Goals from Hulk and Axel Witsel helped Zenit St Petersburg get their Champions League campaign off to the perfect start as they beat 10-man Benfica 2-0 away on Tuesday.
Photos from the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match played between Benfica and Zenit St Petersburg at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon on Tuesday
UEFA banned two Girondins Bordeaux players on Tuesday for a total of five European club matches after ugly scenes during their UEFA Cup defeat by Anderlecht.
The draw for the third qualifying round of the Champions League was made on Friday.
Benfica coach Rui Vitoria faces another test of his powers of improvisation as he tries to patch up a team without topscorer Jonas against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
A stunning late goal from Benfica's Lima left Juventus's hopes of reaching a home Europa League final hanging in the balance after a 2-1 first-leg defeat, while Sevilla won 2-0 against Valencia in Thursday's all-Spanish last-four clash.
Images from the Champions League quarter-final matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old Portugal midfielder is Chelsea's fourth recruit under new manager Jose Mourinho.
Chelsea have re-signed midfielder Nemanja Matic from Benfica, three years after selling him to the Portuguese side, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.
Ruben Amorim is set to become the next manager of Manchester United with the Premier League club prepared to pay Sporting the 10 million euros ($10.79 million) release clause, the Portuguese club said on Tuesday.
Javier Saviola and Oscar Cardozo scored two goals apiece and defender Luisao was also on target as Benfica thumped Everton 5-0 in the Europa League on Thursday.
IMAGES from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Two goals by Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo helped Benfica to a 4-0 win over Hertha Berlin on Tuesday to clinch a place in the last 16 of the Europa League.
The Portuguese champions snatched the winner when the Brazilian met a Petit free-kick after 84 minutes.
Nine players from the Premier League have been called up including Ruben Dias, Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Diogo Jota. Goncalo Inacio is the only Sporting player in the squad.
Manchester City came from behind to beat Club Brugge 3-1 and secure their place in the Champions League playoffs
Porto's Radamel Falcao scored a hat-trick to help the newly-crowned Portuguese champions thrash Spartak Moscow 5-1 as goals flowed and South American players shone in Europa League quarter-final first leg ties on Thursday.
Atletico should have plenty of money available after talismanic striker Antoine Griezmann said last month he is to leave the club.
Benfica's Paraguay forward Oscar Cardozo converted two second-half penalties to help them come from behind and beat 10-man Liverpool 2-1 as the Europa League dished up more drama in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Spartak Moscow will be without leading strikers Emmanuel Emenike and Welliton for Wednesday's Champions League Group G match at Benfica, the Russian club said on Tuesday.
Benfica will rely on little-known duo Nemanja Matic and Enzo Perez, who have played only a handful of games since signing in 2011, to lead the Portuguese league leaders against the vast talents of Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Porto grabbed a 1-0 home win over Boavista to consolidate their position on top of the Portuguese Premier League.
Barcelona snapped their four-match winless streak in LaLiga with an emphatic 7-1 victory over Valencia on Sunday.
Chelsea nervously beat Benfica 2-1 in their Champions League quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to seal a 3-1 aggregate victory and set up a semi-final with holders Barcelona later this month. Real Madrid completed an 8-2 aggregate, thrashing of APOEL Nicosia, in the night's other match.
A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday.
Injured Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben is unlikely to recover in time for the side's Champions League quarter-final return leg in Benfica next week, coach Pep Guardiola said on Friday.
Five-times European champions Barca, with their trident of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar subdued, have not exited in the last 16 since going out to Liverpool in the 2006/07 season and the score equalled their worst Champions league loss.
Lewandowski strike gives Barcelona 1-0 win over Alaves
Barcelona's Luis Suarez netted twice for a 2-1 win over 10-man Atletico Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final, first leg on Tuesday after the visitors' Fernando Torres opened the scoring and was later sent off.
A summary of the opening night's matches in the Champions League.
Premier League champions Manchester City were drawn on Thursday with Juventus, Wydad AC and Al Ain in Group G for next year's FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Argentina host Chile at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires on September 5 before facing Colombia five days later in Barranquilla.
Manchester City have one just victory from their last 10 games across all competitions.
Mario Gomez dusted off his shooting boots to put Fiorentina in the driving seat with a 1-1 Europa League draw at Juventus while Benfica were too good for Tottenham Hotspur, winning their last-16 first leg 3-1 away on Thursday.
The other semi-final will see an Italian side, Milan or Roma, come up against Bayer Leverkusen or West Ham.
Juventus clinched a place in the Champions League knockout stages when a brilliant Cristiano Ronaldo assist set up Mario Mandzukic to give them a 1-0 win over Valencia on Tuesday.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
