Heracles Almelo 2

NAC Breda 1, RKC Waalwijk 0

Sundays Games

Willem II vs. SC Heerenveen

Vitesse Arnhem vs. Heracles Almelo

AZ Alkmaar vs. Ajax

NEC Nijemegen vs. PSV Eindhoven

FC Twente FC Groningen

Friday, Oct. 30

VVV-Venlo vs. NAC Breda

Saturday, Oct. 31

SC Heerenveen vs. ADO The Hague

Roda JC vs. FC Twente

PSV Eindhoven vs. Vitesse Arnhem

FC Groningen vs. AZ Alkmaar

Sunday, Nov. 1

Ajax vs. Feyenoord

RKC Waalwijk vs. Willem II

Heracles Almelo vs. FC Utrecht

Sparta Rotterdam vs. NEC Nijmegen

—-
Italian Football Results

Results from Serie A, the Italian first-division football league (home teams listed first).

Saturdays Games

Sampdoria 4, Bologna 1

Inter Milan 2, Catania 1

Sundays Games

Atalanta vs. Parma

Bari vs. Lazio

Cagliari vs. Genoa

Fiorentina vs. Napoli

Palermo vs. Udinese

AS Roma vs. Livorno

Siena vs. Juventus

Chievo Verona vs. AC Milan

Wednesday, October 28

Bologna vs. Siena

Catania vs. Chievo Verona

Genoa vs. Fiorentina

Juventus vs. Sampdoria

Lazio vs. Cagliari

Livorno vs. Atalanta

Napoli vs. AC Milan

Parma vs. Bari

Udinese vs. AS Roma

Thursday, October 29

Inter Milan vs. Palermo

—-
English Football Results

Saturdays English football results (home teams listed first).

Premier League

Birmingham 2, Sunderland 1

Burnley 1, Wigan 3

Chelsea 5, Blackburn 0

Hull 0, Portsmouth 0

Tottenham 0, Stoke 1

Wolverhampton 1, Aston Villa 1

League Championship

Barnsley 2, Bristol City 3

Coventry 0, West Bromwich Albion 0

Crystal Palace 1, Nottingham Forest 1

Newcastle 2, Doncaster 1

Peterborough 3, Scunthorpe 0

Plymouth 1, Ipswich 1

Preston 2, Middlesbrough 2

Sheffield United 3, Cardiff 4

Swansea 0, Blackpool 0

Derby vs. Queens Park Rangers (late)

League One

Brentford 2, Stockport 0

Brighton 0, Oldham 2

Bristol Rovers 1, Yeovil 2

Carlisle 2, Southend 1

Colchester 2, Walsall 1

Exeter 1, Wycombe 1

Gillingham 1, Charlton 1

Hartlepool 1, Tranmere 0

Huddersfield 4, Leyton Orient 0

Millwall 2, Leeds United 1

Norwich 1, Swindon 0

Southampton 3, MK Dons 1

League Two

Barnet 3, Darlington 0

Bournemouth 3, Grimsby 1

Bradford 1, Hereford 0

Bury 2, Rotherham 1

Chesterfield 5, Burton Albion 2

Lincoln City 0, Torquay 0

Macclesfield 2, Dagenham Redbridge 2

Morecambe 2, Northampton 4

Notts County 2, Crewe 0

Port Vale 1, Cheltenham 1

Rochdale 1, Accrington Stanley 2

Shrewsbury 3, Aldershot 1

—-
Greek Football Results

Results from the Greek football league (home teams listed first).

Saturdays Games

Asteras 1, Atromitos 2

Olympiakos 2, Ergotelis 1

Panionios 3, Giannena 1

Sundays Games

Levadiakos vs. Iraklis

Panthrakikos vs. Larissa

Aris vs. AEK Athens

Panathinaikos vs. PAOK

Xanthi vs. Kavala

—-
Scottish Football Results

Results Saturday in Scottish football (home teams listed first).

Premier League

Aberdeen 0, Dundee United 2

Hearts 0, Falkirk 0

Kilmarnock 2, St Johnstone 1

Rangers 1, Hibernian 1

St Mirren 3, Motherwell 3

Division One

Ayr 1, Inverness CT 5

Dundee 2, Raith 1

Dunfermline 3, Morton 1

Queen of South 3, Airdrie 0

Ross County 2, Partick Thistle 2

Division Two

Cowdenbeath 0, Brechin 0

Dumbarton 1, Arbroath 0

East Fife 2, Stenhousemuir 1

Peterhead 0, Alloa 0

Stirling 1, Clyde 1

—-
German Football Results

Results from the 10th round of the Bundesliga, the German first-division football league (home team listed first).

Fridays Game

Bayer Leverkusen 1, Borussia Dortmund 1

Saturdays Games

Bayern Munich 2, Eintracht Frankfurt 1

Hoffenheim 3, Nuremberg 0

Hannover 1, Stuttgart 0

Borussia Moenchengladbach 0, Cologne 0

Mainz 3, Freiburg 0

Sundays Games

Hertha Berlin vs. Wolfsburg

Schalke vs. Hamburger SV

Bochum vs. Werder Bremen

Friday, Oct. 30

Borussia Dortmund vs. Hertha Berlin

Saturday, Oct. 31

Wolfsburg vs. Mainz

Stuttgart vs. Bayern Munich

Hamburger SV vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach

Cologne vs. Hannover

Nuremberg vs. Werder Bremen

Schalke vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Sunday, Nov. 1

Freiburg vs. Hoffenheim

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Bochum

French winger Franck Ribery is likely to miss next months World Cup playoff against Ireland because of a knee injury.

Ribery, who didnt play in Bayern Munichs 2-1 Champions League loss at Bordeaux on Wednesday night, has been hampered by persistent left knee tendinitis this season.

According to LEquipe, Ribery saw knee specialist Jean-Henri Jaeger in Strasbourg on Wednesday and learned he will be sidelined for at least for one more month.

France meets Ireland in a two-leg playoff on Nov. 14 and 18 for a spot at next years World Cup.

Home teams listed first.

Group Stage

Group A

Bordeaux (France) 2, Bayern Munich (Germany) 1

Juventus (Italy) 1, Maccabi Haifa (Israel) 0

Group B

CSKA Moscow (Russia) 0 Manchester United (England) 1

Wolfsburg (Germany) 0, Besiktas (Turkey) 0

Group C

Real Madrid (Spain) 2, AC Milan (Italy) 3

FC Zurich (Switzerland) 0, Marseille (France) 1

Group D

FC Porto (Portugal) 2, APOEL Nicosia (Cyprus) 1

Chelsea (England) 4, Atletico Madrid (Spain) 0

Results Monday in English football (home teams listed first).

Premier League

Fulham 2, Hull 0

League One

Leeds 2, Norwich 1

Michael Owen knows how tough it is trying to convince England coach Fabio Capello hes good enough for the World Cup, especially as it might well be in vain.

The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle striker has fought back from persistent hamstring injuries, a knee operation and a foot fracture and emerged still trying to sound positive.

Now comes possibly the most difficult task of all.

Once the favorite of the Liverpool fans, Owen now has to face them at Anfield wearing a Manchester United shirt.

When it comes to soccer, the followers of the two most successful clubs in English league history hate each other.

Few players wind up playing for both clubs and, although Owen has taken a round trip via Madrid and Newcastle, the Liverpool fans are likely to forget all the great goals he scored for their team when they see him wearing Uniteds colors.

I would prefer people to sit down and recognize what you did for them and for the team in years gone past, Owen said. But I am pretty realistic as well and now that I am playing for their arch rivals… I am not holding my breath, put it that way.

Owen hopes the Liverpool fans will acknowledge he is a professional player earning a living.

After disappointing spells at Madrid and Newcastle, he badly needs a break to get back to the top of English soccer and recapture his England place. With Liverpool seemingly not interested in taking him back, he had to go to a club capable of winning titles.

Manchester United appeared to be the ideal choice although not in the eyes of the Liverpool fans.

People talk about loyalty in football. It is easy for a football supporter to preach about that, Owen said. As a father, brother and son, there is no one more loyal than me. But when you are a player, you are not a fan. I have got to earn a living, provide for my family. It is a job opportunity, just like anyone elses work.

Owen has faced Liverpool before. As a Newcastle player last season, he played in both Premier League games that his former club won, 5-1 and 3-0.

But this is different. And if Wayne Rooney fails to recover from injury, there is a good chance Owen will start or at least be on the bench at Anfield.

The thought doesnt appear to worry him. Neither, it seems, do his so far fruitless efforts to get Capello to select him for England.

The Italian coach has guided England impressively to the 2010 World Cup with nine wins in 10 qualifying matches without any help from Owen, a veteran of three such championships and with 40 goals in 89 games for his country.

Capello persistently says the door is still open when the subject is raised of Owens inclusion in the England squad although that doesnt sound like much encouragement for the 29-year-old striker.

The players argument is that he wont let Capello down and he has plenty of experience of World Cups, whereas younger players might freeze on the big occasion.

Everyone knows if I play then I am likely to score every other game, he said. Playing in a World Cup wouldnt bother me. In fact, I would raise my game, as happened before in big games. Naturally I would like to be in the squad, but the last thing I want to be is campaigning.

With Sundays game looming, Owen has plenty to think about as the Man United stars make the long journey to and from their Champions League group game against CSKA Moscow in Russia. Owen, who is in the horse business as a stable owner, can check the racing papers for the odds on his thoroughbreds. He might also note that that the bookmakers rate him a 9-4 shot to play at the World Cup but 1-3 that he wont.

If that doesnt worry him, theres always the thought of facing those Liverpool fans.