Bayern Munich came from a goal down to ease past hosts Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 on Saturday and remain firmly on course to retain the Bundesliga title with four games remaining. The Bavarians are within touching distance of their eighth consecutive league crown, but Leverkusen's 17-year-old Florian Wirtz stole some of the spotlight at the end, becoming the youngest Bundesliga scorer when he netted in the 89th minute.
A round-up of Saturday's action in La Liga and the Bundesliga.
LaLiga leaders Barcelona's pursuit of a 27th Spanish title gained momentum after a 2-1 comeback win over Real Madrid.
Barcelona eased into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 4-1 aggregate victory over Manchester City on Wednesday and Paris St Germain joined them after overwhelming Bayer Leverkusen 6-1 over the two legs of their last-16 tie.
Arsenal will have another chance to beat Bayern Munich in a Champions League knockout tie after the sides were paired in the round of 16 following Monday's draw. The teams met in the knockout stages in 2005, 2013 and 2014 with the German champions winning on all three occasions. Bayern, who finished as runners-up in their group, will host the first leg.
All the latest news from the summer transfer window...
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo set a Champions League group phase scoring record on Tuesday as Bayer Leverkusen and Olympiakos Piraeus reached the last 16 and snow forced Galatasaray's match with Juventus to be abandoned.
The teams finished level at 3-3 on aggregate in the tie but the Lisbon club advanced to the quarter-finals after Adan kept out Martinelli's weak effort.
Manchester United's veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs was outstanding in a commanding midfield role as United outclassed the Germans to book their place in the knockout phase of the Champions league.
Real Madrid, Manchester United and Paris St Germain reached the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday on a night when the goals flowed all over Europe.
Christian Pulisic has had a season to forget for Chelsea but in the blue shirt of his beloved United States he scored the goal that gave them their first win at the 2022 World Cup and a spot in the last-16.
Manchester United breezed into the next round with a 6-1 aggregate win over Club Brugge
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.
Cristiano Ronaldo's hat-trick for Real Madrid illuminated an opening night goals bonanza as the leading contenders began the Champions League group stage with a bang on Tuesday.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard believes his side are a long way short of the levels of Premier League Champions Liverpool and Manchester City, who have set the benchmark in terms of consistency. Lampard's Chelsea, currently third in the league, visit title winners Liverpool on Wednesday, chasing the three points they need to secure Champions League football next season.
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.
Wayne Rooney scored twice against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday to reach 200 Manchester United goals as he enjoys a new lease of life under David Moyes who thinks he can become one of the club's greatest predators.
Wayne Rooney scored twice against Bayer Leverkusen to reach 200 Manchester United goals as he enjoys a new lease of life under David Moyes who thinks he can become one of the club's greatest predators.
Former Germany captain Michael Ballack's farewell match in Leipzig on Wednesday was overshadowed by the potential transfer of Andre Schuerrle to Chelsea with German media reporting a deal has been agreed.
Inter Milan and Bayer Leverkusen cruised into the Europa League knockout stage with emphatic wins on Thursday but holders Atletico Madrid and former winners Liverpool suffered surprise defeats.
Soccer in Germany has been suspended for almost a month and the German Football League (DFL) has said the ban will remain in place for the top divisions at least until April 30. Clubs, however, were given the all clear to resume training this week, with champions Bayern Munich deciding to train players in small groups to minimise the risk of infection.
A wrap of the football matches played across Europe over the weekend.
Lionel Messi's knack for finding the net continued for an 18th consecutive league match as Barcelona restored their 13-point lead in La Liga.
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich suffered their first league defeat in 18 months when they slumped to a 1-0 loss at Augsburg on Saturday as Sascha Moelder's first-half strike ended their record 53-game unbeaten league run.
The hosts could have snatched victory in the last action of the game but Michael Gregoritsch's point-blank header was saved by Lukas Hradecky.
Bayern Munich demolished Schalke 04 4-0 with two goals from David Alaba to open a 15-point gap at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday as champions Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen slipped up.
Gladbach dominated the first half and missed a string of chances, with Freiburg goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow denying Plea and Lars Stindl in quick succession as the home side defended desperately.
Holders Bayern Munich beat Bayer Leverkusen 5-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw to move into the German Cup semi-final and stay on course for a treble of titles on Wednesday.
If two or more clubs are level on points at the end of the group stage, a number of criteria will be taken into consideration to decide the qualifiers for the next round, starting with the head-to-head record among the teams in question. It then goes to superior goal difference and then goals scored in those matches.
Robert Lewandowski struck twice as champions Bayern Munich eased past Freiburg 3-1 on Saturday to secure a record 15th win in a row and the Pole became the first foreign player to score 33 goals in a Bundesliga season. Erling Haaland scored twice as Borussia Dortmund beat closest challengers RB Leipzig 2-0 away on Saturday to wrap up second place in the Bundesliga.
Women's Bundesliga can restart on May 29, says the German Football Association (DFB).
Bayern Munich retained their two-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a nervous 3-1 victory against Mainz 05 on Saturday as champions Borussia Dortmund kept up the chase with a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Mario Mandzukic scored one goal and created the other as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich pulled 11 points clear of their nearest title rivals with a 2-0 victory at VfB Stuttgart on Sunday.
Thirteen teams have now qualified for the last 32 including Bayer Leverkusen, FC Zurich and Lazio who had already secured places in the next stage of the competition.
Former Germany captain Michael Ballack announced his retirement at the age of 36 on Tuesday to end a career in which he played for Bayern Munich and Chelsea and helped his country reach the 2002 World Cup final.
Atletico Madrid have temporarily cut players' and coaches' wages by 70% in order to cope with the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but guaranteed a full salary for their other employees, the Spanish club said
Since the billionaire from Russia took control of the London club in 2003, Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti have all left Stamford Bridge after failing to reach the Holy Grail.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech returned to full training on Tuesday after a knee ligament injury, handing the Premier League club a boost before their Champions League opener against Bayer Leverkusen next week.
Lionel Messi played down his impact at Barcelona on Monday, saying coach Pep Guardiola is more important to the Catalans.
He will become Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's second signing following the arrival of Germany forward Andre Schuerrle from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen last month.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances