Images from Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League group stage matches.
The win took Barca to the top of the standings on 68 points although Real Madrid, on 65, will reclaim their lead due to their superior head-to-head record if they beat Real Mallorca at home on Wednesday.
Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp has said his team will be 'on fire' for the Champions League final
Lionel Messi produced a vintage second-half performance to help Barcelona to a 4-1 win over local rivals Espanyol on Sunday which saw the champions cut the gap on La Liga leaders Real Madrid to three points.
Real Madrid's star striker Cristiano Ronaldo made up for his otherwise quiet night by scoring the winner to beat Barcelona 2-1 win at the CampNou in Barcelona on Saturday.
Javier Hernandez's late strike kept Real Madrid on course for a record-extending 11th European Cup crown with a 1-0 win over 10-man Atletico Madrid in a tense quarter-final at the Bernebau on Wednesday.
With 264 points, the Frenchman was voted ahead of Thierry Henry (186) and Ronaldo (176) for the prestigious accolade.
IMAGES from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
The Copa del Rey semi-final draw will be made on Friday.
Atletico Madrid have moved to strengthen their forward line for next season following the exit of Mario Mandzukic by agreeing to buy Colombia striker Jackson Martinez from Porto.
IMAGES from the Europa League semifinal matches played on Thursday.
Barca, chasing a third consecutive Spanish title, are on 76 points after 35 games while Real Madrid are top with 77 and can restore their four-point advantage when they host Alaves on Friday.
'The only club where her husband replaced me was at Inter Milan where, in six months, he destroyed the best team in Europe at the time' 'And if she takes care of her husband's diet, she will have less time to speak about me'
England will beat Wales in their Euro 2016 Group B clash in Lens on Thursday if they match the team spirit of Chris Coleman's side, according to former captain David Beckham. Wales top the group after their 2-1 victory over Slovakia at the weekend while England were held 1-1 by Russia in Marseille. "It's a big game," Beckham said in a BBC interview.
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Atletico Madrid's La Liga title challenge took a nosedive when they slumped to a shock 3-0 defeat at Osasuna on Sunday, leaving Real Madrid three points clear at the top.
Cristiano Ronaldo's son Cris junior is a Lionel Messi fan the boy's father said after they met up with the Argentina captain at the Ballon D'Or ceremony in Zurich on Monday.
Now only Inter stand in the way of a treble that would match Manchester United's still unique feat of 1999.
Real Madrid are also only two points behind Atletico while Sevilla are three back in a thrilling four-way tilt, making the Spanish title race the most compelling
France international Dembele scored 10 goals and provided 20 assists in all competitions to help Dortmund finish third in the Bundesliga last season. The team also won the German Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo said he regretted taking the attention away from Real Madrid's third consecutive Champions League crown after hinting the 3-1 final victory over Liverpool was his last game but reiterated that he is not happy with the club.
A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
All the action from football matches played in Europe on Wednesday
Alcaraz's hero Rafael Nadal, who won two Wimbledons and once beat Roger Federer in five sets once said Alcaraz's victory over Djokovic felt similar.
Hosts Russia virtually sealed a place in the second round of the FIFA World Cup after a 3-1 victory over Egypt on Tuesday. The victory took them to top the of Group A with six points from two games.
If Atletico Madrid win a first Champions League title by beating city rivals Real Madrid on Saturday they will become the most successful team in the club's history, eclipsing the La Liga and King's Cup double winners of 1996.
Chelsea's Champions League semi-final defeat by Atletico Madrid hinged on a pivotal second-half minute and the expertise of a young goalkeeper on loan from the Premier League club to the Spanish side, Jose Mourinho said on Wednesday.
Images from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Coach Zinedine Zidane learned the lessons of predecessor Rafael Benitez's disastrous tactics in the last encounter and employed defensive midfielder Casemiro in favour of more attack-minded players, opting instead to sit and wait for Barcelona.
New Barcelona signing Arturo Vidal says he is stepping up a level in his career and is intent on winning the Champions League three times over his three-year deal.
A round-up of Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
An own goal and a Sadio Mane strike earned Liverpool a 2-0 victory in their Champions League semi-final first-leg against Villarreal on Wednesday, putting Juergen Klopp's side on course for their third European Cup final in five seasons.
Victorious Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, his jacket dripping with champagne, said he felt like a very lucky man after his side beat cross town rivals Atletico Madrid 4-1 in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Gareth Bale arrived at Luton Airport near London ahead of completing his imminent return to Tottenham Hotspur.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Holders Barcelona reached the King's Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Espanyol on Thursday to overcome a first-leg deficit on a night when new signing Philippe Coutinho made his debut.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A second-half goal by forward Lautaro Martinez earned Inter Milan a 1-0 victory over rivals AC Milan in their Champions League semi-final second leg.
Lionel Messi kept his nerve from the penalty spot to give Barcelona a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday and return his side to the top of the table.
Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has eased Real Madrid's injury concerns and could be fit to play in their Champions League match at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, coach Zinedine Zidane said.
Spanish teams have ruled with an iron fist in Europe for the last few years but a disappointing round of results in the Champions League has left the media wondering if this dominant era might be grinding to a halt.
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