Italy were clinical in their approach as they beat Belgium 2-0 in their Euro 2016 Group E encounter on Monday.
Second-half goals from Stephan Lichtsteiner and Emanuele Giaccherini sent Juventus four points clear in Serie A after they defeated Atalanta 2-0 in Bergamo on Saturday to finish the first half of the season unbeaten.
AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said Saturday' shock 2-0 defeat at promoted Cesena was the perfect wake up call for those who thought the Rossoneri would crush all comers this season.
Juventus came from behind to snatch a dramatic 3-2 win at Chievo as Cristiano Ronaldo made his debut for the Turin side on Saturday, although the Portuguese was not among the scorers in his first Serie A match.
A superbly-executed strategy by coach Antonio Conte helped Italy to a deserved 2-0 win over Belgium in their Euro 2016 opener with outstanding goals by Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle on Monday.
Belgium could make wholesale changes for Saturday's European Championship clash with Ireland as they seek to keep their tournament hopes alive, coach Marc Wilmots said. "Tomorrow there will be between two and 10 changes. Only the goalkeeper is certain," he told reporters, refusing to confirm a starting place for playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, who suffered a light injury in training on Thursday.
Italy manager Antonio Conte named his provisional squad for the European Championship on Monday, and his selection was notable as much for the player he left off as for those he chose.
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon denied that Friday's Euro 2016 opponents Sweden are a one-man team but says they are wary of "superstar" forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Buffon shone alongside defenders Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci as Italy beat Belgium 2-0 in their Group E opener, but the quartet now face the ominous prospect of subduing Ibrahimovic in Toulouse.
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.
Napoli could become the first team in Champions League history to qualify from their group after only three games on Wednesday, providing welcome relief from their recent troubles.
Italy's victory over Belgium was celebrated as a triumph of the team over individual talents, but Friday's opponents Sweden are relying on the singular genius of frontman Zlatan Ibrahimovic to get their Euro 2016 campaign off the ground.
AC Milan's winning streak ended as they were held 0-0 at home by Atalanta in Serie A on Saturday while Bologna beat struggling Hellas Verona 2-0 away to move out of the relegation zone.
Italy and Nigeria played out a thrilling 2-2 draw which included a goal-of-the-season contender from Shola Ameobi in an entertaining friendly at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Monday.
Fiorentina hit four goals before halftime, including a cheeky backheel by Gonzalo Rodriguez and a Panenka-style penalty from Khouma Babacar, to beat Frosinone 4-1 and join Inter Milan at the top of Serie A on Sunday.
Inter Milan's Serie A title hopes suffered a setback as they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser and were held 1-1 at home by relegation-threatened Carpi and leaders Napoli swept to a 4-2 win at Sampdoria.
Holders Spain were knocked out of Euro 2016 in a 2-0 defeat by Italy on Monday after goals by Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle set up a quarter-final with world champions Germany. Chiellini opened the scoring after 33 minutes while Pelle wrapped up the victory in stoppage time to end Spain's reign as European champions which covered the 2008 and 2012 tournaments.
Champions Juventus continued their resurgence by beating Hellas Verona 3-0 at home for an eighth successive Serie A victory as Inter Milan remained top after winning 1-0 at Empoli.
Luis Suarez marked his return to Premier League action with two goals to help Liverpool to a 3-1 win at managerless Sunderland that lifted them to second in the table on Sunday.
New coach Luciano Spalletti failed to inspire AS Roma as they were held 1-1 at home by bottom club Verona on his debut on Sunday and Juventus notched their 10th Serie A win in a row by hammering Udinese 4-0 away.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Manchester City returned to the Premier League summit for the first time since January with a 3-2 win at Everton on Saturday that left them six points from a second title in three seasons.
An inexperienced Germany suffered an embarrassing 3-1 defeat to Slovakia in a storm-affected friendly ahead of Euro 2016.
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