A tactical switch by Arsene Wenger has made free-scoring Arsenal look like title contenders before Saturday's Premier League trip to champions Manchester United.
Arsenal eased into the group stages of the Champions League on Wednesday by outclassing Celtic 3-1 to enter Thursday's draw where they will be joined by Fiorentina, VfB Stuttgart, Olympiakos and APOEL Nicosia.
Arsenal, VfB Stuttgart and Olympiakos Piraeus all scored 2-0 away wins in their final Champions League playoff matches on Tuesday to take a big stride towards the group stage before next week's second legs.
Former Celtic boss Gordon Strachan was appointed manager of Championship (second division) team Middlesbrough on Monday.
New Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp made it three wins from his last three matches with a 1-0 success at Rubin Kazan in Russia that left them second in Group B, two points behind Swiss club Sion on Thursday.
Here is a list of athletes, some of who just turned up the heat while some created ripples with their bold photos. Scroll down to find out who these athletes are...
Manchester United equalled a Champions League record of 19 games without defeat and secured top spot in Group E following a 2-2 draw with Danish underdogs AaB Aalborg on Wednesday. Despite the draw, United ensured they would finish as group winners after their nearest rivals, Villarreal, were beaten by already-eliminated Celtic in Wednesday's other Group E encounter.
Images from the English Premier League matches on Saturday.
Group C leaders Barcelona should make it four wins from four matches against pointless Basel on Tuesday in the Champions League, while holders Manchester United can book their last 16 place with victory at Celtic.
If your blood pressure is high, do not fret. Just breathe slowly, turn on some quiet, slow rhythmic music and watch your blood pressure tumble drastically. According to researchers at the American Society of Hypertension's 23rd Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition, patients with mild hypertension who listened to just half an hour of classical, Celtic or raga music a day for four weeks experienced significant reductions in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure.
Seven-times champions AC Milan, knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona in the last two seasons, were drawn against the Catalans again in the group stage of this season's competition on Friday.
Arsenal's young guns continued to shine as they dismantled Standard Liege 4-0 on a hectic night of Europa League action that produced a full house of Spanish victories on Thursday. A summary of the matches.
Champions Manchester United progressed with a goalless draw at Villarreal, which was also enough to send the Spaniards through from Group E in the Champions League.
Steve Finn helped England dominate Australia in another Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Friday to take a 2-1 series lead. A day later, there were celebrations across China as Beijing won the rights to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. And, on Sunday, Premier League club Arsenal finally won bragging rights after beating Chelsea 1-0 to clinch the Community Shield to kick-start their season on a positive note. Rediff.com has all this and a lot more action from the week gone by, snapped right here!
On a good night for English clubs in the Europa League, Manchester United hammered AZ Alkmaar 4-0, while Wolverhampton Wanderers also thrashed Besiktas 4-0 in Group K, and Arsenal came from two goals down to draw 2-2 away to Standard Liege and finish first in their pool. The upset of the night came in Group J as Crivelli scored a 90th-minute winner against Borussia Moenchengladbach to send Basaksehir through and knock the Germans out, with AS Roma grabbing the runner-up spot thanks to a 2-2 home draw with Wolfsberger as the Europa League group stage concluded on Thursday.
IMAGES from soccer matches played across Europe on Saturday.
The nine-times European champions finished second on goal difference in Group H of the Champions League behind Juventus, who were held 0-0 at home by BATE Borisov.
Yaya Toure has been left out of Manchester City's Champions League squad by coach Pep Guardiola, further undermining the Ivorian's position at the club. Toure, a mainstay of the City midfield since joining from Guardiola's Barcelona in 2010, has failed to start any of the club's opening three Premier League matches. He has only played once this season, in the second leg of the Champions League playoff tie against Steaua Bucharest, when they already had a 5-0 lead from the first encounter.
Inspired by two-goal Alessandro Del Piero, Juventus chalked up their first win at Real Madrid since 1962 by beating the Spaniards 2-0 to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.
Ireland's most prolific goal-scorer Robbie Keane announced his retirement on Wednesday after an 18-year career in which he scored 67 goals for his country to put him 15th on the list of all-time international marksmen.
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.
The Champions League burst into life on Tuesday with 36 goals in eight matches, including 24 in just three games, to equal a competition record.
Defensive injury concerns for veteran squad leader Vincent Kompany and Barcelona's Thomas Vermaelen have eased and coach Roberto Martinez has sent standby defender Laurent Ciman home.
Barcelona beat Celtic away, holders AC Milan and Arsenal drew goalless while Fenerbahce beat Spanish rivals Sevilla in Wednesday's other Champions League last 16 first-leg matches.
Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes lack of European football will be an advantage for the club in the Premier League and same will be the case for Chelsea.
Strict rules govern transfers, with clubs able to negotiate terms with players only if they are out of contract or once a fee has been agreed with the seller. The laws also govern indirect approaches via an intermediary.
Olympique Lyon and Fenerbahce filled the last two Champions League knockout places after wins over Rangers and CSKA Moscow.
Miami Heat forward LeBron James won his second successive NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award after leading his team to victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Thursday's championship decider.
Celtic manager believes the authority of world football's two most powerful organisations will eventually be ended by businessmen.
Struggling holders AC Milan will be without suspended goalkeeper Dida for the Champions League group match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
- George Best, one of the most talented footballers to grace the 'beautiful game'.
Palpreet Singh, winner of the ACG-NBA Jump National Finals, India's first national basketball talent search program, was selected 11th in the fourth Round of the NBA D-League Draft held in New York.
AC Milan were stunned 2-1 by Celtic while Liverpool lost 0-1 to Olympique Marseille in the Champions League.
Kaka converted a second-half penalty to earn AC Milan a 1-1 draw with lowly Catania at San Siro as the European champions' poor domestic form continued.
Barcelona's 2-1 loss at Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League last week was down to a lack of intensity while Sunday's 1-0 reverse at Athletic Bilbao in La Liga exposed their relative physical frailty.
The 38-year-old defender became only the fifth player, and first Italian, to notch up 100 Champions League appearances.
Jeev Milkha Singh blasted a brilliant hat-trick of birdies on the back nine for a flawless six-under 65 to finish tied third at the Celtic Manor Wales Open in New Port.
The England midfielder has been struggling to recover from an injury to his left ankle.
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