Stuttgart stumble to 1-1 against Union, miss out on top three
Manchester United were handed a tricky Europa League last 16 tie against Real Sociedad while Tottenham Hotspur will play Dutch side AZ Alkmaar after the draw was held on Friday, but both managers are more concerned about their Premier League form.
Barcelona suffered a shock 1-0 LaLiga defeat at Real Sociedad on Sunday that ended their seven-match winning streak in all competitions.
Vinicius Jr scores twice from the spot as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 4-1 to go top of LaLiga, extending their winning streak to eight matches.
Benfica will also be without head coach Jose Mourinho, who is suspended after receiving a red card in the first leg.
New Real Sociedad coach David Moyes faces a tough challenge to get the Basque club back on La Liga track but it is also a chance for the Scot to restore his reputation after a failed stint at Manchester United.
Real parted ways with Alonso a little more than seven months after appointing him, following a poor run of results in all competitions.
Barcelona rode their luck to come from behind and win 2-1 at Real Sociedad on Saturday, continuing to banish their awful record in San Sebastian and maintaining their perfect start to the La Liga season.
The winners of the tie will face Real Sociedad or Athletic Bilbao in the final. Real Sociedad hold a 1-0 advantage ahead of their second leg in San Sebastian on March 4.
Former Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes has agreed to take over as head coach of Real Sociedad until 30 June 2016, the La Liga club announced on their website
Barcelona came within a whisker of an improbable comeback after last month's thrashing, with 18-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal, starting in place of the injured Frenkie De Jong, scoring in each half and Raphinha converting a penalty after Pedri was fouled.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were on target as holders Barcelona thrashed Real Sociedad 5-2 to reach the King's Cup semi-finals for the seventh successive year with a 6-2 aggregate victory on Thursday.
Mohammed Siraj said he was not able to believe that he was called up to the Indian team for the T20 World Cup when he got a call from captain Suryakumar Yadav.
Real Madrid ended a turbulent week with a 2-0 LaLiga win over lowly Levante on Saturday courtesy of second-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Raul Asencio.
Barcelona stay on course to defend their Copa del Rey title with a 2-1 win over Albacete.
Colombia striker Radamel Falcao scored a hat-trick and helped Atletico Madrid to their first away win of the season, in a 4-0 victory at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday.
Real Madrid delivered manager Carlo Ancelotti and midfielder Luka Modric a victory in their final game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Real Sociedad to end their LaLiga season.
Factbox on Carlos Alcaraz, who beat Serbian fourth seed Novak Djokovic to win his first Australian Open title on Sunday, increasing his overall Grand Slam tally to seven.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are both back for domestic duties as second-placed Barcelona resume their chase of La Liga leader Real Madrid with a tricky trip to red-hot Real Sociedad on Sunday. Barcelona, into the Champions League last 16 as Group C winners with a 2-0 win at Celtic on Wednesday, are four points behind Real Madrid who will host Sporting Gijon on Saturday without the injured Gareth Bale. "We have achieved our aim, which was to qualify as first of our group and now we need to turn our focus to La Liga," Barcelona centre back Javier Mascherano told www.fcbarcelona.com.
Alvarez scores twice as Atletico crushes Real Madrid 5-2 in La Liga derby
Real Sociedad coach David Moyes praised his side's determined defending after their 1-0 victory over Barcelona.
The King's Cup descended into farce on Thursday when Racing Santander's players, protesting over unpaid wages, refused to challenge for the ball after their quarter-final second leg at home to Real Sociedad kicked off.
Spain face Ronald Koeman's Netherlands away on Thursday before returning home for the second-leg on March 23.
Adrien Rabiot scored two goals as AC Milan came from behind to earn a 3-1 victory at Como on Thursday.
Barcelona secured a composed 2-0 LaLiga victory at Villarreal on Sunday thanks to goals from Raphinha and Lamine Yamal in a match that tilted firmly in the visitors' favour when the hosts were reduced to 10 men just before the break.
Real booked their place in the final when substitute Arda Guler lifted a corner to Ruediger, who headed the equaliser that put Real Madrid through on aggregate.
A round-up of Thursday's Europa League Round of 16 second leg matches.
The result keeps Barcelona second in the table on 16 points from six games, two behind leaders Real Madrid. Oviedo remain 18th with just three points.
Nine Real Sociedad fans injured in clashes with Lazio ultras
Xabi Alonso has signed a three-year contract until June 2028 and the 43-year-old replaces Carlo Ancelotti, who took charge of his last game on Saturday.
Barcelona returned to the top of the LaLiga table with a comfortable 4-0 home victory over 10-man Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Luka Modric has played almost 600 games for Real and won nearly 30 trophies including a record six Champions League titles and four LaLiga trophies.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a penalty and missed another as Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 3-1.
Real Sociedad moved above Real Madrid into second place behind leaders Deportivo after a 3-1 win over an in-form Real Mallorca in the Spanish League.
Real Sociedad will join Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and LaLiga champions Barcelona in Europe's elite club competition next season.
Manchester United kicked off their Europa League campaign poorly, losing 0-1 at home to Real Sociedad, while Arsenal's new signing Marquinhos scored in a 2-1 win at FC Zurich on Thursday.
A round-up of Saturday's action in La Liga and the Bundesliga.
Deportivo and Sociedad closed to within a point of first division leaders Real Madrid after securing comprehensive victories in the La Liga on Sunday.
Real Madrid put their title defence back on track with a comfortable 3-1 win over Real Sociedad at Anoeta on Sunday, despite missing several key players. Sociedad defender Kevin Rodrigues scored at both ends and Borja Mayoral and Gareth Bale netted Madrid's other goals to help them equal the consecutive scoring record of 73 games set by Pele's Santos between 1961 and 1963.
Spain secured their place at the 2026 World Cup after a nervy 2-2 draw with Turkey in Seville on Tuesday.
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