Players from European champions Barcelona made up nearly half of UEFA's Team of the Year which was revealed on Friday, while Cristiano Ronaldo made the lineup for a record 10th time. Eight players from La Liga were included in the final XI, voted for by 7.2 million UEFA.com users from a 40-strong shortlist. Lionel Messi, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and Neymar were the Barcelona players included, while Real Madrid provided Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez.
Former Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta celebrated the 11th anniversary of his famous Champions League semi-final strike against Chelsea by calling two children conceived after his tie-clinching goal. Nine months later, those celebrations had a rather unexpected result, with maternity hospitals in Barcelona telling local media they were struggling to cope with demand amid a spike in the city's birth rate.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique blamed the club's pre-season trips to the United States and Japan for their shaky start to the season.
Madrid's trip to San Sebastian was full of intrigue after Barca failed to beat Sevilla and the Catalan side's defender Gerard Pique said the title was now Madrid's for the taking.
Neymar should return to Spain with renewed enthusiasm after leading Brazil to their first soccer gold medal at an Olympic Games, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said. Neymar, who has scored 85 goals in 141 games in his three seasons at Barcelona, was given permission to stay in Brazil until after international games early next month. "I think it's a good decision to grant him (Neymar) that," Pique told El Mundo Deportivo. "He has earned it.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
With no fans allowed into venues and Real playing their home games at the 6,000-capacity Alfredo Di Stefano stadium while the Santiago Bernabeu is being refurbished, it will be a title race unlike any other.
With the hope that 2018 will be a prosperous and peaceful year, our favourite sports personalities took to their social media handles to wish their fans a very `Happy New Year`.
For all Vicente del Bosque's confidence that he has the right balance of experience and youth to return Spain to their familiar place on the winner's rostrum, questions remain about his best starting line-up ahead of Euro 2016.
Novak Djokovic summoned some cinematic inspiration to help him conquer grand slam king Roger Federer and silence the roaring supporters of the Swiss at Sunday's US Open men's final.
Two-time defending champions Spain's preparations for their Euro last 16 match with Italy were disrupted as 10 players were forced to take an anti-doping control by UEFA on Saturday.
Tennis's flagship team events the Davis Cup and Fed Cup Finals have been postponed until 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Friday. Professional tennis has been suspended since March and will not return until August.
In a YouTube video post, Anelka said Houllier's comments were "of a racist nature" and he alleged that "it (was) not the first time".
"Barcelona and Sergio Busquets signed this morning an agreement to renew the player's contract, which will end on June 30 2023," Barca said in a statement.
Real Sociedad are fourth in the table on 28 points, three points behind third-placed Sevilla.
The Islamic State's Amaq news agency claimed that the attacker was one of the 'fighters for the Islamic State'.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Real Madrid rested Cristiano Ronaldo and suffered a fifth Liga defeat of the season as Espanyol's Gerard Moreno struck late for a 1-0 win over the Spanish and European champions.
Villarreal set up a King's Cup semis against Barca after Gerard Moreno gave them a 1-0 win
Graham Zusi was declared as the hunkiest of all the footballers at the recently concluded World Cup that was played in Brazil.
Liverpool analysts had watched how Barcelona players were always distracted when decisions went against them and word was passed down to Carl Lancaster, a coaching mentor at the club's academy, who asked the ball boys to serve their players quickly.
Daryl Janmaat, Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra all scored late on in response to Eden Hazard dragging Chelsea back into the game with a curler in the 82nd minute after Tiemoue Bakayoko was sent off for a second booking on the half-hour.
Alaba strike on Clasico debut gives Real Madrid 2-1 win at Barcelona.
A controversial Gerard Deulofeu strike sent Barcelona on their way to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Malaga on Saturday as they stretched their lead at the top of La Liga.
The top posts on social media from your favourite Bollywood celebrities.
Twenty-times Grand Slam champion Federer has said that he is unlikely to play in the new-look tournament, spearheaded by Barcelona player Pique's investment group Kosmos.
The centre-back was at the Madrid Open earlier this week, reportedly to discuss a 16-team knockout tournament with ATP Tour chief Chris Kermode. It would potentially replace the former World Team Cup event on the ATP calendar that was played from 1975 to 2012 ahead of Roland Garros.
Gerard Delofeu's late goal earned Everton a deserved 1-1 draw at Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday after Mesut Ozil's strike seemed set to seal three points for the home side.
Footballer Gerard Pique and his Columbian singer girlfriend posted a Happy Father's Day message to followers on Facebook.
Australia have been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate in the first T20 International against India in Brisbane.
Ace British tennis player Andy Murray ended his 2016 campaign on a perfect note after defeating Novak Djokovic in straights in the summit clash of the ATP World Tour Finals, assuming the mantle of year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Murray dethroned Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in a contest that lasted for an hour and 43 minutes to earn his first title at the ATP finals and make sure he remained No. 1 until next season. Rediff.com takes a look at the hosts of celebrities from footballers, tennis champions and Hollywood stars, who attended this big clash.
Rediff.com brings you the buzz around celebrity sportspersons and their glamorous lives during the ongoing World Cup!
Home favourite Su Yiming of China made his Olympic debut on Sunday and received a standing ovation in return.
It is reported that the attacker shouted "Allahu Akbar" as he stabbed two women.
Players and officials of Spanish football club FC Barcelona played their last respects to former coach Tito Vilanova during a memorial service at Barcelona Cathedral on Monday.
Rediff.com brings you the buzz around celebrity sportspersons and their glamorous lives during the ongoing World Cup!
Barcelona midfielder Rafinha has broken his nose and could miss their King's Cup semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday as well as the first match of their Champions League tie with Paris St Germain on February 14.
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'I always said I wanted to play abroad but the only thing that would stop me was if I was winning and successful on home shores. I was lucky I found a great club at Manchester United it would've been almost impossible for me to leave'
