News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Holders FC Barcelona have been placed in Group E, along with Bayer Leverkusen, AS Roma, Dinamo Zagreb.
Lionel Messi is back in the Argentina squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Brazil and Colombia after missing the last three due to injury in which his team have dropped seven points. Messi was named on Friday in coach Edgardo Bauza's 26-man squad and will captain Argentina away to arch-rivals Brazil in Belo Horizonte on Nov. 10 and at home against Colombia in San Juan five days later. Argentina have slipped down the South American group standings to fifth after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Paraguay and 2-2 draws with Peru and Venezuela, all without Messi.
Valencia coach Cesare Prandelli has conceded there is no point trying stop Lionel Messi as he prepares to face the in-form Barcelona talisman when his side host the La Liga champions on Saturday.
Formula E founder Alejandro Agag reckons both his electric series and Formula One have a 50-50 chance of getting races run due to the coronavirus pandemic that has stalled both championships. The Spaniard, whose city-based series started last November and completed five races before the virus forced it off the streets, said it was unclear how much was going to be possible as restrictions eased.
Pedro hit a first-half hat-trick as Barcelona cruised into the last 16 of the King's Cup with a 8-1 second leg demolition of lower league Huesca at the Camp Nou on Tuesday.
Barcelona will meet Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals following the draw on Friday while Manchester City face Tottenham Hotspur in an all-Premier League clash.
Arsenal were 2-1 winners over Paris St Germain and Valencia beat Inter Milan 2-0 on the first day of the pre-season Emirates Cup tournament on Saturday.
Diego Costa scored twice as Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 3-0 to maintain their winning home run this season and keep pace with Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table.
Qatar's Akram Afif has been named Asian Player of the Year at the Asian Football Confederation's annual awards in Hong Kong on Monday, with Saki Kumagai from Japan claiming the women's prize.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Real Madrid defender Nacho was the unlikely hero as they snatched a 1-0 win at Real Valladolid on Sunday to capitalise on Barcelona's defeat at Valencia this weekend and move three points clear of their rivals at the top of La Liga. Serie A leaders Juventus suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Napoli on Sunday, with coach Maurizio Sarri returning to his former club for the first time, though Cristiano Ronaldo still managed to score for an eighth league game in a row for the visitors.
Inter Milan face Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and PSV Eindhoven in Group B which features three former European champions.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said the international break has made his plans for the Manchester derby a bit more 'complicated' than he would have liked, especially with his South American players returning a day before the clash.
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique fears his side's shock elimination from the Champions League could disturb their bid to retain the La Liga title as they host Valencia on Sunday looking for a first win in four league games.
The Portuguese has endured a difficult time of late at Old Trafford with United slipping to eighth place in the league.
Manchester United are expecting a host of injured players to make their returns this month but will not rush them back into the first-team, manager Louis van Gaal said ahead of Thursday's last-16 Europa League tie against bitter rivals Liverpool. Despite having nine players currently out, including captain Wayne Rooney and defender Phil Jones, United won four games in a row prior to their shock Premier League defeat at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. "(Antonio) Valencia is coming back, Basti (Bastian Schweinsteiger) is coming back, a lot of players shall come back in March," Van Gaal told reporters on Wednesday. "... it is hard to see whether they can cope with the rhythm of the match... Basti, for example, has only one training session under his belt. "Valencia is much more closer to being on the bench, but not to play a match."
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has been diagnosed with a spinal disc hernia after he was admitted to hospital overnight suffering from acute lower back pain, the La Liga club said on Thursday.
A superb strike from Jose Luis Morales condemned Real Madrid to a 1-0 defeat away to Levante on Saturday which saw them unseated at the top of the La Liga standings by Barcelona. Real's problems deepened with a suspected ankle injury to Eden Hazard, who limped off the pitch four days before their Champions League showdown with Manchester City and a week before their showdown with Barca in the 'Clasico'. Real's problems deepened with a suspected ankle injury to Eden Hazard, who limped off the pitch four days before their Champions League showdown with Manchester City and a week before their showdown with Barca in the 'Clasico'.
Manchester United will become the first team to go through the Champions League group stage without conceding a goal if they can keep a clean sheet at home to free-scoring Valencia on Tuesday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The old format was skewed in favour of the bigger clubs, who could rest players for a first leg and swallow defeat before calling on their stars to turn the tie around in the return game.
Barcelona are in talks to strengthen their championship-winning squad with Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Valencia striker David Villa, according to club vice president Rafael Yuste. Talks with Valencia on Villa's transfer "are on the right track," Yuste said in an interview with Catalan radio station Ona FM quoted by Spanish news agency EFE.
Manchester United ended their one-year Champions League hiatus in emphatic style when Wayne Rooney struck a hat-trick in a 4-0 destruction of Club Bruges that sent the three-times winners through 7-1 on aggregate on Wednesday.
Roundup of the Champions League matches played on Tuesday.
Barcelona's 100 per cent start to the season was ended by Catalonian neighbours Girona, who picked up a draw at the Nou Camp, allowing Real Madrid to take advantage with a victory over Espanyol.
Barcelona have signed Spain striker David Villa from Valencia for 40 million euros ($49.66 million), Valencia president Manuel Llorente said on Tuesday.
Barcelona are in negotiations to buy Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Valencia striker David Villa, acording to club vice president Rafael Yuste.
Six-time champion Mary Kom defeated Colombia's Valencia Victoria in her quarter-final bout to secure her maiden World medal in the 51kg category, in which she won an Olympic medal back in 2012.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Champions Barcelona begin their bid for a sixth La Liga title in eight years at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday knowing that fellow heavyweights Real Madrid could, unusually, be just one of several challengers for their crown.
Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona clinched a 25th La Liga title on Sunday after winning 4-2 at Deportivo La Coruna despite throwing away a two-goal lead in a thrilling game which also confirmed Depor's relegation.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Andy Murray took another step towards securing a berth at next month's World Tour finals when he fought off a typically dogged David Ferrer to win 6-4, 7-5 and move into the final of the Valencia Open on Saturday.
IMAGES from the Europa League matches played on Thursday
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Here are six who could make the biggest impact in this season's English Premier League.
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