Premier League-based trio Diego Costa, Juan Mata and Santi Cazorla were among a high-profile list of absentees when Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque named his provisional 25-man squad for Euro 2016 on Tuesday. Costa injured his hamstring against Liverpool in Chelsea's penultimate game of the season. Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres was also absent from the squad despite his improved form towards the end of the season, as were Arsenal midfielder Cazorla and Valencia forward Paco Alcacer, Spain's top scorer in their qualifying campaign.
Kaka scored a superb goal only six minutes into his first international for eleven months to set Brazil on the way to a 4-0 win over Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier.
Anyone who has watched the Argentine in recent years knows he can do things with a football that seem to defy the laws of physics and he does not fit into the mould of a traditional striker.
A goal in each half from Mancini and Adriano gave Inter Milan a 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in their opening Champions League Group B game on Tuesday.
A hectic travel schedule has left Saudi Arabia's players struggling to shake off the effects of jet-lag ahead of Wednesday's Asian Cup semi-final against defending champions Japan.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said he was disappointed that he was only asked about the referee's decisions after his side earned a 2-1 victory at Real Sociedad on Sunday to climb above Barcelona and top La Liga.
Chelsea could be without Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis for clash against Manchester City
Mario Balotelli could be in hot water again after he was booked for provoking Cagliari supporters after scoring against the Sardinian side in AC Milan's 2-1 win on Sunday.
Cesare Tavella, 50, was shot thrice from a close proximity on Monday evening in Dhaka's Gulshan diplomatic zone while he was jogging, police said.
Marcelo Zalayeta capitalised on an early blunder by Inter Milan keeper Julio Csar as Napoli ended the leaders's unbeaten record in Serie A on Sunday with a 1-0 home win.
Alexandre Lacazette's free-kick sent Arsenal into the Europa League semi-finals with a comfortable 1-0 win away over Napoli, while Chelsea beat Slavia Prague 4-3 in a roller-coaster game, helped by a Pedro brace.
Luis Figo is ready to return for leaders Inter Milan at Catania on Sunday after missing three months with a broken leg.
Arsenal right back Hector Bellerin will be in Spain's Euro 2016 squad, the country's football federation said on Tuesday. The 21-year-old Bellerin and the other 18 players named to face South Korea in a friendly in Wals-Siezenheim, Austria on Wednesday, have been guaranteed spots in the European Championship squad. Bellerin was included after Real Madrid right back Dani Carvajal sustained a leg muscle injury in Saturday's Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid. The Real Madrid and Atletico players in the squad will be named later on Tuesday when Spain coach Vicente del Bosque announces his final list.
James Rodriguez netted twice and Dominic Calvert-Lewin became the first Everton player to score in the opening four matches of a Premier League season as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 on Saturday to stay top of the table with a maximum 12 points.
Brazil beat Chile 3-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the World Cup quarter-finals after their dramatic last-16 match in Belo Horizonte ended 1-1 after extra time on Saturday.
Luis Fabiano scored twice to give Brazil a fortuitous 2-1 win over Uruguay in their World Cup qualifier after the vistors had taken an early lead and dominated much of the game.
Villarreal are a point behind in second after overcoming Barcelona 3-1 at home, and were joined on 18 points by Valencia.
Maverick striker Mario Balotelli has been called up by Italy for the first time since the World Cup in June after being included on Sunday in the squad for next weekend's Euro 2016 qualifier at home to Croatia.
Inter Milan began their Serie A title defence with a 1-1 home draw with Udinese on Sunday after an Ivan Cordoba own goal in injury time, while AC Milan won 3-0 at promoted Genoa helped by Kaka's brace.
Richarlyson Felisbino struck the only goal of the game as FC Goa breathed new life into their Hero Indian Super League campaign with a gritty 1-0 victory over Mumbai City FC at Mumbai Football Arena, in Mumbai, on Friday.
Valencia coach Cesare Prandelli has conceded there is no point trying stop Lionel Messi as he prepares to face the in-form Barcelona talisman when his side host the La Liga champions on Saturday.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Sunday
The match-fixing trial in Italy has been adjourned till July 3 to give five squads time to prepare their cases
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Wednesday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a dubious penalty as 10-man Inter Milan beat second-from-bottom Empoli 1-0 on Sunday to pull eight points clear at the top of Serie A.
Mario Balotelli admits he is struggling to adapt to Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers' tactics as he seeks to open his Premier League account for his new club.
Images from football matches played in the La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga on Saturday.
Trailing 1-0 from the semi-final first leg, Chelsea turned the tie on its head with goals by N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard in the first half but Fernando Llorente struck for Spurs in an enthralling Stamford Bridge duel.
High drama ensued during the English Premier League matches on Wednesday as Spurs manager Jose Mourinho was booked while Brighton stunned Chelsea via Alireza Jahanbakhsh's superb equaliser to deny the Blues victory. Here is all the EPL action in IMAGES from Wednesday's matches.
As the curtains fall on another year, Rediff.com brings you all the action from the sports field that defined 2019.
European Champions Spain produced a dominant display to thrash South Korea 6-1 in Salzburg, Austria on Wednesday in their penultimate friendly before Euro 2016.
Chelsea moved within two points of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League after a 1-0 victory over Liverpool thanks to an Olivier Giroud header at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Liverpool started the ball rolling with a convincing 4-1 win at home to promoted Norwich and City responded a day later with an even more emphatic 5-0 victory at West Ham United.
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.
First-half goals by Gervinho and Mattia Destro helped AS Roma strengthen their grip on second place in Serie A with a 2-0 win at Chievo Verona on Saturday.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Wednesday
Watford equalised seconds before halftime through Abdoulaye Doucoure and in a rampant spell of attacking football went ahead four minutes after the break when Roberto Pereyra tapped home a Richarlison cross.
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