Leaders Real Madrid pulled three points clear of second-placed Celta Vigo when they held off the valiant 10-man Galicians to secure a nervy 3-1 victory in Saturday's top-of-the-table clash in La Liga.
David Moyes notched his maiden victory as coach of Real Sociedad as Carlos Vela scored a classy hat-trick in a morale-boosting 3-0 win at home to Elche in La Liga on Friday.
An insatiable Lionel Messi hit a hat-trick as Barcelona hammered Espanyol 5-0 in a local derby on Saturday to make it three wins from three and take full advantage after Liga champions Real Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Levante.
Champions Barcelona came through a gruelling La Liga test at a rainswept San Mames on Sunday, beating Athletic Bilbao 1-0 thanks to Ivan Rakitic's first-half header.
Barcelona will face a struggling Galatasaray team who are 13th in the Turkish top-flight.
Barcelona finished three points behind Real Madrid last season but there is concern the gap between Spain's biggest two sides could be far larger this season.
Ronaldo had failed to score in his last four league games for Real and his rotten run in front of goal looked set to continue when his spot-kick was turned away by visiting goalkeeper Roberto.
Barcelona dropped their first points of the La Liga season as their star-studded forward line misfired in a 0-0 draw away to Malaga on Wednesday.
Lens falter in title race after draw at Nice, Marseille hit six
Alvaro Morata again proved decisive from the bench by striking a late winner against Athletic Bilbao and firing a lacklustre Real Madrid to the top of La Liga on Sunday. The Spain international has been afforded limited opportunities in his first season back at Real following two years with Juventus, struggling to usurp first choice forwards Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. Morata has made just four league starts, but has scored four times in all competitions.
Messi's contract with Barcelona is set to come to an end this season
Barcelona wasted a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga as they were shocked 1-0 at lowly Almeria on Sunday thanks to a first-half strike by El Bilal Toure.
Sevilla will bid for a record-extending seventh Europa League title when they face AS Roma in the final in Budapest on May 31, after Jose Mourinho's side drew 0-0 at Bayer Leverkusen to secure a 1-0 aggregate victory in their semi-final.
Simeone's side leapfrogged Real Sociedad into fourth on 42 points, while Sevilla stayed third in the standings on 46 after beating Las Palmas 1-0, also on Sunday, thanks to a late strike from substitute Joaquin Correa
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, who won the 2022 Ballon d'Or award, is also in the shortlist.
Atletico Madrid knocked Barcelona off the top of La Liga, for a day at least, as a second-half strike by Koke earned a 1-0 victory over a stubborn Malaga side on Saturday.
IMAGES from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
'Messi's departure is a move that helps Florentino. Imagine that (Kylian) Mbappe now signs for Real Madrid.'
Barcelona have lost only once in the league since Xavi took charge in November
Barcelona fought back to earn a 2-2 draw with Manchester United in a pulsating Europa League knockout round playoff first leg on Thursday.
Atletico said they are collaborating with authorities to identify the abusers who would be banned by the club. The Prosecutor's Office of Madrid is also investigating the case.
Manchester United conceded two late own goals to allow Sevilla to snatch a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final at Old Trafford on Thursday.
With immense pressure on him to match the late great Diego Maradona and send the trophy back to Buenos Aires, Lionel Messi has lit up the Qatar tournament while others in the superstar stratum - Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo - have underwhelmed and gone home.
If Aubameyang's transfer to Chelsea goes through, he would return to the English top flight after seven months, having played for Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal for four years.
Real Madrid's Javier Hernandez struck twice as they came from behind to beat Celta Vigo 4-2 away and keep the pressure on Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Sunday.
Regarded as one of the best centre backs of his generation, Pique collected 35 trophies during his 18-year career.
West Ham's Zouma given 180 hours of community service for kicking his cat
A Spanish court has handed soccer player Santi Mina a four-year prison sentence for sexually abusing a woman in the southern town of Mojacar in 2017
Atletico Madrid's Brazilian striker Diego Costa scored twice as they came from behind to beat Levante 3-2 at home on Saturday to go three points clear at the top of La Liga.
Real Madrid thrashed Deportivo La Coruna 6-2 to stay level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga on Wednesday after the Catalans crushed Osasuna 7-1, condemning the minnows to relegation.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on a 2-1/2 year contract.
Pele scored 643 goals in 19 seasons for Brazilian side Santos.
Paris St Germain had a chance to extend their Ligue 1 lead to five points after RC Lens drew 1-1 at Troyes and Olympique de Marseille and Monaco shared the spoils on Saturday.
A striker was the need of the hour for Wolves, who have scored only three goals in six league games -- the least among all 20 teams.
The Argentine striker had hosted a team meeting on Monday to kick start preparations for the clash against Atletico Madrid.
Round-up of football matches played around Europe on Saturday.
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