Champions League to give last chance to Julen Lopetegui

The first task for Real Madrid supporters on Monday after waking from another night of fitful sleep filled with demonic images of Levante players was to find out whether the club still has a manager or not.

The answer is that Julen Lopetegui is still in charge despite rumors over the weekend that the Spaniard's demise was imminent.

This comes after Real Madrid has picked up just the single point from 12 in La Liga. It is a poor run topped off with a truly inspired home defeat to Levante on Saturday. 

Lopetegui himself is going to have the wonderful opportunity to answer these rumors, as the coach speaks to the media today ahead of Tuesday's home Champions League clash against Viktoria Plzen. 

However, a positive performance in the game might be a lifeline for Lopetegui to at least stay in his job until Sunday's Clasico at the Camp Nou. 

Elsewhere in the wacky world of the Whites in a particularly frenzied Clasico week, reports suggest that both Luka Modric and Marcelo want out in January. But there is a story from Spanish radio station, COPE, that a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic is being sounded out to come in. 

Tune into the Locker Room at 7:30PM ET / 4:30PM to find out if our panelists predict that Real Madrid will have a new coach in charge for El Clasico on Sunday. 

Barca president beats back more Neymar rumors 

While all this Real Madrid kerfuffle should be putting a huge smile on the faces of Barcelona fans, not everything is hunky-dory at the Camp Nou. 

Although the club sits at the top of La Liga, Lionel Messi is ruled out for approximately three weeks after fracturing a bone in his right arm. 

"The team always responds," was the hopeful message from Barca president, Josep Bartomeu, speaking today and ignoring the evidence that the team largely falls apart with Messi on the pitch. 

Bartomeu also took the opportunity to end last week's sudden flurry of Neymar-to-Barcelona rumors. "There is no plan for (Neymar) to return. We have not received any call from his people. He was the one who decided to pay out his clause."

Barca has quite the week ahead, with a Champions League clash on Wednesday against an Inter side fresh from a late, late winner against Milan in Serie A on Sunday. 

The XTRA will bring you all the news from both Barcelona and Madrid every day this week as beIN SPORTS continues its extensive build-up into every nook and cranny of El Clasico. 

Rooney leads DC United into promised land of play-offs 

MLS had a big Sunday evening of action with the play-off race hotting up. 

The big winners were DC United, a team that has had a remarkable run since the arrival of Wayne Rooney in June.

Rooney scored a brace in a 3-1 victory over New York City FC on Sunday - twelve for the season now for the Englishman - to guarantee DC United a play-off spot. 

The other big MLS hitter - King Zlatan - was also on target with the opening goal against Minnesota United in a 3-1 victory that sees LA Galaxy needing a victory in the final game of the regular season next weekend against Houston Dynamo to grab a play-off place. 

Arsenal looking for seventh heaven against Leicester 

Let's get back to more immediate matters and some Monday matches. 

Arsenal is in action in the Premier League. Not that anyone has noticed, but the Gunners have been rolling along quite nicely under Unai Emery with six Premier League wins on the bounce (nine all comps). A chance for a seventh and a move into the top four awaits with the visit of Leicester City. 

Real Sociedad is hosting Girona in La Liga in a clash between two teams that are a bag of fun to watch. That game is live on beIN SPORTS at 3PM ET / 12PM PT. 

Over in Serie A and Sampdoria has the chance to close in on the Champions League places with a home encounter against Sassuolo.

The XTRA is the place to be with the best action from around the grounds at 7PM ET / 4PM PT.