Barcelona won the European Cup for the third time with a classy 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Wednesday. Striker Samuel Eto'o struck the opener on 10 minutes when his low shot beat United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar at his near post and Lionel Messi sealed the win on 70 minutes when he headed home Xavi's cross.
It would be a big surprise if Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola strays from the club's traditional, offensive 4-3-3. Manchester United are less tied to a set formation. Manager Alex Ferguson has frequently used the 4-3-3 to good effect, but if he decides to field Ji-sung on the right he may opt for a 4-4-2.
Manchester United will play in an all-white strip when they face Barcelona in the Champions League final on Wednesday, just as they did when they beat them in the 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup final. United are designated as the 'away' team at the Stadio Olimpico which meant Barcelona had first choice of strip and opted to play in their traditional blue and red kit.
Holders Manchester United soothed a painful old wound for Alex Ferguson by knocking Inter Milan out of the Champions League on Wednesday, as Barcelona mauled Olympique Lyon 5-2 in a thrilling return to form. Arsenal made it four English teams in the quarter-finals for the second successive year, their youngsters showing great composure to see them home 7-6 on penalties away to AS Roma.
The defender is currently in his final year at the St George's British International School in Rome, which is close to Lazio's training ground near Formello.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored a brace as champions Inter Milan thrashed struggling AS Roma 4-0 at the Stadio Olimpico.
AS Roma will be without injured captain Francesco Totti when they take on Manchester United in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.
In a big blow to Real Madrid's title hopes, Real Betis held them to a goalless draw in their La Liga encounter on Sunday.
Francesco Totti came off the bench to make his 600th league appearance for AS Roma as they beat in-form Chievo 3-0 at home on Sunday to climb to second place in Serie A.
With this win Italy have extended their unbeaten run to 29 games, the last 10 coming off wins where they have scored 31 goals and conceded none.
Shell-shocked AS Roma followed up their midweek Champions League debacle in Barcelona by losing 2-0 at home to nine-man Atalanta in Serie A on Sunday.
IMAGES from the Champions League matches played on Tuesday.
Andrea Pirlo and Miralem Pjanic provided the moments of magic to inspire leading Serie A duo Juventus and AS Roma to battling victories on Sunday with the gap between the sides remaining at three points.
A summary of the opening day's action in the UEFA Champions league on Tuesday.
Harry Kane scored twice as England stormed into the European Championship semi-finals for the first time in 25 years thrashing Ukraine 4-0 on Saturday to book a clash with Denmark.
Juventus won a second consecutive double when substitute Alvaro Morata's extra-time goal secured a 1-0 Italian Cup final win over AC Milan who missed out on Europe for a third successive season on Saturday.
"If they don't get VAR in the Champions League, it is an absolute joke."
IMAGES from the soccer matches played across European leagues over the weekend.
Italy face Turkey at Rome's Stadio Olimpico on Friday in the tournament's first match.
Barcelona winger Raphinha secured a 1-0 win in LaLiga for the second straight week this time at Athletic Bilbao as his side tightened their grip on top spot.
Manuel Locatelli bagged a brace of goals for the first time in his career as imperious Italy defeated Switzerland 3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday to become the first side into the last-16 of Euro 2020.
Photos from the Champions League match played between Real Madrid and AS Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday
Images from UEFA Europa League semi-finals played on Thursday.
Juventus won 2-0 at Lazio on Friday to extend their winning run in Serie A to five matches thanks to an early own goal from Santiago Gentiletti and a glorious Paulo Dybala effort.
Gonzalo Higuain netted twice, the first a superb individual effort, to give Napoli a 4-2 win at Lazio while Fiorentina beat Hellas Verona 4-3 in a Serie A scoring spree on Monday.
Europa League kings Sevilla breezed past Manchester United into the semi-finals of their favourite competition as Youssef En Nesyri scored twice
The tournament, staged in 11 cities across Europe, will feature 24 of the best teams from June 12.
Italy will face the runners-up of Group C next in London on June 26, while Wales will take on the runners-up of Group B on the same day in Amsterdam.
Italy face a tough opening day task against a resilient and talented Turkey side that impressed in qualifying and has a penchant for big games.
Cristiano Ronaldo continued from where he left off in the early stages of the UEFA Champions League, adding to his goal tally as Real Madrid beat AS Roma 2-0 in their round of 16, first leg tie on Wednesday.
AC Milan scraped a 1-0 win over third tier Alessandria thanks to a Mario Balotelli penalty, his first goal for four months, in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final.
Napoli squandered a two-goal halftime lead, then scored two late goals to beat nine-man AC Milan 4-2 in a stormy Serie A match which saw eight other players booked on Saturday.
Juventus substitute Cristiano Ronaldo was denied a stoppage-time winner by VAR as Udinese came from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw in their thrilling Serie A season opener on Sunday.
Carlo Ancelotti's side held a two-goal lead at halftime thanks to strikes from Dries Mertens and Kostas Manolas, but Balotelli pulled one back as Brescia rallied after the break.
Juventus have 13 points from seven games, three behind leaders AC Milan who host Verona later on Sunday. Lazio have 11 points.
Juventus won Serie A for the fifth season in a row without kicking a ball on Monday after Napoli, the only team who could have caught them, were sunk 1-0 by a late Radja Nainggolan goal at AS Roma. Juventus, who have led the table since beating Napoli 1-0 in February, were left with an unassailable 12-point lead with three games each left to play as they clinched a record 31st league title. The match, played at a half-empty Stadio Olimpico on a sunny bank holiday afternoon, was an anti-climatic end to a season which had at one stage promised to be one of the most exciting Italian title races for years. The game between Serie A's two highest-scoring sides was threatening to peter out into a tame goalless draw until Nainggolan slotted the ball home in the 89th minute following a move started with a delicate pass from Roma substitute Francesco Totti.
LaLiga leaders Barcelona's pursuit of a 27th Spanish title gained momentum after a 2-1 comeback win over Real Madrid.
Ronaleo netted his 14th league goal for Juve this season while PSG's winning streak was snapped by Monaco in a 3-3 draw. Here are images from the matches played on Sunday
AS Roma needed a hugely controversial penalty, converted by Daniele De Rossi six minutes from the end of the extra time, to see off modest Empoli 2-1 in the Italian Cup last 16 on Tuesday.
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