Team: FC Schalke 04
Defeated in their first four Bundesliga games of the campaign, and languishing 16th in the German top flight with ten points from 12 fixtures and just two league victories all season, Schalke were unlikely to have headed into last weekend's match against SV Werder Bremen with relish. They triumphed 4-0, though, and duly continued their far more impressive European form with a 3-0 win against Olympique Lyonnais to record successive victories for the first time this term and qualify from Group B."This is a great success for us and we're very happy about it, but it doesn't help us in the Bundesliga," said coach Felix Magath.
Match: AS Roma 3-2 FC Bayern München
Two behind at half-time, and with FC Basel 1893 beating CFR 1907 Cluj, the Giallorossi were in grave danger of heading into Matchday 6 with qualification out of their own hands. Then came the fightback. Started by Marco Borriello's superbly improvised finish, and completed by Roma stalwarts Daniele De Rossi and Francesco Totti, Claudio Ranieri's side now need just a point against CFR to be certain of their progress. The coach said: "During the first half they played with us like cats do with mice, but in the second we changed gear and finally managed to play our football at a high tempo."
Player: Matheus (SC Braga)
Seven minutes away from having to settle for a place in the UEFA Europa League, Braga were in dire need of a hero. They duly found one in the shape of their Brazilian striker Matheus, who had not found the net since Matchday 3. He did so twice against Arsenal FC, the second – in added time – featuring great strength, awareness and a rifled finish, to keep alive his side's hopes of a place in the last 16. "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to be living such a moment," he said. "It's a dream come true."
Goal: Loïc Rémy (Olympique de Marseille)
As much as one would have liked Rémy to claim his first touch for his goal against FC Spartak Moskva as a moment of inspired genius, you have to admire the Marseille striker's honesty. "Yes, I didn't intend to do what ultimately worked out perfectly," he said after his miscued effort spun bizarrely over Martin Stranzl's head. Rémy needed no second invitation to pounce on such fortune, controlling superbly in his stride and firing in off both posts.
Quote:
"I'm mortified at having to sign a shirt for Don Diego. You are the true number one."
A humble José Mourinho is left bemused after Diego Maradona's request for a piece of memorabilia following his trip to Real Madrid CF's training ground.
Failing to find the funny side: Jakub Blaszczykowski (Borussia Dortmund)
Blaszczykowski will take some beating in the miss of the season stakes. The Poland winger has received ribbing aplenty after firing wide from ten metres out – with no defender within touching distance – against SC Freiburg last weekend. Team-mate Neven Subotic admitted he "tried not to laugh but failed", while coach Jürgen Klopp said his side were likely to re-enact the scene in training. While the world enjoys a rueful smirk at Blaszczykowski's expense, the man himself struggles to find the funny side. "Unfortunately I cannot laugh about it," he said.
Surprise return: Raymond Domenech
Domenech endured a turbulent summer in charge of France at the FIFA World Cup but, just five months after being knocked out by the hosts in South Africa, he is back. On Saturday the 58-year-old turned up as a volunteer assistant coach with amateur side AC Boulogne-Billancourt's Under-11s. "The aim of coaching kids is to recover and rebuild," said Domenech, who masterminded a 6-1 win in his first game. He will remain on hand to help twice a week until the end of the season, by which time the much-coveted U12 job may even have come open.
Beyond the call of duty: KAA Gent
Of all the roles a football club can fulfil, family planning clinic is one which rarely springs to mind. Gent, however, have been doing their bit with an annual promotion in a bid to combat HIV by handing out free, club-branded condoms to their supporters. This week, though, they went one step further by deciding to stock the product permanently in their club shop. "The condoms have become a real collector's item," said a club statement. That is Christmas sorted, then.
Paying respect: Jim Cruickshank (Heart of Midlothian FC)
A veteran of more than 600 appearances in goal for Hearts, Cruickshank passed away at the age of 69 last week. Hearts' current man between the posts, Marián Kello, paid his respects in fitting fashion against Hamilton Academical FC, hanging a yellow No1 Cruickshank jersey – signed by all the players – over his goal before turning in a fine display in a 2-0 win. "It was an emotional occasion," said Kello. "I felt a connection with Jim and I wanted to get a clean sheet for him."
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