Tokyo  - Japanese striker Yoshito Okubo of Vissel Kobe in the J-League left Sunday for Germany to join first-division Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg, Tokyo media report said.

The 26-year-old, who has 33 caps for Japan's national team, would join countryman Makoto Hasebe at Wolfsburg.

Okubo had once previously played in Europe, appearing in 39 matches and scoring five goals for the Spanish club Real Mallorca between January 2005 and July 2006.

In the J-League, the striker scored 64 goals in 149 matches.

"Hopefully I'll be in a position to score many goals," Okubo said in looking forward to the Bundesliga. "At Kobe I have developed as a player and I would like to test the level that I am now at."

Madrid  - Spanish leaders Barcelona kicked off 2009 with a 3- 1 comeback at home over lowly Mallorca on Saturday, with goals from Thierry Henry, Andres Iniesta and Yaya Toure.

Record-breaking Barca now have 44 points from 17 games - the highest-ever total at this stage of the season - 11 more than Valencia, who moved up to second late Saturday with a 3-1 defeat of Atletico Madrid.

"It was a great way for us to start the year," said Henry, in his best form since joining Barca from Arsenal in 2007.

Madrid  - Spanish leaders Barcelona kicked off 2009 with a 3- 1 comeback at home over lowly Mallorca, a win that leaves them with a 13-point lead.

Record-breaking Barca now have 44 points from 17 games - the highest-ever total at this stage of the season - 13 more than second- place Sevilla, who are at home Sunday to bottom team Osasuna.

"It was a great way for us to start the year," said Thierry Henry, scorer of Barca's first goal.

Barca coach Josep Guardiola raised eyebrows by leaving Lionel Messi - who returned late from holiday - in the stands, and Daniel Alves on the bench. The tight win, however, tends to vindicate his "rotation" policy, though his team did not play particularly well.

London  - The third round of the FA Cup, England's foremost cup competition, is famous for delivering shocks as teams from the lower leagues upset the big names of the Premier League.

The 2009 competition proved no different on Saturday as big-spending Manchester City were dumped out of the Cup in a 3-0 defeat at Eastlands by Nottingham Forest, a team struggling at the bottom of the Championship.

London - Big-spending Manchester City were the highest-profile casualties on third-round day in the FA Cup as they were humiliated 3-0 at home by struggling Championship side Nottingham Forest.

Chelsea were forced to a replay by League One side Southend, while Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion were both held to draws by lowly opposition.

London, Jan 3: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has asked his ace striker Cristiano Ronaldo to stop retaliating against his opponents on the field, because the spotlight is always on him.

The Portuguese star has been involved in a number of controversial incidents of late after being fouled.

Ronaldo has kicked out at Scott Brown of the Celtic, the Spurs' Michael Dawson and Stoke's Andy Wilkinson. This week he had a tunnel bust-up with Middlesbrough defender Emanuel Pogatetz, The Sun reported.