Lionel Messi is back in the Argentina squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Colombia after missing the last three due to injury in which his team have dropped seven points. Messi was named on Friday in coach Edgardo Bauza's 26-man squad and will captain Argentina away to arch-rivals Brazil in Belo Horizonte on Nov. 10 and at home against Colombia in San Juan five days later. Argentina have slipped down the South American group standings to fifth after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Paraguay and 2-2 draws with Peru and Venezuela, all without Messi.
Lionel Messi notched a 20th assist of the season to help a lacklustre Barcelona secure a 1-0 win away to Real Valladolid on Saturday, maintaining the pressure on La Liga leaders Real Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo converted two penalties, both awarded for handballs and the second in the last minute, as Serie A leader Juventus twice hit back to draw 2-2 with Atalanta to move closer to a ninth successive Serie A title on Saturday.
Olympique de Marseille were the fall guys on a hectic opening night of Europa League group stage action as German club Eintracht Frankfurt returned from the south of France with a surprise 2-1 victory on Thursday.
On a night of close finishes in all five first-leg playoff games, the 21-year-old Dutch winger opened his United account with a memorable performance in the famous number seven shirt previously worn by George Best, Eric Cantona and David Beckham.
But if the five-times World Player of the Year is feeling frustrated by his mini-drought -- and his reactions on the pitch suggest he is -- his worries pale in comparison to Dybala's unhappy start to the season.
The match-fixing trial in Italy has been adjourned till July 3 to give five squads time to prepare their cases
Bayern Munich put upstarts RB Leipzig firmly in their place by sweeping to an emphatic 3-0 home win, with all the goals coming in the first half, in a disappointingly one-sided top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash on Wednesday.
Hellas Verona produced a huge upset by coming from behind to beat Serie A leaders Juventus 2-1 on Saturday, inflicting a third defeat of the season on the Italian champions. Cristiano Ronaldo set a new Juventus record by scoring in a 10th consecutive league game to put the visitors in front at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi after 65 minutes.
Lazio regional court had decided not to hear appeals by former Juve general manager Luciano Moggi or ex-chief executive Antonio Giraudo against their bans and fines in the case.
The four top Italian football clubs found guilty in the Serie A match-fixing scandal will begin their appeals on July 22.
Italy's football prosecutor ordered Serie A clubs Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina to stand trial.
Former European champions Ajax Amsterdam and Celtic, who both suffered the indignity of being knocked of the Champions League qualifiers by underdogs this season, will meet in the Europa Leagueafter being drawn together in the group stage on Friday.
Alessandria became the first third tier club to reach the Italian Cup quarter-finals in more than 30 years as their giant-killing run continued with a 2-1 extra-time victory at Serie A strugglers Genoa on Tuesday.
Champions Juventus continued their resurgence by beating Hellas Verona 3-0 at home for an eighth successive Serie A victory as Inter Milan remained top after winning 1-0 at Empoli.
Argentine striker Carlos Tevez will join Shanghai Shenhua from boyhood club Boca Juniors, the Chinese Super League side said on Thursday.
The relegation of Juventus to Serie B for their role in a match-fixing scandal was confirmed by an Italian soccer appeal court on Tuesday but Lazio and Fiorentina received a reprieve and will stay in Serie A.
Fans of the three top soccer clubs found guilty in Italy's match-fixing scandal took to the streets to protest the decision.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Stefano Palazzi called for Juventus to be stripped of the Serie A titles it won in the last two seasons and relegated to "below Serie B".
Manchester United humbled Manchester City 4-2 in the continent's big derby of the weekend.
Di Canio was banned for one game on Monday and fined 10,000 euros ($12,000) for making a raised-arm, fascist-style salute in a Serie A match at the weekend.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Lleyton Hewitt refused to discuss how he proposed to Kim Clijsters after speaking publicly for the first time since their engagement was announced.
Holders Inter Milan progressed to the semi-finals of the Italian Cup when they beat Lazio 1-0
According to a report in as.com, speaking at a Madrid fans' meeting on Saturday, De Bla said: "Carlo Ancelotti is a phenomenon. We're eternally grateful to him. For me, up to three days ago he was the best coach in the world, as was Jose Mourinho a couple of years ago and as of next week it will be Rafa Bentez."
Raheem Sterling struck twice as the Premier League champions Manchester City beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park on Sunday to stay within two points of leaders Liverpool.
Manchester City swept aside second-tier Cardiff City 2-0 with first-half goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling on Sunday to reach the FA Cup fifth round in their quest to win an unprecedented four trophies this season.
The draw interrupted a run of four straight league wins for Zinedine Zidane's side and left them second on 67 points after 31 games, three behind leaders Atletico who thrashed Eibar 5-0 earlier in the day.
Here is a round-up of results from the European League matches played on Wednesday
Tottenham Hotspur exposed the weaknesses in Anzhi Makhachkala's star-shorn squad, winning 2-0 in Moscow to maintain their perfect start in the second round of Europa League group stage matches on Thursday.
Former England hero Paul Gascoigne has said the current team under Roy Hodgson lack the passion he was famous for, and that he cannot bear to watch much football these days because he misses playing so much.
Manchester United agreed to sell Argentine international Juan Sebastian Veron to Chelsea for 15 million pounds.
New of all that's transpired on and off the football field on Saturday.
