Barcelona took over as LaLiga leaders with a 6-1 thrashing of Sporting Gijon tonight - but their antics were soon overshadowed by the news Luis Enrique is to leave the Nou Camp.

Luis Enrique has announced he will not be Barcelona's head coach next season.

Real Madrid's sixth straight LaLiga win took them six points clear at the top of the table on Saturday night.

Zinedine Zidane has no doubt his Real Madrid side have what to takes to remain at the top of LaLiga after a "cruel" setback at Las Palmas last night.

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona got back to winning ways in La Liga with a 5-1 rout of Leganes.

LaLiga champions Barcelona claimed an impressive 1-0 win away to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night thanks to an Ivan Rakitic goal after 20 minutes.

Real Madrid got their campaign in LaLiga off to the ideal start as two goals from Gareth Bale steered them to a 3-0 win away to Real Sociedad.

Barcelona maintained their position at the Primera Division summit after second-half goals from Ivan Rakitic and Luis Suarez lifted them to a 2-0 win at 10-man Real Betis.

Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique remained upbeat after his side threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Villarreal and said: “We’re one point closer to our objective.”

Real Madrid’s 5-0 hammering of Real Betis on Saturday evening helped to ease the pressure on both Gareth Bale and Rafa Benitez — but may have troubled Los Blancos longtime talisman Cristiano Ronaldo.

Celtic have the prospect of facing Robin van Persie and Nani’s new side Fenerbahce plus Ajax and Molde from Norway in Group A after they were drawn together in the Europa League group stages.

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and company returned to action over the weekend - mercifully ending an off-season remarkable for the infighting and incompetence of those running Spanish football.

Sergio Ramos has ended speculation over his future by signing a new five-year deal at Real Madrid, insisting he never wanted to leave the club.

Nick Hornby said it best in Fever Pitch when he suggested that the natural state of the football fan is one of bitter disappointment, no matter what the score. Sitting in the Estadio Riazor last Sunday evening as more than 33,000 Deportivo La Coruña supporters shuffled out glumly onto the sun-speckled streets on the back of a 2-0 win over Levante spoke painfully for that.

Last Wednesday evening, Barcelona were 1-0 up and dominating their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg at home to Villarreal.

Celtic 2 Kilmarnock 0

Celtic 2 Astra Giurgiu 1

Celtic winger Aleksandar Tonev has been hit with a Scottish Football Association charge over alleged racist abuse.

Celtic 2 Aberdeen 1

Ronny Deila used the international break to reflect on a "stressful" start to his career as Celtic manager.

New Celtic signing Stefan Scepovic insists Parkhead was always his first-choice destination despite his apparent transfer U-turn.

Good afternoon and welcome to our coverage of Transfer Deadline Day.

Celtic are on the verge of signing Serbia international striker Stefan Scepovic from Sporting Gijon, according to his manager.

Roy Keane isn’t the only ex-Ireland captain to feel the force of Alex Ferguson’s acerbic tongue as Kevin Moran is described in the new autobiography by his former Manchester United boss as a “punch-drunk boxer”.

“I hope it finishes this year,” smiles Liam Buckley with studied understatement when the subject of probably the most famous trophy drought in Irish football comes up yet again.

Geography test

Malaga striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has announced his retirement from football at the age of 35.

Juventus last night won their first Serie A crown since 2003 as a Diego Milito hat-trick sunk title rivals AC Milan.

Having converted a low cross from the right to give Nigeria the lead against Bulgaria, Yekini stood in the goal, arms through the net, hands alternately clenched around the strings and clasped to his face as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Barcelona ensured the La Liga title race will go on another week after a crushing 7-0 win at Rayo Vallecano last night.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola preferred to focus on his team’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea rather than next weekend’s crucial El Clasico, but labelled his side’s chances of retaining the Primera Division title “a little less impossible” following Saturday night’s 2-1 win at Levante.

Real Madrid maintained their four-point lead over Barcelona in the Primera Division title race as both sealed hard-fought victories this evening.

Athletic Bilbao winger Markel Susaeta knows his side cannot afford to waste any chances when they face Schalke 04 in their Europa League quarter-final first leg in Gelsenkirchen tonight.

Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice in the second half as Real Madrid provisionally moved 13 points clear at the Primera Division summit with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Real Betis.

Mark Schwarzer says he is living the dream with Fulham and wants to play for at least a further two seasons.

LUIS SUAREZ’S Uruguayan team-mates have rushed to support the Liverpool forward following his eight-match ban and £40,000 (€48,000) fine for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

NEVER renowned for taking a loss with grace, Jose Mourinho put Real Madrid’s weekend 3-1 defeat in ‘El Clasico’ down to luck.

JUVENTUS and Udinese moved back into a share of top spot in Serie A after posting impressive wins yesterday.

REAL MADRID slumped to their first defeat of the season after suffering a 1-0 setback at Levante last night.

Ireland Under-19 0 Spain Under-19 5

BARCELONA head into tonight’s Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk in buoyant mood, although striker David Villa admits to concern over his recent lack of goals at club level.