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MADRID, Spain -- Barcelona defender Dani Alves has received an outpouring of support for his response to a racist taunt during a game, while Villarreal issued a lifetime ban to the season-ticket holder who threw a banana at him. Alves, who is black, was about to take a corner in Sundays 3-2 win at Villarreals El Madrigal Stadium when a banana landed on the pitch in front of him. The Brazil international picked it up, peeled it and ate some of it before throwing the rest aside. "Villarreal deeply regrets and condemns the incident that happened," Villarreal said in a statement on Monday. "The club has already identified the (culprit) and has decided to withdraw his season tickets, permanently." After the match, Alves said humour was the best way to combat racism in sport. That sentiment has led fellow football players, officials and even political figures from around the globe to respond with solidarity by picturing themselves eating a banana. Barcelona teammate Neymar posted a photo of himself on Instagram holding a peeled banana alongside his son, who was holding a doll that resembled a banana. Fellow Brazil teammates Hulk and Fred also lent support via their social media accounts. Argentina striker Sergio Aguero and Brazil womens striker Marta both posed for photos while biting into bananas, while former Brazil international Roberto Carlos also posted an internet photo of himself with the fruit. "We have suffered this in Spain for some time," Alves said Sunday. "You have to take it with a dose of humour. We arent going to change things easily. If you dont give it importance, they dont achieve their objective." Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who has been actively condemning racist acts in Brazilian football, also expressed her support to Alves, while Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Italy national team coach Cesare Prandelli also shared a banana in a photograph. "The player had a daring and strong response to racism in sport," Rousseff wrote on her official Twitter account. "Confronted by something that unfortunately has become too common in stadiums, Alves had attitude." Rousseff praised Neymar for getting behind his teammate and reiterated that Brazil will "raise the flag against racial discrimination" during the World Cup. FIFA President Sepp Blatter also commented on Twitter, saying that "what (Alves) tolerated last night is an outrage." He added that there "will be zero tolerance" at the World Cup. The match referee on Sunday included the 75th-minute incident in his match report, so Villarreal could face a fine. "Our club would like to express its firm commitment to promoting respect, equality, sportsmanship and fair play both on and off the field and our absolute rejection of any act that is contrary to these principles, such as violence, discrimination, racism and xenophobia," Villarreal added in its statement. Alves has often been subjected to racist taunts and called fighting racism "a lost war" in January 2013 after segments of Real Madrids fans abused him with monkey chants during a match. Madrid defender Marcelo, who is also Brazilian, was also recently greeted with monkey chants by a section of Atletico Madrid fans this season. Former Barcelona striker Samuel Etoo was convinced not to walk off at Zaragoza in 2006 after fans berated the Cameroon striker with racist chants. Two years earlier, Spain fans at Madrids Santiago Bernabeu Stadium infamously greeted Englands black players with monkey chants during an international friendly match. Bobby Orr Jersey . - The Raiders have released guard Mike Brisiel after two disappointing seasons in Oakland. Danton Heinen Jersey . The cause of his death is as of yet undetermined, but police said foul play is not suspected. http://www.thebostonbruinshockey.com/charlie-coyle-hockey-jersey/ . Raonic, the mens No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., needed more than three hours to overcome Frenchman Gilles Simon 4-6, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 and become the first Canadian man into the fourth round at Roland Garros. Milan Lucic Jersey . Thats exactly what happened. And they enjoyed every moment. Durant remained sizzling with 33 points, Serge Ibaka added 22 and the Thunder roared back from an abysmal start -- they trailed 22-4 early -- to embarrass the Miami Heat 112-95 on Wednesday night, erasing that big deficit out of the gate by outscoring the two-time defending champions by 43 points over a 33-minute span. Sean Kuraly Jersey . The 24-year-old Pruneau played his CIS football with the Montreal Carabins. The six-foot, 200-pound Montreal native had 41 tackles, 3.LONDON - After a perfect end to 2014, Real Madrid opened the new year with its first loss since September.Madrid slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Valencia to end a 22-game winning streak in all competitions. However, Barcelona failed to take advantage as it also lost at Real Sociedad to remain behind leader Madrid in the Spanish league.In England, Manchester United and Manchester City were among a slew of big clubs that needed second-half recoveries against lower-league teams for victories in the FA Cups third round.Here is a look at the action from Europe:___SPAINMadrid took the lead at Valencia when Cristiano Ronaldo extended his season tally to 26 league goals in the 14th minute at Mestalla Stadium, stroking in a penalty kick following Alvaro Negredos handball.But the hosts rallied through a goal by Antonio Barragan in the 52nd before defender Nicolas Otamendi fended off Sergio Ramos to head home the 65th-minute winner.We have been training all week for this, Otamendi said. This was a key game to start 2015.Madrid had not lost or drawn a game in any competition since a 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Sept. 13, setting a Spanish record for consecutive wins.Barcelona had the chance to provisionally climb above Madrid into first, but lost 1-0 at Sociedad following Jordi Albas own goal in the second minute. Star forwards Lionel Messi and Neymar came on as substitutes in the second half, but failed to inspire a comeback.Rayo Vallecano also came from behind for a 2-1 victory at crosstown rival Getafe. Eibar, meanwhile, continued its impressive topflight debut by holding on to win 2-1 at Espanyol and move into eighth place.___ENGLANDOn the day Englands top teams entered the FA Cup, world footballs most famous domestic cup competition, there were a slew of close calls for Premier League sides. But only Queens Park Rangers fell at the first hurdle.QPR lost 3-0 to Sheffield United, which is making a habit of producing so-called giant-killings in cup competitions. The team reached the semifinals of the FA Cup last season and has advanced to the same stage of the League Cup this season, where it takes on Tottenham over two legs this month.Man City looked like going the same way as QPR, only for James Milner — a midfielder playing as a makeshift striker — to score in the 66th minute and again in injury time in a 2-1 win over second-tier Sheffield Wednesday.dddddddddddd.Man United was also unconvincing against Yeovil, which is bottom of the third tier, and needed goals in the final 26 minutes from midfielders Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria for a 2-0 win.Stoke avoided what would have been one of the biggest shocks in the cups 144-year history, scoring three times in the final 10 minutes to beat non-league Wrexham 3-1. Chelsea also relied on a second-half revival, scoring three goals in a 14-minute burst for a 3-0 win over Watford. Christian Bentekes 88th-minute strike earned Aston Villa a 1-0 victory over Blackpool, which plays in the second tier.Arsenal had it more comfortable, with the defending champions beating Hull 2-0 in a repeat of last seasons final thanks to goals by Per Mertesacker and Alexis Sanchez.___FRANCEFourth-tier Grenoble came from behind three times before producing the first major upset in the French Cup with a 5-4 win on penalties over league leader Marseille.Other top-flight favourites avoided falling at the first hurdle as Lyon, Monaco and Bordeaux all progressed to the round of 32.Marseille and Grenoble were locked 3-3 after extra time after Grenoble captain Selim Bengriba headed home a last-second equalizer to take Marcelo Bielsas side to a penalty shootout.Former Grenoble player Florian Thauvin missed from the spot during the shootout and Nasrallah sent Brice Samba the wrong way to knock out Marseille.After a strong first half to the season that saw it climb to second in the league standings, Lyon picked up where it left off before the Christmas break and quickly built a 3-0 lead against Lens before resisting a late charge to win 3-2.Monaco was in control from the start against second-division side Nimes and won 2-0 with goals from Bernardo Silva and Valere Germain, while Bordeaux defeated Toulouse 2-1.Guingamp began its title defence with a 3-0 victory at fifth-tier side Dinan Lehon, and Saint-Etienne scrapped to a 1-0 win over Nancy. 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