Images from the FIFA World Cup Group F match between Morocco and Croatia on Wednesday.
Chelsea have topped the spending list with Manchester United not far behind, but West Ham United's business epitomises the TV riches which give all Premier League clubs spending power that only the elite teams in Spain or Germany can dream of.
Juventus held off a remarkable Inter Milan comeback by winning their Italian Cup tie 5-3 on penalties on Wednesday after a 3-3 draw on aggregate to set up a final against AC Milan.
The 51-year-old, who was part of Croatia's 1998 World Cup squad that finished third in France, comes with an experience of over 18 years in coaching, structuring, and developing football and players back home, and internationally.
Inter Milan clinched fourth place in Serie A after a 2-1 home victory over Empoli on Saturday while AC Milan gave their European aspirations a boost with a 1-0 triumph over 10-man Bologna.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Wednesday
Southampton clinched a thrilling comeback draw against Tottenham Hotspurs in their Premier League encounter on Saturday.
Croatia ruthlessly exposed England's limitations in the second half of the World Cup semi-final on Wednesday as Zlatko Dalic's side fought back to secure a famous 2-1 extra-time victory.
Croatia will be ready for both versions of Russia, says Perisic
Croatia finished ahead, on goals scored, of the Czech Republic, who lost 1-0 to group winners England.
Alessandria became the first third tier club to reach the Italian Cup quarter-finals in more than 30 years as their giant-killing run continued with a 2-1 extra-time victory at Serie A strugglers Genoa on Tuesday.
VfL Wolfsburg ended Arminia Bielefeld's sensational German Cup run, crushing the third division club 4-0 on Wednesday to book a spot in their first Cup final in 20 years where they will face Borussia Dortmund.
Croatia progressed to the semi-finals of the World Cup after a second successive penalty shootout on Saturday but their inability to put away another unimpressive team over 90 minutes and extra time is a major worry for the Balkan side.
Germany expects 2.7 million people to attend matches in stadiums across the country and some 12 million in its fan zones for outdoor viewing, including on a long stretch of turf laid out in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
Czech Republic's Tomas Necid scored a stoppage-time penalty as they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Croatia in a dramatic Euro 2016 Group D encounter on Friday that was interrupted due to flares thrown on the pitch. With Croatia captain Dario Srna in tears during the national anthem having returned from the funeral of his father earlier in the week, the Croatians swarmed all over the Czechs from the first whistle, with Perisic opening the scoring in the 37th minute to lead at halftime.
The Bundesliga was in danger of turning into another one-horse race on Sunday after second-placed VfL Wolfsburg were held 1-1 at home by promoted Paderborn, leaving titleholders Bayern Munich nine points clear at the top.
Consecutive injuries in 2017 and 2018 saw Kingsley Coman miss the major part of both seasons and followed ankle ligament injuries in 2016 after he had joined the Bavarians the previous year. The France international even considered retiring.
Javier Hernandez came off the bench to help Mexico reach the last 16 of the World Cup as their watertight defense and swift counter attacks gave them a 3-1 win against Croatia on Monday to emerge from Group A as runners-up behind Brazil.
Harry Kane headed in a last-gasp equaliser to earn Tottenham Hotspur a barely-deserved 2-2 draw in a feisty Premier League derby at Chelsea that ended with both managers being shown red cards after the final whistle on Sunday.
Modric and Co will face England in Moscow on Wednesday!
Croatia will need their big-game players to step up.
For Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic the final is a chance to settle the score 20 years after the bitter defeat
Barcelona snatched a late 2-1 win at Getafe with Paulinho's strike sending them seven points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.
Substitute Ricardo Quaresma turned in three minutes from the end of extra time as Portugal edged a tense encounter to book a UEFA Euro 2016 quarter-final date with Poland. After 116 minutes in which the teams failed to muster a single shot on target, Ivan Perisic headed against the upright.
The country of around 4 million people came to a standstill as Croatians watched the game on screens in squares and cafes.
Top-ranked Belgium slammed eight goals against Belarus and the Netherlands crashed seven past Gibraltar
'But that in no way diminishes France's win. Maybe we were a bit unlucky, in the first six games we were favoured by luck'
Croatia gave themselves a fighting chance of reaching the World Cup knock-out phase when they thrashed a toothless Cameroon 4-0 on Wednesday.
Images from the 2020 Euro Championships qualifiers played on Saturday
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field on Saturday
Images from the FIFA World Cup third place playoff match between Croatia and Morocco on Saturday.
Ivan Rakitic outshone Barcelona team mate Arda Turan as Croatia ran out 1-0 winners against Turkey at Euro 2016 on Sunday, a victory that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
Miralem Pjanic's free kick gave Juventus a 2-1 win at Chievo on Sunday as goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon celebrated his 600th Serie A appearance.
Bayern Munich's success in reaching the final of the Champions League has been built on a very distinct tactical approach but it is one that carries big risks against Paris St Germain, leaving coach Hansi Flick with a major dilemma.
A round-up of Friday's action in the UEFA Nations League.
France overwhelmed Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final at Moscow's Luzhniki stadium on Sunday to lift the trophy for the second time in 20 years.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri criticised his players for letting their guard down and losing 2-1 at arch-rivals Inter Milan after taking the lead in the second half at the San Siro.
IMAGES from the Champions League quarter-final played between Barcelona and Bayern Munich in Lisbon on Friday.
Portugal are ready to move up a gear when they face Croatia in their mouth-watering last-16 clash in Lens on Saturday, coach Fernando Santos said.
Dark horse Croatia take on spirited Nigeria in a World Cup opener on Saturday that could leave one side fighting for their tournament lives in the Group of Death.
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