Barcelona dropped points for the third time in four league games as they were held 0-0 by local rivals Espanyol in a heated Catalan derby last Saturday.

Atletico Madrid moved two points clear of Barca at the top of the table, having played a game more, thanks to substitute Thomas Partey's late winner to edge past Levante 1-0.

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez hit the woodwork for Barcelona either side of half-time, but Espanyol's physical approach was rewarded with a first point against Barca in eight matches.

For the first time in the history of the Championship of African Nations (CHAN), the local Black Stars would conspicuously be missing in the 2016 edition to be hosted by Rwanda after a disappointing campaign saw a more prepared Ivorian side snatch the slot from the claws of Ghana.

Indeed, 2015 should be a year Coach Maxwell Konadu and his charges must quickly consign to history, having previously established themselves among the superpowers of the CHAN competition.

Ghana’s record in the competition remains enviable to many nations following their sterling performance that earned them silver in the maiden edition hosted by Cote d’Ivoire and bronze two years ago in South Africa.

The president of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, has eulogised the outgoing General Secretary of the association, Emmanuel Gyimah, for his immense contribution to the success of the FA.

Gyimah is taking a bow after over two decades of service at the GFA.

At a colourful send-off ceremony in honour of the outgoing head of secretariat of the GFA, Nyantakyi lauded his key qualities as a successful football administrator.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, has handed over a GH¢100, 000 football field she rehabilitated to the people in the constituency and the schools around.

The park, which has now been named after the MP, as Mama Pat Football Field, is located at Asokwa and has a standby pipe that would be used to constantly water the grass.

 A sense of optimism and rejuvenation is the impression Kumasi Asante Kotoko hope to leave on the minds of their fans as they host Serbian club, FC Jagodina, in a friendly game at the Baba Yara Stadium on Sunday.

This is to help them announce their determination to conquer the local scene once again following a shambolic performance last season that saw them end each game in a confrontation with the fans.

Emotions took the better side of Ghana’s bulky cruiser-weight champion, Brimah Kamoko (Bukom Banku), when moments after stopping Michael Ayitey Powers in a six-round technical knockout last Sunday morning the broke down in tears.

The otherwise manly Banku exposed his ‘softer’ side of life as tears of joy rolled down his cheeks in an ecstatic win in the ‘repeat or revenge’ 10-round contest.

Fudbalski Klub Jagodina of Serbia, opponents of Kumasi Asante Kotoko’s 80th anniversay game, arrive on Friday ahead of Sunday’s game, according to the organisers, Pacific Football Ghana Limited.

The Serbian side became the substitute following the failure of Greece side, Veria FC, to confirm their participation.

Michael Ayittey Powers Okine says he owes spiritual leader, Temitope Balogun (T.B.) Joshua, an apology after going ahead to lose to Bukom Banku in their second encounter at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi on Boxing Day.

 “Before this second fight, I went to T.B. Joshua and he told me not to fight but I went ahead and fought and lost. I want to apologise to him,” he told the Daily Graphic in an interview after the defeat.

Hasaacas Ladies have won the National Women's League (NWL) for a historic third time after beating Ampem Darkoa Ladies by a lone goal in the championship play-off at the Tema Stadium last Sunday.

Hasaacas Ladies, who emerged champions in the Southern Zone, were given a tough challenge by Ampem Darkoa Ladies who won the Northern Zone.

The second edition of the annual Sports Excellence Awards was honoured at the Fiesta Royal Hotel last Saturday with deserving sport personalities and journalist being presented with awards.

Ghanaian junior athlete, Richard Seklorwu, was last Saturday named the Best Sports Personality at the 2015 Ghana Sports Excellence Awards, capping a stellar year which saw him win gold in the boys’ long jump at the Samoa 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games.

The flagship award was Seklorwu's second on the night as he had earlier received the Best Male Athlete award for a season which saw him jump 7.67 metres to win the Commonwealth Youth Games gold medal ahead of Australia’s Thomas Wilson and Benjamin Fisher, who jumped 7.48 metres and 7.38 metres respectively.

The T. I. Amass Senior High School student saw off Deputy Black Stars skipper, Andre Ayew; hockey starlet, Nafisatu Umaru, and tennis star, George Darko, to win the Best Sports Personality award.

It is the wish of all Ghanaians for our beloved country to be soundly developed. Two days ago, I reached out for the 1992 Constitution and found something exceedingly glorious and worth imbibing.

What I saw had been written in the Constitution of this country since 1992 and I know that every public officer, politician and all other enlightened citizens have seen it.

The legal luminaries in the country have seen it, I guess, but it appears very few Ghanaians have either given it a deep thought or pondered over the merits of the declaration.

Sepp Blatter's 17-year reign as head of world governing body FIFA has ended in ignominy after the world body's ethics committee banned him for eight years.

For months football's most powerful man has been weighed down by a slew of corruption allegations.

He has always denied the allegations, and will appeal against the eight-year ban, but it seems impossible for him to continue as FIFA president now.

He was banned for allegedly signing a contract "unfavourable" to football's governing body and making a "disloyal payment" to UEFA president Michel Platini, who has also been suspended for eight years.

The ethics committee launched its investigation after the Swiss attorney-general began its own investigation into the disloyal payment and this is still ongoing.

The embattled FIFA head had already announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down as president next February following the indictment of key FIFA officials on corruption charge

Former Black Stars goalkeeper, Daniel Agyei, says the only stumbling block between him and a deal with Accra Hearts of Oak is lack of agreement over a proposal by the player.

Agyei, whose current deal with Liberty Professionals ends before the commencement of the new season, has disclosed that  Hearts’ offer, however, fell below his expectation.

In an interview with the Graphic Sports, the 26-year-old said: “We had  talks with Hearts and we presented a proposal but there was no agreement”.

The late Charles Kumi Gyamfi, one of Africa’s football greats, will be honoured with an Africa Legend Award at the 2015 edition of the Glo-CAF Awards in Abuja on January 7 next year.

Born on December 4, 1929, Gyamfi had his secondary school education at  Accra Academy, the same school that produced Asamoah Gyan.

He played his club football for Koforidua Sailors Football Club, Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs, Asante Kotoko, Kumasi Great Ashantis and Hearts of Oak.