AS Roma needed a last-minute penalty from David Pizarro to win 2-1 at lowly Lecce in Serie A on Friday and boost their confidence ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Substitute Alexandre Pato netted a superb winner after Robinho had opened the scoring using the top of his arm as Serie A leaders AC Milan ground out a precious 2-1 win at Chievo on Sunday.
Chelsea's struggle to retain the title is hardly surprising as the club returned to the Champions League and their league rivals strengthened their squads, former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has said.
As Leicester City celebrates its Premier League triumph, Bikash Mohapatra/Rediff.com salutes the man behind it.
Juventus reached the halfway point of the Serie A season with a commanding five-point lead over Roma after thrashing Verona for the second time in four days on Sunday.
AS Roma captain Francesco Totti, who has been at his hometown team his whole career, hinted for the first time on Tuesday that he could leave the club after a row with coach Claudio Ranieri.
Jamie Vardy wrote a new chapter in his fairytale rise from the wilderness of non-League football to playing for England, when he became the first player to score in 11 consecutive Premier League matches on Saturday.
Juventus's big spending failed to pay dividends again on Sunday when their defensive weaknesses were exposed in an exciting 3-3 home draw with coach Luigi Del Neri's former side Sampdoria.
Nineteen-year-old Japanese Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa has died after a crash during Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix, the second death in the sport in two events.
Juventus winger Milos Krasic returned from injury and suspension to again be the driving force in a 2-0 win at Genoa on Sunday.
Italy's 1-0 defeat by Ireland in their last Euro 2016 Group E match will not affect the morale of the squad ahead of the last- 16 game against defending champions Spain, coach Antonio Conte said on Wednesday.
Leicester City must ensure they maintain their rapid progress beyond the current campaign, manager Claudio Ranieri said ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash against third-placed Arsenal.
FIFA has changed its rule on yellow-card amnesties at the World Cup to reduce the chances of big name players missing out on the July 11 final.
Holders Manchester City began their assault on the FA Cup with a 4-1 victory over fourth-tier Port Vale but Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers face an unwanted replay after drawing 0-0 at Molineux on Saturday. Goals from Oleksandr Zinchenko, Sergio Aguero, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Phil Foden made it a routine day for City, although Tom Pope had equalised for a Vale side sitting 74 places lower in the standings.
Real Madrid suffered a humiliating 2-1 home defeat by Leganes on Wednesday to exit the King's Cup at the quarter-final stage on away goals.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich crushed Freiburg 4-0 on Saturday, recording their 13th successive Bundesliga victory and extending their league unbeaten streak to 46.
Craig Shakespeare has been appointed as Leicester City's manager for the rest of the season, the Premier League champions announced on Sunday.
Maverick striker Mario Balotelli needs love and will eventually learn from his mistakes, Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said on Monday.
A round-up of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Claudio Ranieri resigned as coach of AS Roma following their shock 4-3 loss at Genoa on Sunday in a game they had led 3-0.
'Le Carré's spies were nothing like the exotic Kim of Kipling or the caricature that is James Bond.' 'Driven by a simple patriotism, held back by incompetence and politics, his characters use deceit and treachery to win their morally Pyrrhic victories,' notes P Rajendran.
Mario Balotelli scored a minute from time to give Inter Milan a 2-1 win over beleaguered Juventus in their Italian Cup quarter-final on Thursday, leaving Juve coach Ciro Ferrara on the brink of the sack.
A fresh chapter in Leicester City's unlikely fairytale was written on Saturday as they ensured they would sit top of the Premier League tree on Christmas Day exactly one year after languishing at the foot of the table.
In their first match since manager Claudio Ranieri was sacked after five successive defeats in which they failed to score a goal, Leicester produced the kind of vibrant display that carried them to glory last May.
AS Roma clambered back to the top of Serie A, at least for a day, after Francesco Totti added to his collection of classic goals with a marvellous lob in Saturday's 2-1 win at Parma.
AS Roma edged closer to a first ever league and cup double by limping into the Italian Cup final after a 1-0 defeat at Udinese in Wednesday's second leg tie.
Leicester City striker Leonardo Ulloa has accused manager Claudio Ranieri of betraying him and said he will never play for the Premier League champions again.
Images from the FIFA World Cup qualifying matches on Sunday night.
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri said it was his job to take risks and chase victories if they are to land the unlikeliest of Premier League titles.
UEFA Cup holders Shakhtar Donetsk were knocked out of the Europa League after being held to a 1-1 draw by visitors Fulham in their round of 32 tie Thursday. Former European champions Liverpool and Juventus progressed to the last 16 and Werder Bremen striker Claudio Pizarro scored a hat-trick as his side went through with a 4-1 win over former England manager Steve McLaren's Twente Enschede.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's international career did not end in a blaze of glory at the European Championship but the striker said he was proud to have represented Sweden at the tournament.
Provoking England midfielder Dele Alli could end up being a plan that backfires, Wales defender and Tottenham Hotspur teammate Ben Davies has said ahead of their Euro 2016 Group B encounter in Lens on Thursday.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has clarified comments that suggested he was making plans for an early retirement, with the Spaniard insisting he was not ready to quit management.
LeicesterCity manager Claudio Ranieri hopes Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante will be given a warm reception when he returns to his old stomping ground for the first time since leaving the English champions.
Striker Luca Toni will start for new club AS Roma at Cagliari on Wednesday, when Serie A returns from its mid-season break.
Imperious Liverpool extended their Premier League home winning streak against Arsenal to six on Saturday with an easy 4-0 victory that lifted them to second in the table.
Champions Bayern Munich twice needed to come from a goal down to beat hosts Augsburg 3-2 on Friday courtesy of Kingsley Coman's two goals, and cut the gap with leaders Borussia Dortmund to two points.
Claudio Marchisio blew open the Serie A title race when his superb goal gave 10-man Juventus a 2-1 win over leaders Inter Milan in an enthralling game on Saturday.
Lampard must re-energise the team to even hold onto Chelsea's tag as best of the rest behind Premier League champions Manchester City and runners-up Liverpool.
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has given the Premier League champions further encouragement that he will stay with them next season by saying he is happy at the club.
