Chelsea striker Demba Ba struck twice on his debut as the FA Cup holders enjoyed a 5-1 drubbing of Southampton in the third round on Saturday and Robin van Persie's majestic last-gasp equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Manchester United at West Ham.
Super substitute Demba Ba slide home Chelsea's second goal to secure a semi-final place.
Chelsea snatched a dramatic late goal through Demba Ba to beat Paris St Germain 2-0 and reach the Champions League semi-finals on the away goals rule on another memorable European night at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
European football is incomplete without African flavours and players like Chelsea's Senegalese striker Demba Ba and Juventus's Ghanaian Asamoah Kwadwo lifted the game with their superb skill in their respective football matches over the weekend. Rediff.com presents a round-up of the interesting matches and the footballers of the weekend.
Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 in a dramatic and emotionally-charged game at Anfield on Sunday to move within touching distance of the Premier League title.
Chelsea are in the last chance saloon as far as a trophy goes and Fernando Torres, complete with his 'Mask of Zorro', must continue his recent improvement in swashbuckling style in Thursday's Europa League semi-finals.
Holders Chelsea should have striker Demba Ba and defender Ryan Bertrand available for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against ManchesterCity at Wembley.
Chelsea surged seven points clear at the top of the Premier League after a 4-0 demolition of London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Chelsea will be without captain John Terry for Saturday's Premier League match at home to relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic as the centre back has an inflamed knee, manager Rafael Benitez said.
Chelsea's fading Premier League title hopes suffered another unexpected blow when Southampton fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with the European champions on Wednesday.
European champions Chelsea have been given the blessing of Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew to sign Senegal striker Demba Ba after his release clause was triggered on Wednesday.
A brilliant goal by Demba Ba gave Chelsea a 1-0 win over Manchester United in an FA Cup sixth-round replay at Stamford Bridge on Monday, securing the holders a semi-final against Manchester City.
Manchester United missed the chance to make significant inroads into Manchester City's lead at the top of the Premier League after stumbling to a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Demba Ba helped injury-hit Newcastle United end a sequence of four successive English Premier League defeats by grabbing two goals in a 3-0 victory over 10-man Wigan Athletic on Monday.
Sunderland drew with Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light while Queens Park Rangers and Everton also drew at Loftus Road.
Newcastle United striker Demba Ba struck in the last minute to salvage a 2-2 draw with Everton in a pulsating Premier League match at Goodison Park on Monday.
Demba Ba scored a hat-trick as Newcastle United continued their impressive start to the season with a deserved 3-1 win at Stoke City in the Premier League on Monday.
Champions Manchester United suffered a second straight Premier League defeat on Wednesday, losing 3-0 to Newcastle United to leave Manchester City three points clear at the top of the table.
Istanbul Basaksehir's players, closely followed by their opponents Paris St Germain, walked off the pitch during a Champions League soccer game on Tuesday after the Turkish club accused a match official of racism.
Brazil forward Robinho ended his third spell at Santos on Tuesday with local media reporting he was set to join up with former Selecao coach Luiz Felipe Scolari at Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande.
Napoli's Marek Hamsik enjoyed a memorable return to his former club Slovan Bratislava, scoring one and creating another, in a 2-0 victory on Thursday as the Italians joined five others who made it two wins from two in the Europa League group stage.
If reports are to be believed, it is a video posted online that has got the Portuguese's goat. According to the European press, Canal Plus, a French TV channel put up a video where Mourinho has questioned the quality of strikers in his Chelsea squad.
Jose Mourinho has played down Chelsea's chances of winning silverware this season, because they lack a killer "selfish" striker.
The half court challenge allows a player five attempts to make a basket from a distance of 47ft (half court).
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says his Manchester United counterpart David Moyes should shoulder the blame for Wayne Rooney's desire to leave Old Trafford after suggesting he was a second-choice striker.
Eden Hazard is admired for his attacking flair, ability to run at defences and finishing but it is his maverick genius that sets him apart.
Diego Costa left the Stamford Bridge pitch to exultant cheers after a hat-trick against Swansea City on Saturday highlighted a breathless start to a Chelsea career for a team that has been designed around him.
Tottenham Hotspur's Erik Lamela scored a stunning 'rabona' goal to light up Thursday's Europa League ties, wrapping his left boot round the back of his right leg 20 metres out and blasting the ball into the top corner.
Rewind five years and Liverpool hosted Chelsea with three games remaining, knowing victory would have left them six points clear and a first league title since 1990 almost secure.
Steven Gerrard knew it was time to leave Liverpool when he was omitted from the starting lineup for their Champions League group match at Real Madrid last November.
While he never managed to win an English league title medal with Liverpool, Gerrard will forever be associated with the Champions League final in 2005 when Liverpool fought back from 3-0 down at halftime to win on penalties in Istanbul.
Aguero will not start against Man United: Guardiola.
Chelsea have not given up hope of signing unsettled Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, Blues manager Jose Mourinho has said.
Liverpool's hopes of winning their first title in 24 years suffered a huge setback when they lost 2-0 at home to Chelsea and Manchester City took advantage with a 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace.
Juventus progressed to the Champions League last 16 after a Cristiano Ronaldo goal and a late header from substitute Alvaro Morata gave them a comeback 2-1 home win over Hungarians Ferencvaros on Tuesday.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid led a Spanish Armada into the Champions League last 16 with home wins on Wednesday and in-form Aaron Ramsey steadied Arsenal's boat with a battling win against rocky Borussia Dortmund.
It is testament to Steven Gerrard's ability that his Liverpool career will be remembered for heroic acts of willpower that ensured no deficit was irretrievable and no opponent unbeatable, rather than the league title that eluded him.
Images from the Europa League matches played on Thursday
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
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