Manchester United's dwindling hopes of lifting a trophy this season are dangling by a thread after they produced an abject display to lose 2-0 at Olympiakos Piraeus in a Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday.
Barca won their fifth European Cup in 2015 and the signs of decline have been evident over the past five years since -- but no-one envisaged a fall as great as this.
Unbeaten Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich opened up an 11-point gap at the top after goals from Thomas Mueller and Kingsley Coman eased them past Hertha Berlin 2-0 on Saturday, their 13th win in 14 league games.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two best players in the world right now but Neymar will eclipse them both next year, former Brazil striker Ronaldo told Reuters.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Bayern Munich's perfect Bundesliga start came to a screeching halt when they drew 1-1 with visiting Cologne on Saturday after winning their first five matches of the season.
A round-up of Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
A revived Japan go into Thursday's decisive Group H match against an already-eliminated Poland knowing a draw would be sufficient to advance to the knockout rounds after they beat Colombia and drew with Senegal in their opening fixtures.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Manchester United took over at the top of the Premier League while Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi could be out for up to two months with a knee injury and rampant Bayern Munich extended their perfect start to seven league wins.
Bayern Munich, already crowned Bundesliga champions last week, lifted the league trophy in an empty stadium on Saturday after crushing hosts VfL Wolfsburg 4-0 on the final matchday. Bayern can win more silverware next week with the German Cup final against Bayer Leverkusen. They are also still in the Champions League.
Portugal entered the Euro 2016 quarter-final after defeating Poland 5-3 on penalties in Marseille on Thursday.
Talismanic Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo struggled against Croatia producing just one shot on goal, but coach Fernando Santos defended his "amazing" captain.
Real Madrid's La Liga title bid took a dent after Zinedine Zidane's leaders were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday, denied all three points by a late strike from Santi Mina. Lazio mounted a superb second-half comeback at the Olympic Stadium to beat Inter Milan 2-1 and move above Antonio Conte's side into second place in Serie A on Sunday.
Images from football matches played in the La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga on Saturday.
The FIFA 2022 World Cup will kick-off in Qatar on Sunday, November 20. Here is a list of the 26-man squads playing in the quadrennial global football extravaganza.
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday night.
A round-up of Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
A round-up of Saturday's action in Serie A, La Liga and Bundesliga.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
World champions France had eight players, one less than former holders Spain, in international players' association FIFPro's 55-name shortlist for its World XI of 2018 award.
Images from the FIFA World Cup qualifying matches on Sunday night.
Kovac, who succeeded the retired Jupp Heynckes, surprisingly put Germany international Mats Hummels on the bench and partnered Jerome Boateng with Niklas Suele in central defence.
Robert Lewandowski struck twice in the first half as holders Bayern Munich cruised past Schalke 04 3-0 on Wednesday to reach the German Cup semi-finals.
Images from Tuesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
IMAGES from football matches played across Europe on Sunday.
Check out the top footballers of the weekend...
Borussia Dortmund steam-rollered hapless Freiburg 5-0 while Bayern Munich plodded past VfL Wolfsburg 1-0 as the two unbeaten arch-rivals remained level on points at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Patrik Schick put the Czechs in front three minutes before half-time as he towered above two defenders to power home a header, but his second goal seven minutes into the second half will almost certainly be one of the tournament's greatest.
Champions Bayern Munich twice needed to come from a goal down to beat hosts Augsburg 3-2 on Friday courtesy of Kingsley Coman's two goals, and cut the gap with leaders Borussia Dortmund to two points.
Images from matches played across top football leagues in Europe.
A round of Saturday's matches in Series A, La Liga and Bundesliga.
Brazilian Douglas Costa was in fine form as Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 1-0 in a pre-season tournament.
A strong Poland side lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in a Euro 2016 warm-up friendly as Vincent Janssen and Georginio Wijnaldum scored to secure victory for a young Dutch team.
Bayern Munich won the Champions League for a sixth time by beating Paris St Germain 1-0 in Sunday's final
IMAGES from the Bundesliga matches played across Germany on Tuesday.
Champions Bayern Munich comfortably beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday to lay down a marker as they eye a record-extending sixth straight German league title.
A sloppy Real Madrid were held 0-0 at home to Real Betis on Saturday in a further blow to their hopes of retaining the La Liga title.
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