Bayern Munich: 'too dominant, regal, relaxed, elegant and cool for the rest'

The word itself had become joke, a brutal eight-letter punchline that knocked down all of Bayern Munich's notorious pomposity, their sense of entitlement and delusions of grandeur. But on Tuesday night, it ceased to be funny. Borussia Dortmund manager Jürgen Klopp reached for it in his impromptu eulogy for the new Bundesliga champions, because there was really no other way to describe their superiority. "They are incredible," said Klopp. "We truly need binoculars to see them. And I can even enjoy watching them at times because they're playing fantastically well."

Binoculars. Fernglas in German. Uli Hoeness, the soon-to-be incarcerated president and architect of this Bayern team, had coined the phrase in May 2007. "We have to make

Lionel Messi hat-trick gives Barcelona victory over Real Madrid

With six minutes to go Lionel Messi struck a penalty high into the top corner of the Real Madrid net to complete a hat-trick and the scoring in an astonishing match that left the title race wide open once again. Just a solitary point now separates these two great rivals. Yet while the biggest game in Spain concluded with a new league leader, it was neither of them. Atlético Madrid are top.
All three contenders stand within a point of each other in a fascinating run-in that concludes with Barcelona-Atlético at the Camp Nou. Madrid's "other team" are top on head-to-head over Real, while Barcelona are a point behind the capital's clubs. The defending may not

Manchester City offer Arsenal's Bacary Sagna three-year deal

Bacary Sagna has been offered a three-year deal by Manchester City and he will consider whether to become the latest Arsenal player to move between the clubs in the summer. The 31-year-old full-back remains locked in contractual stand-off with Arsenal, the club he joined in 2007 and his current terms are set to expire in June, making him a free agent.
Arsène Wenger, the manager, has indicated a readiness to break the club's general policy of granting only one-year extensions to players in their thirties and he is extremely keen for Sagna to stay. The France international has

Full-time: Real Madrid 3-4 Barcelona

It's all over! Barcelona have won!

more later...

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney scores stunner in win over West Ham

Maybe Wayne Rooney will turn out to be Manchester United's Captain Marvel after all. Not many people expected that to be the case last summer, when he seemed certain to join Chelsea, but anything is possible when Rooney is in this form, even goals from 57 yards out. If he ever scores a better goal than his first in United's slick 2-0 win over West Ham United, we may have to stop football altogether, because there would be nothing left to see.
A week that began with faith in David Moyes disappearing at an alarming rate has ended with United looking more like their old selves, the inclusion of

Manchester City's Yaya Touré hits hat-trick in romp over Fulham

No slip-up, no contest and almost no sweat. Manchester City prepared for Tuesday's trip to Old Trafford with an exercise in ruthless efficiency as Yaya Touré led a rout of Fulham with his first hat-trick in English football. Felix Magath was left incensed at a lack of fight from the Premier League's bottom club. On this form, his men look condemned. Manuel Pellegrini's team look in control.
City's biggest league win since November resembled a training session for the final half hour as they prised apart Fulham without performing close to their fluent, commanding best. Their manager withdrew the outstanding Touré, who now has 20 goals for the season, David Silva and Samir Nasri in the closing stages in readiness for the Manchester derby, the first of two testing away games next week that can shape City's attempt to

Luis Suárez hits hat-trick as rampant Liverpool overwhelm Cardiff

The Liverpool bandwagon rolls on. "We're gonna win the league" reverberated from the travelling supporters after a sixth successive Premier League victory maintained Liverpool's pursuit of a first title since 1990 and offered further evidence of their staggering firepower and ability to score almost at will.
Trailing 2-1 at one stage, Liverpool responded in emphatic fashion through a hat-trick from the irrepressible Luis Suárez, who took his tally for the season to 28 in 25 appearances, two goals from Martin Skrtel and another for Daniel Sturridge. Cardiff, who remain second bottom, were powerless to stop the inevitable Liverpool onslaught. Brendan Rodgers's side have racked up 24 goals across those last six league fixtures, an incredible return that