Brazil forward Neymar aims to get fully fit in time for next month's World Cup following foot surgery but his future at Paris St Germain looks rather uncertain.
Britain's No 1 tennis player Andy Murray watched Neymar score twice.
Italy face the shocking possibility of failing to reach the World Cup for a third consecutive time.
Girona thrash Osasuna for first win of the season
IMAGES from UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Paris St Germain's league record 36-game unbeaten streak came to an abrupt halt when they lost 2-1 at Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday.
UEFA has moved this month's Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea to Porto from Istanbul
Brazilian police said on Tuesday they had recommended no rape charges against soccer star Neymar, after a woman he met online said he flew her to Paris and assaulted her in a hotel there.
'But I think this is going to be cleared up as soon as possible and I believe in Neymar's innocence. We the players and the backroom staff are going to support him so that it doesn't have any effect on the field'
Javier Pastore's double inspired a weary Paris St Germain to a 3-1 win at Nice as the French champions reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Midfielder Riccardo Montolivo missed out on his second straight major tournament due to injury on Tuesday while Daniele De Rossi was included in Italy's 23-man squad for next month's European Championship in France.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic bagged a hat trick as Paris St Germain geared up for their Champions League clash against Manchester City with a convincing 4-1 Ligue 1 home win over Nice on Saturday. Ibrahimovic scored twice in the first half and once in the second, while David Luiz added a third in the second half after Hatem Ben Arfa had pulled one back for the visitors early on. PSG, who were crowned champions last month, have 80 points and with six games left lead second-placed Monaco, who lost 2-1 at home to Girondins de Bordeaux on Friday, by 25 points. Nice, who had a chance to reduce the gap with Monaco to two points, lag in third place five points behind the principality side. They will be leap-frogged by Olympique Lyonnais (49) if they beat Lorient away on Sunday.
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has criticised their tactical and physical frailties after a 4-0 thrashing at Paris St Germain in the last 16 left them on the brink of their earliest Champions League exit in a decade.
Yet even without a transfer fee, Messi's colossal salary, reported to be the highest in world football, means very few clubs would be able to afford him.
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.
Erling Haaland had the same points as Lionel Messi but lost out by having fewer first-place votes from national team captains.
'Neymar continues to do his daily workout, to prevent injury and maintain his fitness, with his coach Ricardo Rosa. (He is) looking forward to the end of this sad moment for humanity and the return to work that will follow.'
With Brazilian striker Neymar on the verge of a record-breaking move from Barcelona to Paris St Germain, according to the player's agent, Mbappe would represent an ideal replacement at the Catalan club should that transfer go ahead.
Coach Laurent Blanc parted ways with Paris St Germain, putting pen to paper on a 22-million-euro ($25 million) severance deal.
Kylian Mbappe sent a letter to PSG last month stating that he had no intention of extending his contract, which expires in 2024.
The international future of David Luiz looked to be in question after a poor performance and a needless sending off left coach Dunga fuming at his irresponsibility in Brazil's 1-1 draw against Argentina on Friday. Luiz was booked after 86 minutes for throwing an elbow and he was lucky not to get sent off for the rash intervention.
Neymar's father spoke out at what he called the 'vultures' circling his son
Bayer Leverkusen crushed hosts VfL Bochum 5-0 to stretch their remarkable unbeaten run across all competitions this season to 50 consecutive matches.
A summary of Saturday's action in the Serie A, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu hit out at Neymar's lack of loyalty to the club on Monday and criticised the Brazilian for staying silent up until his world record 222 million euro ($261 million) move to Paris St. Germain.
"I write this note to thank all the Manchester United family for the great support received during the year I've been part of this Club," Di Maria told United fans in an open letter, published widely by the British media.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Lionel Messi said on Wednesday he was delighted to have signed for French club Paris St Germain and that he is ready to help the team clinch their first ever Champions League title.
Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not about to leave Paris St Germain and return to AC Milan despite his good relationship with the Italian club's CEO Adriano Galliani, he said on Friday.
Lionel Messi has surpassed Diego Maradona as the greatest player of all time, Argentina's World Cup winning coach Lionel Scaloni said.
LaLiga leaders Real Madrid's pursuit of a record-extending 36th Spanish title
Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said there would a 'a new direction' next season with a new coach.
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has retired from football, the 45-year-old announced on Wednesday, after 28 years in which he reached exceptional milestones for club and country.
Nice defeat leaves Lyon 10 points behind leaders PSG
'Messi's departure is a move that helps Florentino. Imagine that (Kylian) Mbappe now signs for Real Madrid.'
Emma Hayes, who led Chelsea to the 2021 Champions League final, is joined on The Best FIFA Women's Coach shortlist by England manager Sarina Wiegman and Canada coach Beverly Priestman.
The 33-year-old centre back Lovren has faced Neymar on three occasions and lost every time, with the unstoppable Brazilian scoring four goals against him.
Paris St Germain forward Neymar has been charged for "insulting and/or molesting" the referee following his post-game rant after the French side were knocked out of the Champions League last 16 by Manchester United.
Argentina suffered a blow to their 2018 World Cup qualifying plans when Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero withdrew on Monday from their squad to face Uruguay and Venezuela. Aguero and Paris St-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore both have calf muscle injuries and will miss Thursday's home clash with Uruguay and the visit to Venezuela next Tuesday, the Argentine FA said.
Real, chasing a 15th European Cup, levelled in the 83rd with Vinicius's penalty, after Rodrygo was felled by a clumsy challenge from Kim Min-jae, to set up a mouth-watering return leg in Madrid next week.
