Such is the impact Sadio Mane has made on Liverpool that the 24-year-old is an automatic pick to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday while experienced international teammates scrap it out to play alongside him.
Miguel Angel Portugal's Pune City managed to earn a hard- fought 1-1 draw at the death against home side Delhi Dynamos in their Hero Indian Super League opener, in New Delhi, on Wednesday.
Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick, including an exquisite second goal, as Barcelona strolled into the Club World Cup final with a 3-0 win over Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande on Thursday.
Here are five talking points from the weekend's action in La Liga.
FIFA defended the harsh punishment it handed down to Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for biting an opponent during the World Cup, despite complaints on Friday from his coach, politicians and even the man he bit that the record penalty was excessive.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
IMAGES from La Liga matches played on Sunday
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez is 'chomping at the bit' to return for Liverpool this week after the expiry of a 10-match ban for biting, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Monday.
They can if they beat Paraguay and the world champions lose to Chile in Sunday's South American World Cup qualifiers.\n\n
Unai Emery begins the task of steering Arsenal into a brave new post-Arsene Wenger world.
Star Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan struck a late goal as Mumbai City FC ended Atletico de Kolkata's unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory and jumped to the top spot in the Indian Super League football in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi squeezed home a stoppage-time penalty to grab a 3-2 win for champions Barcelona at Valencia in a thrilling and controversial La Liga match on Sunday.
Lionel Messi scored twice and Luis Suarez struck his first La Liga goal as Barcelona crushed struggling Cordoba 5-0 on Saturday.
English Premier League basement dwellers Sunderland have moved quickly to reinforce their frail defence by agreeing a loan move for Fiorentina fullback Marcos Alonso until the end of the season.
He can be called a flawed human but definitely a great player. That's Luis Suarez for you.
Barcelona teenager Ansu Fati scored twice to lead his side to a 2-1 win at home to Levante on Sunday, finding the net in a league game for the first time in more than four months and becoming the youngest player to net a La Liga double. Romelu Lukaku scored a quickfire second-half double to give Inter Milan a 2-0 win at Udinese on Sunday, ending their run of three successive 1-1 league draws.
Barcelona provisionally went top of La Liga for the first time since October after Luis Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi scored in a 6-0 thrashing of Alaves on Saturday although the win was overshadowed by a serious injury to Aleix Vidal.
Didier Drogba equalised eight minutes from time to give Chelsea a 1-1 draw at home against Birmingham City
Barcelona forward Neymar is reportedly looking forward to welcome Luis Suarez into his and Argentina captain Lionel Messi's star-studded strike partnership when the Uruguayan returns for his four-month ban this weekend.
An Argentine first division goalkeeper said he wanted to leave the country after supporters threatened to kidnap his son.
Luis Suarez was incredulous after being sent off in Barcelona's thrilling King's Cup semi-final second leg with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, ruling him out of the final in May after playing a pivotal role in getting his team there.
A dominant NorthEast United FC scored two late goals to beat Delhi Dynamos 2-0 in their Indian Super League football match.
Chile defender Gonzalo Jara will miss the rest of the Copa America after being suspended for three matches for sticking his finger up an opponent's backside and feigning injury during a match.
English Premier League club Sunderland have appointed Gustavo Poyet as manager on Tuesday. The 45 year-old has agreed a two year contract at the Stadium of Light and will take charge of the Black Cats with immediate effect.
Luis Suarez feared he had destroyed his career and that Barcelona would not want to sign him following his four-month ban for biting at the World Cup.
The two forwards have hit their strides ahead of Saturday's Clasico showdown between the two heavyweight clubs.
Iain Hume struck twice as former champions Atletico de Kolkata rallied to edge past Mumbai City FC 3-2 in the first leg of the Indian Super League semi-finals, in Kolkata on Saturday.
Barcelona rode their luck to come from behind and win 2-1 at Real Sociedad on Saturday, continuing to banish their awful record in San Sebastian and maintaining their perfect start to the La Liga season.
Striker Luis Suarez has signed a new long-term contract at Liverpool after a blistering start to the season in which he has scored 17 goals, the Premier League club said on Friday.
The Manchester United captain believes the club needs a new striker to partner Dutchman Ruud van Nistelrooy upfront.
Fabio Fognini pulled off a huge upset, stunning top seed and holder Rafael Nadal 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the Rio Open semi-final on Saturday.
Uruguayan soccer player Diego Forlan on Monday denied evading taxes by hiding money in Swiss accounts with the British bank HSBC Holdings PLC.
Lionel Messi created a goal and scored another as Barcelona came from behind to beat struggling Rayo Vallecano 3-1 at home on Saturday and stay seven points clear at the top of La Liga.
'You realise the fear when Barcelona could get knocked out. It would hurt UEFA a lot. I don't know what they have to do for someone to send one of them off'
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City beat champions Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday to extend their lead to 18 points and leave the London side further adrift from the Champions League qualification spots.
Barcelona's 16-year-old forward Ansu Fati continued his explosive start to life in the first team by scoring and providing an assist as the La Liga champions thrashed Valencia 5-2 on Saturday.
A European nation is set to win the World Cup for the fourth time in a row this Sunday and in doing so confirm an unprecedented dominance for the Old World over their once mighty rivals in South America.
Media attention has focused on whether their most prized asset Neymar will eventually make a sensational move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
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