Sports World: Messi nets as Barca avoid Cup upset

MADRID • Lionel Messi marked his return from suspension with a goal in the King's Cup on Wednesday, as Barcelona survived a scare and beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1.

With Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid already out, another upset looked on the cards when Fran Garcia gave second-tier Rayo a surprise lead at Vallecas early in the second half.

Barcelona will be joined in the quarter-finals by Sevilla, who had earlier made light work of struggling Valencia in a 3-0 win.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Juve, Inter win; Zlatan denies racist remark

ROME • Juventus crushed Spal 4-0 on Wednesday to set up a Coppa Italia semi-final against Inter Milan after 10-man Atalanta booked a place in the last four by beating Lazio 3-2.

Inter beat AC Milan 2-1 on Tuesday in a game that was overshadowed by accusations that Zlatan Ibrahimovic aimed racist comments at former Manchester United teammate Romelu Lukaku.

The BBC reported that a pitchside microphone had picked up Ibrahimovic saying "go do your voodoo" to Lukaku but the AC Milan striker defended himself, saying there is no place for racism in "Zlatan's world".

REUTERS

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Auba to return after being with sick mum

LONDON • Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang said he missed their last two matches due to his mother's illness but will return ahead of their Premier League game against Manchester United tomorrow.

"My mother is going through some health issues and I had to be there for her. She's already much better now and I will be back home tonight," the Gabon international tweeted on Wednesday.

REUTERS

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McIlroy hopes packed schedule will pay off

LOS ANGELES • Ulsterman Rory McIlroy, who was unable to close out victory in the European Tour's season opener last week, is hopeful that playing seven events in eight weeks will help him snap a 15-month title drought.

The world No. 7 will be the third-highest-ranked golfer in this week's Farmers Insurance Open.

REUTERS