Spanish media predicted the end of the Primera Liga title race on Monday after leaders Real Madrid went eight points clear of Barcelona at the weekend.
The brain may be sharp as ever, but the legs seem heavier, the pace worryingly slower. He's still only 32, but the strain of a decade-and-a-half of paranormal activity on the pitch may just be piling up.
Cristiano Ronaldo netted a first-half penalty as injury-depleted Real Madrid recovered from their derby defeat by Atletico Madrid at the weekend with a 3-1 win at Levante on Wednesday.
Top two teams in each group qualify for the first knockout round. Third placed team to play in the UEFA Cup.
Goals from the prolific duo of Luis Suarez and Neymar earned Barcelona a tight 2-1 win at Las Palmas on Saturday to propel them nine points clear at the top of La Liga.
Real Madrid secured a club record 16th straight victory when Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale struck in a laboured 2-1 win at Malaga on Saturday that put them five points clear of second-placed Barcelona in La Liga.
Real Madrid fought back after a sending off and going a goal down to snatch a dramatic 2-1 victory at Osasuna and win their 31st Spanish league title on Sunday. With three matches left to play, Real have an unassailable 10-point lead over Villarreal at the top of the table.
Ten-man Sevilla climbed to second in the Primera Liga with a 3-1 comeback win at Deportivo Coruna on Saturday, moving above Valencia who were held to a 3-3 draw at home by Villarreal.
Manchester United fans' plane-carried messages obsession has taken a step ahead with their latest effort reportedly attempted to bring their former forward Cristiano Ronaldo back home to Old Trafford.
Real Madrid beat Sevilla 3-1 at the Bernabeu to move six points clear at the top of the Primera Liga.
Thierry Henry scored a hat-trick as Barcelona crushed Valencia 4-0 at the Nou Camp to move six points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Saturday.
Midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme, an outcast at his club Villarreal, scored two majestic free kicks to give Argentina a 2-0 win over Chile in their opening World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
Real Madrid charged seven points clear at the top of the Primera Liga after a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao.
Lionel Messi netted the 400th goal of his storied career on Saturday as Barcelona trounced Granada 6-0 to maintain the pace at the top of La Liga.
The Catalans made a lethargic start and fell behind in the 16th minute when striker Joseba Llorente bundled the ball into the net but they salvaged a point when Ronaldinho equalised with a neat finish just before halftime.
Real Madrid hit four goals in a devastating first-half spell as they beat Valencia 5-1 in the La Liga.
Javier Saviola and Wesley Sneijder set up champions Real Madrid for a laboured 3-1 victory over 10-man Almeria in the Primera Liga on Saturday.
Barca's second-half stamina key to their massive lead in the standings this season
Atletico Madrid's faint hopes of chasing down runaway Liga leaders Barcelona suffered a fresh blow on Saturday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Girona, meaning they could fall 11 points behind the Catalans by the end of the weekend.
Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron's remote chances of playing at the World Cup dwindled further after his ugly clash with captain Juan Pablo Sorin during Tuesday's Champions League match.
The 21-year-old is the latest youngster to join Atletico who have also brought in Argentine forward Luciano Vietto from Villarreal since the end of last season.
Barcelona's 100 per cent start to the season was ended by Catalonian neighbours Girona, who picked up a draw at the Nou Camp, allowing Real Madrid to take advantage with a victory over Espanyol.
With seven games left to play in the Primera Liga, Barcelona are one point ahead of Sevilla and two clear of arch-rivals Real.
The Manchester United manager refused to blame his strikers following their 0-0 Champions League draw with Villarreal.
The Ivory Coast international gave the Londoners a 1-0 victory over Villarreal in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
IMAGES from soccer matches played in the EPL, La Liga and Serie A on Tuesday.
Champions League favourites Barcelona face an all-Iberian derby with Benfica in the quarterfinal
Espanyol secured a commanding lead in their King's Cup quarter-final tie against Sevilla when Felipe Caicedo, Sergio Garcia, with a penalty, and Lucas Vazquez scored in a 3-1 first-leg home win on Thursday.
Chelsea will be hoping to emulate London rivals Arsenal by beating Barcelona in their Champions League first knockout round tie.
Striker Aduriz opened the scoring in the sixth minute at the San Mames with a trademark header before midfielder Garcia, who joined from Atletico Madrid last month, nodded in a second in the 24th minute.
Barcelona forward Ronaldinho turned on the style as he steered his side to an emphatic 4-0 win at home Villarreal that put them four points clear at the top of the Primera Liga.
Manchester United took over at the top of the Premier League while Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi could be out for up to two months with a knee injury and rampant Bayern Munich extended their perfect start to seven league wins.
The former European champions face the prospect of elimination from the Champions League should they lose to Villarreal.
The Argentine teenager has been out of action after he tore a thigh muscle during the Champions League match against Chelsea
Arsenal, Olympique Lyon and Villarreal try to venture into the unknown this week when the second legs of the Champions League quarter-finals take place.
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