A summary of Wednesday night's action in the UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea's on-loan Brazilian international Alexandre Pato scored on his debut to help push pathetic Aston Villa to the verge of inevitable relegation with a seventh successive Premier League defeat on Saturday. Pato, the former Milan starlet who has been kicking his heels since joining from Corinthians two months ago, came on as a 25th-minute substitute and was immediately involved in the move which led to Ruben Loftus-Cheek netting his first league goal.
Chelsea took a major step towards the Premier League title with an impressive 3-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.
Lionel Messi returned from international suspension to score the winner in Argentina's 1-0 victory over Brazil in Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Pique and Pedro put Barcelona on top of the La Liga on goal difference with a 3-0 win over Malaga and Atletico Madrid won 4-2 at Rayo Vallecano to stay hot on their heels. Check out the footballers who shone over the weekend.
'I want to say I was convinced even before (the defeat by Chelsea in February's FA) Cup match that controlling the two players that play behind Diego (Costa) and controlling the full-backs, because they go really deep with two wide men, would create lots of problems and I repeat the same'
Images from Day 4 of the 2021 French Open in Paris on Wednesday.
Neymar finally showed the goalscoring touch he has been threatening with a hat-trick as Barcelona shrugged off their recent dip in form with a 6-1 win over Celtic at the Nou Camp on Wednesday to seal top spot in Champions League Group H.
Barcelona conceded a surprise early goal but a Pedro double helped them fight back to secure a 4-1 victory at third-tier Cartagena in their King's Cup last 32, first leg on Friday.
The two got together for a social cause.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government is anxious to get the country up and running again without igniting a second wave of infections as the economy reels and Spaniards gradually emerge from nearly eight weeks under lockdown.
Champions Liverpool were ripped apart 7-2 at Aston Villa and Manchester United were humiliated 6-1 at home by Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in one of the most astonishing days of Premier League results.
Portugal's top flight football clubs, including Porto and Benfica, resumed training on Monday for the first time since the coronavirus stoppage amid plans to restart the top league on May 30.
Guardiola said City had plenty of options, with Gabriel Jesus the only main striker fit and ready but Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling are able to slot into the role.
The victory, Chelsea's 28th of the season, put the long-time league leaders 10 points clear of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have only three games left to play.
Lazio, having endured a miserable start to the season, had high hopes of victory at Genoa, who were languishing in the relegation zone at the start of the day.
IMAGES from the US Open matches played on Day 1 at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Monday.
Images from Day 1 of the French Open matches played at Roland Garros on Sunday
The arrest came as the group was departing Point Pedro in the northern Jaffna peninsula, Naval spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya said, adding that among the arrested, 38 were men, 28 women and 14 children.
Barcelona wrap up 23rd La Liga crown with Lionel Messi goal.
Juventus, who have won only one of their last five games and have dropped 18 points from winning positions this season, stay on 80 points followed by Atalanta with 74 and Inter Milan on 73 with three games each to play.
The data, released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), shows that 65 out of 75 countries studied significantly reduced their multidimensional poverty levels between 2000 and 2019.
The 92nd Academy Awards nominations have been announced at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
Luiz Felipe Scolari got an indication of the work ahead of him to turn Brazil into World Cup winners when his second stint in charge began with a 2-1 defeat by England at Wembley on Wednesday.
Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne has been charged with committing sexual assault on board a train, police said on Monday.
Coronavirus crisis caused mass cancellations and postponements in the last three days, March was to be a busy sports month. But as things stand now, there is no live action there for the fans once the All England Championships of badminton wind up in Birmingham.
David Beckham looks ahead to the upcoming clash between PSG and Barcelona, talks of the pressures and pleasures of his new life in Paris, and the changing impact of his fame on his children.
IMAGES from Europa League matches played on Thursday.
Barcelona eased into the King's Cup last 16 when goals from Pedro, Cristian Tello and Neymar secured a 3-0 second-leg victory at home to third-tier Cartagena on Tuesday for a 7-1 aggregate success.
Leaders Barcelona suffered their first defeat in La Liga this season when Real Sociedad stormed back from two-goals down and made the most of a red card for Gerard Pique to record a 3-2 home win on Saturday.
Spaniard Pedro De la Rosa has joined Ferrari in a development role for the 2013 season, the Italian Formula One team said on Wednesday.
Leaders Barcelona kept up their relentless pace at the top of La Liga with a 4-0 thrashing of city rivals Espanyol and 10-man Real Madrid needed two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo to see off Real Sociedad 4-3 on Sunday.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday.
Headed goals from Anthony Martial and captain Harry Maguire earned Manchester United a hard-fought 2-0 win at toothless Chelsea on Monday amid more VAR controversy, putting them back in the hunt for a top-four Premier League finish. The VAR system made the headlines once again after two Chelsea efforts were ruled out and England international Maguire escaped sanction for a kick out at Michy Batshuayi.
Seven-times champion Michael Schumacher suffered the embarrassment of being reprimanded for impeding the two slowest cars in Formula One in practice for the South Korean Grand Prix on Friday.
Beyond Holi: Spring celebrations around the world in pictures.
Argentina lose to Brazil in Copa America semis
Suarez spurned the first penalty of the shootout, his effort bouncing off the chest of Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, to complete a frustrating evening for Uruguay's all-time top scorer, who also had a goal ruled out for offside.
Liverpool beat Leicester City 2-1 to post a fourth successive Premier League victory but conceded their first goal of the season after a nightmare mistake by new keeper Alisson.
He has faced consistent mechanical issues in his HRT car but Narain Karthikeyan, the only Indian racing in Formula One, says despite problems he has proved that he has the speed to deserve a better team and a better place on the grid.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances