Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 home draw by Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg in the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final on Thursday. The Bundesliga leaders led through Franck Ribery's 18th-minute goal but, Brazil defender Lucio deflected a cross from Viktor Fayzulin past Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn for the shock equaliser on the hour.
Franck Ribery scored from a penalty as France beat England 1-0 in David Beckham's 100th appearance for his country at the Stade de France on Wednesday. The 32-year-old Beckham started the match to become only the fifth English player in 136 years of international soccer to achieve a century of appearances for his country.
Both have been robustly muscular leaders who began as immensely charismatic politicians conveying an impression that they were makers of history, raring to go. Both have been hyperactive on the world stage. But in the final analysis, Abe is departing on a sombre note, unceremoniously and apologetically, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
German champions Bayern Munich sacked coach Carlo Ancelotti on Thursday, a day after they suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat to Paris St Germain in the Champions League.
Newcomers Franck Ribery and Luca Toni were on target to help Bayern Munich to a brilliant 4-0 win at Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld was relieved to see Bayern Munich restore normal service at the Allianz Arena with a 2-0 win over Karlsruhe on Saturday.
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The Indian finished\nsecond in private testing for the Williams Formula One team at the Jerez circuit in Madrid.
Manchester United beat AC Milan 5-4 on penalties after their International Champions Cup match in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium ended 2-2 in regulation time on Saturday.
2004 Champions League finalists Monaco were eliminated 2-1 on aggregate by Swiss side Basel.
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola set a Bundesliga record after needing only 61 matches for his 50th league win when the champions beat Borussia Dortmund 1-0 on Saturday to march towards the title.
Renault should have given Frenchman Franck Montagny a chance to race in Formula One rather than drafting in Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, according to former champion Alain Prost.
Lionel Messi dragged a nervous Barcelona to a 1-0 win at home to Levante in La Liga, while Cristiano Ronaldo converted two late penalties on his 100th appearance for Juventus in all competitions as the Serie A titleholders ground out a 3-1 win away to a dogged Genoa side.
Arsenal equalled Nottingham Forest's 42-match unbeaten league record beating Middlesbrough 5-3 at Highbury.
The Indian racing ace had a good weekend in the the Superfund World Series races in Barcelona.
He now has 80 points in the drivers' championship, and is a distant second to Montagny who has 168 points.
Cristiano Ronaldo has patched up his rift with Sepp Blatter following the FIFA president's hairdresser jibe and apparent imitation of the Portuguese international.
Veteran Francesco Totti scored a stoppage-time winner from a penalty in his first appearance of the season as Roma beat Sampdoria 3-2 in Serie A on Sunday. The 39-year-old former Italy international has now scored in 23 consecutive league seasons for Roma. Sunday's goal lifted the team to within two points of early leaders Juventus, who defeated Sassuolo 3-1 on Saturday.
German fans have finally got their wish for a more exciting Bundesliga season and the title race will really hot up when leaders Bayern Munich lock horns with Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Bayern's shock 2-1 defeat by Mainz 05 at the Allianz Arena in midweek means a home victory for second-placed Dortmund at the weekend would lift them within two points of the Bavarians with nine matches to go. Such is the worldwide interest in the top of the table clash, it will be broadcast to 208 countries. "Everyone wanted more suspense in the Bundesliga. Now you have it so all is well," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola told reporters. "We are not perfect. Sometimes you have to lose to understand what you need to do in order to become an even better team." Bayern, who are chasing a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga crown, had an 11-point lead earlier in the season. The defeat by Mainz and a 2-2 draw at Juventus in their Champions League last-16 first leg, after leading 2-0, have raised alarm bells among the supporters. "The results against Juve and Mainz were not good but our performances were," said Guardiola who is leaving at the end of the season to join Manchester City.
A goalless draw against Sevilla on Wednesday was enough to send Bayern Munich into the Champions League last four with a 2-1 aggregate victory to keep their hopes of a treble-winning season alive.
Lionel Messi scored a penalty for the third Champions League game in a row with the Spaniards maintaining their winning start to the group stage.
Robert Lewandowski's hat-trick helped give coach Carlo Ancelotti a flying start to his first Bundesliga campaign as Bayern Munich cruised to an easy 6-0 win over Werder Bremen at the Allianz Arena on Friday.
Bayern Munich's Thomas Mueller scored twice, including a 71st- minute bicycle kick, to given the Bundesliga leaders a 3-1 victory over Darmstadt 98 on Saturday and lift them 11 points clear at the top of the table.
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Mauricio Pinilla converted a late penalty to give Atalanta a 2-1 win over Inter Milan and condemn their troubled opponents to a third successive Serie A defeat on Sunday.
Bayern Munich and Arsenal meet in their big-name Champions League round of 16 first leg on Wednesday, both hoping European success will help lift mid-season gloom on their domestic fronts.
Star footballers Lionel Messi, Manuel Neuer and Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award, have been selected by their peers for the 2014 FIFPro World XI team.
Brazilian Douglas Costa was in fine form as Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 1-0 in a pre-season tournament.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
IMAGES from soccer matches played in the EPL, La Liga and Serie A on Tuesday.
Japan international Shinji Kagawa sparkled on his return to Borussia Dortmund, scoring one goal for the Ruhr Valley club and helping set up another in a 3-1 win over Freiburg on Saturday.
Captain Paul Pogba produced an outstanding performance garnished by two goals to help Manchester United to a resounding 3-0 win at Swiss debutants Young Boys Bern in their Champions League Group H opener on Wednesday.
In-form Borussia Moenchengladbach struck three times in 14 minutes in the second half to floor champions Bayern Munich 3-1 on Saturday and inflict their first Bundesliga defeat of the season.
The Arsenal forward broke the record just five minutes into the match, taking his tally to 38 with his national side at the Kazan Arena, Kazan.
Torn muscle sidelines Robben for rest of the season; Lewandowski breaks jaw
Having left it late to earn a 3-2 win in the first leg, City took a while to hit their stride at The Etihad on Tuesday but when they did Guardiola's team produced a magnificent attacking display that will ring alarm bells around Europe.
Bayern Munich's surprise 3-1 Champions League loss to Porto was the price the five-time European champions paid for a string of injuries and a tired squad.
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