'These matches are all like finals now and if you don't play well, you don't win.'
Portugal's impressive midfielder Renato Sanches is finally ready for his Bayern Munich debut although the 19-year-old Euro 2016 winner still faces a tough challenge to claim a regular place in the team. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has said that Sanches could make his debut away to Schalke 04 on Friday (1830 GMT) if Arturo Vidal is still worn out after his long trip from South America, where he played two World Cup qualifiers for Chile in five days.
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.
Luis Suarez ended his nine-match biting ban in fine style on Friday, grabbing the second-half equaliser that gave Uruguay a 2-2 draw in an enthralling battle with Brazil in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
A Brazilian player has been banned for 10 matches for spitting an at opponent while his coach was suspended for five games for insulting the referee and refusing to leave the pitch after being sent off in the same game.
Inter Milan goalkeeper Julio Cesar was called up by Brazil for the first time since the 2010 World Cup on Tuesday for next month's friendly away to France. The 23-man squad picked by coach Mano Menezes includes uncapped midfielders Jadson of Shakhtar Donetsk and Renato Augusto of Bayer Leverkusen.
Any sliver of a doubt over whether Cristiano Ronaldo would lead Portugal into the Euro 2016 was erased on Tuesday when he was named in their 23-man squad for the finals.
Holders Sevilla led the charge into the last four of the King's Cup when Renato's early strike set them on their way to a 3-0 home win over Villarreal on Tuesday.
Sevilla and Valencia recorded opening day wins in La Liga, helping dispel some of the doubts surrounding their abilities to challenge for honours this season.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain became the second England international to leave Arsenal in two days when he joined Premier League rivals Liverpool for a reported 40 million pounds on Thursday.
A superb shootout save by Portugal's Rui Patricio allowed Ricardo Quaresma to be the hero again as his spot kick against Poland sent them into the Euro 2016 semi-finals 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 finish following extra time.
One of Europe's most expensive teenagers Renato Sanches has yet to nail down a starting spot with Portugal but the brawny midfielder is making his presence felt on the continent's biggest stage.
Borussia Dortmund scored a goal in each half to beat hosts VfL Wolfsburg 2-0 on Saturday and stay on the heels of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
Images and a round-up of all the World Cup qualifiers played across continents on Tuesday.
Frederic Kanoute scored one goal and created another for Renato to help Sevilla to a 2-1 home win over Andalusian rivals Almeria in the Primera Liga on Sunday.
Jubilant fans thronged central Belgrade, bringing traffic at the main Republic Square to a halt as they waved Serbian flags and hooted their car horns.
Renato scored a late winner for Sevilla at the Bernabeu as they survived a spirited fightback from champions Real Madrid to win 4-3 in the Spanish Primera Liga on Sunday. Adriano Correia gave Sevilla a third-minute lead and although Raul pulled one back in the 19th minute, Ndri Romaric and Frederic Kanoute had the visitors 3-1 up at halftime.
More than 4,000 people have been arrested worldwide and more than $13 million seized across Asia in operations targeting illegal gambling during the Euro 2016 football tournament, Interpol said on Monday.
Ten-man Sevilla climbed to second in the Primera Liga with a 3-1 comeback win at Deportivo Coruna on Saturday, moving above Valencia who were held to a 3-3 draw at home by Villarreal.
Manchester United routed Dynamo Kiev 4-0 while a goalless draw saw Arsenal through to the Champions League knockout stages.
Sevilla won the second leg final of the Spanish Super Cup 5-3.
A summary of Wednesday night's action in the UEFA Champions League.
The defending champions knocked out Osasuna while Espanyol triumphed over Werder Bremen.
Brazil may be five-time winners of the World Cup and joint favourites to make it six in Russia this year but the South Americans do not yet have the right blend for success, three-time World Cup winner Pele said.
Barcelona eased to a 3-0 win over Racing Santander to keep pace with leaders Sevilla in the Primera Liga.
A long-range strike from Alessandro Diamanti helped struggling Bologna beat Genoa 1-0 and move out of the relegation zone, relieving some of the pressure on manager Stefano Pioli.
The 31-year-old is still recovering from the knee injury which forced him to limp out of the Euro 2016 final against France in the first half, coach Fernando Santos said.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Wednesday.
Colombia beat Peru 4-2 in a penalty shootout on Friday to progress to the semi-finals of the Copa America after the two sides played to a dull scoreless draw in New Jersey.
Levante striker Roger Marti brushed off squandering a penalty to score the winning goal as his side pulled off a shock 2-1 La Liga victory at Real Madrid
The improvement since Tite took over as coach in June 2016 has been remarkable and Brazil are now joint favourites to win a record sixth World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo shows no signs of flagging as he approaches his mid-30s but there are plenty of other worries for a team with an ageing central defence and a number of players struggling for form.
The former Brazil ace hardly touched the ball in an apathetic performance for Fluminense.
Ronaldo has been recalled by Brazil for this month's match against France which coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has described as the "game of the year".
Brazil coach Tite has recalled veteran central defender Thiago Silva to his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Venezuela.
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski made amends for several glaring misses when he scored a late goal and set up another as the German champions ground out a 2-0 win at battling Schalke 04 on Friday.
Cristiano Ronaldo predicted Portugal's Euro 2016 hero Eder would score the winning goal in their 1-0 extra-time triumph over France and gave him the encouragement to settle Sunday's final.
Portugal entered the Euro 2016 quarter-final after defeating Poland 5-3 on penalties in Marseille on Thursday.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday
Mercurial forward Ricardo Quaresma scored twice and set up three more goals in a sparkling individual performance as Portugal demolished Estonia 7-0 in their final friendly before Euro 2016 on Wednesday. The charismatic but erratic forward, given a chance to stake his place in the team for France when he replaced Nani in the starting line-up, even upstaged Cristiano Ronaldo who scored twice before being taken off at halftime. Quaresma, whom critics say has failed to make the most of his talent in a career punctuated by tantrums, produced his full repertoire of tricks in one of the best international performances of his topsy-turvy career. The 32-year-old opened the floodgates with two moments of brilliance just before halftime. This first was a stunning "trivela", an outswinging cross hit with the outside of his right foot, to pick out Ronaldo who got in front of his marker and scored with a bullet header at the far post in the 36th minute.
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