31.   Roma, the defending Italian league champion, is currenly in first place.

32.   Sean Haggerty scored three third-period goals for the Whalers, the defending league champions who lost for the second time in as many nights.

33.   Second-division Alaves booted four first-division teams out of the competition to reach the semi-finals, including defending national league champion and international powerhouse Real Madrid.

34.   Tabarez joined defending league champion AC Milan while Argentine Carlos Bianchi signed with AS Roma.

35.   The defending French league champion is bottom of the first division and last in its Champions League group.

36.   The defending league champions have called a press conference for noon Monday to address a personnel issue, said United spokesman Rick Lawes.

37.   The defending league titlists already trail front-running Inter Milan by four points.

38.   The four-time defending league champion was back in form after a series of humiliating defeats.

39.   The defending league champions are the only team in either Serie A or B that has not allowed a goal in domestic play.

40.   The defending two-time league MVP from the Czech Republic set career bests for goals-against average and save percentage during the regular season.