This and more from the happenings in the world of football
Jose Mourinho believes football is only about winning and that managers who favour a possession-dominated beautiful game and neglect steely defence and lethal counter-attacking are "stupid".
Images from the Europa League semi-final first leg matches on Thursday.
Manchester United may field weakened teams in the league if a top-four finish seems beyond them in order to boost their chances of winning the Europa League, manager Jose Mourinho said.
The 24 sides through from the group phase join the eight third-placed finishers in the Champions League in Monday's draw, including Manchester United and Ajax Amsterdam.
The UEFA on Thursday also opened disciplinary probes into the Portuguese coach's sending-off at the Bernabeu and subsequent outburst after Wednesday's bad-tempered clash, which Barca won 2-0.
Solskjaer took over as caretaker manager following the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December and United have secured 10 wins in 11 games under his charge.
The Wolfsburg winger reckons he didn't enjoy Jose Mourinho's trust during his stay at Stamford Bridge
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo repeated allegations that referees favour Barcelona after his side were eliminated from the Champions League by their bitter rivals in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Toronto FC's Justin Morrow, executive director of the Black Players for Change organization, said MLS players wanted to add their voices to the movement.
Having headed into the match tied on 47 league goals with West Ham's former stalwart Paolo Di Canio, Antonio was delighted to have surpassed the Italian as he celebrated by lifting a cardboard cut-out of himself at the side of the pitch.
Images from UEFA Europa League semi-finals played on Thursday.
Barcelona's Brazilian forward Ronaldinho will sign for AC Milan on Wednesday, the Italian club has said. The Serie A side, who finished fifth last season and will be in the UEFA Cup this term, beat off competition from English Premier League club Manchester City for the 28-year-old.
UEFA said on Thursday that they will probe the matter and opened disciplinary proceedings against England on the matter.
Seven-time European champions AC Milan hit back from two goals down against Celtic to claim a 4-2 victory that sent them into the Europa League knockout phase on Thursday as they were among 14 teams to progress in Europe's second-tier competition.
Chelsea lost their opening Premier League game with Lampard in charge 4-0 to Manchester United on Sunday and face Liverpool in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Be it the jam-packed stadiums at the UEFA Champions League, the intense trans-Tasman rivalry in cricket, there are certain events that enthralls fans. Brendon McCullum blasting into history with the fastest Test hundred in his farewell Test; but that wasn't enough as Australia completed a 2-0 clean sweep of the Kiwis. Rohit Sharma, yet again showing why is considered to be a special talent in limited-overs cricket as India thrashed host Bangladesh in the Asia Cup opener. In Champions League football, Lionel Messi's Barcelona proving too hot for old-rivals Arsenal. Be ready to be amazed as Rediff.com encapsulates all the sporting action from the past week in this super photo feature.
Tottenham Hotspur have shown impressive durability in the Premier League lately, but they will need to be at their most steadfast to deny champions and league leaders Manchester City who travel to Wembley on Monday.
'I start my 60th with these marvellous messages that you've all sent me. Thank you.'
RB Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer scored two early goals as they eased past last year's Champions League finalists Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 in their last 16 second leg tie on Tuesday to reach their first quarter-finals.
Barcelona will meet Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals following the draw on Friday while Manchester City face Tottenham Hotspur in an all-Premier League clash.
Belgian league leaders Antwerp secured a shock 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan extended their unbeaten run to 23 games as they won 3-0 against Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday, while Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 win over Dundalk.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Paris St Germain will play Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona were pitted against an unpredictable Napoli, while Chelsea were drawn against Bayern Munich. City, who will be at home in the second leg, have yet to beat the Spanish side with two draws and two defeats in their previous four meetings.
'By giving cameras unimpeded access to their world-class training facilities and coaches, and by showing off Guardiola's genius, All Or Nothing is a striking show of power, a declaration of their conviction of being the bigger club in Manchester,' says Dhruv Munjal.
Carlo Ancelotti has become Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's latest managerial victim, just 366 days after delivering the club their much-awaited La Decima, a 10th Champions League title.
A stunning free kick from Willian seven minutes from time gave Chelsea a nervy and hard-fought 2-1 UEFA Champions League Group G win over Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday to lift some of the gloom surrounding Stamford Bridge.
Striker Costa ends second spell at Atletico Madrid.
A Chelsea deal for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi would be impossible under financial fair play rules, assistant coach Steve Holland said on Friday.
'Every time he plays for us he is improving. He's a great athlete, wins his challenges and is quick on his feet. He started settling us to be fair'
Three time European champions Inter Milan were stunned 2-0 at home by Israeli side Hapoel Beer-Sheva and Manchester United were floored by a late goal from Feyenoord as the Europa League group stage got underway on Thursday.
Schalke 04 halted the Chelsea juggernaut when they drew 1-1 in their Champions League Group G opener at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, handing a wake-up call to the London club who had won their first four games of the season.
'Solskjaer has improved morale by freeing players from the shackles with which Mourinho had bound them.' 'He has made his team a happier bunch of people,' says Suhit K Sen.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
We want to fight for that title and we are very excited to see the draw, says Ander Herrera
The 30-year-old joins Luke Shaw in the treatment room after the left back pulled out of the England squad with an injury on Monday.
Defiant 10-man Porto upset Juventus to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate draw despite losing 3-2 to the Italians following extra time in a thrilling clash that went to the wire on Tuesday.
Chelsea skipper John Terry has hit back at Zlatan Ibrahimovic's description of his team mates as 'babies'.
