Their work in the transfer market has also added to the positivity around the club after German manager Juergen Klopp made some major moves that have clearly strengthened his squad.

Liverpool will feel the weight of increased expectation to deliver silverware this season after making encouraging forays into the transfer market, manager Juergen Klopp said.

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Images from the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match played between Switzerland and Sweden in St Petersburg on Tuesday

Germans started adjusting to a new world on Thursday, brushing off any notion that a shock humiliation in the soccer World Cup

His consistently impressive footwork over the past two years for club and country have instantly drawn comparisons to retired Philipp Lahm, one of the best right backs over the past few decades.

Neuer made the squad despite playing in just one official game, a friendly against Austria on Friday, since breaking a bone in his foot in September but talented 22-year-old Sane was the biggest name to miss out.

These images prove we live in a mad, mad world.

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

Arsenal are not only hoping to win a first European trophy since 1994, but know their hopes of qualifying for next year's Champions League depend on winning the Europa League in the French city of Lyon next month.

Salzburg forced Lazio into a second-half capitulation as the Italians crashed out in the Europa League quarter-finals after losing 4-1 but Olympique de Marseille staged a thrilling fightback to see off visitors Leipzig 5-2 on Thursday. Arsenal also reached the semi-finals after recovering from a wobble to draw 2-2 at CSKA Moscow and progress 6-3 on aggregate, while favourites Atletico Madrid reached the last four after losing 1-0 at Sporting to go through 2-1 over the two legs.

Heavyweights Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Lazio took big steps towards reaching the Europa League semi-finals after convincing home first-leg victories and RB Leipzig also stayed on course with a 1-0 win over Olympique de Marseille on Thursday.

Lionel Messi came off the bench to preserve Barcelona's unbeaten run in La Liga with a sensational late equaliser in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Sevilla on Saturday as the runaway leaders came back from two goals down in the space of a minute.

When I met him last year for his 75th birthday, he seemed frail. There was a sense of urgency. I will miss Stephen. His passing fills me with sadness.

IMAGES from the Europa League matches played on Thursday

La Liga champions Real Madrid beat Getafe 3-1 on Saturday with a goal from Gareth Bale and two strikes from Cristiano Ronaldo to go 12 points behind leaders Barcelona and warm up for next week's Champions League game at Paris St Germain.

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Seven-time European champions AC Milan will face Arsenal in the standout last-16 tie in the Europa League after the draw was made in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.

Borussia Dortmund snatched a late goal at Atalanta to progress with a 1-1 draw, while AC Milan and Atletico Madrid, both with three-goal leads from the away legs, completed the formality of qualifying with 1-0 wins at home on Thursday.

Fans protested against Monday night football in the Bundesliga as Eintracht Frankfurt beat visiting RB Leipzig 2-1, delaying the start of both halves of the match, the second by throwing hundreds of tennis balls onto the pitch.

Football news from Ligue 1, Bundesliga and La liga.

Napoli went down 3-1 at home to RB Leipzig, Arsenal and AC Milan enjoyed comfortable away wins, and Borussia Dortmund's Michy Batshuayi scored twice to secure a 3-2 victory in Europa League last 32, first leg action

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Manchester City failed in an audacious transfer deadline day move for Leicester City midfielder Riyadh Mahrez, British media reported on Wednesday.

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 moved six points clear at the top of La Liga by easing to a 4-0 win at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday with doubles from Luis Suarez and Paulinho ahead of next week's 'Clasico' against champions Real Madrid.

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

images from the UEFA Champions League matches played across Europe on Wednesday

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Images from Champions League matches played across Europe 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

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field

Pepe has blasted the Liga club's fans as "unenthusiastic", contrasting the hushed atmosphere of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium with the cauldron of noise he is now exposed to with Turkish champions Besiktas.

A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Saturday