Argentina, inspired by Lionel Messi, gave Diego Maradona what he described as a perfect home and competitive debut as coach by beating Venezuela 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday. Messi scored the first goal and then set up the second for Carlos Tevez before Maximiliano Rodriguez and Sergio Aguero completed an easy win for the hosts.
Sergio Aguero struck twice as Manchester City moved into second place in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Liverpool, with a 3-1 win at Bournemouth on Sunday. Just three weeks into the new season and last year's top two clubs are already perched at the top of the table.
Lionel Messi scored a stunning first-half goal to help Argentina to a 4-1 demolition of Mexico in an international friendly.
Champions Barcelona turned on the style to hammer Atletico Madrid 5-2 and consolidate their position at the top of the Spanish Primera Liga on Saturday. The visitors, who were thumped 6-1 in the same fixture last season, have yet to win a game in the new campaign but came out with an ambitious attacking lineup.
Sergio Aguero scored five times in 20 minutes including an eight-minute hat-trick as Manchester City came from behind to thrash Newcastle United 6-1 and go back to the top of the Premier League table on Saturday.
Sergio Aguero scored a dramatic late winner as Atletico Madrid twice came from behind to stun visiting Barcelona 4-3 on Sunday, leaving the Catalans just four points clear at the top in Spain.
Ronaldo's nomination comes after the 33-year-old last week denied rape allegations levelled against him by a woman who sued him in court in the United States.
Real Madrid restored their five-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the Primera Liga by winning 3-2 at Recreativo Huelva.
City, who have dished out a string of maulings in a stellar league campaign, found the Championship side a tough nut to crack and had to wait until the 92nd minute to grab the winner when Argentine substitute Aguero darted in to head home.
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.
Manchester City's Premier League title celebrations were put on hold as rivals Manchester United produced a remarkable comeback from two goals down to win their derby clash 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Mauro Zarate grabbed an 86th-minute winner as Argentina triumphed in the world Under-20 championship for the sixth time, coming from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 on Sunday.
A round-up of Saturday's matches in the English Premier League.
Lionel Messi, having reversed his decision to quit international soccer with a view to playing at another World Cup, could miss out on Russia 2018 if Argentina continue their downward spiral. Argentina played poorly in their last three qualifiers without the injured Messi and languish in fifth place in the South American group with Paraguay and Chile hot on their tails. Only four countries are guaranteed a place at the finals.
Manchester City progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League from Group F on Tuesday after twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Olympique Lyonnais, a team Pep Guardiola hailed as one of the toughest he has ever faced.
A summary of Tuesday's League Cup matches.
City were not at their all-action best early on as Burnley looked comfortable at the back, but the game turned on a penalty decision that incensed the visitors when Bernardo Silva was adjudged to have been brought down by Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope just before the half hour.
Barcelona were held to a 1-1 home draw, a result which leaves the champions three points behind league leaders Sevilla.
Liverpool were sent spinning to a 2-0 defeat at promoted Burnley in the English Premier League on Saturday while Chelsea came from behind to win 2-1 at Watford thanks to late goals from Michy Batshuayi and Diego Costa.
Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez scored two goals apiece as the hosts showed their impressive strength
Champions Chelsea have not enjoyed the best of starts at home this season and face their biggest test yet on Saturday with the visit of free-scoring leaders Manchester City.
Chile, Argentina, Nigeria and Mexico went through to the quarter-finals of the Under-20 World Cup with victories on Thursday.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Wednesday
Manchester City had a late goal from Gabriel Jesus ruled out by VAR video review as they drew 2-2 at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday -- their first league home game without victory in nearly eight months.
Past and present Barcelona team mates Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano, Neymar and Luis Suarez were all there, as was Gerard Pique and his pop star wife Shakira.
Leroy Sane struck the winner as Manchester City beat Liverpool 2-1 in a gripping English Premier League clash.
Manchester City moved within touching distance of a first appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals after a dynamic first-half display at Dynamo Kiev helped them secure a 3-1 last-16 first-leg win
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.
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.
Manchester City have bolstered their attacking arsenal with the signing of Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony from Swansea City, the English champions said on Wednesday.
LeicesterCity boss Claudio Ranieri has been named the Premier League manager of the month for April, while ManchesterCity striker Sergio Aguero has won the award for the players.
Manchester City showed that their weekend derby loss was a blip as Kevin de Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez both scored twice in a 5-2 win over Southampton
Manchester City produced a blistering first-half performance to win 4-1 at Sunderland in the League Cup third round on Tuesday, inflicting more misery on Dick Advocaat's struggling side.
Argentina moved top as South America dominated the monthly FIFA rankings on Thursday with five teams, half of the continent's total, in the top 10.
Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero struck two goals apiece in Argentina's 7-0 romp against an out-of-sorts Bolivia while Mexico were held 3-3 by Trinidad & Tobago in friendlies in the United States on Friday.
Willian's late strike snatched a 1-0 home win for Chelsea over a stubborn Everton side to maintain lead.
Manchester City survived a late grilling by Real Madrid thanks to goalkeeper Joe Hart to hold on for a 0-0 draw on Tuesday that keeps alive their hopes of reaching the Champions League final for the first time.
Argentina's injured captain Lionel Messi has been named in a squad missing the suspended Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain for next month's World Cup qualifier against South America's bottom side Paraguay.
Celebration was tinged with disappointment for Manchester City who eased into the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time on Tuesday but lost Vincent Kompany to injury in a 0-0 draw with Dynamo Kiev.
Arsenal's victory was scrappy and nervy but Laurent Koscielny's 72nd-minute winner was enough to move them two points clear at the summit after LeicesterCity's surprise push faltered with a goalless draw at home to 10-man Bournemouth.
