IN BRIEF (Page 19)

World title challenge Tso close, yet so far

Timing is everything in the sweet science.

Barcelona facing its first trophyless season in 6 years

Barcelona's painful reverse to archrival Real Madrid in Wednesday's King's Cup final brings to an end a hellish week and leaves it facing its first season without major silverware in six years.

Manny wants to talk to Floyd

Manny Pacquiao, who avenged his loss to Timothy Bradley in convincing style last week, says he is ready any time to negotiate the bout with Floyd Mayweather that fight fans have been craving for years.

klitschko wary of 'real-life rocky balboa'

World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko says Australia's Alex Leapai is "a real-life Rocky Balboa" who will be trying to take his head off in their April 27 title fight.

High price of professionalism

Editor's note: Soccer is the world's No 1 sport, and China has its own aims for the game. President Xi Jinping has spoken about his soccer dream: China reaching the World Cup, China hosting the Cup and, ultimately, China winning the coveted trophy. However, the nation still lags far behind in the soccer world. The 2014 Brazil World Cup is just around the corner and we have selected 11 key figures from around the country to tell us about their soccer dreams. The interviews will be on RTHK Putonghua Channel at 4 pm on Sundays through June 8.

Q&A

When will China next make the World Cup?

Li Weifeng

Date of birth: Dec 1 1978 (age 36)

What he said

ON NATIONAL TEAM EXPERIENCE:

It's Miller time in St. Louis

Exactly as advertised, when Ryan Miller came to the St. Louis Blues their goals-against number went down.

Opening-round schedule

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Contenders brace for Cup marathon

With the sprint for Olympic gold over, the marathon run for the Stanley Cup begins this week with the opening round of the National Hockey League playoffs.