After setting a Spanish record 35 matches unbeaten in all competitions, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is relishing the run-in to the end of the season with his side on course for a second successive La Liga, King's Cup and Champions League treble.
Lionel Messi's exquisite finish set Barcelona on their way to a potentially decisive 2-0 win at Real Madrid on Saturday to lift the champions three points clear of their arch-rivals at the top of La Liga.
Images from the Champions League quarter-finals second leg match played on Tuesday.
Real Madrid's Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned the best soccer player in the world for the second year running at FIFA's The Best awards gala on Monday.
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has targeted Didier Drogba, Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o or Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor as potential signings.
There is still plenty to be decided in the final round of group matches in the UEFA Champions League this week even though 13 of the 16 teams through to the knockout phase are already known. European Cup holders Manchester United and the likes of nine-times champions Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Arsenal and Liverpool have secured their places in the first knockout round.
Holders Barcelona booked a Champions League last 16 berth with a 2-1 win at Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday and were joined by Group F rivals Inter Milan, who sealed their passage with a 2-0 home defeat of Rubin Kazan.
Group C leaders Barcelona should make it four wins from four matches against pointless Basel on Tuesday in the Champions League, while holders Manchester United can book their last 16 place with victory at Celtic.
Neuer made the squad despite playing in just one official game, a friendly against Austria on Friday, since breaking a bone in his foot in September but talented 22-year-old Sane was the biggest name to miss out.
Check out the 10 most expensive transfers in British soccer history.
Gennaro Gattuso will stay at AC Milan following talks with chief executive Adriano Galliani, the Italy midfielder said on Monday. The 30-year-old had been considering his future and was strongly linked with Bayern Munich, while he had also spoken fondly of the English Premier League having previously played for Rangers in Scotland.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar combined to devastating effect as Barcelona swatted Celtic aside 7-0 at the Nou Camp to lay down a marker in Champions League Group C on Tuesday.
Real Madrid held its position as the world's richest football club as English clubs climbed the rankings to claim three of the top five slots in an annual survey by accountancy firm Deloitte.
Midfielder Santi Cazorla gave the home side the lead in the fourth minute of the game, which was rescheduled due to Real's participation in last month's Club World Cup, by bending a wonderful shot into the bottom corner.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has criticised FIFA's Ballon d'Or award given to the world's best player for glorifying the individual at the expense of the team.
Barcelona's rampant trio of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi all found the net at the weekend and unsung Leicester City found themselves in the record books when their England striker Jamie Vardy scored for the 11th straight game.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
'Generations of football fans will eternally be grateful to Johan Cruyff and what he did for the beautiful game,' says Aabhas Sharma.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp wants his players to be "angry" and guard against complacency when they entertain promoted HullCity on Saturday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic bagging four goals, while Juventus and Bayern Munich preserved their leads and FA Cup holders Arsenal were dumped out of the competition.
Barcelona beat Celtic away, holders AC Milan and Arsenal drew goalless while Fenerbahce beat Spanish rivals Sevilla in Wednesday's other Champions League last 16 first-leg matches.
Two defeats and a draw from their first three matches in Group A left Liverpool in the mire and needing a Houdini-like escape act to stay alive
Two defeats and a draw from their first three matches in Group A have left Liverpool in the mire and needing a Houdini-like escape act to stay alive in the Champions League.
Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United all avoided each other in the Champions League quarter-final draw.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho said his team's comfortable 2-0 victory over Levski Sofia on Tuesday, felt more like a friendly than a Champions League match.
For over three months, there was no soccer of any kind in England, where it is by far the most popular sport.
The Reds' manager believes his team has the ability to finish in the top four and qualify for Champions League next season.
Thierry Henry said Arsenal needed a more experienced squad to challenge Manchester United and Chelsea in the EPL.
Inter Milan marched into the Champions League knockout stage after fortunate second-half goals from strikers Julio Cruz and Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up a 3-0 home win over Fenerbahce on Tuesday.
Lopetegui blends youth and experience in Spain World Cup squad
Winger Marco Reus was left out of World Cup winners Germany's final Euro 2016 squad on Tuesday over injury concerns, coach Joachim Loew said.
Two armed men held up councilors in Paris at gunpoint demanding free tickets to the Champions League final
Malaysian fans say no to Premier League 'circus games'.
Factbox on Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi, who became his country's all-time top goalscorer on Tuesday when he scored his 55th international goal.
England's League Managers' Association has revealed that the average tenure of a Premier League manager is now little more than two seasons, with 11 of last year's 20 starters already kicked out.
Real Madrid are the richest soccer club by revenue for the 11th straight year and La Liga rivals Barcelona have leapfrogged Manchester United into second.
