Chelsea edged past Arsenal to go top of the English premier league despite being held 0-0 at Birmingham City.
Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri said two mistakes were the difference between his side and Besiktas.
Leicester City's win over Newcastle on Monday not only sent them five points clear of Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the Premier League, it effectively ended the challenge of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Luis Suarez grabbed a hat-trick and Lionel Messi bagged two goals as Barcelona began their quest for a third straight La Liga title with a 6-2 rout of Real Betis on Saturday. Arda Turan, whose two goals against Sevilla helped Barca lift the Spanish Super Cup on Wednesday, gave them an early lead at the Nou Camp before Ruben Castro equalised in the 21st minute. Barca went back in front thanks to a trademark 37th-minute goal from Messi before Suarez, La Liga's top scorer last season, made it 3-1 before halftime.
There was controversy about West Ham's equaliser when Mexican striker Javier Hernandez stooped to head in from close range but replays suggested the ball went in off his arm.
Jose Mourinho has dropped a heavy hint that Paul Pogba's protracted transfer from Juventus to Manchester United is close to completion.
As we prepare to cruise into the New Year, Rediff.com gives you a glance back, through photos, into all the sporting moments that made the last 12 months memorable.
The Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez double act struck again on Sunday with both players scoring to give Juventus a 2-0 win at AC Milan which strengthened their grip on Serie A.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp is a fan of Leicester's playing style.
Long-serving defender John Terry will remain Chelsea's captain in the coming season, new manager Antonio Conte said on Thursday at his first news conference since joining the Premier League club. Terry, 35, signed a new one-year contract at Stamford Bridge in May to end speculation that he was going to leave the London club after more than 700 appearances. He remains a firm favourite with the club's fans. "John Terry is captain of this team. He is a great player with a great personality and charisma. He knows the club. We take all decisions together with the club and I am very happy John signed," Conte said.
With Argentina looking dysfunctional and under-performing throughout the qualifiers, Messi's dream of matching Maradona in Russia always looked a tall order.
Sergio Aguero and other Argentina players could follow the lead of captain Lionel Messi and retire from international football after losing the final of the Copa America on penalties to Chile for the second straight year.
Playmaker Kaka breathed new life into struggling AC Milan by scoring twice and 18-year-old Bryan Cristante claimed his first professional goal as they beat Atalanta 3-0 on Monday for only their fifth league win of the season.
Italy's famously demanding coach Antonio Conte is not letting up at his players even after they made sure of a place in the round of 16, and top spot in their group at Euro 2016, with one match to spare. Midfielder Marco Parolo told reporters on Sunday that Conte, whose halftime tirades are part of Italian football folklore, was still hammering away at his squad and keeping them on their toes. Italy, who are considered dark horses rather than one of the favourites to win the tournament, face Ireland in Group E in Lille on Wednesday, having already beaten Belgium and Sweden without conceding a goal.
New York City coach Patrick Vieira saluted Frank Lampard after the former England and Chelsea midfielder announced on Monday he will be leaving the Major League Soccer team when his contract expires next month.
Germany and Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira's World Cup hopes hang in the balance after he was ruled out for around six months with a torn cruciate ligament suffered in Friday's 1-1 draw against Italy, team doctors said on Saturday.
Tennis stars Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic were in for a tasty surprise on their arrival in Tokyo before the commencement of the Japan Open.
Manchester City cannot afford another defeat on Tuesday at home to Barcelona, who thumped them 4-0 two weeks ago, having taken just one point from their last two Champions League Group C matches.
Mario Balotelli is tired of being in the eye of a hurricane, the president of the Italian soccer federation (FIGC) said on Monday after the maverick international became embroiled in another row.
A Roberto Firmino hat-trick proved the highlight of Liverpool's 5-1 demolition of Arsenal as the Premier League leaders opened a nine-point gap over Tottenham Hotspur, who lost 3-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Sweden's larger-than-life captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic will play his final game for Paris Saint Germain on Saturday, he said in a social media post that is likely to send clubs around the world reaching for their cheque books.
Leicester City must wait at least one more day for their first-ever Premier League title after drawing 1-1 with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has sarcastically labelled himself the worst manager in the history of football after he faced criticism following a recent slump in form.
While their nearest chasers lost, Olympique Lyonnais succumbing 2-1 at home to struggling Lille and Monaco falling 1-0 at Nantes after a last-gasp Lucas Lima thunderbolt, PSG marched on without ever hitting top gear.
As Leicester City celebrates its unexpected title triumph, Bikash Mohapatra/Rediff.com lists similar success stories across Europe's top leagues.
Lazio president Claudio Lotito has received more than 50 death threats since the club sold midfielder Hernanes to Inter Milan at the end of the January transfer window, he said on Monday.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino echoed the most common and apt description of the "beautiful story" as a "fairytale" after the 5,000-1 outsiders, who performed a miraculous escape from relegation last season, were crowned champions on Monday.
Tottenham Hotspur climbed to third with a 3-1 win over Southampton while Chelsea hung on to fourth spot, above Arsenal on goal difference, despite a 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Images from football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
The Underwater Photography Guide has announced the winners of their 8th annual Ocean Art Underwater Photography Competition: a selection that runs the gamut between beautiful, eye popping and, in the case of the Conservation category winner, tragic and unnerving. This year's contest attracted "thousands" of entries from 78 countries across the world.
Inter Milan will have their hardcore 'ultra' supporters present for Sunday's Milan derby after the Italian Football Federation's (FIGC) Court of Justice suspended a partial stadium closure while it carries out further investigations.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
In the wake of the latest findings of the McLaren report, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has ruled out taking the 2018 World Cup from Russia.
A blond-haired Lionel Messi failed to get on the scoresheet but it hardly mattered as under-strength Barcelona taught Celtic a footballing lesson in a Dublin friendly.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Both sides will be high on confidence with an aim to come out all guns blazing.
England striker Jamie Vardy has signed a new contract with Premier League leaders Leicester City that will keep him at the club until June 2019. The news completed a perfect Saturday for Leicester fans, still in ecstatic mood following the 3-1 win at Manchester City that left them five points clear at the top of the table. "I'm absolutely delighted to be fighting to achieve something special," Vardy told the club website (www.lcfc.co.uk). "I've never known a spirit like it, from the owners to the manager and his staff, the players and the fans. I want to be part of it for a long time. "Leicester have shown nothing but total faith in me since the day I arrived here three and a half years ago and it's impossible to measure how much that belief has helped me to improve," said Vardy.
Ranieri is sparking a remarkable turnaround in Leicester's fortunes, and, Reuters has asked three players who worked under him during a previous Premier League stint at Chelsea from 2000-04 to offer an insight into the Italian coach's methods.
A match by match look at this weekend's English Premier League fixtures.
