Manchester United, Sevilla and Celtic led a parade of clubs with continental pedigree to book the first places in this season's Europa League knockout stage.
"I'm disappointed, obviously, as a Manchester United fan and a Real Madrid player," said David Beckham.
The English champions lost to Southampton in a scrappy premiership match.
Frank Lampard hit four goals for Chelsea in a 7-1 demolition of Aston Villa to put the Londoners briefly on top of the English Premier League with 71 points before United responded with a 4-0 win in an evening game at Bolton Wanderers -- Dimitar Berbatov scoring twice for the champions.
European soccer body UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Manchester United and Liverpool on Friday after fans clashed and threw objects during a Europa League tie at Old Trafford.
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.
Manchester United are threatening to sue French club Le Havre over claims they lured Paul Pogba to Old Trafford by paying off his parents.
Manchester United tightened the screw in the Premier League title race with a 2-0 win over Portsmouth as Chelsea were held to a 0-0 home draw by Everton on Wednesday. Wayne Rooney's early strike and a late goal from Michael Carrick sent below-par United back to the top spot ahead of Liverpool, three points clear with a game in hand.
Cristiano Ronaldo is on course for a hat-trick of PFA Player of the Year awards after being included in the nominations released on Tuesday. Central defensive partnership Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are in contention for the award voted for by their fellow professionals while Ryan Giggs and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar are also nominated. Title-chasing Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who won the vote in 2006, completes the list of six.
Dimitar Berbatov scored what proved to be the winning goal against his former club as Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 in a pulsating FA Cup fourth round tie at Old Trafford on Saturday. Berbatov, who left Spurs for United in August, beat the offside trap to put the home side ahead two minutes after a deflected long range shot from Paul Scholes had cancelled out Roman Pavlyuchenko's fifth minute opener for Tottenham.
Premier League leaders Liverpool stumbled again at home and needed two Steven Gerrard goals to salvage a draw with Hull City. Luckily for the leaders two of their title rivals also dropped points.
Manchester United equalled a Champions League record of 19 games without defeat and secured top spot in Group E following a 2-2 draw with Danish underdogs AaB Aalborg on Wednesday. Despite the draw, United ensured they would finish as group winners after their nearest rivals, Villarreal, were beaten by already-eliminated Celtic in Wednesday's other Group E encounter.
Champions Manchester United reduced Arsenal's lead to three points when they thrashed Newcastle United 5-1.
Real Madrid extended their lead in Spain to eight points after crushing Valladolid 7-0.
Two more goals from irrepressible midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo helped Manchester United to a 3-1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur in their FA Cup fourth-round tie on Sunday.
Arsenal resume battle with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League on Saturday.
The top two teams in the EPL will battle for supremacy at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Manchester United beat AS Roma 1-0 in the second leg of their Group F Champions League meet.
Premier League champions Manchester United suffered a shock League Cup exit for the second season running when they lost 2-0 at home to second division Coventry City on Wednesday.
Manchester United and AS Roma will meet in the Champions League group stages.
Argentine striker Carlos Tevez will make his Manchester United debut on Wednesday.
The EPL champions, old and new, produced a strictly mid-table performance in a goalless showdown.
The 38-year-old is struggling to shake off a knee injury he picked up in Milan's 3-2 defeat at Old Trafford last week.
Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Manchester United to a 4-1 rout of Bolton Wanderers while Chelsea beat Sheffield United 3-0.
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has raised over 100,000 pounds ($124,410) to ensure vulnerable children who rely on free school meals every day are still fed now schools are closed due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Manchester United beat Aston Villa 3-1 to maintain their six-point Premier League lead.
Chelsea cut Manchester United's Premier League lead to five points after Didier Drogba scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United on Wednesday.
The result left Manchester United top of the EPL standings on 35 points, three ahead of Chelsea.
Manchester United and Wayne Rooney have described as "complete nonsense" a newspaper report that the England striker is set to leave the Premier League champions.
Manchester United agreed a fee of up to $34.59 million for Tottenham midfielder Michael Carrick.
"Cristiano recently signed a new contract until 2010 and the club fully expects him to honour that contract," Manchester United said.
Manchester United were frustrated in their bid to secure second place in the EPL as they were held 0-0 by Middlesbrough
Arsenal thrashed Middlesbrough 7-0, while Manchester United lost 3-1 at Manchester City in the Premier League.
Manchester United must end a surprising three-match scoring drought to avoid Champions League elimination in Lisbon.
