Madrid won only two of their seven pre-season games
Real Madrid barged their way back into the Spanish La Liga title race with a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in a feisty derby at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday.
Opener Aaron Finch knows he's the one Australian batsman struggling for runs ahead of Thursday's World Cup semi-final against India but, ever confident, thinks a big innings is just around the corner.
Images from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday
'Responsibility makes me better player, better person, makes my understand the game much more. I think I would be able to execute the plans with much more conviction than the time I started off with Test captaincy'
Being the third highest wicket-taker in history of Test cricket is no mean achievement but former India captain Anil Kumble wishes he had the skills of his two greatest contemporaries -- Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.
Midfielder Santi Cazorla gave the home side the lead in the fourth minute of the game, which was rescheduled due to Real's participation in last month's Club World Cup, by bending a wonderful shot into the bottom corner.
There was a lot of buzz about the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch for the high-octane India versus Australia semi-final on Thursday.
IMAGES from La Liga matches played on Sunday
A dominant yet wasteful Real ravaged their rivals in the first half while spurning a string of clear chances at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Here are five talking points from the weekend's action in La Liga.
Ajax, four-times European Cup winners who are in the knockout stages for the first time in 13 years, have enhanced their reputation as a talent factory due to the rise of homegrown Dutch players Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt.
'It shows his confidence in his own ability,' Geoff Boycott tells Haresh Pandya.
An insatiable Lionel Messi scored for the eighth game in a row in all competitions as La Liga champions Barcelona saw off a gutsy Girona side 2-0 to go five points clear at the top of the standings.
La Liga leaders Barcelona moved 10 points clear with a 4-1 win at Real Betis on Sunday after second place Atletico Madrid slipped up at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in a 2-0 defeat.
La Liga leaders Barcelona won a tight and tense 'Clasico' 1-0 at Real Madrid on Saturday, beating their great rivals at their Bernabeu home for the second time in four days and moving a staggering 12 points clear of them in the standings.
'Cristiano scored 50 goals and you can't find someone today who scores that many. Some of us have to take a step forward and, while not scoring 50, what we need is two or three players who score 15, 20, or 10 goals and we don't have that.'
La Liga leaders Barcelona earned a narrow 1-0 win over Real Valladolid to move seven points clear at the top, while Real Madrid lost 2-1 at home against Girona to fall to third behind Atletico Madrid.
Mithali Raj trained in classical dance for eight years until she decided one day it was time to follow her heart and exhibit footwork of another kind.
Here are five talking points from the weekend in La Liga:
The Indian cricket team's director says the two players have utmost respect for each other and the Indian team is 'one honest bunch' which believes in playing for each other.
Joe Maguire was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, violence against public employees and attempted bribery. Sharman was found guilty of insult, repeated bodily harm and violence against public employees.
IMAGES from the La Liga matches played on Sunday
India will aim to crush a gutsy Ireland in their penultimate group encounter.
Portugal international Goncalo Guedes fired Valencia into the lead in the 35th minute with a thumping shot from inside the area which was too powerful for Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Virat Kohli declared that after experimenting with his batting position, the team management has reached a conclusion that No. 3 is the best slot for him.
Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa asked his players to allow the visitors to score unchallenged when the game was restarted.
Images from the World cup Group B match between India and the West Indies, in Perth.
Despite their first-leg advantage, Pochettino warned against complacency and said he wanted his team to play for another win, although they have had one day less to prepare than the Germans.
India finished at the heap of Pool B after beating Zimbabwe by six wickets in their final league match in Auckland on Saturday after Suresh Raina and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni combined well to take the team across the finish line. Here are the statistical highlights of the ICC Cricket World Cup match between India and Zimbabwe.
Karim Benzema netted a second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday.
Tactical genius, uplifting leader, altruistic individual, a man with unwavering certitude. Dhruv Munjal recounts what made Mahendra Singh Dhoni a great captain.
Griezmann special earns Atletico 1-1 draw at Sevilla
India have to be cautious against giant slayers Bangladesh
'This was Kohli's veneration for his master: The man who had inspired him to pick up a cricket bat in the first place, the man he had grown up watching. Just that now, he was exactly like him, or, dare it be suggested, maybe a shade better while chasing down daunting totals,' says Dhruv Munjal.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A round-up of Saturday's action in La Liga, Ligue 1 and Serie A.
'Probably because he was aware that this was his 100th ODI. Or probably because, in the first of its knock-out games, his team had produced the sort of all-round display that induces smiles.'
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
A summary of Wednesday night's matches inthe UEFA Champions League.
