Barcelona Cruyff Tribute for El Clasico

Barcelona will pay further tribute to Johan Cruyff by wearing a shirt with the words ‘Gràcies Johan’ on their shirts for Saturday’s clásico against Real Madrid.

A mosaic with the same slogan will also be displayed by supporters across all four sides of Camp Nou before kick-off, while a minute’s silence and a video of Cruyff’s best moments will be played prior to the La Liga fixture.

Cruyff, a three-time world player of the year and pioneer of total football, died last week at the age of 68 having been diagnosed with lung cancer in October.

Barça lead third-placed Real by 10 points and could extend their unbeaten run to 40 games.

Atlético are currently second, nine points behind Luis Enrique’s team, and travel to the Camp Nou on Tuesday for the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final.

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Andrew Smith 1990 - 2016

Former Butler star Andrew Smith, a key player on Brad Stevens’ team that went to the national title game in successive years, died on Tuesday from cancer. He was 25.

His wife, Samantha, confirmed his death on Tuesday afternoon.

Smith’s father Curt said in a statement: “Andrew packed more living into his 25 years than most of us will enjoy in a full 75 years. He lived his faith, relished his family, selflessly served his wife, and pursued his passion of basketball at the highest levels.”

Butler University said: “The Butler community is profoundly sad today with the news of Andrew’s passing.

“He gave his all, all the time. As an academic all-American, he represented the best of Butler in the classroom and on the court. He is, was, and always will be a Bulldog. The Butler community is proud to have been part of his life, and our thoughts are with his wife, Samantha; his parents, Debbie and Curt; and the rest of his family.”

The 6ft 11in Smith was a freshman reserve on the 2010 team, and started as a sophomore on the 2011 squad. Smith scored five points and grabbed nine rebounds in the loss to UConn in the title game. He spent two more seasons at Butler, then played professionally in Lithuania. He returned home to Indiana in 2013 and was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2014.

In July 2014, he went into cardiac arrest and spent three days in a coma. Smith had a bone marrow transplant in November and on December 7, Samantha Smith wrote that the transplant had failed and the lymphoma had turned into leukaemia.

Smith attended Butler’s December 19 game in Indianapolis, where the Bulldogs defeated Purdue.

Stevens, now the head coach of the Boston Celtics, did not attend his team’s game last Thursday in Chicago and instead went to visit Smith in the hospital in Indianapolis.

#RIP 

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Jorge Martinez Boero Dies in Dakar

Argentine motorcyclist Jorge Martinez Boero has died after being involved in an accident on the first day of the Dakar Rally.

The 38-year-old fell on the stage between Mar del Plata and Santa Rosa de la Pampa in Argentina.

Police said Martinez Boero, who was competing in the event for the second time, died en route to hospital.

In its 33rd year, the Dakar Rally is considered one of the most dangerous rallies in the world.

The 2012 route has changed considerably with drivers and riders tasked with a daunting 5,500-mile route starting from Mar del Plata, south of Buenos Aires.

The 465-strong field navigate their way through Argentina and into Chile and Peru before reaching the finish in Lima, the Peruvian capital, on 15 January.

The event was held in Africa but moved to South America in 2009 because of security concerns in Mauritania which forced the cancellation of the 2008 event.