Rediff.com brings you the top highlights of the soccer weekend.
Chelsea pair Diego Costa and Eden Hazard were named on Thursday on the shortlist for the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year award.
It was the third game in a row in which Real had broken the deadlock thanks to a penalty and they sealed the win when Benzema turned provider and allowed Marco Asensio to tap into an empty net early in the second half.
Chelsea's inability to score a second goal proved costly as Karim Benzema's effort levelled things up
Zinedine Zidane's side joined Atletico Madrid on 66 points and moved top of the table
World champions France recovered from two goals down to beat Belgium 3-2 in a thrilling Nations League semi-final on Thursday with a last-minute strike from Theo Hernandez securing a place in Sunday's showpiece match against Spain.
Chelsea have enough experience to keep their composure in the title race after Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Manchester United cut their lead at the top of the Premier League table to four points with six games left, goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has said.
Real have three days to recover from the humbling defeat before Saturday's crunch local derby against Atletico Madrid
Madrid were not at their best but moved three points clear of rivals Barcelona.
Renault's Chinese test driver Guanyu Zhou won a virtual Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday as Formula One sought to entertain fans with esports action in a season stalled by the spreading coronavirus. The first seven rounds of the real championship have been cancelled or postponed, including the showcase Monaco Grand Prix, and it remains to be seen how many there will be ultimately.
Images from the UEFA Champions League group matches played on Tuesday night
Brazil's Willian told reporters he will be doing everything he can to send his team mate Eden Hazard home early from Russia.
Atletico Madrid were given a big boost ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against Real Madrid in Milan with the news that coach Diego Simeone will be staying on next season. President Enrique Cerezo said on Thursday that the former Atletico player would remain at the club until at least June 2017, when his contract expires. "Simeone will stay next season," Cerezo told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.
Real Madrid did well to hold Atletico in regulation time and then win the match 4-1 in penalty shootouts.
Real Madrid endured their toughest test at Granada on Monday since La Liga restarted but showed real determination to grind out a 2-1 win and record their ninth consecutive victory as they moved within touching distance of reclaiming the title. Early goals from Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema were enough to restore a four-point lead over Barcelona and Real will clinch their first league title since 2017 with a win over Villarreal on Thursday or at Leganes on the final day of the season.
Kevin de Bruyne came off the bench to inspire Belgium in a 2-1 comeback win over Denmark
There was eye-catching sports action the world over and we summarise it all in this breathtaking photo feature...
Valencia forward Carlos Soler scored a hat-trick of penalties as his side beat La Liga champions Real Madrid 4-1 at home in an extraordinary match on Sunday.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mohamed Salah were named as the three finalists.
Barca feel familiar February blues as tiredness sets in
Real Madrid's resurgent La Liga run skidded to a halt as they fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at home by struggling Girona on Sunday in which captain Sergio Ramos was sent off in added time, leaving them nine points adrift of leaders Barcelona.
Karim Benzema scored twice in the final few minutes to give Real Madrid a 3-1 win at Espanyol, while Barcelona breezed past Real Valladolid with a comfortable 4-0 LaLiga victory.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte gave short shrift to media reports linking him with a move away from the English Premier League leaders and said he was eager to build "something important" at Stamford Bridge.
Glimpses from Sunday's Nations League matches.
Real Madrid swatted aside Granada 4-1 on Thursday to ensure the La Liga title race will go down to the wire.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas says the signing of Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois has not affected his desire to remain at the triple European champions as he emphatically ruled out leaving the club in order to be assured of first team football.
Thirteen-times European champions Real, who had come through each of their last three Champions League semi-final ties, had been second best for much last week's first leg which ended 1-1.
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has given an insight to the multinational shape of the modern Premier League by revealing he speaks to his defenders during matches in three languages.
The head of FIFA's medical committee Michel D'Hooghe has stated his support for Chelsea's former club doctor Eva Carneiro, who has brought a legal case against the club for constructive dismissal, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
Images from matches played across European leagues on Saturday
The world of esports came to the rescue in the absence of a race in Melbourne or indeed of any single-seater series with the Formula E and IndyCar calendars also ravaged by the fast-spreading virus. Red Bull's Verstappen finished 11th in an 'All-star Esports battle' while McLaren's Norris finished sixth in another virtual race.
A majestic solo dribble shredded Chelsea's defence before Messi played in Dembele for the second and the Argentine maestro killed the tie off when he smashed a third through the legs of Courtois again in the second half.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho sprung to the defence of new goalkeeper Asmir Begovic after the Bosnian conceded four goals against the New York Red Bulls.
PSG made hard work of beating Strasbourg 4-2 in the French Ligue 1, while Real Madrid registered a comfortable 4-1 win away to Alaves in their opening game.
Goalkeeper Petr Cech believes Arsenal are ready to clear the final hurdle needed to end the Premier League title drought, and said he was overwhelmed by the support he has received from fans and teammates at his new club.
Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, in typically self-confident mood, warned that any opponents who opened up against his team would be punished after their 1-0 win against Sweden on Wednesday.
Belgium could make wholesale changes for Saturday's European Championship clash with Ireland as they seek to keep their tournament hopes alive, coach Marc Wilmots said. "Tomorrow there will be between two and 10 changes. Only the goalkeeper is certain," he told reporters, refusing to confirm a starting place for playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, who suffered a light injury in training on Thursday.
The European champions, who were humbled 3-0 by tiny Eibar last week, took a fortuitous lead when Valencia midfielder Daniel Wass nodded a Dani Carvajal cross into his own net in the eighth minute after former Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista had failed to clear the danger.
Real Madrid were made to toil by the 10 men of Athletic Bilbao but eventually won 3-1 on Tuesday thanks to two strikes from Karim Benzema to go level on points with La Liga leaders Real Sociedad.
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