The Real Madrid-Barcelona 'Clasico' is televised around the world and often decides the La Liga title, but a Seville derby is a tougher proposition, Barca defender and former Sevilla favourite Dani Alves has said.
The absence of Juan Mata from Vicente del Bosque's Spain squad is proof of the quality the world and European champions can draw on, midfielder Javi Martinez said on Tuesday.
Aiming for a win that has so far been elusive, world champion Viswanathan Anand will lock horns with an out-of-form Sergey Karjakin of Russia in the fourth round of the fifth Final Masters in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Stuttering Spanish champions Real Madrid returned to winning ways in La Liga but were well short of their scintillating best in a laboured 2-0 victory at lowly city rivals Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Colombian striker Radamel Falcao scored a brilliant first-half hat-trick as Atletico Madrid crushed European champions Chelsea 4-1.
Atletico Madrid stayed hot on the heels of second-placed city neighbours Real Madrid when Radamel Falcao netted his 25th goal of the La Liga campaign in a scrappy 1-0 win at mid-table Sevilla on Sunday.
Javier Zanetti made his 800th appearance for Inter Milan in the Italians' 2-0 win at Romania's Vaslui in a Europa League tie on Thursday.
Cristiano Ronaldo proved too powerful for Athletic Bilbao as he scored with a fizzing free kick and a towering header in Real Madrid's bruising 3-0 victory at San Mames in La Liga on Sunday.
Real Madrid followed up Tuesday's Champions League success at Manchester United by climbing above beaten city rivals Atletico into second in La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice in a 2-1 win at second-bottom Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid set up a King's Cup final with city rivals Real after Diego Costa and Radamel Falcao scored in a 2-2 second leg draw at Sevilla on Wednesday, to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
In-form Malaga must brace themselves for a barrage of attacking football from Porto's Colombian Jackson Martinez and his returning compatriot James Rodriguez when they meet at the Dragao Stadium for their Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday.
Real Madrid survived an early red card for Sergio Ramos to see off city rivals Rayo Vallecano 2-0 at the Bernabeu on Sunday, matching the wins of La Liga leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid over the weekend.
Striker Roberto Soldado was left out of Spain's squad for Euro 2012 on Sunday, despite scoring a hat-trick in a friendly in March.
Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas is set to miss a big chunk of Spain's preparations for Euro 2012 after being ruled out for seven to 10 days with a hamstring strain, the Spanish club said on Saturday.
Lionel Messi hit four goals for leaders Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a hat-trick for Real Madrid as the two teams warmed up for their midweek King's Cup semi-final clash with crushing La Liga victories on Sunday.
Outgoing Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola sought to make the succession of his number two Tito Vilanova as smooth as possible as he gave his last Nou Camp news conference on Thursday, ahead of the King's Cup final.
Under-fire Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho again chose not to face the Madrid-based media as he celebrated his 50th birthday on Saturday but told Italian TV he was certain he would win at least one more Champions League title before he retires.
Barcelona defender Dani Alves will be out of action for up to two months after having surgery on a fractured right collarbone sustained during training on Wednesday.
Newly-crowned champions Real Madrid beat Mallorca 4-1 to break the 100-point barrier on the final day of La Liga season as Villarreal sensationally slipped through the relegation trapdoor.
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Seydou Keita scored a stoppage-time equaliser as 10-man Barcelona drew 2-2 at Real Betis to wrap up Pep Guardiola's last La Liga campaign as coach of the club on Saturday.
A Champions League spot, two Europa League berths and two relegation places are to be claimed or avoided in what promises to be a nerve-wracking finale to the La Liga season on Sunday.
Bikash Mohapatra salutes Radamel Falcao and Diego Simeone, the men who fashioned Atletico Madrid's Europa Cup triumph.
Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao scored two superb goals and Diego added a late third to seal a commanding 3-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the all-Spanish Europa League final on Wednesday.
Valencia eased past La Liga rivals Osasuna into the quarter-finals of the King's Cup on Tuesday, while Malaga flirted with danger against third-tier Eibar before a flurry of late goals put them safely into the last eight.
Cristiano Ronaldo has led Real Madrid's charge to their first La Liga title in four years, and still has the chance to overhaul Lionel Messi to retain his league top scorer award before the end of the season.
Pep Guardiola's decision to step down as Barcelona coach at the end of the season will change nothing for Real Madrid, Guardiola's Real counterpart and bitter rival Jose Mourinho said on Tuesday.
To prevent Manchester City from replacing arch rivals United as the dominant force in the English Premier League, Sir Alex Ferguson is all set to spend 100 million pounds to get new players this summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo struck his 43rd league goal of the campaign to set Real Madrid on their way to a 3-0 home win over Sevilla on Sunday that put them within a whisker of a first La Liga title in four years.
Barcelona's most successful manager Pep Guardiola will walk away from the Catalans at the end of the season and will be replaced by his assistant Tito Vilanova, the club announced on Friday.
Barcelona playmaker Xavi will be out of action for around 15 days with a damaged left calf muscle, the Spanish champions said on Thursday.
A quickfire Arda Turan double, including an acrobatic bicycle kick, fired Atletico Madrid to a 3-1 home win over Espanyol in La Liga on Sunday and lifted the Europa League semi-finalists up to seventh.
Atletico Madrid have one foot in the final of the Europa League after a Radamel Falcao double fired the 2010 winners to a 4-2 semi-final first leg win at home to La Liga rivals Valencia on Thursday.
The three-horse race for the La Liga title tightened on Sunday when leaders Real Madrid drew 2-2 at city rivals Atletico and Barcelona won 4-1 at home to Almeria.
Sevilla's hopes of a place in European competition next season suffered a big blow when they let slip a one-goal lead to lose 5-1 at Getafe in La Liga on Monday.
Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid overcame German opposition to reach the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday while fellow Spaniards Valencia joined them by demolishing AZ Alkmaar.
The apparently unstoppable Lionel Messi extended his record goals tally for 2012 to 88 when he scored twice to earn holders Barcelona a 2-0 win at second division Cordoba in their King's Cup last-16 first leg on Wednesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Real Madrid to a rampaging 5-1 win at Osasuna as the leaders hit the 100-goal mark this season and maintained a six-point lead over chasing Barcelona on Saturday.
Athletic Bilbao, conquerors of Manchester United in the previous round, continued their Europa League run by scoring three times in the last 20 minutes to win their quarter-final first leg tie 4-2 at Schalke 04 on Thursday.
Barcelona's faith in their ability to groom the little lad from Rosario for their first team and transform him into the world's best player has paid off handsomely.
Barcelona still have very little chance of catching leaders Real Madrid and securing a fourth successive La Liga title despite closing the gap to eight points, coach Pep Guardiola said on Monday.
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