Everton's hopes of playing European football next season receded after they drew 0-0 at city rivals Liverpool on Sunday.
There was eye-catching sports action the world over and we summarise it all in this breathtaking photo feature...
Images from Sunday's action in the Premier League.
The UEFA Champions League semi-finals will be German vs Spanish contests after Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund were drawn to play at home against Real Madrid and 2012 finalists Bayern Munich were pitted against Barcelona.
Liverpool have put 2016's 3-1 defeat by Sevilla in Basel well behind them and are firing on all cylinders in Europe's elite club competition in this campaign.
Turkish side Fenerbahce will be unable to compete in the Europa League this season after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a UEFA-imposed two-year ban from European competition over a match-fixing scandal on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A summary of Wednesday night's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Gianluigi Buffon have been nominated for the UEFA's Player of the Year award, the sport's European governing body said on Tuesday.
Ambitious Russian clubs and Spartak Moscow go in search of their first Champions League points this week as they attempt to improve their country's unimpressive record in the competition.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
Atletico Madrid made sure of at least a third-placed finish in La Liga and secured a berth in the Champions League group stages for next season with a 3-1 win away to struggling Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
Manchester City's dismal exit from European competition is not an embarrassment and could boost the big-spending club's defence of the Premier League title, according to manager Roberto Mancini.
Chelsea's rollercoaster of a season could yet end with another night of European glory after they knocked FC Basel out of the semi-finals on Thursday to set up a Europa League final against Benfica.
Manchester United showing 'concrete interest' in the French forward
The Frenchman declined to talk about his bid for the FIFA presidency in his first news conference since announcing one month ago that he would stand as a candidate to replace Sepp Blatter.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field
VfB Stuttgart edged past surprise package Freiburg 2-1 on Wednesday to set up a German Cup final against Bayern Munich and secure a European spot for next season.
Immobile strikes in Lazio's win, in contention for golden boot. IMAGES from the Serie A matches played on Wednesday.
Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has hailed John Terry as the Premier League's greatest ever defender after the club announced their captain will leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A new year is born but Arsenal still frustrate their fans after summing up the season by beating Europa League combatants Newcastle United 7-3 at the weekend and then needing an own goal to draw 1-1 at lowly Southampton.
There were renewed calls for action against racism in Italian football on Friday after Inter Milan fans were accused of abusing Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor in a Europa League last 16 clash in the San Siro.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Goal-line technology would be used in the Champions League from the final qualifying round but not in the first three preliminary rounds. It could also be introduced in the Europa League from 2017-18.
France forward Antoine Griezmann says he would only leave Atletico Madrid if manager Diego Simeone also quit the La Liga club.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
IMAGES from the Bundesliga matches played across Germany on Tuesday.
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said having Eden Hazard in such unstoppable form makes winning "easy" but appears almost resigned to losing him.
While Lyon rallied to hold Leipzig 2-2 after a Memphis Depay strike, it was the English clubs who made a mark on the night. Liverpool and Chelsea moved into the last 16 with contrasting wins and now all four English clubs, including Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, are in the Champions League knockouts this season.
Arsenal will not sell striker Olivier Giroud, midfielder Jack Wilshere and winger Theo Walcott in the January transfer window despite their lack of playing time at the Premier League club, manager Arsene Wenger has said.
Bayern Munich and Barcelona registered easy wins, while Manchester United came from behind to beat CSKA Moscow 2-1 and Chelsea surrendered the top spot after a 1-1 at home against Atletico Madrid.
Sheffield United's David McGoldrick scored twice as they stunned Chelsea with a 3-0 win at Bramall Lane on Saturday, loosening the visitors' grip on a Premier League top-four place. Raheem Sterling struck a hat-trick as Manchester City crushed Brighton 5-0 at the AmEx Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele has been ruled out of Saturday's north London derby against Arsenal with a hip injury.
Lazio have been handed a suspended one-game stadium ban by UEFA following anti-semitic chanting by home fans in a Europa League game against Tottenham Hotspur in November, Italian media reported on Friday.
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has drawn comparisons between his team's upcoming Europa League quarter-final, second-leg clash against Borussia Dortmund and playing the FIFA video game. Dortmund, second in the Bundesliga, travel to Anfield for the return leg on Thursday having conceded an away goal in the 1-1, first-leg draw in Germany, and Sturridge drew the unusual parallel to describe his emotions before the game. "It's like when you're playing a final on FIFA and you're playing against your mate. You've all put 20 pounds ($28.46) in the middle and there's 100 pounds. "The pressure's on, your palms are sweaty, but as you get into the game, the nerves go away and you enjoy it. And that's exactly what it's like," he told his club's website.
The $385 million acquisition of TEN Sports is set to make Sony Pictures Networks a major cricket broadcaster in Asia as it seeks to expand its Twenty20-dominated portfolio. Sony Corp-owned SPN holds broadcast rights for the annual cash-rich Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament while also having the rights for the domestic leagues in South Africa and the West Indies.
The Champions League rule which has denied Tottenham Hotspur a place in next season's competition because Chelsea won Saturday's final could be reviewed by UEFA's executive committee, president Michel Platini said on Wednesday.
Klopp poked more fun at his poor record in one-off matches
Porto will face a disciplinary hearing after opponents Manchester City complained that striker Mario Balotelli suffered racist abuse during their Europa League match last Thursday.
