Barcelona have been haunted by their recent failures in the Champions League and there are concerning signs for the Catalans as they prepare for Tuesday's last-16 first leg away to Olympique Lyonnais.
Leaders Manchester City kept up their unbeaten run with a 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. Manchester United salvaged a 2-2 draw at Southampton, who sacked manager Mark Hughes on Monday.
Ninety-six seats were left empty and draped with Liverpool scarves at the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday as English soccer paused to remember the Hillsborough tragedy that took place 25 years ago this weekend.
Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to secure Manchester City a 1-0 English Premier League victory at Leicester City after yet another penalty miss by Pep Guardiola's side on Saturday. Chelsea's Olivier Giroud and Marcos Alonso returned to the starting lineup to stunning effect by grabbing a goal apiece in a crucial 2-1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur in the battle between the London rivals for fourth place.
Liverpool took a giant step towards their first title in 24 years with a 3-2 win at a plucky Norwich City on Sunday, opening up a five point lead over second-placed Chelsea with three matches remaining.
Leicester City were give a Premier League reality check when the unlikely leaders lost 1-0 at Liverpool on Saturday after Manchester United slumped to a third consecutive league defeat to pile more pressure on manager Louis van Gaal.
Images from the EPL matches played on Sunday
Images from Sunday's Premier League matches.
A summary of Sunday's Premier League matches
Arsenal sent Liverpool crashing out of the FA Cup, avenging last weekend's rout at Anfield, when they beat Brendan Rodgers's high-flyers 2-1 in a full-bloodied fifth round tie at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Real Madrid will have their combative Spain centre back Sergio Ramos available for Saturday's "clasico" against Barcelona but Wales winger Gareth Bale is out, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday.
The Londoners are fourth in the Premier League table, 13 points behind leaders Leicester City with five games left.
Goals from Adam Lallana and Roberto Firmino put the home side ahead by halftime and they romped to victory with a Giannelli Imbula own goal and Daniel Sturridge strike after Stoke threatened an upset with a Jonathan Walters header.
Three matches into the Premier League season following a stunning title success by 5,000-1 outsiders LeicesterCity, the table already has a more familiar look.
Newcastle grabbed a point to leave City manager Pep Guardiola frustrated.
Manchester City claimed the win required to finally end Liverpool's relentless attempt to dethrone them as Premier League champions as they hit back from a goal down to crush Brighton and Hove Albion on the south coast on Sunday.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
In 12 appearances this season the red-hot Uruguay striker has scored 19 goals to fire Liverpool to the top of the Premier League. That is six more than his nearest rival, Argentina and Manchester City forward Sergio Augero.
European soccer body UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Manchester United and Liverpool on Friday after fans clashed and threw objects during a Europa League tie at Old Trafford.
'It was a great atmosphere, I am so pleased for all of the people who have had harder times with us this season'
Mario Balotelli is heading back to the Premier League. The Milan striker has agreed on a 16 million pounds (20 million euros) move to Liverpool.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes tiredness was behind their 3-0 defeat by Liverpool on Wednesday after a third successive Premier League loss put a hefty dent in their faltering title hopes.
Sergio Aguero struck twice as Manchester City came from behind to beat Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday.
Eden Hazard scored from the spot in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw for Chelsea against West Bromwich Albion, who were seconds away from inflicting a first Premier League home defeat on a Chelsea side managed by Jose Mourinho.
The last three league meetings between the two sides, including October's game at Anfield, have ended in draws but Lovren said Liverpool were intent on coming away with all three points on Saturday.
Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling struck twice as the Premier League champions beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park on Sunday to go top of the table and heap pressure on title rivals Liverpool.
Chelsea's David Luiz never really looked cut out for a role as a defensive rock in one of England's meanest rearguards.
Steven Gerrard accused team mate Mario Balotelli of showing disrespect.
FC Pune City also bolstered their defence by signing former Espanyol and Deportivo La Coruna defender Diego Colotto for the second edition of the eight-team league beginning on October 3.
Southampton's rich vein of form in the Premier League continued as they beat Burnley 3-1 with two goals from Charlie Austin on Sunday while another promoted side, Middlesbrough, fared just as poorly, losing 1-0 at home to Watford.
Manchester United reached the League Cup final but were made to sweat as Hull City won the second leg of their last-four encounter 2-1 on Thursday to come within one goal of forcing extra time.
Out-of-favour Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli will receive a six-figure loyalty bonus if he is still at the club when the transfer window closes on September 1, according to British media reports.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has reportedly given the green light to break the bank and spend 40 million pounds on controversial Liverpool striker Luis Suarez and the club is confident that Suarez will quit Liverpool for a sensational move to the Emirates.
A summary of all the Champions League matches played across Europe on Wednesday
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Liverpool reached the Champions League final after riding their luck to contain a fired-up AS Roma in a 4-2 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday that sent them through 7-6 on aggregate.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger spoke last week of his desire to keep the 24-year-old Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was also a target for champions Chelsea.
Everton won 1-0 at bottom club Sunderland to leapfrog Arsenal into fourth place in the Premier League on Saturday and the battle at the other end of the table intensified with wins for three clubs in danger of relegation.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp called for his players to "stay calm" and does not expect to expect wholesale changes against Burton Albion on Tuesday as they seek to quickly bounce back from their 2-0 defeat at Burnley.
