Didier Drogba scored twice on his return from a three-match European suspension as Chelsea drew 2-2 at Atletico Madrid to seal their place in the knock-out round of the Champions League on Tuesday. They were joined in the last 16 by Manchester United, Porto and Girondins Bordeaux, although four-time European champions Bayern Munich are on the brink of elimination after losing at home to the French champions.
Liverpool head for a decisive Champions League clash at Olympique Lyon on Wednesday with 10 players injured or doubtful for the game and coach Rafa Benitez facing the biggest crisis in his five-year Anfield reign.
Olympique Marseille and Paris St Germain supporters clashed on Sunday after their Ligue 1 game was postponed and the whole PSG team quarantined when three players were diagnosed with H1N1 flu.
The Champions League's two most successful teams resembled a pair of punch-drunk prize-fighters as AC Milan spoiled a big night for Raul by pulling off a surprise 3-2 victory at the Bernabeu Wednesday. While nine-times winners Real and seven-times champions Milan were trading novice mistakes, including the howler that let in Raul to equal Gerd Mueller's European goalscoring record, the other tournament heavyweights were looking coolly efficient.
'Narendra Modi knows how to calculate and remain pragmatic. Take the unexpected Rafale deal - perhaps the first time a PM has considered the country's defence procurement as a priority, over the considerations of the babus... and over his own pet project 'Make in India',' says Claude Arpi.
Porto and Lille completed the line-up for the final 16 of the Champions League as the group phase of the competition ended.
Chelsea secured top spot, above Barcelona, in Group A with a 2-0 home win over Levski Sofia.
Lille fought back from a goal down to win 3-1 at Nancy in Ligue 1 on Sunday but lost goalkeeper Tony Sylva.
Chelsea are poised to sign striker Hernan Crespo and take their spending to close on 100 million pounds.
Werder Bremen produced a rousing fightback at the San Siro to eliminate favourites AC Milan from the UEFA Cup on Thursday and heap further pressure on coach Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian shrugged off fresh speculation this week that he could be sacked in May but will face further calls for his head after Claudio Pizarro scored twice as Werder hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 and reach the last 16 on away goals after the tie ended 3-3 on aggregate.
France coach Raymond Domenech criticised Vikash Dhorasoo today after discovering the Paris St Germain midfielder was planning a documentary film on the World Cup runners-up.
Manchester United had English Premier League leaders Liverpool looking anxiously over their shoulders after a 3-0 drubbing of Chelsea on Sunday put the champions just five points off the pace with two games in hand. Barcelona left it late to win at Osasuna and go 12 points clear in Spain while David Beckham played almost all the match on his debut for AC Milan, a 2-2 draw at AS Roma.
American Floyd Landis sealed his first Tour de France triumph after Sunday's 20th and last stage won by Norway's Thor Hushovd on the Champs-Elysees.
The 54-year-old was offered an extension to his two-year contract and he accepted it.
CFR Cluj will create the upset of the season if they avoid defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday and help stop last season's beaten finalists advancing to the last 16 of the Champions League. Chelsea have already failed to beat Cluj in the competition having drawn 0-0 in their first meeting in Group A in Romania in October.
There is still plenty to be decided in the final round of group matches in the UEFA Champions League this week even though 13 of the 16 teams through to the knockout phase are already known. European Cup holders Manchester United and the likes of nine-times champions Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, Arsenal and Liverpool have secured their places in the first knockout round.
The Czech midfielder has been ruled out of the World Cup finals due to a leg injury.
Former European champions Liverpool and Inter Milan sealed their berths in the Champions League last 16 but last season's finalists Chelsea still have work to do after a 1-1 draw at Girondins Bordeaux on Wednesday.
Barcelona and Sporting advanced to the Champions League knockout stage while Inter Milan and Chelsea missed the chance to guarantee their places on Tuesday.
Barcelona put one foot in the Champions League last 16 with a 5-0 away drubbing of Basel and are the only team with a 100 percent record.
Chelsea have another chance to show off their new expansive style on Wednesday when AS Roma visit Stamford Bridge in the Champions League.
Substitute Lionel Messi scored two late goals, including one in stoppage time, to lead 2006 winners Barcelona to a 2-1 victory at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday. Last season's runners-up Chelsea were held to a 0-0 draw at surprise packages CFR Cluj, who were playing in Romania's third division just six years ago.
Romanian club CFR Cluj will believe anything is possible when they host Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League.
Romania's CFR Cluj shocked AS Roma 2-1 on their Champions League debut on Tuesday but there were no surprises for Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona or Inter Milan who all won their opening group games.
Chelsea's World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari becomes the latest to try to guide the rich London club to European club football's big prize on Tuesday when the Champions League groups stages kick off.
Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo may return after injury for Manchester United when the English champions begin their Champions League defence in their opening Group E encounter against Villarreal on Wednesday.
Olympique Lyon's dip in form is proving to be of concern to the players before next week's Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven.
English champions Chelsea maintained their perfect start to the season but Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid were held 0-0 at Real Mallorca and German champions Bayern suffered a shock defeat to Kaiserslautern.
Holders Manchester United will face familiar foes Celtic in this season's Champions League group stage.
Samuel Eto'o, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien have been nominated for the African Footballer of the Year award
The Juventus midfielder will return to the Czech Republic squad for their World Cup play-off against Norway, ending a 16-month absence from the team.
The enfant terrible of French football earned a surprise recall by France for their friendly internationals against Costa Rica on November 9 in Martinique and Germany three days later.
Thailand's twin ATP doubles stars Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana navigated a smoke-filled corridor with wet towels wrapped around their faces to avoid a dangerous hotel fire Monday in Bordeaux, France, where they are competing in an ATP Challenger event.
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