Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Paris St Germain 3-1, while Sadio Mane grabbed a hat-trick as Liverpool demolished Porto 5-0 away in the Champions League round-of-16 on Wednesday.
Manchester City gave renewed hope to the chasing pack in the battle for a Champions League spot as they were held to a battling 1-1 draw at relegation strugglers Newcastle United on Tuesday.
The Welsh, who reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals, finished runners-up on 14 points from eight games, three behind Croatia who sealed their berth on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Slovakia.
Wearing a T-shirt that read "This is Paris," Messi beamed and waved at scores of fans who had come to greet him at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of the French capital after his flight from Barcelona.
Finland, who came third with three points, must wait until the end of the group stage to see if their adventure in a first ever major tournament will continue and they need a series of results to go their way if they are to make the last 16.
Daniel Sturridge's Liverpool career seemed to be heading for a premature end last season but the striker showed on Tuesday he may yet have an important role after taking his chance during a rare start in the Champions League win over Paris St Germain.
Brighton kept a disciplined formation, frustrating Liverpool and as the second half wore on the home side began to lose their fluency.
Liverpool belatedly kick-started their year and damaged Tottenham Hotspur's slender Premier League title hopes as Sadio Mane struck both goals in a 2-0 victory at Anfield.
'They were better than us, they went all out to win the game from the start and we really struggled with their pressure especially at the start of both halves'
Brazil ended their home World Cup to a cacophony of boos on Saturday as the defensive errors that crushed their bid for a sixth title resurfaced in a shoddy 3-0 loss to the Netherlands in the third-place playoff match.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
"I don't know how this affects my future," Valverde said.
Liverpool could be crowned champions of England for the first time in 30 years, on Wednesday, having turned the Premier League title race into a procession.
Liverpool were on the end of the biggest sensation of the English Premier League season when bottom club Swansea City repelled a dramatic comeback from Juergen Klopp's title chasers to earn their first-ever league win at Anfield.
Only two teams -- Chelsea in 2005-06 and Manchester City last season -- have had more points after 18 Premier League games in a season than Liverpool's 48.
The Netherlands failed to reach the European Championship for the first time since 1984 as they lost 3-2 at home to the 10-man Czech Republic in their final qualifier on Tuesday to miss out on Euro 2016.
Spurs striker Bergwijn is major casualty as Netherlands trim squad
It promises to be a tense and thrilling finale to the season but Liverpool, who have frittered away a seven-point lead, will need to regain their momentum quickly if they are to push for their first league title since 1990.
Images from the English Premier League matches played across England on Tuesday
Images from EPL matches played on Wednesday
Rediff.com takes a look at a few other players who shunned champion sides for mediocre clubs in the Premier League.
Juergen Klopp's side, chasing their maiden title in the Premier League era and first in the top flight in 30 years, took a 14th-minute lead from a Virgil van Dijk header but had to wait until stoppage time to put the game to bed through Mohamed Salah.
One of the most eagerly-awaited clashes of the Premier League season turned into a major letdown as Liverpool and Manchester United nullified each other in a largely undistinguished goalless draw at Anfield on Monday.
Laxmi Negi/Rediff.com picks the five best matches of the final round.
Despite a splurge of summer spending of more than 500 million pounds and counting, it was a free transfer from France who provided one of the standout moments of the Premier League's big kickoff.
Roberto Firmino struck a stoppage-time winner as Liverpool beat Paris St Germain 3-2 at Anfield on Tuesday after Kylian Mbappe looked to have secured a point for the French side in a compelling Champions League Group C clash.
A round-up of Friday's Euro 2020 qualifying matches.
Liverpool's bandwagon rolled on as they crushed Merseyside rivals Everton 5-2
Ferran Torres scored a brace and Ousmane Dembele made two assists as a red-hot Barcelona rolled over Osasuna 4-0 on Sunday to earn their fourth consecutive LaLiga win.
This time Liverpool are at home, and victory would put them nine points clear.
Italy returned to winning ways as Nicolo Barella's header just before halftime secured a 1-0 victory away to a below-par Netherlands in their Nations League clash at an empty Johan Cruyff Arena on Monday.
Belgium finished five points clear at the top of League A Group 2 and will meet world champions France and former World Cup winners Italy and Spain in the final four next October.
What makes Juergen Klopp's side such an unstoppable force?
Liverpool scored three goals in 12 dramatic first-half minutes, two of them from Emre Can, on their way to a hugely entertaining 4-2 win over Hoffenheim which took them back to the Champions League group stage after a two-season absence on Wednesday.
Aguero is expected to be the first of a number of arrivals at the Camp Nou this summer
Images from the Europa League semi-final first leg matches on Thursday.
Unbeaten Liverpool have 45 points from 17 games with champions Manchester City, who beat Everton 3-1 on Saturday, a point behind.
Liverpool continued their perfect start to the season to stay top of the Premier League after a goal in each half gave them a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Saturday.
Chelsea moved into the Premier League's top four as Mason Mount's superb first-half goal earned them a 1-0 win at champions Liverpool who suffered a club-record fifth straight home league defeat on Thursday.
Images from Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
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