Real Madrid climbed back above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain both netted twice to seal a convincing 4-2 victory at city rivals Getafe on Thursday.
Real Madrid have signed Argentina midfielder Angel di Maria from Benfica on a six-year contract, the Spanish club said on their website on Monday. The 22-year-old, who has helped Argentina reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup in South Africa, is the first signing the club have made since Jose Mourinho replaced Manuel Pellegrini as coach last month.
Gonzalo Higuain came off the bench to settle Real Madrid's jitters with a superb lob that completed a 4-2 home victory over Real Valladolid in La Liga on Saturday.
Sergio Aguero was acclaimed as "the best striker in the Premier League" by manager Manuel Pellegrini after his hat-trick helped Manchester City beat Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain scored in a 2-0 victory away to Racing Santander on Sunday to ensure Real Madrid hold top spot in La Liga before next weekend's visit of title rivals Barcelona.
Real Madrid squandered a chance to climb above Barcelona to the top of La Liga when they were held to a 0-0 draw at mid-table Osasuna on Sunday. A win would have put Real first in the standings on goal difference after Barca dropped their first home points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Villarreal on Saturday.
Third-tier Alcorcon lost 1-0 to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Tuesday but dumped the nine-times European champions out of the King's Cup 4-1 on aggregate. Alcorcon operate on a budget of just over one million euros ($1.50 million), some 400 times smaller than Real's.
Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain scored twice for 10-man Real Madrid in a 2-0 home win over Getafe on Saturday that eased the pressure on coach Manuel Pellegrini. Real have 22 points from nine games and are one point behind La Liga leaders Barcelona after the champions were held to a 1-1 draw at Osasuna, Gerard Pique scoring in his own net in the last minute.
Manuel Pellegrini's future as Real Madrid coach was called into question on Wednesday after the big-spending side's 4-0 thrashing at third-tier Alcorcon in the first leg of their King's Cup tie.
A week later than they would have preferred Manchester City were crowned Premier League champions on Sunday as second-placed Manchester United suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat by bottom club West Bromwich Albion.
Bundesliga club Schalke 04 have signed Manchester City defender Matija Nastasic on loan until the end of the season.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has lavished praise on incoming Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, comparing the Spaniard with former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Villarreal condemned Barcelona to their first defeat of the campaign with an impressive 3-1 home win to go second in the Primera Liga on Saturday.
Midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme, an outcast at his club Villarreal, scored two majestic free kicks to give Argentina a 2-0 win over Chile in their opening World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Manuel Pellegrini aimed what felt like a surprise parting shot at Manchester City on Sunday by saying his life had been made difficult by the club's decision to announce in February that Pep Guardiola would take over as manager next season.
Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini said his side did not deserve to be eliminated from the Champions League despite having only one effort on target in their 1-0 semi-final, second leg defeat to Real Madrid.
Only one point separates the two sides with Chelsea on 31 and City on 30 but Antonio Conte's impact at Stamford Bridge appears greater than his City counterpart Pep Guardiola's at the Etihad.
Villarreal missed their chance to stay in touch with Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga when they went down 2-0 at Valladolid on Sunday. The defeat kept Manuel Pellegrini's side level with Barcelona on 28 points in third spot in the table and four adrift of leaders Real, who won 3-1 at home to Racing Santander on Saturday.
Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini criticised his players' attitude and concentration after they were knocked out of the Intertoto Cup by Slovenian side NK Maribor 3-2 on aggregate.
'I will not be on the bench until I am 60 or 65 years old. I feel the process of my goodbye has already started'
ManchesterCity cannot afford to make any more mistakes if they hope to launch a serious bid for the Premier League title this campaign, captain Vincent Kompany has said.
Southampton's Ronald Koeman has been named Premier League manager of the month for January, becoming the first Saints manager to receive the award on three separate occasions, while Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero won the players' award.
Pep Guardiola, who will succeed Manuel Pellegrini as a new manager of Manchester City for next season, admitted that he is taking a risk by joining the England club.
Defending champions Manchester City scintillated a stellar performance to record an emphatic 5-0 win over Newcastle, and reduced Chelsea's advantage to five points in the Premier League table on Saturday at Etihad Stadium.
Villarreal reclaimed fourth spot and a slim advantage in the race for a Champions League place with a 2-0 win at Malaga.
Successive home defeats by leaders Leicester City and second placed Tottenham Hotspur have left City six points off the pace with serious doubts about whether their expensively-assembled squad is still playing for the manager.
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi has backed incoming ManchesterCity manager Pep Guardiola to leave his mark on the Premier League after taking over from the departing Manuel Pellegrini on July 1.
Manchester City embark on a fifth Champions League campaign buoyant after a perfect start to their domestic season but still searching for the secret formula against Europe's top brass.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said a fond Etihad Stadium farewell to the supporters on Sunday but it was hardly the feel good, celebratory goodbye that he or the fans craved.
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure is '90 per cent certain' to leave the Premier League club.
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Juergen Klopp is being tipped as Manchester City's next manager after announcing on Wednesday that he would be leaving Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season after seven years in charge.
Pizzas are off the menu for Manchester City players as manager Pep Guardiola has imposed strict weight parameters on the squad breaching which will result in training bans, left back Gael Clichy has said.
Manchester United has reportedly identified French defender Eliaquim Mangala as the ideal replacement for Rio Ferdinand, who will be leaving Old Trafford at the end of the season.
ManchesterCity's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure said he was the victim of racist abuse from the stands during his side's 2-1 Champions League victory away at CSKA Moscow on Wednesday.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has been charged with misconduct for his comments about the referee after his side's 2-0 Champions League home defeat by Barcelona, UEFA said on Friday.
Until this season Manchester City's progression in the Champions League could be measured in baby steps but on Tuesday they can make a huge leap forward when they host Real Madrid in their first European semi-final for 45 years.
Manchester City are brimming with optimism with coach Manuel Pellegrini 'absolutely sure' of winning the Premier League title.
Manchester City's England goalkeeper Joe Hart will be rested for this weekend's FA Cup third round tie against Norwich City, manager Manuel Pellegrini said on Friday. Hart was also left on the bench for City's League Cup semi-final, first leg at Everton on Wednesday and Argentine Willy Caballero will continue in his place on Saturday. "Willy will play both cups. For Joe it's good to work one complete week because we are playing so many games," Pellegrini said at his news
Manchester City must put a potentially ruinous fortnight behind them as they seek to reboot their faltering season with a big performance in their Champions League last-16, first leg trip to Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday.
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