Real Madrid suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at struggling Valencia on Wednesday as they missed the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of La Liga after losing for only the second time in the league this season.

An Indonesian tsunami survivor and Cristiano Ronaldo protege has been forced to take a break from his football career over a knee injury, he told AFP on Tuesday.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane warned that it was still all to play for in their Champions League last-16 clash against Napoli after the holders strolled to a 3-1 win in the first leg on Wednesday.

Bayern Munich routed Arsenal 5-1 in their Champions League last 16 first leg clash on Wednesday thanks to a blistering spell of three goals in 10 second-half minutes.

Scientists have found signs of brain damage that could cause dementia in a handful of former soccer players, fuelling worries about the danger of frequent knocks from heading the ball or colliding with others on the field.

Samir Nasri missed a second-half penalty as Sevilla squandered the chance to close to within a point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid with a 0-0 draw home to Villarreal on Sunday.

La Liga leaders Real Madrid's game with Celta Vigo on Sunday has been postponed amid safety fears after the Balaidos stadium roof was damaged by storms, the league's governing body announced on Saturday.

Spanish clubs have cleaned up their finances and modernised their stadiums and can now go on to surpass even the huge earnings sloshing around the English Premier League, La Liga's president said on Friday.

Lionel Messi struck another trademark free-kick as Barcelona moved to within a one point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid with a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

European Club Association (ECA) president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge described FIFA's 48-World Cup as "nonsense" on Monday and warned soccer's governing body that the balance of power in the sport was shifting towards his members.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane believes he has no need to rush Gareth Bale back from a long-term ankle injury as the European champions extended their lead at the top of La Liga on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo shrugged off the boos of his own supporters to fire Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday as Zinedine Zidane's side took advantage of slip ups by Barcelona and Sevilla to open up a four-point lead at the top of La Liga.

An excellent Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick couldn't prevent Real Madrid from being dumped out of the Copa del Rey as a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Wednesday allowed the hosts to progress to the semifinals 4-3 on aggregate.

Real Madrid will recover their killer instinct in front of goal, coach Zinedine Zidane warned as his side's treble ambitions ended with elimination from the Copa del Rey at the hands of Celta Vigo on Wednesday.

Real Madrid will recover their killer instinct in front of goal, coach Zinedine Zidane warned as his side's treble ambitions ended with elimination from the Copa del Rey at the hands of Celta Vigo on Wednesday.

A fine free-kick from Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't prevent Real Madrid from being dumped out of the Copa del Rey as a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Wednesday allowed the hosts to progress to the semi-finals 4-3 on aggregate.

Barcelona ended a decade-long drought without winning away to Real Sociedad on Thursday as Neymar's first-half penalty handed the Spanish champions a 1-0 Copa del Rey quarter-final, first leg lead.

Manchester United's relative failure on the pitch has not been reflected off it as for the first time in over a decade they top Deloitte's Football Money League for revenue in the 2015/16 season.

Sergio Ramos has so often been Real Madrid's man of the moment but the captain saw the tables turn as his own goal helped his former club Sevilla to a 2-1 win over the La Liga leaders on Sunday, ending a record-breaking 40-game unbeaten run.

Luis Suarez scored twice and Lionel Messi continued his sensational form as Barcelona moved to within two points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Saturday with a 5-0 rout of Las Palmas.