REALITY is very quickly catching up with Quique Setien, whose first month in his dream job as Barcelona coach has not gone as he would have hoped.

Stephen Kenny believes Ireland’s Under-21 European qualification destiny will come down to their final game against Italy.

Agustin Pichot’s ears must have been burning yesterday at lunchtime as Joe Schmidt responded to the Argentine’s criticism of the decision to select a project player ahead of Devin Toner in Ireland’s World Cup squad.

In the interests of generating nuggets of shareable online content, as is the modern parlance, the Virgin Media Sport Twitter feed regularly puts out little chunks of video — goals, bizarre incidents, dollops of punditry, etc.

For Felipe Contepomi it’s on a par with River Plate v Boca Juniors; for CJ Stander and Johann van Graan a reminder of Bulls versus Stormers games.

With the much anticipated New Zealand test looming large in the background, the opening international of the November Guinness Series always had a bit of a matinee feel to it, the prelude to the main event.

Donal Lenihan on what Ireland must do to beat Argentina.

Manchester City 1 Lyon 2

Salah a one-season wonder or the real deal?

Atletico Madrid’s creaking Estadio Vicente Calderon Stadium was not a ground any opponent fancied visiting, especially on big Champions League nights when the old concrete bowl literally shook with emotion and noise.

Five things we learned

The announcement of Arsene Wenger’s imminent departure from Arsenal may have come as a surprise/shock/relief/inevitability – dilute according to taste – but I don’t mind saying that it came as a personal hammer blow to me, writes Liam Mackey.

Argentina's president has said an international search will continue for a submarine carrying 44 crew members that has been lost in the South Atlantic for nine days and the vessel's disappearance will be investigated.

All 44 crew members on a missing Argentinian submarine are feared dead after the navy announced a sound thought to be an explosion had been detected.

‘Revenge: The action of inflicting harm on someone for an injury or harm suffered at their hands.”

What the papers say.

The season’s first Double Gameweek, arriving as it did out of the blue, has whipped FPL managers into a veritable frenzy.

As soon as you think you have this season sussed, along comes a player with a points haul that has you looking at your team with familiar contempt once again. This week, step forward Eden Hazard.

West Ham 3 Manchester United 2: A night that began with the Manchester United players sheltering on the floor of the team bus as the vehicle was attacked by bottles and other missiles on its way to the Boleyn Ground ended with Louis Van Gaal’s side crestfallen at having lost control of the race to finish fourth.

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is confident Dele Alli can handle the hype after Alex Ferguson said he was the most talented midfielder since Paul Gascoigne.

Liverpool 1 Manchester City 1 (Man City win 3-1 on pens AET): Manuel Pellegrini’s farewell from Manchester City will be accompanied by at least one piece of silverware after the manager was rewarded for his act of loyalty in standing by keeper Willy Caballero.

Tottenham 0 Liverpool 0: LIVERPOOL’S new manager, Jurgen Klopp, wants to see a wilder side to his players after a tame scoreless draw in his first match in charge at Tottenham.

Irish and Argentina links run deep but when it comes to today’s big match, colours will be firmly nailed to masts, writes Billy Lynch

Donal Lenihan looks at the three key challenges Ireland must overcome in order to beat the Pumas in the Rugby World Cup quarter final...

Chile 0-0 Argentina (Chile win 4-1 on penalties)            

With the Premier League right around the corner, Steve Neville gives one line predictions on how each team will do this season.

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Champions League final against Barcelona with a calf injury.

On and off the field, Eusebio Guinazu is not looking beyond the next three weeks as he bids to help power Munster to a first trophy in four years.

1. Messi was somehow capable of getting even better

Tottenham 0 Man City 1: Manuel Pellegrini took a fresh swipe at Chelsea’s win at all costs approach on a painful afternoon for the dethroned champions.

LA LIGA

Manchester United 2 Sunderland 0

Mauricio Pochettino never wanted Emmanuel Adebayor to leave and has urged everyone connected with Tottenham to put the past behind them.

Now that the Premier League is officially at its halfway point, what better time to dole out some festive imaginary awards?

The Premier League season could have worked out differently, if not for a specific series of events. What if ...

After a week of great big debates about the rise and fall of opposing football philosophies, this semi-final was ultimately settled by the smallest and most elementary of details: a defender switching off, one clumsy challenge, a player losing his man.

Manchester City 4 Watford 2

No surprise to learn this week that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi declined to vote for each other in the Ballon d’Or.

The Australian Open’s chief medical officer admitted playing conditions may not have been humane after Andy Murray’s brother Jamie became the latest victim of Melbourne’s heat.

It was a decade ago, in April, that Florentino Perez claimed Real Madrid would “never, never, never” sign David Beckham.

First volume of Margaret Thatcher’s authorised biography is predictably flattering, but not a hagiography, says Shaun Connolly