Last season's runners-up suffered a 3-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the Champions League.
They scored their 11th successive Champions League win with a 3-0 victory over Inter Milan.
After Manchester took top billing in the Champions league on Tuesday it was London's turn on Wednesday when Chelsea and Arsenal recorded impressive, though contrasting, victories as the Premier League again flexed its muscles.
Former France World Cup winner Marcel Desailly is among the candidates to become new Ghana coach, the Black Stars said on their website (www.ghanafa.org) on Monday.
Lionel Messi is set to join Paris St Germain after Barcelona were forced to let their Argentine talisman go as they could not afford to give him a new contract under La Liga's salary limit rules.
Wearing his infectious goofy grin, 'Samba Magician' Ronaldinho cast a spell on the football-crazy denizens of Kolkata as his arrival for a two-day visit in Kolkata ushered in an early onset of the Durga Puja festival.
Midfielder Riccardo Montolivo missed out on his second straight major tournament due to injury on Tuesday while Daniele De Rossi was included in Italy's 23-man squad for next month's European Championship in France.
Not even 100 metres world record holder Usain Bolt could have caught AC Milan's Alexandre Pato when he streaked through to score against Barcelona after 24 seconds on Tuesday, Barca coach Pep Guardiola said.
Cristiano Ronaldo delivered the knockout blow for Real Madrid in their aristocratic battle with AC Milan on Tuesday, as Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern Munich maintained their own perfect Champions League starts.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi set a Champions League scoring record when he took his tally to 14 in the competition so far this season as the holders knocked out AC Milan to reach the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi led Barcelona almost effortlessly past AC Milan into the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday with a thrilling 3-1 victory at the Nou Camp as the Argentine and his team mates got into the record books along the way.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's has been given a three-match ban and fined 40,000 euros for confronting match officials after his side's Champions League exit against AC Milan this month.
Barcelona and Manchester United clash in the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday (1845 GMT) to decide who are the undisputed kings of Europe.
Boca Juniors edged out AC Milan 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out following an absorbing 1-1 draw after extra time to win the World Club Cup.
Italian champions Juventus fell to their third defeat inside a week with a 2-0 loss to Lazio in Serie A.
A round-up of the football action in the major leagues around the world.
Precisely how many time Pele hit the net is a matter of debate, with most statisticians agreeing the number is between 1,281 and 1,283.
Juventus missed the chance to return to the top of Serie A when they were held to a 0-0 draw at mid-table Parma on Wednesday.
Thierry Henry, Arsenal's all-time leading scorer, will return to New York Red Bulls next week as his loan spell cannot be extended past the agreed date, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Maverick striker Mario Balotelli needs love and will eventually learn from his mistakes, Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said on Monday.
AC Milan captain Gennaro Gattuso has been given a four-match European ban for head-butting the assistant coach of rivals Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last week's Champions League tie, UEFA said Monday.
Manchester United and Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo was named FIFA World Player of the Year at a ceremony on Monday. Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi was second, with Liverpool and Spain striker Fernando Torres third.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will leave the club he has played for throughout his career and move to a foreign team at the end of the season, the English Premier League club said on Friday.
Pep Guardiola believes he contributes little to Barcelona despite winning three Spanish league, one Spanish Cup, one club World Championship and two Champions League titles in three seasons as coach.
The 36-year-old midfielder though he said he could not see himself playing against his beloved Manchester United.
Blackburn Rovers have made an offer for AC Milan forward Ronaldinho and are also chasing former England captain David Beckham, the Indian owners of the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
AS Roma coach Rudi Garcia succeeded where his three predecessors failed by taking his team to a 2-0 win over arch-rivals Lazio on Sunday and maintaining their 100 percent record in Serie A alongside Napoli who won 2-1 at AC Milan.
Barcelona's 1-0 victory brought to an end to AC Milan's 13-match unbeaten home run in Europe.
The Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez double act struck again on Sunday with both players scoring to give Juventus a 2-0 win at AC Milan which strengthened their grip on Serie A.
Former Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti wants to manage again in England and has hinted he would be interested in the Tottenham Hotpur job if Harry Redknapp takes over England when Fabio Cepello retires after Euro 2012.
A hat-trick by Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona to an 8-0 rout of Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday as the champions responded with a devastating performance after a poor week by their high standards.
AC Milan pulled off a smash-and-grab 3-2 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday, spoiling what should have been a dream night for Raul as the Champions League's two most successful teams traded novice mistakes.
Real Madrid's Brazil playmaker Kaka believes he retains the full confidence of club coach Jose Mourinho despite a spate of injuries and loss of form since his move to La Liga.
Lazio, having endured a miserable start to the season, had high hopes of victory at Genoa, who were languishing in the relegation zone at the start of the day.
Angel di Maria's late intervention spared Real Madrid another inquest into the case of the misfiring forwards while Zlatan Ibrahimovic's sense of occasion salvaged a Champions League point for AC Milan.
