ON-TARGET ISAK NOW HAS REDS IN SIGHTS

REAL SOCIEDAD warmed up for Thursday’s Europa League clash with Manchester United by winning 1-0 win at GETAFE.

A first-half strike by Alexander Isak was enough for Sociedad to take the points.

Karim Benzema (above) scored in a 2-0 win for REAL MADRID against VALENCIA, his 17th goal of the season. The Frenchman put Zinedine Zidane’s side ahead before Toni Kroos added the second.

The win lifts Real above Barcelona into second place, five points behind leaders ATLETICO MADRID - who beat GRANADA 2-1 having played two games more.

Lionel Messi struck twice as BARCELONA beat ALAVES 5-1 on Saturday ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-germain.

Barca boss Ronald Koeman said: “Messi is very important. He’s in fantastic form. He is very involved, I see him happy.

“We need a Messi in his prime to eliminate PSG.”

Serie A leaders AC MILAN suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to SPEZIA, while NAPOLI eased the pressure on boss Gennaro Gattuso with a 1-0 victory over JUVENTUS.

In Germany, England star Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland were on target for BORUSSIA DORTMUND but they were held to a 2-2 draw by HOFFENHEIM.

Tottenham’s Europa League opponents this week, WOLFSBERG, beat ADMIRA WACKER MODLING 2-1 in the Austrian Bundesliga.

1929: Two-time Formula One world champion Graham Hill was born. The father of 1996 world champion Damon was killed in a plane crash in 1975.

1978: England, captained by Geoff Boycott, were dismissed for 64 as they suffered their first Test defeat to New Zealand.

1978: Leon Spinks beat Muhammad Ali to claim the world heavyweight boxing title, although Ali won it back later that year.

1980: England wicketkeeper Bob Taylor equalled the Test world record by dismissing seven Indian batsmen – all caught – in Mumbai.

1995: Rioting England fans forced a Dublin friendly to be abandoned after 27 minutes, with the Republic of Ireland leading 1-0 at the time.