Lionel Messi had to wait 12 years and endure a goal drought of eight games against Chelsea but he finally broke his duck in Tuesday's 1-1 Champions League last 16, first leg draw.
Chelsea put all their struggles away and looked like a renewed squad, stamping their class over Crystal Palace in their English Premier League match at the Selhurst Park on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho has won a trophy every season of his top flight career and finds it "unacceptable" to contemplate finishing his comeback season with Chelsea empty handed.
Summary of all that transpired on and off the football field
Liverpool's livewire Sadio Mane scored one goal and played a crucial part in the other as they reclaimed the Premier League's top spot with a scrappy 2-1 win at second bottom Fulham on Sunday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Belgium have scored 14 goals in five matches and were hugely impressive in their 2-1 quarter-final victory over Brazil, with Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne combining to devastating effect to oust the five-times world champions.
Jose Mourinho maintained his hold over Arsene Wenger with leaders Chelsea enjoying a routine 2-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday after the two old adversaries became involved in an ugly touchline spat.
A 64th-minute goal from wayward striker Diego Costa earned Chelsea their first win in four Premier League matches on Saturday and some breathing space for Jose Mourinho, who said he was still targeting a top-four finish.
Meanwhile, Real Mallorca made a dream return to La Liga with a 2-1 victory over Eibar at the Estadi Son Moix on Saturday, less than two months after sealing back-to-back promotions to rejoin Spain's soccer elite.
Bosnia captain Edin Dzeko struck a hat-trick to kick-start their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign as they beat no-hopers Andorra 3-0 in a one-sided Group B match in Andorra La Vella on Saturday.
Romelu Lukaku scored twice to earn Belgium a 2-1 victory over Switzerland in the Nations League on Friday, lifting the mood in the country after a week marred by match-fixing allegations.
Arsenal denied Chelsea the double with a 2-1 victory in an enthralling FA Cup final.
If, as former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said, a week is a long time in politics, four and a half months in football clearly represents an eternity.
John Terry embellished his status to Chelsea fans as "captain, leader, legend" by scoring the goal that set his side on the way to a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Capital One Cup final at a rain-sodden Wembley on Sunday.
Stamford Bridge erupted in celebration on Sunday as departing Chelsea captain John Terry lifted the Premier League trophy in Antonio Conte's record-breaking first season in charge, but the carnival atmosphere had a bitter-sweet edge.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
'The silky touch, the swerving runs, the parabola pass perfection, the goals -- Salah on a football pitch these days is a sporting experience so celestial you feel inebriated just witnessing it.' 'It is football of the gods: Pure, eye-popping and incomprehensible,' applauds Dhruv Munjal.
The Premier League season is only a week old and the problems are already piling up for misfiring champions Chelsea after a 3-0 thrashing at Manchester City on Sunday.
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling struck twice as the Premier League champions beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park on Sunday to go top of the table and heap pressure on title rivals Liverpool.
Belgium make Wales wait after Hazard's strike, while Czechs beat Latvia to qualify
Images from the English Premier League match played between Chelsea and Stoke City on Monday
Real Madrid's La Liga title bid took a dent after Zinedine Zidane's leaders were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday, denied all three points by a late strike from Santi Mina. Lazio mounted a superb second-half comeback at the Olympic Stadium to beat Inter Milan 2-1 and move above Antonio Conte's side into second place in Serie A on Sunday.
Christian Benteke headed home from close range as Liverpool grabbed a stoppage-time leveller to snatch a point against Chelsea in a 1-1 draw on Wednesday after Eden Hazard's dazzling opener for the visitors.
Premier League leaders Manchester City won their derby with United 3-1, while Liverpool kept pace with a home win over Fulham.
Chelsea are 10 points clear at top of the English Premier League championship table.
Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck a vital late goal to seal a 3-1 win over Valencia on Thursday and give his side breathing space for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final in Spain next week.
Spaniard Pedro scored twice as Chelsea tightened their grip on top spot by sweeping past Bournemouth 3-0 on Monday, a club record 12th successive Premier League win taking them seven points clear.
Striker Costa ends second spell at Atletico Madrid.
Chelsea maintained their stranglehold on the Premier League by beating Sunderland 1-0 on Wednesday to register their 10th successive win and move six points clear at the top of the table.
City are two points behind leaders Liverpool, but have a game in hand
England striker Daniel Sturridge celebrated his return after a five-month injury layoff when he came off the bench to score as Liverpool beat West Ham United 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.
Chelsea reached the League Cup final after Branislav Ivanovic's towering extra-time header secured a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in a rip-roaring semi-final second leg at an electric Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
It might not save manager Antonio Conte's job but Chelsea can still salvage a disappointing season by winning Saturday's FA Cup final
'You cannot sack all the players so sack the manager -- whether right or wrong'
Sublime goals from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez sent Leicester City back to the Premier League summit after a deserved 2-1 win over lacklustre Chelsea whose march to the title last season seems a distant memory.
Leicester's EPL title credentials on show against champions Chelsea.
Antonio Conte's title ranks as one of the finest of the Abramovich era because this title was so unexpected. Out of the blue, in fact.
Summary of World Cup qualifiers played across the world on Thursday
It was a day of role reversal as Jose Mourinho's often cautious Chelsea thumped Everton 6-3 in a thriller on Saturday while champions Manchester City's attacking talents were blunted in a shock 1-0 home defeat by Stoke City.
