Lionel Messi's prodigious talent is matched by his startling humility, which he displayed again on Thursday by denying that Barcelona's fate is determined by his presence in the team.

An angry Wayne Rooney was adamant last weekend that his critics in the media were trying to write his sporting obituary.

Champions Bayern Munich must defeat Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday if they are to end an unusual losing run and avoid making a crisis out of what could be a brief dip in form.

Atletico Madrid sealed top spot in Champions League Group D after second half goals from Frenchmen Kevin Gameiro and Antoine Griezmann gave them a comfortable 2-0 win at home to PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.

Paris St Germain put themselves in the box seat to enter the Champions League knockout rounds as Group A winners after an Alex Iwobi own goal earned them a point in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Arsenal on Wednesday.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola and his players said sealing their place in the Champions League knockout stage was more important than a below-par performance after they drew 1-1 at Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Newcomers Saif Sporting Club continued their unbeaten run in the Marcel Bangladesh Championship League with a 2-2 draw against Agrani Bank SC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri looked forward to "another fairytale" after the 5,000-1 Premier League champions booked their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League.

Real Madrid suffered a huge injury scare just 11 days before facing Barcelona in La Liga as Gareth Bale hobbled off with a right ankle injury in the European champions 2-1 win at Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday.

Flying full-back Hector Bellerin, who had been linked with big-money moves to Manchester City and Barcelona, has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal, the Londoners said on Monday.

Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic will have a statue erected in his honour after being named Sweden's top player for a 10th successive year.

Two Manchester United fans hid inside an Old Trafford toilet and spent Friday night inside the stadium in the hope of watching their team play Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been ruled out of Bayern Munich's trip to Russia to face Rostov in the Champions League on Wednesday, the German champions said in a statement.

Arsenal have a gilt-edged opportunity to kick a self-destructive Champions League habit when they host Paris St Germain on Wednesday knowing victory will seal top spot in Group A.

Manchester City, buoyed by the return of Yaya Toure, will look to seal a spot in the Champions League knockout stage when they travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday to play a team struggling for form.

A statue of Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be erected outside the Friends Arena in Stockholm, the Swedish FA (SvFF) announced as the giant striker won the Golden Ball award for the country's best male player for the 10th year in a row.

Lionel Messi looks set to return for Barcelona's Champions League trip to Celtic on Wednesday after overcoming a sickness bug

Olivier Giroud has been restricted to the role of substitute in the Premier League this season and while Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger knows the striker is far from happy with the situation he is channelling his anger in the right way.

Former Costa Rica international Gabriel Badilla has died aged 32, the Costa Rica Star reported on Sunday, the newspaper saying the defender collapsed near the finish of a 10km race in Santa Ana.

Bournemouth forward Jordon Ibe was robbed at knifepoint when thieves rammed his car just four days after suspected gunmen allegedly threatened West Ham striker Andy Carroll.