Sinsheim, Germany  - Hertha Berlin won 1-0 at slumping TSG Hoffenheim on Friday to keep their German Bundesliga football title hopes alive.

Patrick Ebert scored the winner in the 40th minute, taking up a pass from Marko Pantelic and beating goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand from a tight angle with a shot into the near right corner.

Hoffenheim dominated but failed to get the equalizer, with Hertha goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny saving twice from Sejad Salihovic and substitute Boubacar Sanogo heading against the crossbar.

Madrid  - The disciplinary committee of the Spanish football federation announced on Friday evening a suspension of 10 matches for Real Madrid defender Pepe, for his part in the incidents at the end of Tuesday's stormy Real-Getafe clash.

The Portugal international pushed over Getafe's Francisco Casquero for a late penalty, then kicked the veteran midfielder twice whilst he was on the ground, and hit Getafe forward Juan Albin.

Pepe had to be pulled off the field by Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas, and left insulting the match officials.

Rome - A few years ago, la Repubblica columnist Vittorio Zucconi wrote that only madmen would continue calling the Italian Serie A the best league in the world. Time proved the veteran journalist to be right and today, despite a fourth World Cup won in 2006, it is hard to find someone who feels like comparing Italy's top flight with that of England or Spain where the best players in the world tend to go these days.

Madrid - Villarreal moved up to fifth in the Spanish Liga on Thursday with a 2-1 home win over lowly Recreativo Huelva.

Their first win in five games leaves the Yellow Submarine with 52 points from 32 games, three points behind fourth-place Valencia and two ahead of sixth-place Malaga.

Javier Camunas gave Huelva the lead after just two minutes, but Joseba Llorente made it 1-1 for Villarreal with a powerful drive four minutes before half-time.

The winning goal, in the 68th minute, was controversial, to say the least.

London - Arsenal will be without forward Robin van Persie and full-back Gael Clichy for next week's Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester United, manager Arsene Wenger confirmed Thursday.

Van Persie had a groin injury while Clichy has a back problem.

Wenger confirmed that goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, defender Johan Djourou and striker Emmanuel Adebayor could all return for Sunday's Premier League game against Middlesbrough.

"We will rotate a little bit again, but we have no major injuries from Liverpool," Wenger told Arsenal TV Online.

Rome - A 1-0 win Thursday over Sampdoria was not enough for Inter Milan to secure the final of the Italian Cup as the Genoa guests prevailed through a 3-1 aggregate score.

Samp pulled no punches despite the wide lead from the first leg and relied on playmaker Antonio Cassano to finalize their solid midfield play with assists for Giampaolo Pazzini, who scored a brace in the first leg in Genoa.

Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic tried a long-range free kick on nine minutes, one minute before Paolo Sammarco had his shot saved off a feed from Cassano.