IMAGES from soccer matches played across Europe on Saturday.
Leaders Bayern Munich eased past VfB Stuttgart 2-0 on Saturday to grab their first win of the year, as did Borussia Dortmund who beat Freiburg 3-0 to climb off the bottom of the Bundesliga table.
The victory moved second-placed Bayern, who take on Celtic in the Champions League next week, up to 17 points, two behind Dortmund who suffered their first home loss in 41 league matches.
Japan international Shinji Kagawa sparkled on his return to Borussia Dortmund, scoring one goal for the Ruhr Valley club and helping set up another in a 3-1 win over Freiburg on Saturday.
Marseille cement second place with Montpellier win
Last season's Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund are eager to set the record straight against France's Olympique Marseille in their Group F clash on Tuesday after losing to them twice two years ago.
VfB Stuttgart edged past surprise package Freiburg 2-1 on Wednesday to set up a German Cup final against Bayern Munich and secure a European spot for next season.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Mario Mandzukic scored one goal and created the other as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich pulled 11 points clear of their nearest title rivals with a 2-0 victory at VfB Stuttgart on Sunday.
IMAGES from all the Bundesliga action on Saturday.
Neighbours Manchester United and City recorded convincing wins to continue setting the pace in the Premier League but European champions Barcelona dropped points in La Liga. There were plenty of goals in Italy as the Serie A season finally got underway after a players' strike and German leaders Bayern Munich scored seven times in their match against Freiburg.
Newcastle United's red-hot striker Papiss Cisse struck twice to earn a smash-and-grab 2-0 win at Swansea City in the Premier League on Friday that lifted his side above Chelsea into fifth place.
Newcastle United have signed Senegal striker Papiss Cisse from bottom of the table Bundesliga team Freiburg on a five-and-a half-year deal, the Premier League club said on Tuesday.
The Bundesliga enjoyed a bumper afternoon of stunning goals and penalty drama on Saturday with Hakan Calhanoglu's viciously swerving 40-metre free kick for Hamburg SV the pick of the bunch.
Bayer Leverkusen squandered a chance to go two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga on Sunday when they conceded an injury-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Werder Bremen.
Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, grabbed his second goal on the hour, tapping in at the far post after Plea threaded another pass through the Union defence.
Thuram, the son of 1998 World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, grabbed his second goal on the hour, tapping in at the far post after Plea threaded another pass through the Union defence.
Images from soccer matches played across Europe on Saturday.
A round-up of Saturday's action in Serie A, La Liga and Bundesliga.
Lionel Messi scored twice to earn Barcelona a 2-0 derby win over Espanyol and send them 13 points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday.
Hamburg SV and Bayer Leverkusen drew 0-0 on Saturday to remain undefeated at the top of the Bundesliga. Schalke 04, who won 2-1 at struggling VfB Stuttgart, stayed on their heels on 19 points while Bayern Munich notched their first victory in three games with a 2-1 triumph at Freiburg that moved them up to fifth on 15 points.
Champions Bayern Munich needed an 88th-minute winner by Joshua Kimmich to beat Hamburg SV 1-0 on Saturday and protect their three-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga. Strugglers Hamburg had battled hard to protect a goalless draw and end a three-game losing run, with goalkeeper Rene Adler making a string of key saves before Kimmichdrilled in a Franck Ribery cutback at the far post. The result lifted Bayern to 15 points, three ahead of Borussia Dortmund, who beat Freiburg 3-1 on Friday.
Runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich showed no signs of letting up as they brushed aside Werder Bremen 4-0 in a bad-tempered match on Saturday.
Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is doubtful for their Super Cup game against Chelsea on Friday in Prague after straining his ankle in a 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Freiburg on Tuesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football fie
Both teams' players as well as the match officials went down on one knee before kickoff in tribute to George Floyd, an unarmed black man whose death in US police custody has triggered protests around the world.
Germany captain Michael Ballack was forced out of a practice match on Thursday after suffering an ankle injury.
Four goals from Michael Ballack helped Germany restore pride with a 7-0 demolition of Malta in a Euro 2004 warm-up.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The games sounded more like Sunday kickabouts or high-intensity training sessions than the return to action of highly-paid professionals in the world's best attended football league with normally an average of about 42,000 spectators per game.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich stumbled to a 1-1 home draw against Hoffenheim on Saturday but stayed three points clear at the top as Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired four goals past Hamburg SV following his midweek ban. Bayern fell a goal behind when Kerem Demirbay's thundering shot in the 16th minute left keeper Manuel Neuer rooted on the spot.
Paris St Germain suffered their first defeat of the season when they were beaten 2-0 at Stade Rennais on Sunday to drop their first Ligue 1 points of the season.
14 students at IIT Kharagpur have been awarded scholarships.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Martial scored his 23rd goal for United in all competitions this season against LASK Linz in Wednesday's Europa League last-16 victory.
Barcelona continued their rampant run of domestic form to beat Osasuna 2-0 away from home on Saturday and move to within two points of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid, with Lionel Messi setting up goals scored by Jordi Alba and teenager Ilaix Moriba.
A solid defence helped Schalke 04 secure a 1-0 win at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday that lifted them above their rivals into third spot in the Bundesliga in the battle for Champions League places.
Manchester City's quadruple bid remained intact as Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin de Bruyne secured a 2-0 win at Everton in their FA Cup quarter-final clash
Sarri was without Cristiano Ronaldo for the trip to the Gewiss Stadium as the Portuguese forward recovers from a knee problem ahead of Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Atletico Madrid in Turin.
