Manchester City crushed Watford 6-0 in the FA Cup final on Saturday
Pep Guardiola's insatiable team were already thinking beyond the magnificent 2018-19 campaign and contemplating a third straight English title win next season with the Spaniard having said they will get even better.
Summary of all that transpired on and off the football field
But such was Pep Guardiola's team's domination of the Premier League last season that reinforcements hardly seemed necessary and the solitary addition of Riyad Mahrez makes an already potent attack even more fearsome.
Here are five talking points from the weekend's action:
Real Madrid restored their five-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the Primera Liga by winning 3-2 at Recreativo Huelva.
Manchester City thrashed Stoke City 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday to leapfrog Arsenal into third place in the Premier League.
Lionel Messi is back in the Argentina squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Colombia after missing the last three due to injury in which his team have dropped seven points. Messi was named on Friday in coach Edgardo Bauza's 26-man squad and will captain Argentina away to arch-rivals Brazil in Belo Horizonte on Nov. 10 and at home against Colombia in San Juan five days later. Argentina have slipped down the South American group standings to fifth after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Paraguay and 2-2 draws with Peru and Venezuela, all without Messi.
Players from European champions Barcelona made up nearly half of UEFA's Team of the Year which was revealed on Friday, while Cristiano Ronaldo made the lineup for a record 10th time. Eight players from La Liga were included in the final XI, voted for by 7.2 million UEFA.com users from a 40-strong shortlist. Lionel Messi, Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and Neymar were the Barcelona players included, while Real Madrid provided Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez.
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City beat champions Chelsea 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday to extend their lead to 18 points and leave the London side further adrift from the Champions League qualification spots.
Talking points from this weekend's Premier League action as top two Manchester City and Liverpool both won with City remaining a point clear with two games remaining.
Fernando Torres capitalised on a defensive blunder to score a last-minute winner and secure Chelsea a 2-1 Premier League victory over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
Table toppers Chelsea have seen their lead reduced to just six points thanks to a revival from reigning champions Manchester City. If Chelsea slip, City can pile on the pressure to make the EPL battle a little interesting.
Mauro Zarate grabbed an 86th-minute winner as Argentina triumphed in the world Under-20 championship for the sixth time, coming from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 on Sunday.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi pulled his side level in the 57th minute after a handball by Paraguay's Ivan Peris which no-one on the pitch appealed for but was spotted by a VAR review.
Sampaoli looked morose after Argentina's heaviest defeat in a World Cup group stage since 1958 and appeared resigned to his side's fate.
Manchester City made sure of third place in the Premier League when they romped to a 5-0 win at Watford on Sunday to ensure a Champions League berth for next season.
The Argentina captain turns 31 in a few days and may be playing his last World Cup. He would need to win it to rival fellow great Diego Maradona for the eternal love of his compatriots.
ManchesterCity's hopes of regaining the Premier League title suffered a potentially grievous blow on Saturday as they were held to a goalless draw by struggling NorwichCity at Carrow Road.
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has warned his players that Manchester City's 'magicians' can pick up three points even if the Foxes play a perfect game, when both sides meet in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Photos from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday
It was a wonder that Louis van Gaal's face did not turn as scarlet as his team's shirts.
Juventus's hopes of reaching the Champions League last eight suffered a blow when the two-times European Cup winners slumped to a 1-0 defeat in their last-16 first leg at Olympique Lyonnais on Wednesday. Manchester City finally produced a Champions League performance worthy of their status as one of European football's elite clubs by beating Real Madrid 2-1 away in Wednesday's last-16 first leg after pulling off a stunning late fightback.
A round-up Wednesday's football news on and off the field.
Manager Arsene Wenger wants Arsenal to reinforce their title credentials by beating Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday and called on his players to show no fear at the Etihad Stadium.
A round-up of Tuesday night's matches in the UEFA Champions League.
Barcelona were held to a 1-1 home draw, a result which leaves the champions three points behind league leaders Sevilla.
Samir Nasri has warned his Manchester City team mates that failure to beat Sunderland in Sunday's Capital One Cup final could derail a season that currently has them in contention for four trophies.
Xherdan Shaqiri inspired StokeCity to a convincing 2-0 victory over Premier League leaders ManchesterCity in blustery conditions at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.
Ten-man Manchester City staged a dramatic comeback with late goals from Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling securing them a 3-2 win at Schalke 04 in their Champions League Round of 16 first leg.
Whatever happens in the title battle between Manchester City and Liverpool, which will go down to the final day of the season
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
British media reported that the fee for the 24-year-old would be around 75 million pounds ($96.68 million), making him the club's second most expensive signing after last year's world record deal for French midfielder Paul Pogba.
Argentina start as hot favourites to beat Iceland in their opening World Cup Group D match on Saturday but the toughest opponent for the runners-up four years ago may be themselves rather than the tiny tournament debutants.
Manchester City's barnstorming start to the English soccer season, producing five straight wins, is in danger of becoming a fading memory after consecutive defeats by West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur allowed Manchester United to knock them off the top of the table.
Argentina have cancelled their final World Cup warmup match against Israel, striker Gonzalo Higuain said on Tuesday, as political pressure grew ahead of Saturday's scheduled fixture in Jerusalem.
Media reports said former England manager Roy Hodgson was in line to replace De Boer at Selhurst Park.
It would take an "astronomical fee" for Swansea City to part with in-form Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony, manager Gary Monk said on Monday.
Manchester City beat Dynamo Kiev 3-1 during their UEFA Champions League round of 16, first leg match in Kiev on Wednesday.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continued his dream start as Manchester United caretaker manager with a 3-1 Premier League win over Huddersfield on his Old Trafford debut in the dugout on Wednesday.
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