Association football

UEFA president Michel Platini on March 24 warned of a return to the "dark days" of hooliganism in Europe fired by a rise in nationalism and extremism.
      

Steaua Bucharest is still the leader of Liga I, Romania's soccer first league, after week 23.

Photo credit: (c) Adrian CUBA / AGERPRES FLOW

The construction entrepreneur Yuliyan Indzhov and his team started on Monday a financial inspection at CSKA football club.

Indzhov announced on Sunday that the inspection was important as it will influence his decision whether to become a majority owner of the club, daily Dnevnik reports.

Michel Platini will on March 24 be elected to a third term as head of European governing body UEFA, putting him on course to add master sports powerbroker to his status as a football legend.
      

Galatasaray has enjoyed claiming the top spot on the Turkish Spor Toto Super League standings back after the Fenerbahçe-Be?ikta? derby, won 1-0 by the home side.

Fenerbahçe narrowly won the game against Be?ikta? with an injury-time goal by Senegalese international Moussa Sow late on March 23.

Barcelona took a huge step towards a fifth La Liga title in seven years with a 2-1 win over Real Madrid thanks to Luis Suarez's stunning strike on March 23.
      
Here, AFP sports looks at five lessons to be learned heading into the final 10 games of the La Liga season.

By George Georgakopoulos

OFI President Nikos Machlas announced on Saturday the withdrawal of the popular Cretan club from the Super League, as the financial problems appeared too heavy to handle. He chose to say nothing about the recent years' mismanagement of the club he inherited, but accused soccer authorities and other clubs of waging a war against OFI.

Be?ikta? will play against Fenerbahçe this weekend in a crucial game for the Spor Toto Super League title race, the only target the Istanbul club now has for this season after being knocked out of Europa League competition.

By George Georgakopoulos

Olympiakos stretched its lead at the top of the Super League to six points after beating Asteras Tripolis on Thursday and Panathinaikos went down at Atromitos on Wednesday, but the Greens have huge complaints from the referee of the game at Peristeri.

Manchester City face a huge challenge if they are to reach the last eight of the Champions League for the first time ever by overturning a 2-1 first leg deficit when they travel to an in-form Barcelona on March 18.