Wild celebrations erupted across Paris on Saturday, with thousands of soccer fans descending on the boutique-lined Champs Elysees boulevard, after Paris St Germain crushed Italian rivals Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League for the first time.
Holders Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 with a late Bernardo Silva goal on Saturday to reach the FA Cup final after an absorbing end-to-end Wembley semi-final left the exhausted winners still chasing a domestic double.
Manchester City squandered a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Ballon d'Or, which is awarded annually since 1956, is one of the most prestigious individual honours in football.
Vinicius Jr's remarkable performances at Real Madrid have put the 24-year-old forward as the odds-on favourite to claim his first Ballon d'Or when the award for the best player in the world is announced in Paris on Monday.
Numerous players and coaches, including England captain Harry Kane, have voiced concern over player welfare with the revamped Club World Cup meaning less time off between seasons.
A repeat of the 2014 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid is still possible after Friday's semi-final draw.
Ronaldo had won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 while he was playing for Manchester United and still holds the record of the last Premier League player to claim the top prize. Messi won his first in 2009 and was nominated for 16 years.
Real Madrid reached their 14th European Cup final and crushed Manchester City's hopes of a maiden title after Gareth Bale's deflected effort secured a 1-0 victory in the second leg of their Champions League last four clash on Wednesday.
Rodri won the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world, beating Brazil's Vinicius Jr and England's Jude Bellingham.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has tested positive for the coronavirus, the La Liga club said in a statement on Friday.
Real have not lost any of their last six games against Liverpool in the Champions League
Lionel Messi's early goal earned Paris St Germain a 1-0 win at Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday as they opened a two-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.
Atletico Madrid ended a run of 23 league derbies without a win when Diego Costa struck early to clinch a 1-0 victory over city rivals Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
The Champions League returns to the spotlight on Tuesday as Real Madrid, one of the most decorated clubs in the competition, take on Manchester City, the English champions whose vast spending power has fast-tracked them to European heavyweight status.
Real Madrid are hoping the fit-again Cristiano Ronaldo can lead them into the Champions League final although strike partner Karim Benzema remains a doubt for Wednesday's return match with Manchester City.
Sunderland stun Sheffield United in playoff to return to Premier League
Football action from across Europe played over the weekend.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
The quarter-final draw was the last in the current format with UEFA adopting an all-new format from the 2024-25 season onwards.
Real Madrid stayed hard on the heels of leaders Barcelona when in-form striker Karim Benzema scored to set them on their way to a 2-1 win at battling city rivals Atletico in La Liga on Saturday.
Arne Slot is the first to win the top flight in England where many of his compatriots have suffered dents to their reputations over the years.
Former France striker Karim Benzema was delighted to help Al-Ittihad secure a 4-1 victory over Al-Hilal in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday, maintaining their dominance in the Saudi Pro League.
Several other media, including Bild newspaper and Kicker magazine, citing unnamed sources, also said a deal could be finalised in the coming days.
Man United were mistakenly drawn with Villarreal, even though both teams had already faced each other in the group stage.
Atletico Madrid won the La Liga title for the first time since 2014
Zidane ruled out following in the footsteps of Alex Ferguson, who spent 26 years in charge of Manchester United.
City completed the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup titles, matching Manchester United's feat in 1999 and drawing comparisons with Guardiola's 2008-09 Barcelona team.
A round-up of European football news over the weekend.
Graham Potter is in talks to replace Lopetegui, according to British media reports, and the former Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion manager is expected to take charge of West Ham for their FA Cup third-round game at Aston Villa on Friday.
Barcelona were drawn in Group E with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv.
Chelsea won their first competitive match under coach Mauricio Pochettino with a 3-0 home victory over Premier League new boys Luton Town.
Images from the the Champions League semi-final second leg between Inter Milan and Barcelona at San Siro, Milan, Italy, on Tuesday.
Real Madrid teammates Eder Militao, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurelien Tchouameni praised him on social media, calling him the "best player."
Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee bagged two goals apiece as Manchester United thumped Everton 4-0 on Sunday in new manager Ruben Amorim's first Premier League match at Old Trafford.
Paris St Germain's Champions League triumph marked the culmination of a profound transformation, from a club defined by star power to one shaped by structure, tactical clarity and collective belief.
Cristiano Ronaldo hit a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-1 Champions League win at Ajax Amsterdam on Wednesday but big spending trio Zenit St Petersburg, Paris St Germain and Manchester City failed to win.
Lewis-Skelly gets England call-up; Recalls Rashford, Henderson return.
Real Madrid's talismanic forward Cristiano Ronaldo is set to face Manchester City in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg after coming through training on Monday.
IMAGES from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
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