European Champions Spain produced a dominant display to thrash South Korea 6-1 in Salzburg, Austria on Wednesday in their penultimate friendly before Euro 2016.
Paris St Germain buried the ghosts of their embarrassing 2017 exit as they drew 1-1 at home with Barcelona on Wednesday to complete a 5-2 aggregate victory that sent them into the Champions League quarter-finals.
Costa, Alba excluded from Spain squad
Vinicius Junior's second half tap-in steered Real Madrid to a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final on Saturday.
Neymar scored twice as Barcelona reached the Champions League semi-finals.
Juergen Klopp's side will meet the winners of Sunday's other semi-final between Chelsea and Crystal Palace in the May 14th final
A ninth successive win in all competitions for United was celebrated with real vigour, as they moved to within a point of City in second, giving Arsenal the chance to go eight points clear at the top of the standings with a win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Defending champions Bayern Munich survived a shaky second half and missed a late penalty against Arsenal on Tuesday to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
Bayern Munich have won 21 consecutive matches in all competitions and are on a 30-game unbeaten run despite a two-month break in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bayern Munich's long-time team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt has surprisingly resigned.
Images from Saturday's action in the Premier League.
Sporting Director of Spain's Football Federation (RFEF) Fernando Hierro has been named the national team's new coach for the duration of the World Cup in Russia, the Federation said in a tweet on Wednesday.
Spain's preparations for Euro 2016 suffered a blow as they were beaten 1-0 by Georgia on Tuesday in their final warmup friendly ahead of the tournament in France. Tornike Okriashvili tapped in from close range in the 39th minute to secure a surprise victory for Georgia at Getafe's Coliseum Alfonso Perez stadium. Spain, who have won the last two European Championships, had not lost since being beaten in a friendly by the Netherlands in March 2015 and came into their final warmup match after convincing wins against Bosnia and South Korea. The hosts, however, lacked a cutting edge against a well-organised Georgia side who defended deep after taking the lead.
Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski was named The Best FIFA Men's Player 2020 on Thursday, beating off competition from last year's winner Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bayern Munich will be without experienced Franck Ribery when they meet Manchester City in their Champions League Group E opener on Wednesday with fellow winger Arjen Robben also doubtful, coach Pep Guardiola said.
Champions Bayern Munich comfortably beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday to lay down a marker as they eye a record-extending sixth straight German league title.
Barcelona's famed youth academy has taken a back seat to big-name signings in recent years but as a result of the FIFA transfer ban imposed on the club, promising youngsters have been given a chance to shine in Luis Enrique's side.
Bayern Munich's smooth passage into the Champions League knockout stage hit a speed bump after it emerged on Thursday that versatile Austria international David Alaba will need knee surgery and will be out for several weeks.
Reigning champions Spain left it late but Gerard Pique's 87th-minute header earned them a deserved 1-0 victory over a dogged Czech Republic in their Euro 2016 Group D opener on Monday.
Spain are steadily turning to the next generation ahead of their Euro 2016 opener against the Czech Republic later on Monday as the defending champions look to redeem themselves after a miserable World Cup two years ago. For Spain's disappointing showing in 2014, coach Vicente del Bosque retained 16 of the squad that won the title in 2010, but only eight winners remain for Euro 2016, with players such as Alvaro Morata, Hector Bellerin and Thiago Alcantara introduced as part of a significant changing of the guard. Sergio Ramos is confident the new boys, five of whom were part of the 2013 European under 21-winning side, can lead Spain into a new golden era.
Alexis Sanchez had equalised for the visitors, scoring on the rebound after Manuel Neuer saved his 30th-minute penalty but the Gunners suffered when captain Laurent Koscielny limped off injured to leave the defence exposed.
Saul Niguez announced himself as one of Europe's most promising midfielders by scoring a stunning individual goal to edge Atletico Madrid a step closer to their second Champions League final in three years.
Portugal's impressive midfielder Renato Sanches is finally ready for his Bayern Munich debut although the 19-year-old Euro 2016 winner still faces a tough challenge to claim a regular place in the team. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has said that Sanches could make his debut away to Schalke 04 on Friday (1830 GMT) if Arturo Vidal is still worn out after his long trip from South America, where he played two World Cup qualifiers for Chile in five days.
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.
Roberto Firmino scored twice as Liverpool boosted their hopes of Champions League football next season
Spain began a new era under Luis Enrique in impressive fashion as they came from a goal down to outplay England in a 2-1 win in their Nations League opener at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
'Luis Enrique has been very important to us and we're all at ease with him.'
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday
Spain are still favourites to finish top of Group E above Sweden, Poland and Slovakia but, after struggling to break down conservative sides such as Georgia and Greece in March, they know coming first will not be a procession.
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.
Bayern Munich have all but secured their third consecutive Bundesliga title and victory over Hertha Berlin could see them clinch it as early as this weekend.
Twelve months ago Liverpool were ripping up the record books on the way to their first English top-flight title for 30 years but defeat by Everton on Saturday left them mulling a host of far less flattering statistics.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Sunday.
Barcelona took a big step towards the Champions League semi-finals.
Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 4-3 on penalties to win the German Cup for the 18th time on Saturday, handing coach Pep Guardiola another domestic double in his final game in charge.
Bayern, who won the Champions League in 2013, have yet to hit top form this season, with many players tired after the World Cup and others, including Thiago Alcantara, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Rafinha, out injured.
Hoffenheim ended champions Bayern Munich's 19-game winning streak in the Bundesliga on Saturday with a 3-3 draw after first taking the lead and then fighting back from two goals down.
The South American trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez reached a scorching 108 goals for the season following the La Liga leaders' 8-0 destruction of Cordoba on Saturday but the team's defence is yet to dispel doubts
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola weathered his first major crisis at the German club, coming out stronger after his team crushed Porto 7-4 on aggregate on Tuesday to move into the Champions League last four.
Injury-ravaged Bayern Munich beat Hoffenheim 2-0 on Saturday, shrugging off a string of absences and their midweek Champions League defeat at Porto to close in on the Bundesliga title.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances