The majority of the frontrunners in Europe's leading leagues enjoyed a winning weekend, though Ligue 1 leaders Lille bucked the trend with a first defeat since October. Meanwhile, Barcelona and Milan rebounded from midweek Champions League defeats to grab valuable league victories.

Spain
Barcelona bounced back from their midweek Champions League defeat by Arsenal with a 2-1 Liga win against Athletic Bilbao.

After being knocked out in the last eight of the Champions League, Chelsea have finished in second place, Carlo Ancelotti has been fired and along with an ageing side; the cracks now visible at Stamford Bridge may be a bigger than they appear.

On Sunday 22nd Chelsea Football Club made an announcement that stated "Chelsea Football Club can confirm that Carlo Ancelotti parted company with the club today".

The English Premier League since 2002 has featured thirty-eight clubs, twenty-four of which have been in England's top flight for three seasons or more. It's been a helluva ride: we've seen the record for fewest points broken (twice), seen Newcastle slip from the Champions League to the Championship and we witnessed Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Guus Hiddink, Claudio Ranieri and "Big Phil" Scolari all take charge of Roman Abramovich's Chelsea for varying short periods of time.

Liverpool have agreed a price with AS Roma for goalkeeper Doni, according to Sky Sport Italia.
The Brazilian, 31, would presumably be brought to Liverpool as back-up for the formidable Pepe Reina who looks like staying at Anfield despite speculation earlier in the year that the Spaniard could leave.

Wigan's chairman says he has given Aston Villa permission to speak to Roberto Martinez about Villa managerial opening.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan told the Daily Telegraph newspaper's website on Wednesday that Villa wrote to him and asked for permission to talk to Martinez:

"Aston Villa have acted above board and in a totally professional manner," Whelan said.

Since sacking Claudio Ranieri in June 2004 to appointing Andre Villas-Boas in June 2011, Roman Abramovich has spent over £69m in various compensation pay-outs to managers and clubs (including the hiring of director of football Frank Arnesen). That £69m does not include wages paid to managers since 2004.

When a star collapses under its own weight, in an extraordinary phenomenon that occurs for a variety of reasons including an excess consumption of fuel, a black hole results. The star's internal pressure cannot withstand the force of its own gravity, and essentially implodes, becoming a swirling outlet which devours anything it comes across.

Genoa - Roma 4 - 3: Sconfitta assurda, Ranieri si dimette Di Fabrizio Landolfi Domenica pomeriggio, allo stadio Ferraris di Genova, la Roma ha perso per 4-3 contro il Genoa di Ballardini, dopo essersi trovata in vantaggio per 3-0. Si tratta della sconfitta più clamorosa ed assurda della stagione, alla quale sono seguite le dimissioni del tecnico giallorosso, Claudio Ranieri.

By Chris Wright

According to several afternoon editions, Carlo Ancelotti is now surviving on fumes after Chelsea were put out of the FA Cup by Everton over the weekend, and will be sacked by the club should his side produce anything other than a win against Copenhagen in the Champions League tomorrow evening.

Claudio Ranieri saluta la sua Roma quando, dopo il disastro del Marassi, dalla bellezza dello zero a tre alla stoltezza del quattro a tre, non sente più sua, più gestibile, più compatibile con la propria dignit di uomo e di mister. Costretto ad abdicare ora e costretto ad andarsene quando era alla guida della Juventus, [.

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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
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- QPR's Summer and 2011/12 Calendar
- QPR and The Championship: Major Stats for 2010/11
Mail/John Edwards - QPR poised to axe manager Warnock as Premier League new boys count the pennies
Neil Warnock's future at Loftus Road looked uncertain after a board meeting to thrash out finances and the club's structure ahead of QPR's return to the Barclays Premier League.

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- Throughout the day, updates, comments and perspectives re QPR and football in general are posted and discussed on the QPR Report Messageboard...Also Follow: QPR REPORT ON TWITTER
- Any American or Canadian Readers of QPR Report/QPR Report Messageboard?

Roma goalkeeper Alexander Doni's agent has confirmed "talks with Liverpool. Doni would be very happy to join Liverpool."
The Brazilian shot-stopper, who in the last two years has been first, second and even third choice at the Olimpico, is available for around £1m.
"I spoke to the club [Roma] on Tuesday and they confirmed they are holding talks with Liverpool to reach an agreement regarding the transfer of Doni," agent Ovidio Colucci told The Guardian.

Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com

As the U.S. men's national team continues its winless stretch, the team keeps tumbling down the FIFA rankings.

The United States is No. 31 in the latest rankings, down three spots after losses to Costa Rica and Belgium earlier this month.

A última hora de la tarde de este miércoles, se producía el acuerdo definitivo que Inter venía persiguiendo con el técnico italiano Claudio Ranieri. El técnico romano firma un contrato de dos años y trabajará con su propio cuerpo técnico de confianza.
Se pone fin así a las especulaciones con respecto a otros entrenadores, entre ellos, la hipotética posibilidad de que dirigiera al equipo Quique Sánchez Flores, por aquello de un reencuentro con Diego Forlán.

A última hora de la tarde de este miércoles, se producía el acuerdo definitivo que Inter venía persiguiendo con el técnico italiano Claudio Ranieri. El técnico romano firma un contrato de dos años y trabajará con su propio cuerpo técnico de confianza.
Se pone fin así a las especulaciones con respecto a otros entrenadores, entre ellos, la hipotética posibilidad de que dirigiera al equipo Quique Sánchez Flores, por aquello de un reencuentro con Diego Forlán.

Inter Milan have signed another former Chelsea manager in Claudio Ranieri who will be unveiled as their new coach tomorrow following the sacking of Gian Piero Gasperini yesterday after just 5 games in charge at the club. Ranieri will become Inter's fifth manager in 15 months following Jose Mourinho, Rafa Benitez, Leonardo and Gasperini in the hot-seat.

Inter Milan have signed another former Chelsea manager in Claudio Ranieri who will be unveiled as their new coach tomorrow following the sacking of Gian Piero Gasperini yesterday after just 5 games in charge at the club. Ranieri will become Inter's fifth manager in 15 months following Jose Mourinho, Rafa Benitez, Leonardo and Gasperini in the hot-seat.

Much to the relief of Inter fans everyone, the club has fired Gian Piero Gasperini, who failed to win a game while in charge of Inter. Gasperini's downfall was due to his insistence that Inter play with three defenders and five midfield players, a formation that is not suited to the Inter line-up.

Serie A Weekly guest writer Michael Moruzzi with a few words on an Inter turnaround in the making Inter didn't lend themselves to stability during the past two decades. The dogmatic approach to accumulating silverware – epitomised by Milan and Juventus in the late 1980's and 90's – was not for them.

Claudio Ranieri is the 4th Inter Milan's manager since the leaving of Josè Mourinho, just 16 months ago. The Portouguese manager left Inter Milan after the winning of Uefa Champions League on May 2010. From that moment the dressing room of the Italian club has welcome Rafa Benitez, Leonardo De Araujo and Gian Piero Gasperini.

Just a week ago, it all seemed to finally be moving in the right direction. After a painful start to the season, including some terrible losses and a coaching change, Inter looked to be turning the corner. Claudio Ranieri arrived to take command and seemed to be bringing back the old Inter, winning his first two games.

Jaime Carragher has had a "pop" about Chelsea and our appointment of AVB ahead of up and coming British managers. When asked about foreign managers here he said:

"Benitez, Houllier, Mourinho – they've all got things about them in terms of having won the big trophies. Does that mean English managers don't get a chance at the Premier League?

Gratuitous, exploitative and sexist photographs of players going about their business published just for titillation? Yes please! Image: Denis Doyle/Getty Images.

We won't disrupt your view of Iker's undercarriage with our gibberish today.

Manchester City 2-1 Villarreal

These Argentinian (or Argentine?

If the first few months of the season is any indication, the Serie A title race is going to be very wide open and very tight throughout.

After this week's 2-1 win over Fiorentina, unbeaten Juventus are top of the table, one point ahead of fellow unbeaten side Udinese heading into the mid-week's eight fixtures.

Losing is starting to become a very familiar result for Chelsea. The Blues once again suffered a shock home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday going down 2-1 to leave them 12 points of the pace set by leaders Manchester City.

Not only was the defeat Chelsea's second consecutive home loss, but it was also the first time the club lost 2 successive Premier League home games since Claudio Ranieri's tenure as coach.

Pressure mounting on Villas-Boas at Chelsea - SI.com.

When Chelsea selected ex-Porto manager Andre Villas-Boas to be their new leader last summer, many fans were scratching their heads to figure out who he was, and why he was chosen, but people in the game however, had no reservations about his ability to lead the London club back to it's trophy winning ways, as he had led Porto to a treble winning season in 2011 with Portuguese League, Cup and Europa League triumphs.

"I don't agree [that I need help.] I don't solve problems on my own; I solve problems with my group of people and my group of players.
Says Andre Villas-Boas, who apparently is already under pressure in his role as Chelsea manager.
True, they face a fight to stay in the Champions League and the premier league odds have drifted to 14/1, but it is still a ludicrous suggestion, but one that is symptomatic of the Abramovich era at Stamford Bridge.

Apparently, they missed each other too. Bless! (Getty Images/Daylife)

Has something been missing from your life over the last few weeks? Have you found your mind drifting to thoughts of designer stubble, flying helmest, pigtails and inappropriately over the top displays of manlove while you're idly choosing yet another choccie from the selection box you ‘liberated' from an elderly and slightly infirm family member?

Liverpool is reportedly been in talks with Roma coach Claudio Ranieri in relation to offering the 59 year old the managerial post at Anfield in the summer. The former Chelsea boss is free to leave his post at the Stadio Olimpico in June and is apparently open to a return to England according to Italian source Leggo.

Happy New Year from the Roma Review! Intense last matchday in Serie A with games on Thursday and Sunday. Playing two matches so close together can take a toll on players, especially after winter breaks as holiday revelry and distractions which occur off the pitch require a refocus upon return.

Roma are in no mood to unclench their fists with Mirko Vucinic as they reject Liverpool advances.
The 27-year-old Montenegrin striker has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield. Il Corriere dello Sport claimed on Friday that Roma were considering a sale as budgetary constraints was forcing the club to offload.

Gazzetta dello Sport A Wasted Ibra Zlatan Ibrahimovic's most spectacular career goals was not enough for Milan, who were pegged back 1-1 at Lecce Good thing there is Del Piero After two losses a shot in the arm for the Bianconeri still in emergency mode (2-1). A moment of magic from Alexandro and Aquilani punish Bari.

Roma boss Claudio Ranieri has revealed he is open to returning to the Premier League as Liverpool manager amid speculation the club's board will sound him out over the prospect of succeeding Kenny Dalglish at the end of the season.
Ranieri has been linked with a return to England on several occasions since he was sacked as Chelsea manager in 2004, having guided the club to the Champions League semi-finals and second place in the Premier League.

'La Magicast' return with their fourth episode on everything AS Roma. Greg and Alex (Julian misses out due to travel) discuss the 1-0 win against Cesena. It seemed as if Raineri didn't have a gameplan, which is dissected as well. Also discussed is the departure of Cicinho, who joins Baptista and Okaka on the list of players who left the club this weekend.

This episode we welcome Giancarlos Rinaldi to the show to discuss all things matchday 20 in Italian Serie A plus a heart to heart on his beloved Viola as well as other news regarding potential transfers and tifosi dreams in the new year. Mr. Rinaldi can be found at FootballItalia.net as well as Rinaldi's blog Give us a listen and LEAVE your comments dammit!

On Wednesday January 19, 2011, Lazio and Roma will meet at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome for a rare Coppa Italia version of the Derby della Capitale. While the match's result does not impact either club's standing in the 2010/2011 Serie A Scudetto campaign, a place in the Coppa Italia quarterfinals and capital city bragging rights are on the line.

It was the Derby della Capitale on Wednesday January 19, 2011 as Roma hosted Lazio in the Coppa Italia. Considered one of the biggest and fiercest derbies in Europe, if not the world, Wednesday's match lived up to its billing as 90 minutes of fierce play saw Roma win their fourth straight derby.

La Roma vince il derby di Coppa Italia, elimina la Lazio di Reja e si prepara ad affrontare, tra una settimana, la Juventus a Torino, nei quarti di finale della manifestazione calcistica nazionale.
Quarta vittoria (su altrettante stracittadine) per il tecnico giallorosso, Claudio Ranieri, che, in attesa di affrontare il Cagliari in Serie A, si conferma bestia nera della squadra biancoceleste e vince la sfida con il collega goriziano.

It had been a long time that the Serie A wasn't as interesting as it is now. The vacuum left by Inter's downfall was filled with a tempestuous AC Milan which is now beginning to slow down. Along with AC Milan, Juventus have also begun to lose their knack of outscoring their opponents, especially noticeable in their 3-0 loss to Napoli.