Real Madrid will not take any risk in rushing forward Gareth Bale back from injury and the Wales international will only return when he is ready, manager Zinedine Zidane said. Bale has not played since Jan. 17 after damaging a calf muscle in a La Liga match against Sporting Gijon. Spanish media have reported that Bale, whose Real career has been blighted by a succession of injuries, suffered a setback in his recovery. Zidane said Real needed to be "calm" about an injury that has been "going on for a bit more time for him". "If he's uncomfortable and it hurts him, it's normal that he could have a setback," Zidane told a news conference on Friday. "He's a very important player for us and we're not going to take any risks. We want him at 100 percent, not at 80 or 85." Zidane said Bale was "in good spirits" although he is set to miss at least the first leg of Real's Champions League last-16 clash with AS Roma in Italy on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Alexandre Pato fired home in injury time to give AC Milan a lucky 2-1 win at Fiorentina on Wednesday to send the Rossoneri up to second in Serie A.
Barcelona's fourth defeat of the season left them seventh in the standings on 14 points after 10 games, 12 points behind leaders Atletico.
Inter Milan had both centre backs sent off in the first half but the ultra-tough Serie A leaders still battled to a 0-0 home draw with Sampdoria on Saturday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Italy coach Marcello Lippi is not ruling out calling up Francesco Totti after the AS Roma forward said he would be willing to come out of international retirement to play at next year's World Cup.
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.
Goekhan Inler took advantage of dreadful AC Milan defending to give Udinese a deserved 1-0 win in their Italian Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
The actress is set to return as revenge thirsty Roma in the Don sequel.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Photos from matches played in the French Ligue 1 and Serie A matches played on Saturday
Franck Ribery, who has been shortlisted for the prestigious FIFA-Ballon d'Or award, was named French Player of the Year on Tuesday by France Football magazine.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Following September's 1-0 win over Espanyol, Real had five games without a win -- a run in which they went eight hours and one minute without scoring.
Javier Saviola and Oscar Cardozo scored two goals apiece and defender Luisao was also on target as Benfica thumped Everton 5-0 in the Europa League on Thursday.
Germany's defensive midfielder Sami Khedira has been offered to Manchester United at 2,00,000 pounds-a-week by Real Madrid, as he will be out of contract in the summer and the top Premier League clubs have been alerted about the same.
Sonali, who has lodged the case against the Shiv Sagar restaurant said that the restaurateurs' told her to vacate the premises immediately.
Francesco Totti has no shortage of obstacles standing in his way if he wants to come out of international retirement and play for Italy at the World Cup finals. The AS Roma striker quit the national team after their 2006 World Cup triumph but coach Marcello Lippi has consistently said he would consider the 33-year-old for the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa if Totti reverses his decision.
Thiago Motta scored twice to help suspension-hit Inter Milan keep their noses in front in Serie A with a 3-0 win over Bologna on Saturday.
AC Milan wasted the latest in a series of chances to boost their Serie A title hopes when a depleted side were held 1-1 at home by Lazio on Sunday.
United are 16th in the standings with a game in hand heading into the international break.
A toothless and haggard Real Madrid slumped to a humiliating 10th Liga defeat of the season on Sunday as they lost 1-0 at struggling neighbours Rayo Vallecano.
Group C leaders Barcelona should make it four wins from four matches against pointless Basel on Tuesday in the Champions League, while holders Manchester United can book their last 16 place with victory at Celtic.
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor faces three weeks out after damaging his hamstring in the goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Marco Asensio's strike earned Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Espanyol to send them top of La Liga and Thomas Lemar scored his first goal for Atletico Madrid in a 2-0 victory at Getafe on Saturday.
Romanian club CFR Cluj will believe anything is possible when they host Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League.
Toronto FC's Justin Morrow, executive director of the Black Players for Change organization, said MLS players wanted to add their voices to the movement.
Cristiano Ronaldo's Champions League debut for Juventus lasted only 29 minutes as he was red-carded but the Italians began their Group H campaign impressively with a 2-0 victory at Valencia on Wednesday. Penalties either side of halftime by Miralem Pjanic sealed the points for the visitors as Valencia's return to European competition after a two-year absence fell flat.
Francesco Totti's free-kick gave AS Roma a thrilling 3-2 win at AC Milan on Sunday to seal the final Europa League spot and ruin Paolo Maldini's last home appearance before retirement.
The five-time world player of the year opened his account in the easiest possible fashion by tapping into an empty net from less than two metres in the 50th minute.
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.
New of all that's transpired on and off the football field on Saturday.
Holders Manchester United soothed a painful old wound for Alex Ferguson by knocking Inter Milan out of the Champions League on Wednesday, as Barcelona mauled Olympique Lyon 5-2 in a thrilling return to form. Arsenal made it four English teams in the quarter-finals for the second successive year, their youngsters showing great composure to see them home 7-6 on penalties away to AS Roma.
Barcelona and Sporting advanced to the Champions League knockout stage while Inter Milan and Chelsea missed the chance to guarantee their places on Tuesday.
Steven Gerrard scored a controversial penalty deep into injury time to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in Champions League Group D on Tuesday. The Liverpool captain converted from the spot after he was challenged in the box by Mariano Pernia and Swedish referee Martin Hansson awarded a debatable penalty kick.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Brazil coach Tite has recalled veteran central defender Thiago Silva to his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Venezuela.
