The Dutchman burst through the middle of the pitch and laid the ball off for Messi to dribble into the net for an 18th league goal of the season, extending his lead at the top of the scoring charts.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is itching to get back into action in Wednesday's Champions League last 16, first leg at Schalke 04 after serving a three-match La Liga ban, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday.
Saul Niguez's second-half strike gave Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win at home to Las Palmas on Saturday, their first victory in four games in all competitions.
Spanish World Cup striker David Villa has signed for New York City FC on a three-year deal, the Major League Soccer team said on Monday.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has included Diego Costa in his final 23-man squad for the World Cup finals despite the Brazil-born forward's recent injury woes.
Clarence Seedorf will need to tap into all the experience he gained as the only player to win the Champions League with three different clubs if his AC Milan side are to get past Atletico Madrid into the quarter-finals.
A round-up of Friday's action in La Liga, and Bundesliga.
Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla would be happy to sign a new contract with Arsenal despite local media linking him with a move to La Liga side Atletico Madrid.
Disappointed Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said his players had fallen half-a-point short in a successful season after they lost the Champions League final 4-1 to city rivals Real on Saturday.
Real Madrid came back from the dead to write another glorious chapter in their history when they beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 in extra time helped by goals from Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo to win a 10th European Cup on Saturday.
Holders Barcelona were drawn on Friday to play Real Sociedad in the quarter-finals of the King's Cup while Celta Vigo will take on Real Madrid.
'I haven't always expressed myself well. I said I would like to play with Neymar and Mbappe, but that doesn't mean I want to go to PSG'
La Liga is set for one of its most thrilling finishes when Barcelona host leaders Atletico Madrid in a winner-takes-all showdown at the Nou Camp on the final day of the campaign on Saturday.
Diego Costa's season is getting better and better. The Atletico striker found the net again and took the Madrid team atop the La Liga table.
Barcelona forward Neymar has almost recovered from a foot injury and hopes to play in Saturday's Spanish league decider against Atletico Madrid, the Brazilian said in an internet chat with fans on Monday.
Real Madrid's La Liga title challenge was left hanging by a thread after a late Humberto Osorio header earned Real Valladolid a 1-1 draw and Cristiano Ronaldo suffered an injury on Wednesday.
Images from the weekend action in the Spanish League.
Rediff.com brings these and other big news from the sporting world, encapsulated in this photo feature...
There was one Chelsea player smiling after the club were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday - goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who is on loan at the Spanish side.
Real Madrid's rampant Cristiano Ronaldo looked to be back at his best as he scored at the start of each half to set up a 4-0 victory over lowly Osasuna and put the pressure back on La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
It did not clarify what the breach entailed but that it had occurred in July 2019, around the time Trippier joined Atletico Madrid for a reported 20 million pounds ($25 million).
Juventus moved closer to a third straight Serie A crown with a 1-0 victory over Bologna, Paris St Germain won the French League Cup by defeating Olympique Lyon 2-1 and Benfica clinched a first Portuguese title since 2010.
The draw interrupted a run of four straight league wins for Zinedine Zidane's side and left them second on 67 points after 31 games, three behind leaders Atletico who thrashed Eibar 5-0 earlier in the day.
'This is very special because of how much I suffered. My statistics show I've won five league titles in seven years.'
'You realise the fear when Barcelona could get knocked out. It would hurt UEFA a lot. I don't know what they have to do for someone to send one of them off'
A week ago, Barcelona still had a chance of repeating the historic treble of 2009 but defeats in Europe and La Liga mean Wednesday's King's Cup final against Real Madrid may be their only hope of major silverware this season.
The underdogs kept their noses in front as Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 to stay top of the Premier League and Atletico Madrid won 2-0 at Getafe to increase their lead in La Liga after Barcelona slipped up at lowly Granada. Read on to meet the players of the weekend...
Barcelona's nightmare week hit a new low when they followed up their Champions League exit with a shock 1-0 defeat at Granada on Saturday that left their bid for a fifth La Liga title in six years in serious jeopardy.
Atletico Madrid hope to have talismanic striker Diego Costa back fit against Barcelona on Wednesday when the La Liga leaders bid to pull off another Spanish surprise by reaching the Champions League semi-finals.
After falling 2-0 down on the night, substitute Marcos Llorente struck twice in extra-time and Alvaro Morata added a late third to ensure a famous victory for Diego Simeone's side against a Liverpool team unbeaten in their last 25 home games in European competition.
Atletico Madrid moved a step closer to an unlikely Spanish title triumph when they battled back from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win at fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Saturday.
Former Bayern Munich coach Flick takes over Germany to 2024
Barcelona have been keen to avoid overburdening new signing Neymar but Wednesday's Spanish Super Cup second leg at home to Atletico Madrid may see him included in the starting line-up for the first time.
Mandzukic signing adds to the Serie A champs' big haul of strikers as Paul Pogba is targetted by Barca and PSG among other clubs
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Cristiano Ronaldo struck midway through the first half as leaders Real Madrid won 1-0 at Malaga in La Liga on Saturday, while Atletico Madrid stayed hot on their heels after Diego Costa netted in a 1-0 victory over Espanyol.
Premier League leaders City said a statue will be erected outside the Etihad Stadium in the Argentine's honour, alongside those of his former team mates David Silva and Vincent Kompany.
Barcelona talisman has become just as dangerous from dead ball situations too
Images from the Champions League matches played across Europe on Tuesday.
Daniel Sturridge led Liverpool to a great win over Swansea while Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid to go top of the La Liga table, after shock defeats of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, with a 3-0 win over Elche at the weekend. Chelsea clung to top place in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Everton, while Bayern Munich opened a 19-point lead in the Bundesliga with their 14th successive league win while closest rivals Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund lost. Rediff.com brings you a glance of the footballers of the weekend.
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