Barca, chasing a third consecutive Spanish title, are on 76 points after 35 games while Real Madrid are top with 77 and can restore their four-point advantage when they host Alaves on Friday.
Luka Modric pulled one back for Zinedine Zidane's shellshocked side with a brilliant strike from distance early in the second half before substitute Vinicius Jr reduced the deficit to one goal.
Liverpool have put 2016's 3-1 defeat by Sevilla in Basel well behind them and are firing on all cylinders in Europe's elite club competition in this campaign.
Harry Kane scored a brace as a Jude Bellingham-inspired England came from behind to beat holders Italy 3-1
Spain goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas has received backing from an unexpected quarter after his woeful World Cup Group B performance against the Netherlands on Friday - his former coach at Real Madrid Jose Mourinho.
He acknowledged that police had been caught off-guard by local delinquents who turned up to cause trouble at the match. But defending the security protocols in place, the minister said France had only had three months to prepare after the venue was moved from Russia.
Liverpool frustrated by 10-man Arsenal in League Cup semi stalemate
Cristiano Ronaldo's subdued performances for Portugal at the World Cup after his scintillating form for Real Madrid last season suggest the tournament was a bridge too far for the Ballon d'Or holder.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Real Madrid's world record signing Gareth Bale looked forward to his first Champions League final after a 4-0 thrashing of holders Bayern Munich on Tuesday and said it was exactly why he wanted to join the Spanish side.
Holders Barcelona reached the King's Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Espanyol on Thursday to overcome a first-leg deficit on a night when new signing Philippe Coutinho made his debut.
Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal is hoping as many Spain players as possible feature in the Champions League final on May 24 so the holders have less time to prepare for their June 13 World Cup Group B clash.
Chelsea's relationship with the European Super Cup comes full circle on Friday when the winners of the first final at the picturesque Stade Louis II face Atletico Madrid in the last one to be staged there.
A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets has become the latest to insist that all is well at the club, dismissing reports of a rift between Argentina forward Lionel Messi and coach Luis Enrique.
Barcelona need to be more efficient in front of goal and iron out defensive lapses if they are to beat Real Madrid in the King's Cup last four, assistant coach Jordi Roura and midfielder Cesc Fabregas said on Monday.
Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema has not recovered sufficiently from a knee injury and has been left out of the squad for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg at Juventus, the holders said on Monday.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has played down this weekend's 'clasico' match at Real Madrid by saying a European Union summit meeting on Friday and moves to save the Euro were much more significant.
Al-Nassr are one of 40 clubs from 20 leagues across the confederation drawn in 10 groups to face one another from Monday, with only the winners guaranteed to advance to the knockout rounds in the quest for the top prize of US$4 million.
Inter Milan battled for more than an hour with 10 men to book their place in next month's Champions League final at the expense of holders Barcelona on a triumphant night for the Italian side's coach Jose Mourinho.
(Reuters) - Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris St Germain reached the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday on a night when the goals flowed all over Europe with United the highest scorers in a 5-0 win at Bayer Leverkusen.
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola still believes in possession-based football and cannot alter his feelings about the way the game should be played, he said after the Champions League holders were hammered by Real Madrid.
Holders Sevilla led the charge into the last four of the King's Cup when Renato's early strike set them on their way to a 3-0 home win over Villarreal on Tuesday.
Spain's Euro 2012 semi-final against Portugal will almost certainly hinge on how effectively the holders manage to shackle a familiar foe.
Real Madrid should have midfielder Xabi Alonso and forward Karim Benzema back from minor injuries for Tuesday's King's Cup semi-final second leg at holders Barcelona, coach Jose Mourinho said on Monday.
Manuel Pellegrini's record against Pep Guardiola is a sorry one but he gets another chance to finally put one over his tormentor when Manchester City host holders Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Stopping prolific Barcelona forwards Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in the Champions League final will be a formidable task, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said after his side clinched their place in next month's showpiece in Berlin.
The Copa del Rey semi-final draw will be made on Friday.
Neymar will undergo surgery this weekend that will keep him out for up to three months but Brazil's trainer said on Thursday the Paris St Germain striker would definitely be ready for the start of the World Cup in mid-June.
Holders Barcelona will face fellow Spaniards Atletico Madrid, runners-up two seasons ago, in the Champions League quarter-finals following the draw in Nyon on Friday.
After a week of controversy caused mainly by FIFA president Sepp Blatter's comments about racism, UEFA will hope that action on the pitch dominates this week's Champions League headlines as the group stage reaches crunch time.
Holders Chelsea came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester United on Sunday and earn a replay of their FA Cup quarter-final, inflicting further pain Alex Ferguson's side who have endured a week to forget.
Manchester United will aim to vent their feelings of injustice on holders Chelsea in the FA Cup this weekend after a controversial Champions League exit against Real Madrid on Tuesday torched their hopes of a treble.
Seemingly rudderless and leaderless, Barcelona have little time to find solutions to their dip in form but they have a chance to lift morale when they visit a distracted Real Madrid in La Liga on Saturday.
Holders Barcelona squandered a chance to all but seal a probable King's Cup semi-final showdown with Real Madrid when they conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 at home to 10-man Malaga in their last-eight first-leg match on Wednesday.
Valencia eased past La Liga rivals Osasuna into the quarter-finals of the King's Cup on Tuesday, while Malaga flirted with danger against third-tier Eibar before a flurry of late goals put them safely into the last eight.
Chelsea nervously beat Benfica 2-1 in their Champions League quarter-final second leg at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday to seal a 3-1 aggregate victory and set up a semi-final with holders Barcelona later this month. Real Madrid completed an 8-2 aggregate, thrashing of APOEL Nicosia, in the night's other match.
Images from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Holders Barcelona will play Bayer Leverkusen, a team famous for fading in the final straight, while their arch-rivals Real Madrid face a trip to icy Moscow in the Champions League round of 16 following the draw on Friday. Bayern Munich, whose Allianz Arena will host the final, take on FC Basel, the underdogs who spectacularly ousted Manchester United, in another of the top ties.
Tito Vilanova was still Pep Guardiola's Barcelona assistant when he hit the headlines last August after Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho jabbed him in the eye during a touchline scuffle in the Spanish Super Cup.
