Juventus's hopes of reaching the Champions League last eight suffered a blow when the two-times European Cup winners slumped to a 1-0 defeat in their last-16 first leg at Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday. Manchester City finally produced a Champions League performance worthy of their status as one of European football's elite clubs by beating Real Madrid 2-1 away in Wednesday's last-16 first leg after pulling off a stunning late fightback.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
Images from soccer matches played across different leagues in Europe on Sunday
The Catalans are overwhelming favourites to win the game and have an outstanding home record in the Champions League, remaining unbeaten at the Nou Camp in the competition since losing to Bayern Munich in 2013.
Barca's Suarez in firing line after European away goals drought
When Barca and Neymar were at the peak of their powers in 2017, however, he shook world football by heading to PSG for a record-smashing 222 million euros ($269.89 million).
Pep Guardiola will return to the Nou Camp in the Champions League group stage after his new club Manchester City were drawn against his former Barcelona team on Thursday. The two sides were drawn in Group C alongside Borussia Moenchengladbach and former European champions Celtic in one of the toughest of the eight sections. Spanish coach Guardiola, who won the Champions League twice with Barca, faced the Catalans when he was in charge of Bayern Munich two seasons ago and suffered a 5-3 defeat in the semi-finals.
France international Samuel Umtiti has completed a "dream move" to Barcelona knowing he is not guaranteed a first-team place but says he is willing to learn to prove his potential.
Paris St Germain rebounded after their Champions League exit to ManchesterCity with a 6-0 victory over Caen in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo helped Juventus continue their unbeaten start to the Serie A season with a comfortable 2-0 home victory over struggling SPAL on Saturday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic bagged a hat trick as Paris St Germain geared up for their Champions League clash against Manchester City with a convincing 4-1 Ligue 1 home win over Nice on Saturday. Ibrahimovic scored twice in the first half and once in the second, while David Luiz added a third in the second half after Hatem Ben Arfa had pulled one back for the visitors early on. PSG, who were crowned champions last month, have 80 points and with six games left lead second-placed Monaco, who lost 2-1 at home to Girondins de Bordeaux on Friday, by 25 points. Nice, who had a chance to reduce the gap with Monaco to two points, lag in third place five points behind the principality side. They will be leap-frogged by Olympique Lyonnais (49) if they beat Lorient away on Sunday.
Valencia coach Gary Neville has asked the fans for patience after watching his side stumble to a 2-0 reverse at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday that left him still winless in Spain's top flight.
Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has a full squad available, including forward Karim Benzema, for Saturday's La Liga Clasico at home to Barcelona.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Wednesday.
Ajax Amsterdam produced a performance worthy of the club's illustrious past when they crushed Olympique Lyonnais 4-1 on Wednesday to move to the brink of their first European final since 1996.
One goal determined the outcome of the Champions League final on Sunday but there could be no doubt that Bayern Munich deserve to be crowned European champions for the sixth time. With a 1-0 victory over Paris St Germain courtesy of Kingsley Coman's header, Bayern have achieved what no team have managed in Europe's elite club competition -- win every game.
While Pep Guardiola has brought two Premier League titles, smashed records and produced some of the most glorious football the club's fans have ever seen -- European success remains elusive to his team.
Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech ended a highly successful 11-year spell at English champions Chelsea when he moved to Premier League rivals Arsenal on Monday.
While Lyon rallied to hold Leipzig 2-2 after a Memphis Depay strike, it was the English clubs who made a mark on the night. Liverpool and Chelsea moved into the last 16 with contrasting wins and now all four English clubs, including Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, are in the Champions League knockouts this season.
Coutinho, who arrived from Liverpool for a club record 165 million euros ($185.18 million) in January 2018, has so far shown little to suggest he will be able to compensate for Frenchman Ousmane Dembele's absence against Lyon in the UEFA Champions League tie.
The Catalans have kept five clean sheets in their last six games, which bodes well for their title run in.
'Betrayed by Ronaldo'
While their nearest chasers lost, Olympique Lyonnais succumbing 2-1 at home to struggling Lille and Monaco falling 1-0 at Nantes after a last-gasp Lucas Lima thunderbolt, PSG marched on without ever hitting top gear.
Antoine Griezmann scored two goals and provided two assists as Barcelona staged a stunning last-gasp comeback before beating Granada 5-3
Javier Pastore and Edinson Cavani scored late as Paris St Germain ignored their fans' boos and recovered from a shaky start to beat visiting strugglers Evian Thonon Gaillard 4-2 on Sunday.
Arteta, who will lead City in their Champions League opener against Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday because manager Pep Guardiola is suspended, also said that his team were better placed to challenge for top European honours this season.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Ferran Torres scored a brace and Ousmane Dembele made two assists as a red-hot Barcelona rolled over Osasuna 4-0 on Sunday to earn their fourth consecutive LaLiga win.
A summary of results from matches played in the Italian Serie A and Ligue 1
Lionel Messi scored one penalty and missed another as Barcelona beat Real Valladolid 1-0 on Saturday to open up a seven-point lead at the top of La Liga.
Javier Pastore's double inspired a weary Paris St Germain to a 3-1 win at Nice as the French champions reclaimed top spot in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
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.
Real Madrid's Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was named winner of the 2018 Ballon d'Or on Monday, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's and Lionel Messi's decade-long hold on the prestigious award.
For the first time since 1998, the Champions League final will feature two teams who entered the competition as domestic champions, a throwback to the day's of the old European Cup when only a country's title winners were allowed to enter.
Mateo Kovacic's late strike avoided embarrassment for Real Madrid as the European champions surrendered a two-goal lead before drawing 3-3 with Legia Warsaw in an enthralling Champions League game played amid an empty stadium on Wednesday.
Napoli kept alive their hopes of advancing from Group C after Lorenzo Insigne, Victor Osimhen and Matteo Politano secured a 3-0 home win over Legia Warsaw.
'This award is not just mine.' 'It is my team mates' from Real Madrid and Croatia.' 'Without my coaches, I would not have won this and without my family I would not be the player I am today.'
Images from action in the Europa League matches on Thursday.
Neymar lived up to expectations as he showed his class on his Ligue 1 debut on Sunday, scoring one and setting up another goal in Paris St Germain's 3-0 win at En Avant Guingamp.
