Defeat by arch-rivals Liverpool on Sunday has threatened to expose Manchester United's Premier League title challenge at the time in the season when they usually come to life.
Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt's hat-trick dealt a body blow to Manchester United's English Premier League title hopes as the leaders were beaten 3-1 at Anfield on Sunday.
This season's FA Cup favourites Tottenham Hotspur were held to a 0-0 draw at third tier Stevenage Sunday but Liverpool laid their claim to be the real frontrunners with a 6-1 fifth-round thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion.
Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez returned after a nine-match absence but failed to inspire Liverpool to victory in a cagey 0-0 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Monday.
A mesmeric Lionel Messi helped Barcelona to come from behind and beat Sevilla 2-1 in a thrilling encounter on Sunday as the champions kept the pressure on La Liga leaders Real Madrid, who saw off Leganes 3-0 thanks to a double from Gareth Bale.
Barcelona's attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were all on target as the champions roared back into life in La Liga with a dominant 5-1 victory at promoted Leganes on Saturday. Messi sidefooted in a simple cross from Suarez to strike the opening goal after 15 minutes and returned the favour for the Uruguayan to nudge in the second in the 31st.
Striker Luis Suarez scored one goal and missed two second-half penalties as Ajax Amsterdam beat nine-man FC Timisoara 2-1 in Romania on Wednesday to reach the knockout stage of the Europa League.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez both hit the woodwork as Barcelona were held 0-0 by Espanyol in a hard fought derby that could see Atletico Madrid go top of La Liga.
Luis Suarez said Barcelona have not given up on the Champions League despite a "difficult and painful" 4-0 drubbing by Paris St Germain in their last 16 tie this week.
World Cup winners Spain have seven players featured in a 23-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or unveiled by soccer's governing body and France Football magazine on Tuesday.
Goal-happy Manchester City continued where they left off at Manchester United on Sunday as they came from behind to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 5-2 on Wednesday to march into the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
A dominant yet wasteful Real ravaged their rivals in the first half while spurning a string of clear chances at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Luis Suarez struck twice in three minutes as Uruguay beat Peru 2-0 in an enthralling encounter on Tuesday to reach the Copa America final and remain on course for a record 15th title.
South Africa said they were caught cold by Uruguay's early goal in Wednesday's World Cup clash in Pretoria and found themselves unable to fight their way back into the game.
A third-minute goal from Christian Pulisic set the United States on their way to a 2-0 victory over Bolivia in their Group C opener at the Copa America on Sunday.
IMAGES from the Group A match played between Russia and Uruguay in Samara on Monday
Martin Caceres shackled Son, harassing the South Korean winger any time he got the ball and sticking close to him to discourage others from passing his way.
Barcelona take a 32-match unbeaten run to Arsenal for the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie on Tuesday as the Catalans continue their bid to become the first team to retain the trophy in 26 years.
Peter Crouch struck a hat-trick to help Tottenham Hotspur complete a great comeback against Young Boys and reach the Champions League for the first time while Luis Suarez led Ajax Amsterdam back to the elite in a 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev.
Some of the most memorable ones from the one-month tournament.
Ajax closed the gap with Dutch league leaders Twente Enschede to one point after Luis Suarez and Marko Pantelic earned them a 2-0 win at struggling Willem II Tilburg on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Barcelona opened up a four-point gap at the top of La Liga, maintaining their 100 percent start as they cruised to a 3-0 victory at Catalan rivals Girona on Saturday.
Photos from the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg match played between FC Barcelona and Arsenal at the Camp Nou on Wednesday
After setting a Spanish record 35 matches unbeaten in all competitions, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is relishing the run-in to the end of the season with his side on course for a second successive La Liga, King's Cup and Champions League treble.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi broke free from Arsenal's shackles to score two late goals and put the Champions League holders on the brink of the quarter-finals with a clinical 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi scored stunning goals to edge Barcelona towards a fourth consecutive King's Cup final with a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, although the holders were lucky to survive a late onslaught from the hosts.
Olympique Marseille let 10-man Ajax Amsterdam off the hook in a UEFA Cup first leg meeting of former European champions on Thursday, while holders Zenit St Petersburg suffered a 2-0 defeat at Udinese. The only other emphatic victory in the first legs came from ambitious Manchester City, 2-0 winners at home to Danish club AaB Aalborg.
Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar were all on target as holders Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 on Wednesday to overturn a deficit from the first leg and advance to the quarter-finals of the King's Cup.
Barcelona closed in on the La Liga title by thrashing local rivals Espanyol 5-0 on Sunday as Atletico Madrid dropped out of the race after losing 2-1 at Levante and Real Madrid beat Valencia 3-2.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi was at the heart of another devastating attacking show.
Barcelona will travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach for their Champions League match on Wednesday without Lionel Messi but the Spaniards have enough options and firepower to plug the gap left by the Argentine, coach Luis Enrique said.
Jon Dahl Tomasson converted an 86th-minute penalty to salvage a point for Feyenoord in a 2-2 draw against arch rivals Ajax Amsterdam in the Dutch league on Sunday.
Decisions about the availability of Otavio, who started against Ghana, and reserve left back Nuno Mendes, who is also an injury concern, would be taken after a training session later on Sunday, Santos said.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is still not satisfied despite winning five trophies in 2015 and is aiming to do even better next year.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique had a nerve-racking experience having to watch their stellar run from the sidelines.
'Messi is a player that makes a difference in all games and in Clasicos he has always made a big impact but we will have to see if he is ready' 'You never know what can happen in these types of games and when you start as favourite it can often go wrong'
Ghana captain Andre Ayew hit a feeble left-footed effort from the spot in the 21st minute which was saved by goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, who had been adjudged after a lengthy VAR review to have brought down Mohammed Kudus.
The crowd in Tel Aviv cheered Messi throughout and it was the forward who helped Argentina draw level in the 63rd.
Barcelona announced on Tuesday the signing of Spain forward Paco Alcacer from Valencia on a five-year contract. He moves to the Nou Camp on his 23rd birthday for a fee of 30 million euros ($33.5 million) and is likely to be the Spanish champions' last signing in the transfer window.
