Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann struck twice as the Spanish side outclassed hapless Olympique de Marseille 3-0 on Wednesday to win the Europa League for the third time.
Salzburg forced Lazio into a second-half capitulation as the Italians crashed out in the Europa League quarter-finals after losing 4-1 but Olympique de Marseille staged a thrilling fightback to see off visitors Leipzig 5-2 on Thursday. Arsenal also reached the semi-finals after recovering from a wobble to draw 2-2 at CSKA Moscow and progress 6-3 on aggregate, while favourites Atletico Madrid reached the last four after losing 1-0 at Sporting to go through 2-1 over the two legs.
Both clubs and the player had agreed a loan until the end of the season, but the move has yet to be approved by FIFA.
A late Brandao goal gave Olympique Marseille a 2-1 win at Lorient which sent them two points clear at the top of Ligue 1 on Sunday.
The 22-year-old said adjusting to shuttle movement in a place near to the sea is different and he expects similar conditions in Paris, where he will travel on July 22.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga claimed his second ATP title of the year when he won the Marseille Open with a 7-5, 7-6 defeat of fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra in Sunday's final. Fourth-seeded Tsonga, who won the South African Open two weeks ago, kept his cool under Llodra's pressure at the net to seal victory in one hour 43 minutes.
India's Nethra Kumanan had a tough day in office in the women's Dighy sailing event's opening series at the Paris Olympics as she slipped to 24th spot after Race 6 in Marseille on Saturday.
Coach Eric Gerets will leave Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Marseille at the end of the season, the Belgian said on the club website.
Olympique de Marseille stretched their Ligue 1 lead to four points after man of the match Florian Thauvin and Rod Fanni clinched a 2-0 home win over Nantes on Friday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Olympique de Marseille will lead Ligue 1 into the two-week break thanks to Michy Batshuayi's half-volleyed winner in a 2-1 home victory over Lille on Sunday.
Olympique Marseille became the first team to retain the French League Cup when a late Taye Taiwo goal gave them a 1-0 win over Montpellier in a scrappy final at the Stade de France on Saturday.
British number one Andy Murray won his second title of the year when he beat Croatia's Mario Ancic 6-3, 6-4 in the Marseille Open final on Sunday.
Olympique Marseille emerged from a nightmare start to their Ligue 1 title defence by beating Lorient 2-0 on Saturday.
French football was again marred by violence after Olympique de Marseille's Ligue 1 match against Olympique Lyonnais was called off on Sunday when the visitors' bus and some fans were pelted with stones and beer bottles, injuring Lyon coach Fabio Grosso.
Roundup of the Champions League match played on Tuesday.
Hosts France reached the Olympic men's football semi-finals for the first time in 40 years with a 1-0 win over Argentina thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta's first-half goal in a grudge match in Bordeaux on Friday.
Goalkeeper Steve Mandanda produced a superb performance to help Olympique Marseille grab a 0-0 draw at Lille on Sunday, leaving Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain nine points clear with six games left.
Police intervened to halt skirmishes involving British soccer fans and locals in the port city of Marseille overnight, just hours before the Euro 2016 championship opens in France.
Olympique Marseille became the first Ligue 1 club in more than fifty years to win their first six league games when they beat Evian Thonon Gaillard 1-0 on Sunday.
2004 Champions League finalists Monaco were eliminated 2-1 on aggregate by Swiss side Basel.
Champions Olympique Lyon dented Olympique Marseille's chances of playing in Europe next season with a 1-0 away victory.
Summary of the Europa League semi-final matches played on Thursday.
Top seed Robin Soderling powered into the Marseille Open final with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Dmitry Tursunov on Saturday and Marin Cilic joined him after a much sterner test.
Jordan Ayew scored for Lorient against his former side Olympique de Marseille as the Ligue 1 leaders were held to a 1-1 draw on Tuesday.
Briton Tim Henman has pulled out of the Marseille Open because of a sore back.
Away fans will be banned from attending Ligue 1 clashes between Olympique Marseille and Paris St Germain, the French interior ministry said on Thursday, citing security reasons following a history of violent clashes between supporters of the clubs.
Marseille said Barthez will train with the squad pending a decision on the appeal.\n\n
Metz draw at Marseille to end losing streak
Sweden's Joachim Johansson unleashed 19 aces on his way to a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic.
The torch for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was lit in ancient Olympia
'Liu Yuchen didn't win the Olympic gold medal but he did win over an Olympic gold medallist.'
Olympique Marseille are on their knees and will have two key players missing when they host formidable Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday but hope springs eternal.
Soccer's player transfer system will be in the spotlight and could even be on the brink of collapse on Friday when the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) announces its ruling on former France player Lassana Diarra's case against FIFA.
Olympique Marseille sports director Jose Anigo has been fined for criticising coach Didier Deschamps, the Ligue 1 club's president said on Monday.
Olympique Marseille opened a one-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 after they were held to a goalless home draw by Stade Rennes in a rescheduled game on Wednesday.
Samir Nasri has signed a four-year contract with Premier League Arsenal for a fee of 16.8 million euros ($26.09 million), the France midfielder's web site said on Monday. Nasri, 20, has won 12 international caps and was a member of the French team which bowed out of Euro 2008 after finishing bottom of their group.
Loic Remy's first-half goal earned Olympique Marseille a 1-0 home win against Nancy as Ligue 1 champions extended their unbeaten run to seven matches on Saturday.
