Following public comments from La Liga chief Javier Tebas, who said it was "not ideal" for the second El Clasico meeting between Real and Barca last season to be played with the latter having already won the league title, the two sides will face off earlier this campaign.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Luis Suarez made his first appearance following his biting controversy for new side Barcelona and Neymar scored twice as the Spanish giants beat Mexican side Leon 6-0 in a pre-season friendly on Monday.
In the buildup to the World Cup, the Brazilian football catchphrase of 'Jogo Bonito' -- The Beautiful Game -- was drowned out by the bangs of frantic construction work and the shouts of angry protesters.
World Cup favourites Brazil will be expected to defeat Mexico in the second round of Group A matches in Fortaleza on Tuesday but their Latin neighbours have no reason to feel overawed.
Barcelona's rampant trio of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi all found the net at the weekend and unsung Leicester City found themselves in the record books when their England striker Jamie Vardy scored for the 11th straight game.
Atletico Madrid tamed Lionel Messi and Neymar to send La Liga rivals Barcelona crashing out of the Champions League after Koke's early goal secured a shock 2-1 aggregate success at the Calderon on Wednesday.
As the World Cup nears, expectations of goals, goals and more goals rise. With the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo in prime form, Brazil could well turn out to be a goal-fest.
Be it an exquisite goal from Neymar that rescued Barcelona or talk about the stunner 35-metre strike from Diego that put Atletico in the driving seat, the goals were the talking points of the Champions League matches on Tuesday night.
Paris St Germain buried the ghosts of their embarrassing 2017 exit as they drew 1-1 at home with Barcelona on Wednesday to complete a 5-2 aggregate victory that sent them into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Paris St Germain are sweating over striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic's fitness as the French champions look fragile ahead of Barcelona's visit in Champions League Group F on Tuesday.
Real Madrid on Wednesday denied media reports they have made a bid for Paris Saint-Germain's teenage striker Kylian Mbappe, who is emerging as one of the biggest stars of the Russia World Cup.
But can Lionel Messi secure a place among the game's greats with a World Cup triumph? But for now on a lighter note we bring Messi's better half, Antonella Roccuzzo.
Brazil will play Germany next week in what the hosts' players are calling the final before the final and manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is facing selection dilemmas four days ahead of the semi-final in Belo Horizonte.
Images from the World Cup quarter-final game between Brazil and Colombia.
Luiz Felipe Scolari is blaming the some of the team's struggles, which include a disappointing performance that nearly led to its elimination by Chile in the second round, on the pressure of needing to succeed in front of the home fans.
Barcelona forward Luis Suarez was included in the starting lineup for Saturday's La Liga 'Clasico' against Real Madrid, a day after his four-month ban for biting an opponent expired.
Here are some of those players who have seized the opportunity in Brazil to put themselves firmly on the radar as transfer targets in the weeks and months ahead.
In a game like football, where passion runs deep, love is a binding factor that is obvious everywhere. From the stadiums, to the beaches of Copacaban and even the streets of Mexico, fans were spotted kissing in revelry! Rediff.com brings you a glimpse of some intimate moments.
Now facing Chile in the first game of the tournament's knockout round, Brazil will be encouraged by recent history. They easily knocked out Chile at the same stage in the last two World Cups "La Roja" (The Red) featured in, 1998 and 2010.
Lionel Messi netted the 400th goal of his storied career on Saturday as Barcelona trounced Granada 6-0 to maintain the pace at the top of La Liga.
Barcelona forwards Ousmane Dembele and Lionel Messi fired the Catalans to a confidence-boosting 2-0 win at in-form Sevilla on Saturday to keep the pressure on La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.
Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa produced a heroic performance in a 0-0 draw with Brazil and his Russian counterpart Igor Akinfeev was the villain in a 1-1 draw with South Korea as the World Cup produced more drama on Tuesday.
Brazil striker Fred has denied accusations he cheated to win a crucial penalty in the 3-1 opening World Cup win over Croatia and said contact from a defender was enough to "knock me off the ball and stop me scoring."
Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura wrongly awarded a soft penalty to Brazil, which brought the hosts back into the match.
With a passionate crowd behind them, a savvy coach and a settled team enjoying a sparkling run of form Brazil are hot favourites to lift a record sixth World Cup this July.
Brazil have called on Kaka as a late addition for next month's Centenary Copa America in the United States, the Brazilian Football Confederation said on Thursday.
Lionel Messi's exquisite Champions League double for Barcelona against Bayern Munich was a case of history repeating itself with an added magnificent assist for Neymar to seal an emphatic 3-0 semi-final, first leg win.
French club Paris St Germain have been placed under investigation by UEFA to see if their recent transfer spending spree has broken the break-even rules of European soccer's ruling body known as Financial Fair Play (FFP).
Olympic judo medallist Flavio Canto is among those giving his time and money to battle the COVID-19 outbreak in Brazil. Dunga is also working with business contacts and former players - including ex-Brazil internationals Jorginho and Edmilson and Paulo Cesar Tinga - to help disadvantaged communities in his home state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will resume their perennial battle to be crowned the world's best footballer after they headed the shortlist of 30 players for the 2016 Ballon d'Or announced on Monday.
Last season's runners-up Borussia Dortmund were spared a Champions League exit when a dramatic late goal from Kevin Grosskreutz sent the German side into the last 16 on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo has no plans to slow down and feels a decade younger than his 33 years
Barcelona finished three points behind Real Madrid last season but there is concern the gap between Spain's biggest two sides could be far larger this season.
Barcelona star forward Lionel Messi and Read Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo have been named in the 40-man shortlist for the UEFA's Team of the Year.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were on target as holders Barcelona thrashed Real Sociedad 5-2 to reach the King's Cup semi-finals for the seventh successive year with a 6-2 aggregate victory on Thursday.
Barcelona dropped points for the third time in four league games as they were held 0-0 by local rivals Espanyol in a heated Catalan derby. Atletico Madrid moved two points clear of Barca at the top of the table, having played a game more, thanks to substitute Thomas Partey's late winner to edge past Levante 1-0. Real Madrid now trail Atletico by five points ahead of their trip to Valencia on Sunday.
Images from Sunday's action in La Liga and Ligue 1.
Barcelona will travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach for their Champions League match on Wednesday without Lionel Messi but the Spaniards have enough options and firepower to plug the gap left by the Argentine, coach Luis Enrique said.
Lionel Messi returned from international suspension to score the winner in Argentina's 1-0 victory over Brazil in Saudi Arabia on Friday.
