Claudio Ranieri has received an honour from the Italian president after the soccer manager led rank outsiders Leicester City to the top of the English Premier League.
Real Madrid dug deep in a 3-0 home win against lowly Alaves in the La Liga, but Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain their second Ligue 1 loss of the season.
Following public comments from La Liga chief Javier Tebas, who said it was "not ideal" for the second El Clasico meeting between Real and Barca last season to be played with the latter having already won the league title, the two sides will face off earlier this campaign.
Atletico Madrid secured a berth in the Champions League group stage for next season and Deportivo La Coruna narrowly escaped relegation when they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at champions Barcelona on the final day in La Liga on Saturday.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field on Friday
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has been given a two-match ban following his dismissal for kicking out at an opponent during their La Liga clash with Cordoba last Saturday, the Spanish league said on Wednesday.
Sevilla claimed their second King's Cup triumph in four years when Diego Capel's early strike and a late breakaway goal from Jesus Navas fired them to a 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
Diego Forlan's extra-time effort sent Atletico Madrid into the Europa League final on away goals at the expense of Liverpool after a 2-2 aggregate draw on Thursday. Atletico will meet Fulham in the May 12 final in Hamburg where they will bid to win their first major European trophy since the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1962.
Didier Drogba scored twice on his return from a three-match European suspension as Chelsea drew 2-2 at Atletico Madrid to seal their place in the knockout round of the Champions League on Tuesday. They were joined in the last 16 by Manchester United, Porto and Girondins Bordeaux, although four-time European champions Bayern Munich are on the brink of elimination after losing at home to the French champions.
Didier Drogba scored twice on his return from a three-match European suspension as Chelsea drew 2-2 at Atletico Madrid to seal their place in the knock-out round of the Champions League on Tuesday. They were joined in the last 16 by Manchester United, Porto and Girondins Bordeaux, although four-time European champions Bayern Munich are on the brink of elimination after losing at home to the French champions.
Barca are unbeaten and nine points clear at the top of La Liga this season.
Fernando Torres will face his former club Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-finals after scoring twice to help Liverpool beat Benfica 4-1 at Anfield on Thursday.
Real Betis right-back Emerson Aparecido's first year in La Liga went superbly well, but there is plenty to come from one of the league's most talented and determined rising stars.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday
Koeman grateful for Messi support in transitional season for Barca.
Real Madrid climbed back above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when goals from former Liverpool pair Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa helped them to a stirring 3-2 comeback win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
Lionel Messi scored twice to guide leaders Barcelona to a 4-1 win at Racing Santander in La Liga on Tuesday.
Real Madrid have enviously looked on as Barcelona claimed six La Liga titles in the last eight years, but Zinedine Zidane's side can take a huge step towards a first crown since 2012 with victory over their bitter rivals at the Nou Camp on Saturday.
Bengaluru now have two draws in a row and their first clean sheet but languish at second-last with just six points.
A naturally shy character who rarely gave interviews or spoke Spanish in public, Bale never ingratiated himself to Madrid supporters
Atletico aim for Champions League revenge against Real at fourth attempt.
Barcelona travel to newly-promoted Osasuna without their first choice front line.
French club Olympique Lyon and Atletico Madrid of Spain booked their places in Thursday's draw for the Champions League group stages with convincing playoff wins on Tuesday.
Atletico Madrid set up a King's Cup final against Sevilla when they went through 6-3 on aggregate despite conceding two late goals to lose 3-2 at Racing Santander in their semi-final second leg on Thursday.
Barcelona striker Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero have been included in Argentina's squad for the Beijing Olympics.
Diego Forlan scored twice from the penalty spot to help Atletico Madrid to a 4-0 first-leg victory at home to Racing Santander in a King's Cup semi-final on Thursday.
Lionel Messi scored two spectacular free kicks as Barcelona thrashed local rivals Espanyol 4-0 in Saturday's Catalan derby to move three points clear at the top of La Liga.
Sevilla were on course for a place in the King's Cup semi-finals after crushing Deportivo Coruna 3-0 at the Riazor in their last-eight first leg match on Wednesday.
Atletico Madrid produced an inspired display of counter-attacking football to beat Chelsea 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg in London on Wednesday and set up an all-Spanish final against city rivals Real.
Real Madrid swatted aside Granada 4-1 on Thursday to ensure the La Liga title race will go down to the wire.
Argentina striker Diego Milito completed his move to Inter Milan from Genoa on Monday, one of several proposed transfers between the two Serie A clubs.
A moment of genius from Lionel Messi lit up the Nou Camp as Barcelona eased to a 3-1 win over Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday that put them two points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of the standings.
Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, who is expecting to complete a 32 million pound move to Chelsea in next month's transfer window, has said that he was born to play for the Blues.
France forward Antoine Griezmann says he would only leave Atletico Madrid if manager Diego Simeone also quit the La Liga club.
Bayern Munich are desperate to avoid losing a third consecutive Champions League semi-final to Spanish opponents when they host Atletico Madrid on Tuesday but coach Pep Guardiola has his work cut out to end his time in Germany on a high.
Barca looked set for a third consecutive league draw as they created scant opportunities but they were presented with the advantage of an extra man when Villarreal midfielder Daniel Raba was given a straight red card for a wild, studs-up challenge on Sergio Busquets on the hour mark.
Real Mallorca earlier came from behind to beat a weakened Barca 2-1 and spoil the new Primera Liga champions' celebrations on Sunday. Barcelona had clinched their first league title in three years on Saturday after second-placed Real Madrid were beaten 3-2 at Villarreal.
Despite striking a brace to help Atletico win Europa League title against Marseille, the French player has been heavily linked with a switch to Barcelona.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been released from hospital following treatment for an illness, British media reported on Thursday.
Barcelona continued their rampant run of domestic form to beat Osasuna 2-0 away from home on Saturday and move to within two points of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid, with Lionel Messi setting up goals scored by Jordi Alba and teenager Ilaix Moriba.
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