Sydney FC has been dealt a major blow ahead of Saturday's A-League grand final with key striker John Aloisi ruled out with a torn hamstring.

Gonzalo Higuain's clinical hat-trick fired Real Madrid back to the top of La Liga on Monday (AEDT) after three sublime goals from his Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi had briefly lifted Barcelona back above its arch-rivals.

David Beckham's World Cup hopes hung in the balance after the England midfielder went off with a suspected ruptured Achilles tendon late in AC Milan's 1-0 Serie A win over Chievo on Monday (AEDT).

Substitute Clarence Seedorf fired in a thunderous strike in stoppage time to give AC Milan a 1-0 win over Chievo and slash the gap with Serie A leaders Inter Milan to a point.

Wayne Rooney scored his 31st and 32nd goals of the season to lead Manchester United to a 3-0 home win over Fulham on Monday morning (AEDT) that nosed the champions back ahead in a fluctuating English Premier League title race.

Brisbane Roar have already started to rebuild after a disappointing campaign with the signing of former back-to-back A-League goalkeeper of the year Michael Theoklitos to a three-year contract.

Alberto Gilardino has boosted Fiorentina's outside chance of a Europa League qualifying spot by scoring with two headers in a 3-1 comeback win at faltering Napoli in Italy's Serie A.

Sevilla has been held to a 1-1 home draw with Deportivo Coruna in Spain's La Liga as it failed to trim the gap to third-placed Valencia to one point.

Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert could not hide his disgust after a handball controversy involving Sydney FC striker Chris Payne in Saturday's A-League preliminary final at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Scott McDonald made his goalscoring debut for English Championship club Middlesbrough in its 2-2 draw with Newcastle United on Sunday morning (AEDT).

Didier Drogba sent Chelsea back to the top of the English Premier League overnight but Arsenal stayed right on their heels thanks to a stoppage-time victory over 10-man Hull.

Sydney FC has booked a spot in the A-League grand final with a controversial, but ultimately convincing, 4-2 win over Wellington in the preliminary final at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Sydney FC will again be without Socceroos defender Shannon Cole for Saturday night's A-League preliminary final against Wellington Phoenix at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been named the African Footballer of the Year for 2009, the second time the Ivory Coast international his won the award.

Eden Hazard crowned an enterprising display with a late goal to give Lille a 1-0 victory over beleaguered English giant Liverpool in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie this morning (AEDT).

Troubled English Premier League club Portsmouth received a boost in its attempt to avoid liquidation overnight as the British tax authority accepted the team's move into administration.

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney can shatter former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo's 42-goal total, according to two of his Old Trafford colleagues.

Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka believes Wellington Phoenix hold the edge in morale going into Saturday's A-League preliminary final.

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek says his future beyond the World Cup will soon be known, but no final decision has been made.

A second-half header from David Nugent enabled Burnley to stop the rot this morning (AEDT) in giving his side its first point in five English Premier League matches.

Wayne Rooney reached 30 goals for the season as Manchester United marched into the last eight of the Champions League with a clinical 4-0 demolition of AC Milan this morning (AEDT).

Defending champion Pohang Steelers put its AFC Champions League challenge back on track with a narrow 2-1 victory, but Japanese powerhouse Gamba Osaka was held 1-1 at home on Wednesday.

Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou announced overnight that 85 of the cash-strapped English Premier League club's employees have been made redundant.

Adelaide has set itself up for another fruitful Asian Champions League adventure with a model away performance and a 2-0 victory over Shandong Luneng in China.