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Shaka Hislop remains convinced Real Madrid are locks to win La Liga, even with mounting injury concerns. La Liga leaders Real Madrid hold on to their lead provided by Sergio Ramos' first-half brace to fend off Malaga.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane admitted that while the news of more injuries had him "annoyed," he is confident the squad will play well under pressure for Wednesday's Copa del Rey quarterfinal second leg at Celta Vigo.

Cristiano Ronaldo is likely to feature despite a painful foot problem, but James Rodriguez was ruled out with another calf muscle issue and Zidane said that the mood was low afterMarcelo and Luka Modric limped out of Saturday's underwhelming 2-1 La Liga win over Malaga.

Zidane's side travel to Vigo with an injury list which also includes first teamers Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Marcelo, Dani Carvajal and Pepe, and will face an in-form Celta side which were good value for their shock 2-1 first leg win at the Bernabeu last week.

At his prematch news conference, Zidane said that the team were now aiming to put injuries behind them and qualify for the last four.

"It's true I was down on Saturday when I saw players injured, and unhappy," Zidane said. "I am annoyed to be missing some players, yes. But we cannot do anything about it, during a season this happens.

"That affects me, but just for one day. Those players who have less chance to play, they have been doing well. It will be difficult, at 1-2 behind, but we like these type of games, to have a result to overcome. It is a good situation sometimes, knowing that it's a knockout game with everything on the line."

Zidane confirmed that Ronaldo had suffered a painful bang to his foot in Saturday's game, and sat out training on Monday, but there was no thought of holding the Portugal captain back for next weekend's La Liga fixture at home to in-form Real Sociedad.

"If Cristiano is fit he will be with us," he said. "He got a bang, has been feeling it until now, although it is not an injury. We are just thinking about tomorrow's game, we will not throw any competition, that is for sure."

Zidane confirmed reports from Colombia's Radio Caracol that James, who has already missed two weeks with what was first said to be a minor calf muscle problem, now faces a further three weeks out having suffered a similar injury to his other calf.

"James has a problem with his other leg, it is a strain, not a [serious] injury, which is the good part," Zidane said. "When you have something on one side it can affect the other, which has happened to James. We hoped to have him back on Monday, but it has not been possible. He is also upset as he wanted to be back."

Madrid's situation is also complicated by youth team full-back Alvaro Tejero facing a ban having spat at an opponent when playing for Castilla last weekend. Zidane said that little-used Fabio Coentrao could make a rare appearance, in a season in which he has found it difficult to get match-fit following a long layoff last term.

"Tomorrow [Coentrao] will be with us," he said. "After his long injury, the demands of the training can cause him problems. That is normal after five or six months out. He wants to play, but sometimes his body means he has to stop a bit. Which has happened lately."

Zidane dismissed a question asking whether he was worried that the demanding preparation methods of fitness coach Antonio Pintus were to blame for the current spate of injuries at the Bernabeu.

"If we need to work we work, if we should rest we rest," he said. "It's true we have many injuries lately. I am responsible for all this, all of the staff do their best for the players. We must not be worried and continue with the players we have. Physically we are very good and we will keep going like this."

Dermot Corrigan is a Madrid-based football writer who covers La Liga and the Spain national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @dermotmcorrigan

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James, Ronaldo woes don't worry Zidane - ESPN FC

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. A former Missouri State University student who said he was the victim of a so-called knockout game attack outside a fraternity party in 2010 has been awarded $1.63 million in damages, though he is likely to collect only $630,000.

The lawyers representing Trevor Godfrey, 25, said in a news release that the Omicron Kappa chapter of Omega Psi Phi didnt do enough to create a safe environment at the party before Godfrey was struck from behind and knocked unconscious, the Springfield News-Leader reported.

The Omicron Kappa chapter was the sole defendant after Omega Psi Phi and several individuals were dismissed from the suit before the case went to trial last week. Godfreys attorney, Steve Garner, said $1 million in punitive damages wasnt covered by the fraternitys insurance and couldnt be collected, though insurance covers the $630,000 in actual damages.

MSU has great rules to protect those who attend fraternity and sorority parties and those who come in contact with the party. In fact, I cannot imagine any rules that are better, Garner wrote in an email. This was an instance where the rules were not followed and there was no security to monitor this party. I have nothing negative to say about this fraternity.

Hal Meltzer, an attorney for the Omicron Kappa chapter, didnt immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press.

Springfield police said that no charges had been filed and that the case was closed. A Springfield police report said people attending the party reported that they didnt see or know anything. A responding officer wrote in the report that besides finding Godfrey bloodied and very disoriented, another person reported that he also had been struck in the head.

MSU President Clif Smart said around the time of the attack that the administration had done everything it could to help find out who the assailant is but was unsuccessful.

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$1.6 million award in 'knockout game' lawsuit against Missouri State frat - STLtoday.com

Trevor Godfrey in November 2012.(Photo: News-Leader file photo)Buy Photo

A jury awarded $1.63 million in damages Friday after a man claimed to be the victimof a "knockout game" outside a 2012 fraternity party near Missouri State University, court documents show.

According to a lawsuit filed in Greene County court, Trevor Godfrey went outside to move his car on the 1100 block of East Elm Street on a January 2012 weekend when several men from a nearby fraternity party struck Godfrey from behind, knocking him unconscious.

The lawyers representingGodfrey said in a news release that the fraternity, the Omicron Kappa chapter ofOmega Psi Phi,did not do enough to create a safe environment at the party.

According to the release,Godfrey, who was an MSU student at the time of the incident, was awarded$1 million in punitive damages and $630,000 in actual damages.

A Greene County jury deliberated for nearly three hours Friday night before reaching a verdict, online court records show.

Steve Garner, Godfrey's attorney, explained that the punitive damages are not covered by the fraternity's insurance and can't be collected, though the actual damages are covered by insurance.

"MSU has great rules to protect those who attend fraternity and sorority parties and those who come in contact with the party. In fact, I cannot imagine any rules that are better," Garner wrote in an email. "This was an instance where the rules were not followed and there was no security to monitor this party. I have nothing negative to say about this fraternity."

A Springfield police report was admitted as part of the court record.

In that report, a Springfield police officer who responded to the 2012 incident wrote that Godfrey was found with blood on his face and mouth and was "very disoriented." Another person told the officer he, too, had been struck in the head by an unknown person outside the party.

According to the police report, people attending the party said they didn't see or know anything.

Godfrey's mother told the News-Leader in 2012 that her son "was left for dead, basically."

Police records indicate officers interviewed numerous people over the next two years, including MSU Athletic Director Kyle Moats, who told police his staff interviewed football players about the incident.

Around the time of the incident, MSU President Clif Smart said the university administration did everything it could to "help find out who the assailant is."

"We have not been successful, and neither have the police and neither has the Godfrey family," Smart said.

According to a police spokesman, no charges were ever filed in regard to the January 2012 incident and the case is closed.

In 2014, Godfrey filed a lawsuit against several individuals. Later, the Omicron Kappa chapter of Omega Psi Phi was added as a defendant in the case.

The attorney who represented the fraternity chapter said no judgment has been entered yet, as the jury's verdict can be appealed.

According to an MSU spokeswoman, there are active members of the fraternity on campus, though the fraternity has not fully registered with the university.

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Jury awards $1.63 million in 'knockout game' suit against fraternity near MSU - Springfield News-Leader

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) A former Missouri State University student who claimed to be the victim of a so-called "knockout game" attack outside a fraternity party has been awarded $1.63 million in damages.

The Springfield News-Leader (http://sgfnow.co/2kaq51L ) reports that the lawyers representing 25-year-old Trevor Godfrey said that the Omicron Kappa chapter of Omega Psi Phi didn't do enough to create a safe environment at the party before Godfrey was struck him from behind and knocked unconscious.

The Omicron Kappa chapter was the sole defendant after Omega Psi Phi and several individuals were dismissed from the suit before the case went to trial last week in Greene County Circuit Court. No criminal charges were filed in the attack.

An attorney for the Omicron Kappa chapter didn't immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press.

___

Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com

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$1.63M awarded in 'knockout game' suit against fraternity - STLtoday.com

TORONTO - Toronto FC ended the regular-season on a winning note Sunday, missing out on a first-round playoff bye but not short on confidence as it prepares to face the Philadelphia Union in a midweek MLS knockout game.

Led by Sebastian Giovinco's goal and assist, Toronto defeated the lowly Chicago Fire 3-2 to up its single-season franchise record to 53 points.

Toronto, which started the day in third place, had needed to beat Chicago and have New York City FC tie or lose to Columbus to vault past NYCFC into second in the Eastern Conference and get the first-round bye.

NYCFC did not co-operate, scoring three late goals to win 4-1. So instead of having a week to prepare for the Eastern Conference semifinal, Toronto (14-9-11) will now host Philadelphia (11-14-9) on Wednesday.

While Toronto has only lost twice in its last 15 games (8-2-5), it forced the drive for a playoff bye to the final day by squandering points at home. Sunday victory was Toronto's first win at BMO Field since Aug. 6, ending an 0-2-3 run at home. It also snapped a five-game winless streak (0-1-4) dating back to a victory over the Fire in Chicago on Sept. 10.

Given Toronto missed out on second place by one point, those dropped points cost the club dearly in its quest for the bye.

"It definitely was ours," Giovinco, speaking through an interpreter, said of the bye. "We showed that we could have had it this season. But it's useless to think of what could have been. It's better just to think of what is."

Toronto captain Michael Bradley was also not thinking of what might have been. Instead he chose to see Philadelphia as the first playoff obstacle to be removed.

"It's a huge game, there's no two ways about it," he said. "You play all year to get to this point. We're excited to begin.

"If this part scares you, then you're in the wrong business."

Wednesday's game will be the first-ever home playoff contest for Toronto, which lost its post-season debut last year when it was beaten 3-0 in Montreal in the first round.

Bradley, who has talked in the past of the kind of character the club needs to succeed, likes what he sees when he looks around the Toronto locker-room this season.

"I think there isn't going to be a team in this league that is going to be excited about playing us in the next six weeks," he said. "If we can understand what's gotten us to this point, concentrate on every little detail, make sure that when the lights come on that every guy is ready to spill their guts onto the field. If we're able to make the important plays at both ends of the field, then I think I like our chances."

Toronto won 3-1 on Aug. 20 in Philadelphia and tied the Union 1-1 on Sept. 24 in BMO Field. Should Toronto get past Philadelphia, the road to the Eastern Conference title will likely lead through New York with the Red Bulls and NYCFC finishing first and second.

"We have a good feel for them," Bradley said of the Union. "We know what they're all about."

D.C. United hosts Montreal in the other Eastern Conference knockout game.

Should Toronto beat Philadelphia, it will open the Eastern semifinal at home Sunday and play the return leg away on Nov. 6. Had it secured the bye, it would have opened on the road and played the second leg at home.

"We'll play whoever we have to play whenever we have to play and we'll make sure that we're ready," said Toronto coach Greg Vanney.

He noted Portland also finished third in its conference last season and went on to win the MLS Cup.

Justin Morrow and Jonathan Osorio also scored for Toronto before 25,235 at BMO Field on what MLS dubbed Decision Day with all 20 teams in action at the same time.

Giovinco, last year's MVP, finished the regular season with 17 goals and 15 assists in 28 games. And he could have had more on the day, coming close on four occasions in the first 20 minutes.

Toronto outshot Chicago 16-10 (6-3 on target), continuing a season-long trend of misfiring.

Michael de Leeuw and John Goossens scored for Chicago, which led 1-0 until conceding on the verge of halftime.

It marked the first time Toronto has won this season when giving up the first goal. It was 0-8-8 going into the game when conceding first.

While Chicago (7-17-10) arrived with the worst record in MLS it was a dismal 1-14-2 on the road this year it had played spoiler in its previous two games by tying Columbus 2-2 and beating New England 2-1.

The opening goal came against the run of play in the 18th minute. A Steven Beitashour giveaway in midfield set off a Chicago attack and, with the defence backing off, Arturo Alvarez found de Leeuw who beat Clint Irwin from a tight angle in close.

Giovinco scored via the penalty spot in the 45th minute after Joao Meira clipped him with a boot. The Italian Giovinco pleaded without success for another penalty in the 52nd, arguing that Rodrigo Ramos had impeded him in the box by grabbing a fistful of his jersey.

He had his revenge on Ramos two minutes later, dancing around the Brazilian at the byline before sending in a cross for Morrow to head home.

Osorio increased the lead to 3-1 with a beautiful finish in the 62nd minute, controlling the ball as if it was glued to his feet to elude several defenders before beating McLain.

Goossens cut the lead to 3-2 in the 83rd when Toronto defender Eriq Zavaleta's headed clearance went straight to the Dutchman, who hammered a shot home.

Chicago coach Velko Paunovic paid tribute to his players and coaches after a tough season.

"It was a very hard year for us and many times we were challenged but we were capable of sticking together and working towards our goals which is to be successful in the coming seasons."

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

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Toronto FC misses out on playoff bye, will face Philadelphia in knockout game - Kamsack Times