Ready, set... DRINK! Olympic runner Nick Symmonds chugs brews as he chases the world record in the 'beer mile'

The 'beer mile,' which requires competitors chug brews as they race around a track  isn't quite an Olympic event. But, it has attracted some top-tier Olympic talent.
Nick Symmonds, who took fifth place in the 800 meter race in London, chased a world record in the bizarre sport on Tuesday and came up just short.
The 28-year-old Oregon native's efforts -- 5 minutes, 19 seconds -- were enough to set the American record and came in third in the world.

Run and chug: Nick Symmonds had to finish a can of beer between each lap of his one mile run

Powerful:Mr Symmonds is America's fastest middle-distance running and he placed fifth in the 800 meter run in London

The fastest beer mile on record was set in 2007 by Canadian marathoner Jim Finlayson, who completed the race in 5.09.
The rules make the 'beer mile' one part athletic feat, one part liver abuse. Runners must begin by chugging a beer at the start line and cannot run until it is finished.

The runner must then drink a beer after each of the first three quarter mine laps -- meaning 48 ounces of beer are consumed in a matter of just a few minutes.
Throwing up during the race results in a penalty lap.
Mr Symmonds' beer of choice was Coors. The running didn't seem to trouble the Olympian -- but the drinking did. He had to pause, out of breath, as he chugged his last beer.

Big gulp: Mr Symmonds pounded 48 ounces of beer in five minutes as he ran the beer mile

TMZ, which was there to film the event, reported that friends cheered him along as he woofed down the brew.
'C'mon, big deep breaths,' his coach encouraged.
Afterwards, Mr Symmonds summed up his athletic accomplishment as though he had just completed an Olympic race.
'I feel tired, I feel full of beer. I'm not inebriated by any means yet. But, 5.19... It's a good first mark, I've got some training to do,' he said. 
It's not entirely clear why TMZ, known for celebrity news, was on hand to record the event. However, it could have something to do with his date with Paris Hilton in June, just before the Olympic trials.

BREAKING NEWS: Lance Armstrong to be STRIPPED of seven Tour de France titles and banned for life as he stops fight against doping charges

• Armstrong was considered one of the greatest cyclists in history and was an American sports hero just a few years ago
• US Anti-Doping Agency acted with an hour of Armstrong announcing he would stop opposing the charges
• Armstrong maintains he is innocent and did not use blood doping
• Won seven Tour de France titles between 1999 and 2005

Lance Armstrong will be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from cycling -- the sport that rose to popularity in the United States after his extraordinary success between 1999 and 2005, it was revealed on Thursday.
The announcement from the US Anti-Doping Agency effectively destroys his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists in history and rubs a black smudge on a sports hero who was one of the most prominent athletes in America just a few years ago.
The USADA acted within an hour of Armstrong's announcement that he would stop fighting charges that he used blood doping to illegitimately enhance his performance.
Despite the action, Armstrong maintains his innocence and called the USADA's case a 'witch hunt.'
Scroll down for Armstrong's full statement

Done: Lance Armstrong's decision is likely to be viewed as an admission of guilt by the US Anti-Doping Agency and could result in a lifetime ban from cycling

Armstrong says USADA doesn't have the authority to vacate his Tour titles. However, USADA chief executive Travis Tygart told The Associated Press that USADA can do it.
Tygart called the Armstrong case a heartbreaking example of a win-at-all costs approach to sports.
Armstrong, who retired last year, declined to enter arbitration -- his last option -- because he said he was weary of fighting accusations that have dogged him for years. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof he was clean.
'There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now,' Armstrong said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. He called the USADA investigation an 'unconstitutional witch hunt.'
'I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999,' he said.
'The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today -- finished with this nonsense.'
USADA will almost certainly treat Armstrong's decision as an admission of guilt, and hang the label of drug cheat on an athlete who was a hero to thousands for overcoming life-threatening testicular cancer and for his foundation's support for cancer research.
The agency can impose a lifetime ban and recommend Armstrong be stripped of his titles. That would put the question in the hands of the International Cycling Union, which has disputed USADA's authority to pursue the investigation and Tour de France officials, who have had a prickly relationship with Armstrong over the years.

'Innocent': Armstrong still claims he did not use performance enhancing drugs and says the charges against him are 'unconstitutional'

Armstrong insisted his decision is not an admission of drug use, but a refusal to enter an arbitration process he believes is improper and unfair to athletes facing charges.
'USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles,' he said.
'I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours.'
USADA maintains that Armstrong has used banned substances as far back as 1996, including the blood-booster EPO and steroids as well as blood transfusions - all to boost his performance.
The 40-year-old Armstrong walked away from the sport in 2011 without being charged following a two-year federal criminal investigation into many of the same accusations he faces from USADA. The federal probe was closed in February, but USADA announced in June it had evidence Armstrong used banned substances and methods -- and encouraged their use by teammates. The agency also said it had blood tests from 2009 and 2010 that were 'fully consistent' with blood doping.
Included in USADA's evidence were emails written by Armstrong's former US Postal Service teammate Floyd Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after a positive drug test. Landis' emails to a USA Cycling official detailed allegations of a complex doping program on the team.
USADA also said it had 10 former Armstrong teammates ready to testify against him. Other than suggesting they include Landis and Tyler Hamilton, both of whom have admitted to doping offenses, the agency has refused to say who they are or specifically what they would say.
'There is zero physical evidence to support (the) outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of (doping) controls I have passed with flying colors,' Armstrong said.

Critic: Armstrong blasted the USADA as a 'bully' and claimed dozens of previous blood and urine samples prove he was not doping

Armstrong sued USADA in Austin, where he lives, in an attempt to block the case and was supported by the UCI, the sport's governing body. A judge threw out the case on Monday, siding with USADA despite questioning the agency's pursuit of Armstrong in his retirement.
'USADA's conduct raises serious questions about whether its real interest in charging Armstrong is to combat doping, or if it is acting according to less noble motives,' such as politics or publicity, US District Judge Sam Sparks wrote.
Now the ultra-competitive Armstrong has done something virtually unthinkable for him: He has quit before a fight is over.
'Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities,' Armstrong said.
Armstrong could have pressed his innocence in USADA's arbitration process, but the cyclist has said he believes most people have already made up their minds about whether he's a fraud or a persecuted hero.
It's a stunning move for an athlete who built his reputation on not only beating cancer, but forcing himself through grueling offseason workouts no one else could match, then crushing his rivals in the Alps and the Pyrenees.
Although he had already been crowned a world champion and won individual stages at the Tour de France, Armstrong was still relatively unknown in the US until he won the epic race for the first time in 1999. It was the ultimate comeback tale: When diagnosed with cancer, doctors had given him less than a 50 percent chance of survival before surgery and brutal cycles of chemotherapy saved his life.

Extraordinary: Armstrong's seven straight Tour de France titles led to a surge in the interest in cycling in America and made him an sports icon

Armstrong's riveting victories, his work for cancer awareness and his gossip-page romances with rocker Sheryl Crow, fashion designer Tory Burch and actress Kate Hudson made him a figure who transcended sports.
His dominance of the Tour de France elevated the sport's popularity in America to unprecedented levels. His story and success helped sell millions of the "Livestrong" plastic yellow wrist bracelets, and enabled him to enlist lawmakers and global policymakers to promote cancer awareness and research. His Lance Armstrong Foundation has raised nearly $500 million since its founding in 1997.
Created in 2000, USADA is recognized by Congress as the official anti-doping agency for Olympic sports in the United States. Its investigators joined US agents during the federal probe, and USADA chief executive Travis Tygart had dismissed Armstrong's lawsuit as an attempt at 'concealing the truth.' He said the agency is motivated by one goal - exposing cheaters in sport.
Others close to Armstrong were caught up in the charges: Johan Bruyneel, the coach of Armstrong's teams, and three members of the medical staff and a consultant were also charged. Bruyneel is taking his case to arbitration, while two medical team staffers and consulting doctor Michele Ferrari didn't formally contest the charges and were issued lifetime ban by USADA. Ferrari later said he was innocent.
In a sport rife with cheaters, Armstrong has been under constant suspicion since the 1990s from those who refused to believe he was a clean rider winning cycling's premier event against a field of doped-up competition.
He had tense public disputes with USADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, some former teammates and assistants and even Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour de France.

Turning: Former teammate Tyler Hamilton accused Armstrong of blood doping and said he had encouraged other members of his cycling team to dope, as well

Through it all, Armstrong vigorously denied any and all hints, rumors and direct accusations he was cheating. He had the blazing personality, celebrity and personal wealth needed to fight back with legal and public relations battles to clear his name - and he did, time after time.
Armstrong won his first Tour at a time when doping scandals had rocked the race. He was leading the race when a trace amount of a banned anti-inflammatory corticosteroid was found in his urine; cycling officials said he was authorized to use a small amount of a cream to treat saddle sores.
After Armstrong's second victory in 2000, French judicial officials investigated his Postal Service team for drug use. That investigation ended with no charges, but the allegations kept coming.
Armstrong was criticized for his relationship with Ferrari, who was banned by Italian authorities over doping charges in 2002. Former personal and team assistants accused Armstrong of having steroids in an apartment in Spain and disposing of syringes that were used for injections.
In 2004, a Dallas-based promotions company initially refused to pay him a $5 million bonus for winning his sixth Tour de France because it wanted to investigate allegations raised by media in Europe. Testimony in that case included former teammate Frankie Andreu and his wife, Betsy, saying Armstrong told doctors during his 1996 cancer treatments that he had taken a cornucopia of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs.
Two books published in Europe, 'LA Confidential' and 'LA Official,' also raised doping allegations and, in 2005, French magazine L'Equipe reported that retested urine samples from the 1999 Tour showed EPO use.
Armstrong fought every accusation with denials and, in some cases, lawsuits against the European media outlets that reported them.
But he showed signs that he was tiring of the never-ending questions. Armstrong retired (for the first time) in 2005 and almost immediately considered a comeback before deciding to stay on the sidelines, in part, because he didn't want to keep answering doping questions.
'I'm sick of this,' Armstrong said in 2005. 'Sitting here today, dealing with all this stuff again, knowing if I were to go back, there's no way I could get a fair shake - on the roadside, in doping control, or the labs.'
But three years later, Armstrong was 36 and itching to ride again. He came back to finish third in the 2009 Tour de France.
Armstrong raced in the Tour again in 2010, under the cloud of the federal criminal investigation. Early last year, he quit the sport for good, but made a brief return as a triathlete until the USADA investigation shut him down.
During his sworn testimony in the dispute over the $5 million bonus, Armstrong said he wouldn't take performance enhancing drugs because he had too much to lose.
'(The) faith of all the cancer survivors around the world. Everything I do off the bike would go away, too,' Armstrong said then.
'And don't think for a second I don't understand that. It's not about money for me. Everything. It's also about the faith that people have put in me over the years. So all of that would be erased.'

LANCE ARMSTRONG MAINTAINS HE IS INNOCENT

Full statement by Lance Armstrong:

There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now.  I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999.  Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's
unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today -- finished with this nonsense.
I had hoped that a federal court would stop USADA's charade.  Although the court was sympathetic to my concerns and recognized the many improprieties and deficiencies in USADA's motives, its conduct, and its process, the court ultimately decided that it could not intervene. 
If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA's process, I could confront these allegations in a fair setting and - once and for all - put these charges to rest, I would jump at the chance. But I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair. Regardless of what Travis Tygart says, there is zero physical evidence to
support his outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors. I made myself available around the clock and around the world.  In-competition.  Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it?
From the beginning, however, this investigation has not been about learning the truth or cleaning up cycling, but about punishing me at all costs. I am a retired cyclist, yet USADA has lodged charges over 17 years old despite its own 8-year limitation. As respected organizations such as UCI and USA Cycling have made clear, USADA lacks jurisdiction even to bring these charges.The international bodies governing cycling have ordered USADA to stop, have given notice that no one should participate in USADA's improper proceedings, and have made it clear the pronouncements by USADA that it has banned people for life or stripped them of their accomplishments are made without authority. And as many others, including USADA's own arbitrators, have found, there is nothing even remotely fair about its process. USADA has broken the law, turned its back on its own rules, and stiff-armed those who have tried to persuade USADA to honor its obligations. At every turn, USADA has played the role of a bully,
threatening everyone in its way and challenging the good faith of anyone who questions its motives or its methods, all at US taxpayers' expense. For the last two months, USADA has endlessly repeated the mantra that there should be a single set of rules, applicable to all, but they have arrogantly refused to practice what they preach. On top
of all that, USADA has allegedly made deals with other riders that circumvent their own rules as long as they said I cheated. Many of those riders continue to race today.
The bottom line is I played by the rules that were put in place by the UCI, WADA and USADA when I raced. The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. It's an unfair approach, applied selectively, in opposition to all the rules. It's just not right.
USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles. I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours. We all raced together. For three weeks over the same roads, the same mountains, and against all the weather and elements that we had to confront. There were no shortcuts, there was no special treatment. The same courses, the same rules. The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change that. Especially not Travis Tygart. 
Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors and the milestone of raising nearly $500 million. We have a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission. Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer, and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet.

Pulling the strings! Spain and Barcelona star Iniesta gets remodelled in viral

Andres Iniesta was the star of the show this summer as he helped Spain to a second successive European Championship crown.
The Barcelona midfielder was at the fulcrum of everything good in his country's play, picking the lock of defences and ensuring that, even without a striker, no-one could prevent arguably the planet's greatest ever side from making history.
And now, befitting his style of play, a new viral campaign has Iniesta starring as a puppet master on the pitch.
Scroll down for the video of Andres Iniesta as the puppet master

Pulling the strings: Andres Iniesta has been remodelled as a tiny puppet

Ahead of the new campaign, which celebrate the launch of the Nike CTR360 Maestri III boot, Iniesta revealed all about his hopes for the season at club level, his own personal goals, and quite what he made of seeing himself in doll-like form.
How does it feel to be back in training with a full season of football ahead of you?
Like every season, I'm really excited and determined to do well again.
What is your ultimate goal for the season with Barcelona?
Once again we´ll be competing for everything and I look forward to playing to my ability, staying fit, training well and being competitive. 
I always try to be healthy, to enjoy my football, to enjoy training and playing – and remaining injury-free and above all to improve as a footballer year on year.
You are known as a midfield maestro. Growing up as a young footballer could you see this type of role for yourself, the midfield controller? How do you do it?
Well, central midfield is where I have always liked to play; it's where I feel most involved in the game, where defence begins and attacks start, and as you develop as a player you always try to improve all aspects of your game.

Bright future: Andres Iniesta is confident Barcelona can win silverware again

THE SCIENCE OF THE CTR

The new CTR360 Maestri III is reengineered to deliver enhanced control, traction, support and lightweight comfort. Using next generation Kanga-Lite synthetic material for an assured touch and durability, the new boot also features new All Conditions Control (ACC) technology, providing the same level of control in either dry or wet conditions.
Innovations include a revamped 3D control pad that uses separate strips with fins of varying sizes to hug the arch and maximize contact with the ball, optimizing receiving and passing accuracy.
Iniesta says: 'The CTR 360 III Maestri is the main tool of my trade, it's what makes me feel comfortable on the pitch, secure when I touch the ball, when I want to dribble or make a play. It’s important to feel comfortable in your boots and I do.'

How do you set the tempo of a game, so you can control and dictate what happens around you? How do you stay calm?
Everyone is different, right? A central-midfielder, the player in the middle of the pitch, needs to be alert to everything, alert to moves, and that's the task I carry out.
The new CTR 360 III Maestro boot helps you to receive, control and pass the ball; how does this boot help you to control the game?
Above all I feel very good wearing them, they're comfortable, also when striking the ball, when wrapping my foot around the ball, to be honest I love these boots.
In the new Nike film you are a puppet master, controlling the pitch; what do you think of it?
It's interesting, it´s cool and to be honest when watching the advert I love it.
How does the film mirror your game?
Well, I obviously don't consider myself to be a puppet! But good, yes. You always try to transmit the type of person you are on the pitch and it´s something I like to do. I like the doll.
We are giving you the puppet that is used in the film – where will you keep it? Do you like it?
I'll look after it with affection and keep it in the museum as a souvenir.
What is your advice to young footballers who want to emulate your game?
Well, as a midfielder the only piece of advice I can give is that I try to learn something from each training session, I try to read the game before my opponent because your position when you receive and control the ball is very important.  Above all you have to have confidence in your ability.

Tiger v Rory can't blot out the Ryder race as Harrington and Colsaerts step up a gear

Nothing on Thursday’s busy golfing agenda could top Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy playing together for the first time on the US Tour. But boy, did Padraig Harrington on one side of the Atlantic and Nicolas Colsaerts on the other do their level best.

As things stand, this pair are seemingly fighting it out for one wildcard spot for Europe’s Ryder Cup team, with the latter justifying his hot-favourite status ahead of Monday’s announcement with an opening 69 in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. No sooner had he signed his card, however, than Harrington was compiling a brilliant 64 in the first round of The Barclays in New York, the first  tournament in the four-event series comprising the FedEx Cup play-offs.
Colsaerts can still make Europe’s team by right with a top-two finish and has  certainly started in confident vein, finishing two shots off the lead held by Aussie Brett Rumford and little-known Norwegian Knut Borsheim. If the Belgian does make it by right, Harrington has certainly done himself no harm  regarding getting a pick  alongside Ian Poulter.

All smiles: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy (right) share a laugh at the Barclays in New York

Barclays and Johnnie Walker Championship Leaderboards

So to the main event, then, with most eyes in New York trained on Woods and McIlroy. How curious that it should take the Northern Irishman 163 rounds on the US Tour before finally getting a match-up with his boyhood idol. He began seemingly hell-bent on showing Woods exactly why he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath.
Starting from the 10th,  McIlroy fired a trademark aggressive iron shot at the 11th to within 12 inches of the hole for a tap-in birdie. At the 13th he rolled in a 20 footer for another birdie to move two clear of Woods, who rapped in a birdie putt of his own at the 14th. But another wonderful iron approach set up a further routine birdie for McIlroy at the 15th, his third in six holes for an early share of the lead.

Showdown: McIlroy took one more stroke than Woods during his first round of 69 shots

Life as a double major  champion had begun sweetly, therefore, with the 23-year-old starting out how he had  finished off at the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in his previous outing.
Thereafter, however, there were one or two reminders as to why there’s a rather famous sign by the first tee at fabled Bethpage Black regarding the difficulty of the course and recommending it ‘for highly skilled golfers only’. Over the next 12 holes, a trio of errors from McIlroy resulted in three bogeys.
Woods was more successful at keeping mistakes at bay. From two behind McIlroy after six, he had moved two ahead until matching the bogey made by his playing partner at the fifth. McIlroy responded to the third of his bogeys with an instant redemptive birdie at the sixth to halve the arrears, and that’s how it remained. Woods signed for a 68 and McIlroy a 69.

Hitting form: Padraig Harrington plays from the 18th fairway during a fine first round at Bethpage State Park

Much was made in the  build-up to The Barclays of  Harrington’s arch rival Sergio Garcia saying the Irishman was no sure-fire Ryder Cup wildcard. Why all the fuss? I think the world of Harrington but I wouldn’t give him a wildcard either, as things stand.
He took a step forward here, however. Now let’s see if he can keep it going.  Harrington shot 61 on the  first day of the Transitions  Championship in Florida in March and ended up finishing tied 20th. Good opening rounds can often end up being all flash and little substance.

Good position: Nicolas Colsaerts in action during the first round of the Johnnie Walker Championship

One down, three rounds to go: Belgium's Colsaerts putts on the 18th green at Gleneagles

In all, though, this was another good day for Europe’s captain Jose Maria Olazabal. After a worrying couple of months, members of his team have won the last two events on the US Tour and are  starting to show some real form, with the match now just over a month away.
The aforementioned Garcia, for example, followed up last week’s stirring victory in the Wyndham Championship with a wonderful 66. World No 2 Luke Donald opened with a useful 68 while Lee Westwood shot 69 to make his first taste of the FedEx play-offs a  satisfying one.
Over at Gleneagles, two more team members, Paul Lawrie and Francesco Molinari, opened with rounds of 68.

A close look: Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal is in Scotland for the conclusion to the Ryder Cup points race

Atromitos 1 Newcastle 1: Taylor stunner bails out Toon after Pardew's men stutter

On their return to European football on Thursday night, Newcastle United emerged from the Euro crisis in Greece unscathed.

A Newcastle squad already stretched by the demands of the Barclays Premier League, a busy summer and this Europa League play-off will return to London this afternoon after a five-hour flight and have less than 24 hours to prepare for Saturday’s clash at Chelsea.
It is the ground where Newcastle won 2-0 last season, and Papiss Cisse scored one of the best goals in Premier League history. And it is the fixture which has really  troubled Alan Pardew this week.The Newcastle manager made nine changes to his side for last night’s clash but was forced to play Cisse as Shola and Sammy Ameobi were injured, and because he was unwilling to throw teenager Adam Campbell in from the start.

Not on my watch: Ryan Taylor blasts in the equaliser and is congratulated by boss Alan Pardew (below)

Taylor with Pardew

MATCH FACTS

Atromitos (4-1-4-1): Itandje 7; Skondras 6, Fytanidis 6, Lazaridis 6, Giannoulis 7 (Karagounis 87min); Iglesias 6; Beljic 7 (Chumbinho 61, 6), Dimoutsos 6, Brito 6, Epstein 7; Kuqi 5 (Karamanos 61).
Subs not used: Radman, Taylaridis, Garcia, Nastos.
Scorer: Epstein 24.
Newcastle (4-5-1): Harper 7; Tavernier 5, Williamson 6, Perch 7, R Taylor 7; Obertan 5, Bigirimana 6, Anita 6, Gosling 6 (Amalfitano 64, 7), Marveaux 6 (Gutierrez 71, 6); Cisse 6 (Campbell 77).
Subs not used: Santon, Cabaye, S Taylor, Krul.
Scorer: R Taylor 45.
Man of the match: James Perch.
Referee: Alon Yefet (Israel) 6.
Attendance: 4,872.

The 17-year-old still managed 13 minutes as Cisse’s late replacement, becoming the club’s youngest European debutant by 64 days and taking Andy Carroll’s record on the night he was again left redundant with Liverpool.
This evening Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba, Hatem Ben Arfa and Fabricio Coloccini will join up with the Newcastle squad ahead of tomorrow’s lunchtime kick-off  and can all expect to start at Stamford Bridge.
With the exception of suspended Ben Arfa, they will feature in Thursday’s second leg.
Pardew said: ‘We will have more rest between Thursday and the Aston Villa game which will help.
‘We will put a team out to get us through the tie and they have shown it won’t be a pushover or a foregone conclusion. We got that team just about right and now we have to get next Thursday right.
‘Our pre-season prepared us well. We worked on retaining the ball because in Europe the tempo is slower and you have to be more patient and overall our ball retention was first-class, as we’d shown at Hartlepool and Braga.
‘It was difficult out there and the opposition had some good players who caused us some problems early on. The younger players struggled with that but I was very pleased with them all. It gives us a great chance to progress and go through and I would expect us to do that.

Nice one: Taylor (right) celebrates with his team-mates

Opener: Atromitos' Denis Epstein (right) celebrates his goal with Konstantinos Giannoulis

‘I was just a little bit disappointed we didn’t get the winner as we looked more likely but overall I am very pleased.’
On a stifling night, after temperatures had soared to almost 100°F during the day in the Greek capital, Newcastle fell behind in the 24th minute after surviving a  couple of early scares.
Atromitos’s wily coach Dusan Bajevic targeted right back James Tavernier on his European debut so when Nikola Beljic played a deep pass over the youngster’s head for the umpteenth time, Denis Epstein was certain to profit eventually. The German winger neatly tapped his first-time shot past Steve Harper as the veteran keeper advanced from his line.
Harper was hardly troubled after that, although Shefki Kuqi’s younger brother Njazi missed the target with one close-range header and Ioannis Skondras fired in a routine free-kick.

On the road: Newcastle fans celebrate Taylor's equaliser

The home side’s best chance fell to full back Konstantinos  Giannoulis in the dying minutes when he raced into the area to meet a half-volley which flew into the 70 Newcastle loyalists who had made the trip and were earlier rewarded with a Ryan Taylor speciality in front of them.
A year and three days after he had floated his derby winner over the Sunderland wall, Newcastle’s set piece expert was at it again,  firing a curling shot beyond the reach of former Liverpool keeper Charles Itandje, who had used his feet to keep out an earlier effort from Taylor.
The equaliser was the last kick of the first half but not Newcastle’s first or last chance. Cisse could have done better with two half-chances and Gabriel Obertan had a wonderful opportunity but fired over too.

More to come: Pardew will demand improvement in the second leg

Pardew was still satisfied. ‘It was a great day for us,’ he said. ‘I wanted Adam Campbell to have that youngest player tag. He has a great future, is a lovely lad and a local lad. The most important thing was winning the game. I can’t protect everybody but we tried to restrict Papiss’s work rate.’
Last word went to Bajevic, who said: ‘Newcastle have the advantage but that does not mean we are going there to surrender.’
Pardew will ensure he does not have the last word next week.

Scrap: James Perch fights for the ball with Epstein

Blake sends message to Bolt with third-fastest 100m time in history in Lausanne

Yohan Blake ran his quickest 100 metres on Thursday night to go level with American Tyson Gay as the second fastest man of all time but revealed he was not at his best.
‘I have been sick all week, thank God I recovered,’ Blake said.
His time of 9.69sec in the Diamond League meeting in Lausanne matched Gay’s time from 2009 and is bettered only by his training partner Usain Bolt.

The Beast: Jamaica's Yohan Blake celebrates after winning the men's 100m race in Lausanne

Can't catch me: Blake (right) beats American Tyson Gay (left) to the finishing line

Gay was second in 9.83sec but there was a metre and a half between him and the Jamaican.
‘I have more races and I am going to get better and better,’ Blake added, but he will not be in Birmingham to compete at the Diamond League meeting on Sunday. His manager said he had been ‘insulted’ with an offer of only $40,000 to race.
He will have earned more than three times as much for last night’s fastest ever 100m in the Pontaise Olympic Stadium.
Bolt declines to compete in Britain outside of the Olympics because tax laws would cost him more than he would be paid. Blake will also stay away because he is not paid enough.

Strike a pose: Blake joins his pal Usain Bolt to celebrate their victories in the Diamond League

At a canter: Bolt crosses the finishing line to win the 200m in front of Jason Young and Nickel Ashmeade

Round the bend: Bolt is flanked by Warren Weir (left) and Wallace Spearman on his way to victory

The question that remains after the race was how much closer to Bolt’s world record of 9.58sec a healthy Blake can run in Zurich next Wednesday.
‘I saw him in training and I knew he was going to run fast,’ said Bolt, who had been watching with other sprinters preparing for the subsequent 200m. Bolt won that at a canter in 19.58sec.

Too quick: Ryan Bailey, Nesta Carter and Jaysuma Saidy Ndure can't keep pace with Blake

Centre of attention: Olympic 100m silver medallist Blake was top dog in the absence of Usain Bolt

The outstanding British performer was Olympic high jump bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz, who equalled Steve Smith’s British record of 2.37 metres to finish third behind Barshim Ahmed, who jumped 2.39m, and Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov, who had fewer failures in clearing 2.37m.
Lawrence Okoye may have taken a step closer to deciding not to abandon athletics for rugby union when he was runner-up to world No 2 Gerd Kanter with a throw of 65.27m, the sixth competition this year in which he has exceeded the world-class distance of 65m.

The boy's quality! Allardyce certain talented Jarvis will boost West Ham

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce believes the signing of winger Matt Jarvis from Wolves will add an extra dimension to his squad.

England international Jarvis is set to seal a move to Upton Park that could see him become the most expensive signing in the club's history, with a reported fee of £10.75million including add-ons.
The 26-year-old is likely to be involved at the weekend against Swansea if a deal is completed in time, and Allardyce praised the ability of the former Gillingham man.

Big money: West Ham splashed the cash on Matt Jarvis (left)

'From my point of view it is a big piece of business. I think a quality young man who has got a lot of qualities that will add to the team we have already got,' he said.
'When you are trying to create in the Premier League and score goals, he is one of those players who can certainly give defences a really hard time and that is what we are hoping he can do for us.'

 

After already featuring in Wolves' opening games of the season, Allardyce confirmed he had no fears about throwing Jarvis straight into his starting XI at the Liberty Stadium.

When asked if Jarvis would be considered against Swansea, Allardyce said: 'Absolutely. This is not a player that is coming in from abroad or coming from a foreign club.
'He had a full pre-season at Wolves, he played on Tuesday night for Wolves and I watched him play against Leeds sat in my office waiting for our first game last week, and was obviously thoroughly impressed with him again.
'He has been a huge success at Wolverhampton Wanderers since his move from Gillingham and we hope he will be as big a success for us as he was for them.
'He is fit, he is eager and he is ready to go.'
Allardyce added: ‘This is a player of dribbling skills, pace, trickery, a player that not only provides chances but also relieves pressure on your defence.
‘When he takes the ball he will keep hold of it and can take it from one end of the field to the other on his own and then produce a cross.
‘His stats are extremely good and he delivers in the business end of the field.’

Straight in: Allardyce says he's willing to throw Jarvis into the action immediately

Allardyce would not be drawn on an exact fee for the winger but was pleased the club could move for someone commanding such a high transfer value.
'All I know is it is me asking the co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold to try and secure this player and make sure that if we can do it financially, lets do it,' he said.
'And they have done that and we are extremely pleased to sign what we consider to be a high quality player for our team.'
West Ham started their season with a hard-fought win over Aston Villa last weekend while their opponents on Saturday opened up with an impressive 5-0 hammering of QPR at Loftus Road.
And while Allardyce was happy to collect three points, he is wary of the momentum the Swans have following their rout at Loftus Road.

Danger: Miguel Michu and Swansea await the Hammers

He said: 'We didn't quite hit the heights Michael (Swansea manager Michael Laudrup) did, but we had a 1-0 win against Aston Villa, which was a fantastic result for us.
'But the dizzy heights Swansea achieved at QPR on Saturday was a dream come true for Swansea and for Michael.
'Listening to the facts, I think it was January before they won their first away game in the Premier League last season. So to start the season away from home and to win the game, and win it 5-0, Michael must be delighted.
'It gives them a lot of confidence going into what has already been a fantastic home record in the Premier League last season.
'Their home record was exceptionally good so, as every game, it will be very tough and perhaps a bit tougher because they have that confidence of winning the first game 5-0.'

Barcelona 3 Real Madrid 2: Xavi and Messi rule as Vilanova's men earn slim advantage

Barcelona came from behind to take a slender lead from the first leg of the Spanish Supercopa at the Nou Camp.
Cristiano Ronaldo headed Real into the lead against the run of play 10 minutes into the second half from Mesut Ozil's corner, but Barcelona responded as Pedro showed great poise to slot home a minute later.

Three's the trick: Xavi celebrates scoring Barcelona's third goal

Boom: Cristiano Ronaldo heads in the first goal

MATCH FACTS

Barcelona: Valdes; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Adriano; Busquets, Xavi (Fabregas 83), Iniesta; Sanchez (Tello 72), Messi, Pedro (Alba 88).
Substitutes: Pinto, Puyol, Roberto, Villa

Goals: Pedro 56, Messi 70 (pen), Xavi 77
Real Madrid: Casillas; Arbeloa, Albiol, Ramos, Coentrao; Khedira, Alonso; Callejon (Di Maria 66), Ozil (Marcelo 82), Ronaldo; Benzema (Higuain 61).
Substitutes: Adan, Jesus, Varane, Nacho, Morata, Diarra, Granero
Goals: Ronaldo 55, Di Maria 85

The action then raced from end to end and it was the hosts who forged ahead 20 minutes from time when Lionel Messi scored from the penalty spot after Sergio Ramos had brought down Andres Iniesta.
Then a terrific jinking run from Iniesta freed Xavi to stroke home Barcelona's third goal seven minutes later.
However, the visitors were gifted a way back into the tie five minutes from time when Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes tried to dribble around Angel Di Maria and only succeeded in gifting the Argentinian an open goal.
Barcelona were deserving of the victory but may rue not taking full advantage after dominating for large spells against a Real side who failed to find the cohesion that had seen them go unbeaten in three of their last four trips to the Nou Camp.

Magic: Lionel Messi celebrates as Barca picked up a slim win

Easy does it: Angel di Maria hits back for Madrid

Messi had the first real chance of the game when a typically sharp Barcelona passing exchange freed Dani Alves down the right and his cut-back found the Argentinian on the edge of the penalty area, but his left-footed drive flew just off target.
The world player of the year then had an even better opportunity from similar range as he skipped past Alvaro Arbeloa but this time pulled his shot wide of the other upright.
Real were struggling to manage any prolonged possession and were relieved to see referee Carlos Clos Gomez wave away appeals for a penalty when Alexis Sanchez tumbled in the box under pressure from Ramos.

Spin: Ronaldo wheels away in celebration

Duo: Xavi (centre) and Iniesta (right) pulled the strings as usual

However, for all their dominance Barcelona only had another two long-range efforts on goal as Pedro's drive was tipped over by Iker Casillas before Xavi shot just over from similar range.
And it was the visitors who took the lead 10 minutes into the second period as Ozil's corner was bulleted in by Ronaldo for his fourth goal in his last four away games against Barcelona.
The lead lasted less than a minute as a wonderful ball over the top from Javier Mascherano found Pedro in behind Fabio Coentrao and the Spanish international slotted past Casillas.

On the move: Ronaldo gets a pass away after escaping the attentions of Javier Mascherano (right) and Adriano

The game then became increasingly stretched as both sides tired slightly from playing in the still searing heat, despite the late kick-off time, and the visitors' luck with Gomez eventually ran out as Iniesta was brought down inside the area by Ramos and Messi stepped up to thunder home the penalty.
Moments later Iniesta showed incredible speed of foot to dance past three Real challenges and slip a pass through for Xavi to sidefoot past Casillas.
Messi then had a great chance to all but seal the trophy but he was denied from point-blank range by Casillas, and within seconds the complexion of the tie had completely changed as Valdes' error allowed Di Maria to give Madrid a lifeline heading into the return at the Bernabeu next Wednesday.

Shifty: Messi tries to turn Sami Khadira during the Super Cup first leg at Camp Nou

The shake: Jose Mourinho and Francesc 'Tito' Vilanova prior to the match. Mourinho was punished after apparently gouging Vilanova's eye during a La Liga match last season

No you don't: Ronaldo tries to get the better of Barcelona defender Gerard Pique during the Spanish season curtain-raiser

Clash: Messi tussles with Fabio Coentrao on the turf

Carroll was injured, not dropped... and we're closing in on Sahin, insists Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers revealed Andy Carroll missed Thursday night's 1-0 win over Hearts in the Europa League with a hamstring problem, while confirming he is edging closer to signing Nuri Sahin.

Sahin is expected to complete a season-long loan move to Liverpool on Friday after Arsenal pulled out of the running for Real Madrid's Turkey midfielder, 23.
Arsenal felt they made a significant breakthrough on Tuesday and looked set to complete a deal. However, it is understood they were not prepared to match Liverpool's offer to pay 70 per cent of his wages of £120,000 a week.
The manager said: 'Hopefully in the next 24 hours we will get some confirmation on that. It's quite far along. He's a very good footballer.'

• Hearts 0 Liverpool 1 - read Dominic King's match report here

Distant: Andy Carroll (left) and Brendan Rodgers seem frosty

Warming up: the two exchange a playful headbutt

Carroll failed to make the squad for the play-off first leg in Edinburgh - despite his presence at the stadium.
The England striker’s future has been the subject of huge debate this summer. Newcastle want to bring Carroll back to  St James’ Park, but so far they haven’t even come close to  meeting Liverpool’s £20m valuation.
They first made an offer to take Carroll back to the North East on loan last month but Liverpool manager Rodgers has robustly warned that only realistic offers will be considered.
However, Rodgers says the forward was set to start against Hearts and he remains hopeful he will be fit for Sunday's visit of champions Manchester City.
He said: 'Andy was due to start. He had a slight twinge on his hamstring.

Missing out: Carroll watches from the stand

Andy Carrol watches from the crowd

'We had a scan on it and it didn't show a tear, just a slight disruption.
'We tried to give him 48 hours, let him travel and he trained Wednesday to see how it was.
'It was still a bit tight and the medics' advice was it was too much of a risk for him to play.
'It was unfortunate because he has worked well and I know he was desperate to play.
'Hopefully missing the game will allow him to recover for the weekend.'
Rodgers also paid tribute to Sterling, saying: 'He's 17-years-old and you saw in the first half that tactically he's improving all the time, his pressing was good and he was starting to read the game.
'When he did have the ball he was very exciting. He had a real test tonight and he showed some good moments.'

Tough break: Andy Webster (left) turns the ball past Jamie MacDonald (centre) to gift Liverpool the lead

Just Fab: Borini celebrates Liverpool's winner

Rodgers added: 'First and foremost it was a win which is very important in European games, and certainly coming to a place like this with the crowd right up for it.
'I thought the players were excellent. We spoke about our positioning at half-time and in the second half our management of the game was much better. We kept possession better and the goal came from a very good move.
'It was a good win, a difficult match for us, and it was a really good game.'