So Germany and Spain made it to the World Cup semi-finals at the cost of a powerful Argentina and a fighting Paraguay respectively.
European champions Spain set a world record of 15 successive international wins by beating South Africa 2-0 in the Confederations Cup on Saturday.
Lionel Messi rescued a nervy Barcelona with a late goal to earn a 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in a thrilling La Liga match on Sunday.
Leaders Barcelona scored five goals away at their city rivals Espanyol for the first time as they made light of a potentially tricky city derby on Saturday.
Real Madrid extended their dominance over city rivals Atletico and maintained their one-point lead at the top of La Liga when Ricardo Carvalho and Mesut Ozil scored in a comfortable 2-0 home win on Sunday.
Sixteen-year-old Romelo Lukaku scored twice in nine minutes to give Anderlecht a 3-1 victory at Ajax Amsterdam on Thursday, sending the Belgians into the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Barcelona paid the price for wayward finishing as they were held to a 1-1 draw by their bogey-team Rubin Kazan in Champions League Group D on Wednesday.
European champions Spain beat Belgium 2-1 while England overcame Belarus 3-1 to maintain their undefeated record in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
Spain defender Carles Puyol stepped up to become the unlikely hero in their 1-0 World Cup semi-final win against Germany on Wednesday in a team packed with talent such as David Villa and Andres Iniesta.
Liverpool have cashed in on midfielder Xabi Alonso and their lack of financial muscle means they have been unable to compete for stellar signings like Valencia striker David Villa.
Spain marched into the quarter-finals in their own inimitable style on Tuesday when another display of patient, precise passing let David Villa deliver a 1-0 win over a Portugal side left chasing shadows
It took cool heads, impeccable technique and a dash of brilliance for Spain to achieve what no one else has done at this World Cup and beat a side from South America.
A calf injury put the midfielder's participation in Sunday's Euro 2008 final against Spain in doubt.
The Copa del Rey semi-final draw will be made on Friday.
David Villa netted twice to fire Valencia to a 4-1 win over 10-man Villarreal in La Liga on Sunday and lift Unai Emery's side to within three points of second-placed Real Madrid.
Juan Mata's deflected late winner gave holders Valencia a 3-2 victory over 2007 winners Sevilla in the first leg of their King's Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
Jeremy Mathieu grabbed a late winner for Valencia to put them third in La Liga as they overcame 10-man Athletic Bilbao 2-1 away on Sunday.
Spain striker Fernando Torres will miss Euro 2008 qualifier in Denmark after suffering an injury in training.
Barcelona took a giant stride towards a third straight La Liga title when they drew 1-1 at 10-man Real Madrid on Saturday to preserve their eight-point lead over their arch rivals at the top with six games left.
Spain striker Fernando Torres scored a stunning hat-trick in the opening 17 minutes to inspire Confederations Cup favourites Spain to a 5-0 rout of New Zealand on Sunday.
Chelsea, playing with a swagger missing for much of the season, routed Aston Villa 8-0 on Sunday as Premier League leaders Manchester United wasted the chance to move six points clear after a 1-1 draw at Swansea City.
Lionel Messi scored a stunning freekick and helped set up two more goals as Barcelona swept hosts Deportivo Coruna aside 4-0 to surge five points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday.
A bizarre handball by Sevilla defender Fernando Navarro gave away a late penalty which helped Valencia to a 3-1 comeback home win in the Primera Liga on Sunday.
David Villa scored twice from the penalty spot to help Valencia to a 4-1 victory at home to Getafe in the Primera Liga on Sunday, putting them back in the hunt for a place in next season's Champions League.
Valencia's drive to rejoin the title race gathered momentum when they swept aside Real Mallorca 3-1 in the Primera Liga on Tuesday.
Why doesn't the world of football talk enough about Diego Forlan? For Worldcupsid, Forlan is the player of the tournament or the winner of the Golden Ball award for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Vicente Rodriguez scored in the 81st-minute to give Valencia a 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Spanish Supercup.
Spain hammered Russia 4-1 in the group stage of Euro 2008 but it may be a very different game when they meet again in Thursday's semi-final.
Barcelona closed to within four points of Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga after the leaders lost 3-2 at home to Valencia.
Brighton and Hove Albion scored late to earn a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Sheffield United and Fulham also drew 1-1 as both teams picked up their first points.
Chelsea came from a goal down to claim a 2-1 victory away to Valencia.
Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o finished with 26 goals as he scored in his side's 3-1 defeat at Athletic Bilbao.
The Spain coach has given his players one last chance to impress this weekend before he names his World Cup squad on Monday.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Images from the Premier League matches played on Saturday, March 9.
Manchester United bolstered their squad with a flurry of transfer deadline day signings, Manchester City and Liverpool also splashed out while ambitious Brighton & Hove Albion sealed an audacious loan deal for Barcelona's Ansu Fati on Friday.
David Beckham, one of the so-called "Class of 92", went on to win six Premier League titles under Alex Ferguson at United alongside youth-team buddies Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, and Gary and Phil Neville. Beckham also won two FA Cups and, memorably, the Champions League in 1999. He topped up his trophy collection with a La Liga winners' medal for Real Madrid and added two MLS Cups during a north American adventure with LA Galaxy.
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