Easter Sunday, upstairs in Cashman’s Bar, Academy Street, Cork. Liverpool are one up against Cardiff and on their way back to the top of the Premier League.

CSKA Moscow floored Spanish giants Real Madrid 3-0 at the Bernabeu with a dominant Champions League display.

Real Madrid and Croatia star Luka Modric has claimed the 2018 Ballon d'Or at a ceremony in Paris.

Where to begin with an overview of the state of the Danish national team before the Nations League match in Dublin today?

Luckily for Manchester City, the bloated Champions League format means that opening group games can hardly be regarded as critically important, never mind ‘must win’, but even if the competition couldn’t ever hope to hit the ground running the way the World Cup did in Russia, this week’s action did see some of football’s global superstars exhibiting varying degrees of luminosity — from dull to blinding — in their attempts to twist again like they did last summer.

As introductions to the Champions League go, one night in Milan eight years ago was a hell of a shock for Tottenham Hotspur, writes Gerry Cox

Football – zut alors!

Belgium’s World Cup squad were welcomed as heroes in Brussels yesterday, after achieving their best-ever World Cup result in Russia, and were rewarded with the country’s national dish: A bowl of chips.

My first World Cup memories go back to 1966 when I would have been 10 and at a stage in my childhood where I was really becoming obsessed with football.

Chris Hatherall looks ahead to today’s World Cup action as eight teams go into Day 13 looking to finish the group stage on a high.

It never ends well when players and manager fall out, especially so at the biggest sporting event on Earth.

Argentina 0 Croatia 3: Not the end. But the beginning of it.

The possession football championed by coaches like Pep Guardiola is supposed to produce aesthetically-pleasing goals. Against strong defences and world-class goalkeepers, sometimes you need to go back to basics.

Brazil boast more recent Champions League experience than even the leading European nations at this summer’s World Cup.

Spanish prosecutors are seeking a five-year prison sentence for former Real Madrid and Liverpool footballer Xabi Alonso for alleged tax fraud.

Real Madrid overcame a shaky performance to maintain their fine recent form to defeat Eibar 2-1 at the Estadio Municipal de Ipurua.

Paris St Germain’s Dani Alves wants to “send a message to Europe” by ending Real Madrid’s Champions League defence.

Skipper Sergio Ramos scored a late penalty clincher as Real Madrid came from behind to win 3-1 at Leganes and ease themselves into third place in LaLiga.

Real Madrid 3 PSG 1

Cristiano Ronaldo's superb free-kick gave Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Brazilian side Gremio as they retained their FIFA Club World Cup title in Abu Dhabi.

‘To the left, to the right, he’s our midfield dynamite,’ goes the song Spurs fans sing about Christian Eriksen.

Mauricio Pochettino has dismissed suggestions Harry Kane could join Real Madrid by claiming the striker can be Tottenham’s Francesco Totti.

John Fallon breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of Ireland’s potential opponents...

Talks over extending Mesut Ozil’s contract at Arsenal are “going in a positive way”, according to the agent of the German midfielder.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane has been named on a 30-man shortlist to win the 2017 Ballon d'Or.

John Giles discussed Ireland’s World Cup rescue mission with John Fallon

Tottenham’s Harry Kane is relishing the prospect of facing Real Madrid following a Champions League draw which also saw Chelsea handed a showdown with Diego Costa’s former club Atletico Madrid.

Modric said that after the sums were paid to Dinamo's and his bank accounts in Croatia, he gave an unspecified amount "cash in hand" to Mamic's brother and son.

Where next for Real Madrid and their latest generation of Galacticos - to infinity and beyond?

Real Madrid will have a really difficult job trying to break Juve down, writes Liam Brady.

Less than two years ago, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez shifted uncomfortably in his seat at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu as most of the 80,000 Blancos supporters around him chanted ‘Florentino Dimision’ (‘Florentino Resign’).

Both come from old port cities beside the Mediterranean, but the two men arrived at the top of their profession by completely different routes, writes David Shonfield.

Tonight’s Champions League semi-final first leg at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu sees Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid facing off for a fourth consecutive year in the competition — with Real aiming to confirm their dominance in the capital and Atletico looking to finally get over the final barrier of Diego Simeone’s time in charge.

Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has assured him the club does not have to raise money this summer and will only offload players they want to sell.

Real Madrid 3 - 1 Napoli

The modern Champions League format has little space for romance or novelty — as seen by this week’s fixture list as Arsenal and Bayern Munich, and Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, met again for the upteenth time in recent years.

Barcelona and Real Madrid both won over the weekend but received mixed fitness news ahead of their return to Champions League action this week — while Arsenal’s opponents Bayern Munich continued their impressive form.

Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 1: Real Madrid dug out a draw in Saturday afternoon’s ‘Clasico’ at Barcelona to remain in control of the La Liga title race - and leave further questions hanging around Luis Enrique’s future at the Camp Nou.

Zinedine Zidane insisted Real Madrid's last-gasp 1-1 draw at Barcelona did not "taste like a victory" despite the result keeping the capital club six points clear at the top of LaLiga.

A last-gasp Sergio Ramos header secured a 1-1 draw for Real Madrid in the Clasico against Barcelona to maintain their six-point lead at the top of LaLiga.