Liverpool's Champions League winning trio of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane joined regulars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the shortlist for The Best FIFA Men's player award
Last season's runners-up Liverpool, big-spending French league champions Paris St Germain and Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli were thrown together in the pick of the groups while holders Real Madrid must face last season's semi-finalists AS Roma.
Manchester City marched into the quarter-finals of the Champions League
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Tuesday
The Catalans are overwhelming favourites to win the game and have an outstanding home record in the Champions League, remaining unbeaten at the Nou Camp in the competition since losing to Bayern Munich in 2013.
Given the improvements at Chelsea and Arsenal, it will still be a significant achievement for United to secure a top four finish and in the Champions League, a decent run in the knockout stages would also be a sign of progress.
Chelsea are banking on a lavish shopping spree to give them more bite up front and much-needed solidity in defence after coach Frank Lampard spent last season relying heavily on a crop of inexperienced home-grown players.
There were a few nerves at the end but Liverpool set up a Champions League semi-final with Spain's Villarreal after Roberto Firmino scored twice in a 3-3 second-leg draw with Benfica on Wednesday to ensure a 6-4 aggregate win.
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will miss his side' s Premier League clash against Southampton on Wednesday as he has to attend his father's funeral.
Bayern Munich carved out a 1-0 win at CSKA Moscow on Tuesday thanks to Thomas Mueller's first-half penalty in the strangely muted atmosphere of a cold, damp and deserted Khimki Arena.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Inter Milan's aversion to Europa League football continued with a 3-1 defeat at Sparta Prague, while AS Roma ended a continental hoodoo stretching back seven games with a 4-0 home win over Romanian side FC Astra on Thursday.
Rediff.com encapsulates all the sporting action from the past week in this eye-catching photo feature.
Manchester United will swoop for Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a free transfer as new manager Jose Mourinho's first marquee signing at Old Trafford, Sky Sports has reported.
Rediff.com brings you the top highlights of the soccer weekend.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice on his LA Galaxy debut, including a winner in stoppage time, as his new team battled back from three goals down to defeat the upstart LAFC 4-3 in a thrilling match on Saturday.
The PSG striker came second to tennis legend Borg on a list of Sweden's all-time sporting greats.
Jonathan Soriano scored an incredible goal from near the halfway line to complete a stunning 3-0 win for Salzburg away to once-mighty Ajax Amsterdam in the Europa League round of 32 on Thursday.
Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has failed to recover from a calf strain and will miss Tuesday's Champions League Group F match at APOEL Nicosia.
Paris St Germain's Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted a first-half penalty for a 1-0 home win against Nice that took his side back within a point of Ligue 1 leaders Olympique de Marseille.
IMAGES from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Images from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos risks being hit with an extra game suspension which would rule him out of a potential Champions League quarter-final first leg after admitting he got booked on purpose in Wednesday's 2-1 win at Ajax Amsterdam.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was back to his irrepressible, boastful best on Sunday as he joked about the landmark 25,000th Premier League goal that signalled a change in his fortunes.
To finish with dignity is how Robin van Persie wants to end his playing days on Sunday when he hangs up his boots after an 18-year career.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Liverpool frustrated as they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Brighton on Saturday
An under-strength Barcelona got their Champions League campaign off to a solid if unspectacular start when Gerard Pique's header secured a laboured 1-0 win at home to APOEL in their Group F opener on Wednesday.
Morocco and Iran's hopes of making a mark at the World Cup before a ball has been kicked, and they head into their opening match in St Petersburg on Friday knowing defeat could likely mean an early exit.
Major world record deals are here.
Fiorentina tore apart Italian rivals AS Roma to reach the Europa League quarter-finals with a 3-0 win that left their opponents' season in tatters and under-fire coach Rudi Garcia tottering on the brink of the sack.
Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Thursday he was joining Manchester United, the highest-profile signing to date by new manager Jose Mourinho. "Time to let the world know. My next destination is @ManUtd," Ibrahimovic said on Twitter.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A round of Wednesday night's Champions League group stage matches.
In England, the celebrations went on at Leicester City as they marked their fairytale Premier League success with another win while champions Juventus' long unbeaten streak in Italy came to an end.
Images from soccer matches played across Europe on Saturday.
Chelsea moved within touching distance of a first Premier League title in five years with a 1-0 win over Manchester United while Lionel Messi reached a landmark with his 400th career goal for La Liga leaders Barcelona.
Paris St Germain will play Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona were pitted against an unpredictable Napoli, while Chelsea were drawn against Bayern Munich. City, who will be at home in the second leg, have yet to beat the Spanish side with two draws and two defeats in their previous four meetings.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic bagging four goals, while Juventus and Bayern Munich preserved their leads and FA Cup holders Arsenal were dumped out of the competition.
