Lionel Messi became the first player to notch 300 La Liga goals as his double blast powered Barcelona to a 3-1 win at Sporting Gijon that sent them six points clear at the top of the table on Wednesday.
A debatable penalty awarded with the use of FIFA's new video replay system proved a turning point in the World Cup final on Sunday and raised more questions over whether the new technology is being used in the way it was originally intended.
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.
India's Sania Mirza and her Croatian partner Ivan Dodig rallied from a set down to enter the French Open mixed-doubles quarter-finals at Roland Garros on Wednesday.
In the women's doubles event, the Indo-Chinese duo of Sania and Peng Shuai will take on Croatian professionals Petra Martic and Donna Vekic.
Cristiano Ronaldo marked his 600th league appearance with his 20th Serie A goal of the season as Juventus beat Spezia 3-0 on Tuesday to move within three points of second-placed AC Milan.
A brace from Jorge Ortiz helped FC Goa script a 3-0 win over Jamshedpur FC in an Indian Super League match at the Fatorda Stadium, in Margao, on Thursday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Russian whistleblower Yulia Stepanova will not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over her ban on running as an independent athlete at the Rio Olympics, she said on Friday.
La Liga leaders Barcelona won a tight and tense 'Clasico' 1-0 at Real Madrid on Saturday, beating their great rivals at their Bernabeu home for the second time in four days and moving a staggering 12 points clear of them in the standings.
'To play at this level with a plaster is quite remarkable, don't you think?'
Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic believes his country are now one of the favourites at Euro 2016 after beating Spain to win Group D.
Given the security dilemma prevailing between India and China, India should curb the operation of Chinese telecom companies in India, asserts Dr Rup Narayan Das.
Images from soccer matches played across different leagues in Europe on Sunday
FIFA has an extremely serious problem which can easily be remedied by appointing a 'fifth official' (or video referee) who could be consulted by radio whenever there is a serious doubt.
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.
'The problem is that you invariably have no time to make complicated mathematical calculations when you face the goalkeeper of the opposing team. In any case, footballers are not intellectuals or scientists.'
'What is wrong with the European nations? Are they depressed with the fall of their currency?'
'Frankly, I am relieved today; the French team should not have got the 'divine' (Thierry Henry's hand) qualification in the first place.'
'I never thought that the Swiss defenders would hold on to their goal. I have rarely seen such domination. Statistics say the Rosa kept the ball for 72% of the time during the first half, but the Swiss Guard did not surrender.'
Too many egos! too many individualities! It is not only true for France, but most 'great' teams with 'great players'. Zizou believes that 'the collective spirit must be displayed by the team'. He rightly said: 'A World Cup is very short; many will never play again, forget your ego and work together for the team'.
Lionel Messi won his 100th Argentina cap when he started the Copa America Group B match against Jamaica on Saturday.
Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza bowed out of the Cincinnati Masters after losing their quarter-final and semi-final matches with their respective partners in the men's and women's doubles.
IMAGES from Serie A matches played in Italy on Wednesday.
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.
Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League following a 3-0 defeat at Bayern Munich on Wednesday, failing to make it past the group stage of the competition for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
Banksy fans are flocking to the Welsh town of Port Talbot to see a new mural by the elusive British street artist depicting a child covered in snow that is in fact ash from a burning bin. Now metal barriers and traffic wardens have been brought in to manage crowds around the new Bansky artwork that was painted on a Welsh garage.
Leander Paes and Martina Hingis beat Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig to win the French Open mixed doubles final at Roland Garros on Friday.
Real were smarting from a surprise 1-1 draw at struggling Elche in their last match and were missing captain Sergio Ramos, who was out with a stomach bug.
'Brazil possess something which makes the stuff of the greatest team: Dunga's players are good in all compartments of the game.'
Claude Arpi captures the fan's passion for football in an ongoing e-mail exchange with Ivan Crasto, Rediff.com's Sports Editor.
The Portugal-Brazil was dull, with both teams having already qualified. The players were mainly interested to evade yellow cards which could bar them for future matches and most importantly avoid injury.
'France and Italy were finalists in 2006, but both left at the end of the first round in 2010. It is only the third time that a champion has said bye before the knockouts.'
'Maradona, who had the unique 'privilege' of having been expelled by his federation as a player and as a coach, seems to be doing well with his players. And they have a genius amongst them. It makes the difference.'
Indian tennis ace Rohan Bopanna and his Canadian partner Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada produced a spirited fight back to win 6-4, 5-7, 10-3 and book their place in the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles event at the season-opening Australian Open in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Mahak Jain suffered a tame defeat to crash out of girls singles event of the junior Wimbledon championship while Zeel Desai got lucky as she lost the first set but still advanced to the pre-quarterfinals after her opponent retired mid-way into the contest, in London, on Monday.
Barca lead the standings on 39 points from 18 games, three clear of second-placed Real Madrid who host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
The result moves Chelsea up to eighth in the Premier League table with 30 points, while Wolves are 13th with 23 points.
The New York Film Festival served an amazing plate of films. Aseem Chhabra picks the best ones.
Red Star Belgrade, who won Europe's premier club competition in 1991, engineered a 2-0 home victory against HJK Helsinki thanks to a Richmond Boakye header and substitute Milan Pavkov's sweeping 90th-minute finish.
