Spain's Real Madrid retained the title of the world's richest football club in the past year thanks to sponsorship and TV deals robust enough to endure a season without a major trophy, a study showed on Thursday.
Real Madrid endured their toughest test at Granada on Monday since La Liga restarted but showed real determination to grind out a 2-1 win and record their ninth consecutive victory as they moved within touching distance of reclaiming the title. Early goals from Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema were enough to restore a four-point lead over Barcelona and Real will clinch their first league title since 2017 with a win over Villarreal on Thursday or at Leganes on the final day of the season.
A summary of Saturday's action in LaLiga, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga.
Real Madrid's talismanic striker Raul bid an emotional farewell to the La Liga club on Monday after 16 seasons and said he is eying a move to the German Bundesliga or the English Premier League.
Madrid went into halftime with a three-goal lead after Marco Asensio scored twice in three minutes and debutant Javi Sanchez also got on the scoresheet late in the half.
Images from La Liga matches played on Saturday.
No details of the fee for Rodriguez were disclosed but media reports said it was around 80 million euros (63.2 million pounds).
Real Madrid chose a design led by German architects GMP for the remodelling of the Bernabeu, which was opened in the 1950s and holds just over 80,000 spectators, at an estimated cost of 400 million euros.
Real Madrid are attempting to revive former glories to inspire them on their mission to overturn a two-goal deficit at arch-rivals Barcelona in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg.
Barcelona playmaker Xavi has dismissed the idea that Real Madrid's battling performance with 10 men in La Liga on Saturday would give them a confidence boost for Wednesday's King's Cup final.
English champions Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the season but Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid were held 0-0 at Real Mallorca and German champions Bayern suffered a shock defeat to Kaiserslautern.
A spectacular goal by Jean Makoun gave Olympique Lyon a 1-0 win over Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday, handing the Spaniards their first away defeat in this season's competition. Lyon picked up their third successive home win over Real in the Champions League after the Cameroon midfielder drove a stunning 25-metre shot into the top corner of the net in the 47th minute.
Real Madrid's unbeaten start to the La Liga season came to an abrupt and surprising end as Real Mallorca claimed a stunning 1-0 victory at a rocking Son Moix on Saturday to climb out of the relegation zone.
Manuel Pellegrini's future as Real Madrid coach was called into question on Wednesday after the big-spending side's 4-0 thrashing at third-tier Alcorcon in the first leg of their King's Cup tie.
James Rodriguez curled home a superb free kick to cap Real Madrid's 3-0 win over Inter Milan in a friendly in Guangzhou on Monday.
Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of the Primera Liga with an unconvincing 4-3 home victory over Real Mallorca at the Bernabeu on Sunday.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has responded to criticism of his tactics from honorary club president Alfredo Di Stefano by pointing out he is the one who makes the decisions about the way the team plays.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said there was nothing wrong with talisman Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese marked his longest run without scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu with a near anonymous display in a 3-0 win over Leganes on Sunday. A Gareth Bale double and a second half strike from Alvaro Morata sealed the win that kept Real top of La Liga but Zidane faced further questions about the form of Ronaldo, who has not scored in five home games, his longest run without a goal in front of Real's fans since joining the club in 2009. Ronaldo's last goal at the Bernabeu came against Sporting Lisbon on Sept. 14. His only goal there in the league was against Osasuna on Sept. 10.
Nine-time European champion Real Madrid have ended Manchester United's run as the world's most valuable soccer team, according to an annual survey released by Forbes on Wednesday.
Barcelona's rescheduled La Liga game at home to Real Madrid is set to take place on December 18 as both clubs came to an agreement after the match, due to be played on October 26, was postponed amid violent political demonstrations in Catalonia.
A Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick helped Real Madrid fight back to beat classy Villarreal 4-2 on Sunday to cut Barcelona's La Liga lead to two points.
A round-up of Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
The Real Madrid midfielder defended the club's Galactico policy.
The Frenchman, who won nine trophies in two-and-a-half years, suggested it is events off the pitch, rather than on it, that made him leave.
Napoli have agreed to buy Spain centre back Raul Albiol from Real Madrid, the Serie A club said on Sunday.
'We aren't playing well and we can't blame the coach, as the players are the ones who have to perform on the pitch'
Holders Real Madrid reached the Champions League final for a third year in a row after taking advantage of Bayern Munich's carelessness in attack and defence to draw 2-2 in their semi-final second leg on Tuesday, and winning 4-3 on aggregate, at the Santiago Bernabeu, in Madrid, Spain, on Tuesday.
Luka Modric's top priority is to win La Liga this season, the midfield maestro said on Wednesday after signing a new contract that will keep him at Real Madrid until 2020. The Croatia international has claimed two Champions League titles, a King's Cup, UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 for a fee of 35 million euros ($38.36 million).
Zinedine Zidane will accept an offer from Jose Mourinho to work more closely with the Real Madrid coach, the former France great has said.
Dani Carvajal scored a stunning late goal as Champions League winners Real Madrid beat Europa League holders Sevilla 3-2 after extra-time in a UEFA Super Cup thriller in Trondheim, Norway on Tuesday.
World soccer's governing body FIFA said on Monday it would take no action against Real Madrid following Manchester United's complaint that the Spanish club had sought to tempt Cristiano Ronaldo from Old Trafford. United formally complained to FIFA last week over a series of public statements made by Real apparently expressing interest in the Portuguese international.
Former Colombia, Real Madrid and Corinthians midfielder Freddy Rincon is wanted for questioning about drug crimes in Panama, Interpol said on Wednesday.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has hinted the club may be pursuing Real Madrid's Spain defender Sergio Ramos and could also sign a "surprise" striker.
Vice-president Adriano Galliani fired an angry broadside at Real Madrid for their attempts to lure Brazilian midfielder Kaka to Spain.
'An act of racism is a criminal act... From now on, FIFA will take legal actions with local authorities too, we will join complaints filed in local justice.'
Whoever won, Madrid was never going to miss out on a night of celebrations.
The numbers behind Sunday's 'El Clasico' between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Bernabeu stadium.
Big-spending Real Madrid failed to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals for the sixth straight season when Olympique Lyon dumped the Spaniards out 2-1 on aggregate on Wednesday.
