Barcelona extended their near-perfect start to the season when Alexis Sanchez tapped in at the far post from Neymar's clever assist to secure a 1-0 win at home to city rivals Espanyol in La Liga on Friday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Ajax Amsterdam registered a 4-1 win at De Graafschap, their first title since 2014 and a record-extending 34th overall completed the double after they won the KNVB Cup earlier this month.
Barcelona lost for the second straight La Liga game in a 1-0 home reverse against Celta Vigo but there was no such trouble for Manchester City, who beat 10-man Manchester United 1-0 thanks to Sergio Aguero.
A summary of Saturday's action in La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga.
Ranieri had recognised his future at the West London side was uncertain after Wednesday's stinging 2-0 defeat at Southampton.
Come Sunday, we will witness the first Manchester derby in the post-Alex Ferguson era. So what should we expect on Super Sunday? Will City find its lost touch or will Wayne Rooney come good for United.
The 43-year-old from the small sub-tropical province of Misiones will become the second referee after compatriot Horacio Elizondo to officiate at both the opening match and final after being picked for Sunday's match between France and Croatia.
Croatia will need their big-game players to step up.
Cristiano Ronaldo was involved in all three of his team's goals as Juventus came from behind to beat Napoli 3-1 in a Serie A top-of-the-table clash on Saturday to maintain their perfect start to the season.
We live in a wonderfully weird world and here's the proof!
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Jose Mourinho was adamant on Friday that his relationship with Paul Pogba is "good" and said that the Frenchman would play in Manchester United's English Premier League match at West Ham United on Saturday.
The only speculation around Old Trafford these days as one of the world's great clubs continue their laborious struggle to rediscover the halcyon days of the Alex Ferguson era seems to be not if, but when this dream alliance will end in divorce.
La Liga champions Barcelona slumped to a shock 2-1 defeat at struggling Leganes and Real Madrid were resoundingly beaten 3-0 by Sevilla on Wednesday as Spain's two biggest clubs lost on the same day for the first time since January, 2015.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
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.
Manchester City endured some anxious moments but escaped from fourth-tier Newport County with their FA Cup hopes intact as Phil Foden scored twice in an ultimately comfortable 4-1 fifth-round victory on Saturday.
Marco Asensio's strike earned Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Espanyol to send them top of La Liga and Thomas Lemar scored his first goal for Atletico Madrid in a 2-0 victory at Getafe on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur climbed to third with a 3-1 win over Southampton while Chelsea hung on to fourth spot, above Arsenal on goal difference, despite a 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Olympique de Marseille were the fall guys on a hectic opening night of Europa League group stage action as German club Eintracht Frankfurt returned from the south of France with a surprise 2-1 victory on Thursday.
Leaders Manchester City kept up their unbeaten run with a 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. Manchester United salvaged a 2-2 draw at Southampton, who sacked manager Mark Hughes on Monday.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
Persie's stoppage-time free kick snatched a 3-2 victory for Manchester United in a pulsating derby at champions Manchester City to send them six points clear at the top of the Premier League on Sunday.
The home team's record signing Jefferson Lerma, who cost 25 million pounds ($32 million) in August, scored a spectacular own goal to give Arsenal the lead but Norwegian international Josh King, back in the Bournemouth side after injury, equalised just before halftime.
England Lions cruised to a seven-wicket victory in the opening encounter of the Tri-nation 'A' series, in Derby, on Friday.
An incendiary mix of bitter local rivalry and two teams searching for consistency amid fan disquiet see Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur throw themselves into the bearpit of a North London derby at the Emirates on Saturday.
A clash between supposedly the two most expensive lineups in history overseen by two of the most decorated coaches will end the phoney war and ignite the Premier League season for real when Manchester United host Manchester City on Saturday.
Semi-finalists six times. Runner-up in 2015. Rajneesh Gupta highlights important numbers for the New Zealand team from World Cups.
Spain's decision to sack coach Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the World Cup will have little impact on the quality of the 2010 world champions' game, Germany midfielder Toni Kroos said on Thursday.
Arsenal's new manager Unai Emery faces a baptism of fire after the Gunners were handed an opening day fixture at home to Premier League champions Manchester City.
Having dug in early on to stay with Federer, Nishikori ended up running away with the match to inflict a first straight sets defeat in the ATP Finals round-robin stages on the 20-time Grand Slam champion.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Chelsea beat Arsenal 3-2 in a pulsating London English Premier League derby on Saturday with defender Marcos Alonso scoring an 81st-minute winner after the Gunners had fought back from an early 2-0 deficit.
Balotelli made his debut for his hometown club after completing a four-match suspension that he was handed at Olympique de Marseille last season, while the visitors were without Cristiano Ronaldo as he recovers from injury.
Valverde said he was concerned about the team's away form after they were comprehensively beaten 2-0 by promoted Granada
Images from the FA Cup matches played on Saturday
City are two points behind leaders Liverpool, but have a game in hand