Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United enjoyed comfortable wins in the English Premier League on Saturday as fans returned to stadiums after an eight-month absence.
Under-fire Rafa Benitez said Real Madrid needed to be more consistent and also accused his players of easing off in games ahead of Sunday's La Liga clash with his former club Valencia. The Spaniard is the most successful coach in Valencia's history. He led them to La Liga titles in 2002 and 2004, when he also won the UEFA Cup, and is sure of a warm welcome when he walks out at the Mestalla.
Goals from Karim Benzema and Jese led Real Madrid to a 2-0 win over Osasuna in their King's Cup last-16 first leg at the Bernabeu on Thursday.
Real Madrid kept alive their hopes of overhauling La Liga leaders Barcelona when a James Rodriguez stunner set them on their way to a serene 3-0 home victory over struggling Almeria on Wednesday.
Everton have 36 points from 26 games
'The current squad is one in transition, but they have some real talent and are showing a strong sense of togetherness' 'I expect to see them continue to grow and develop over the coming weeks and I wish them and my successor well for the rest of the season'
Alex Ferguson has revealed that David Moyes, the man chosen as his managerial successor at Manchester United, was sixth on a list of ideal replacements headed by Pep Guardiola and four others, who were all 'unavailable' at the time.
Antonio Conte spent the immediate aftermath of Chelsea's title-winning 1-0 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Friday being bounced skywards by his players but once back on terra firma his mind was already focusing on the next target -- the double.
Manchester United are optimistic ahead of a crucial period of fixtures as they are close to finding their best form, midfielder Ander Herrera said ahead of Sunday's top of the table showdown against Premier League leaders Manchester City.
'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'
Roundup of the Champions League matches played on Wednesday night
Real Madrid closed to within three points of La Liga leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the halfway stage of the season when a Pepe header secured a laboured 1-0 win at mid-table Espanyol on Sunday.
Champions Bayern Munich opened up an eight-point lead in the Bundesliga at the start of the German season's one-month winter break by beating Hanover 96 1-0 on Saturday amid mounting speculation over the future of coach Pep Guardiola.
Leicester City won at Arsenal for the first time in 47 years on Sunday, with substitute Jamie Vardy's late close-range header enough to secure victory in the Premier League at The Emirates.
Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr both scored a brace to give the LaLiga leaders a 4-1 home win over Valencia
Real Madrid moved four points clear of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring either side of a Gareth Bale strike in a 3-0 win at Getafe on Sunday.
Following this stunning turn-around of fortunes for Barcelona, here is a flashback of some of the best come-from-behind wins recorded in Europe's premier club competition.
Bayern Munich have signed midfielder James Rodriguez from Real Madrid on a two-year loan deal with an option to buy the player, the German champions said on Tuesday.
Italian Antonio Conte was named as Chelsea's new head coach with a three-year contract, the outgoing Premier League champions announced on Monday.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score 100 goals in UEFA competitions when he struck twice as holders Real Madrid came from behind to win 2-1 at Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
Fresh from propelling Barcelona to their fifth trophy of 2015, their prolific strikes are now seeking to break the Spanish record of goals in a calendar year when they play Real Betis on Wednesday.
Manchester United closed in on the Premier League's pole position after a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa on Friday put them level on points and games played with champions and leaders Liverpool.
Ferguson, who makes the comments in the documentary 'Sir Alex Ferguson: Secrets of Success', to be screened on BBC One on October 31, also defends David Moyes' ill-fated appointment as his successor.
Klopp is understood to be open to the idea of a move, the reports said, adding that talks between Liverpool and his representatives were progressing well.
Brendan Rodgers has admitted that his job is on the line, but has pledged to keep working towards improving Liverpool's results whether he stays on as manager for "one day more, one month, another year, or whatever".
Real Madrid captain and centre back Sergio Ramos is "100 percent committed" to the club, new coach Rafa Benitez said on Thursday, amid continued speculation the Spain defender could be on his way to Manchester United.
Here is a quick fact-box on new Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez, who was appointed to replace Italian Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday.
Zinedine Zidane has been reappointed as Real Madrid coach nine months after resigning, replacing Argentine Santiago Solari.
Mario Goetze could not stop smiling after scoring his first goal for Borussia Dortmund since his return in their 6-0 demolition of Legia Warsaw in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Real Madrid's decision to sell midfielders Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria left many scratching their heads and consecutive La Liga defeats as well as a reverse to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup set alarm bells ringing at the Bernabeu.
Bruno Fernandes struck from the penalty spot in the ninth minute of stoppage time to give Manchester United victory at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday after an incredible finale.
Some key facts about Zinedine Zidane, who stepped down as Real Madrid coach after leading the Spanish club to a third successive Champions League title.
European champions Real Madrid turned on the party tricks as they sailed into the Club World Cup final by crushing Cruz Azul 4-0 in Marrakech.
Barcelona have been boosted by the successful return from injury of talismanic playmaker Andres Iniesta as they prepare to host city rivals Espanyol in La Liga on Sunday.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick to send Real Madrid through to the Champions League semi-finals with a 4-2 extra-time win and 6-3 aggregate success against 10-man Bayern Munich in controversial circumstances on Tuesday.
A summary of Saturday's action in LaLiga, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.
Zinedine Zidane had few equals as a player but heading into his first Champions League final as a coach, he admits that unlike Atletico Madrid counterpart Diego Simeone he still has much to learn. The former France playmaker, who was promoted from Real's reserve team to replace Rafa Benitez in January, steered the side to a runners-up finish in La Liga and Saturday's final in Milan. Real have won 21 out of 26 games under Zidane and lost two, scoring 71 goals and giving away 18. Simeone led Atletico to their second Champions League final in three years. "He has everything that a coach needs but above all, he knows his team and his players well, which is the most important thing," Zidane told a news conference on Tuesday.
'I selected the team, I selected the strategy and I am as disappointed as the players, but the buck stops with me.'
A summary of the concluding day's action in the Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and Saudi Pro League.
Manchester United moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League after a Paul Pogba goal gave them a hard-fought 1-0 win over Burnley at a freezing Turf Moor on Tuesday.
