News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Aritz Aduriz's second half hat-trick sent Barcelona spinning to a shock 4-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup on Friday.
IMAGES from EPL matches played on Sunday.
It is deja vu for Liverpool as they contemplate a second Champions League semi-final against Chelsea in two years.
But despite some early close attempts from Uruguay, Japan began to impose themselves on the game and Koji Miyoshi gave them the lead in the 25th minute with a confident finish following a counterattack.
Barcelona named former Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde on Monday as the successor to Luis Enrique and he will take charge of the La Liga runners-up on a two-year contract.
A Chelsea deal for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi would be impossible under financial fair play rules, assistant coach Steve Holland said on Friday.
Sports daily As was the only Spanish newspaper to criticise Luis Aragones for the "obscene" language he used in reference to Thierry Henry.
Barcelona's poor run away to Real Sociedad continued when the champions were held to a 1-1 draw at Anoeta on Sunday and slipped six points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid before next week's 'Clasico' against their arch rivals.
IMAGES from soccer matches played across Europe on Sunday.
Spain coach Luis Aragones was fined 3,000 euros ($3,964) by the Spanish Football Federation on Tuesday.
Real Madrid's Welsh winger Gareth Bale has joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the race for FIFA's Ballon d'Or award.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa says he was wrong to throw his bib towards manager Jose Mourinho when he was left on the bench during the goalless English Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur last month.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played across Europe on Wednesday
Spain coach Luis Aragones landed himself in trouble on Wednesday after appearing to make a racist comment about French striker Thierry Henry during a training session.
The victory saw Spain finish top of League A4 with 11 points after six games, joining France in the final four tournament, which will take place in October 2021.
A late header from Edinson Cavani gave Uruguay a 1-0 win over Copa America holders Chile which saw them snatch top spot in Group C at their opponents' expense and set up a quarter-final meeting with Peru.
The South Americans face Senegal in a decisive Group H clash in Samara on Thursday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Liverpool thrashed Atalanta 5-0, Real Madrid boosted their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stages with a 3-2 home victory over Inter Milan and Bayern Munich came from behind to crush RB Salzburg 6-2.
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez was at a loss to explain how Luis Suarez missed three golden chances in his side's 1-0 win over Egypt in their opening World Cup Group A game but refused to blame his leading striker.
Real Madrid clinched a record-extending 34th La Liga title with one game to spare by beating Villarreal 2-1 at home on Thursday thanks to two goals from their leading scorer Karim Benzema. Real have 86 points after 37 games, seven more than deposed champions Barcelona who were beaten 2-1 at home to Osasuna.
IMAGES from English Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Luis Figo's decision to enter FIFA's presidential election has received a positive reaction in his native Portugal even though he faces a seemingly impossible task to unseat incumbent Sepp Blatter in May.
A summary of Wednesday's action in the Premier League.
Roberto Firmino scored twice and Marquinhos and Philippe Coutinho also got goals as Brazil hammered Bolivia 5-0 in their opening World Cup qualifier in Sao Paulo on Friday.
The numbers behind Saturday's La Liga "Clasico" between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Bernabeu stadium (1600 GMT).
'Every time he plays for us he is improving. He's a great athlete, wins his challenges and is quick on his feet. He started settling us to be fair'
Quaison fires Sweden to extra-time World Cup playoff win over Czechs
A round-up of Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Mourinho's tinkerings meant a first start of the season for midfielder Scott McTominay, playing on the right of a three-man defence, while Anthony Martial played instead of the dropped Alexis Sanchez. On this evidence, more changes may be needed when United take on Valencia in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Colombia head to Copa semis after penalties win over Uruguay
Real's Cristiano Ronaldo will be going in search of his third consecutive World Player of the Year award
Uruguay will head to the World Cup on a winning note after beating Uzbekistan 3-0 in a chilly warmup in front of their own fans on Thursday.
Substitute Fernando Torres scored his 100th Atletico Madrid goal as they rallied from 1-0 down to beat visiting Eibar 3-1 and go level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Saturday. Two headed goals from corner kicks seven minutes apart by central defenders Jose Maria Gimenez and Saul put Atletico on track after Keko had given Eibar the lead in the 46th. Coach Diego Simeone will be glad his side ended a run of four matches without a win in La Liga and the King's Cup while Torres, who netted in added time, had been waiting since a victory at Eibar in September to reach his century for the club. Atletico are unlikely to stay joint top on 51 points beyond Sunday as rampant Barcelona, who have a better goal difference and two matches in hand, visit bottom team Levante. Real Madrid, away to Granada on Sunday, are in third place, four points off the pace.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will again be duelling for the title of world's best footballer after their names once again headed the shortlist on Thursday for The Best FIFA Men's Player.
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
