1.   The police moved to prevent elections for league leadership during a fight for control of the institution among the three major parties.

2.   AS Roma surrendered the Italian league leadership to Turin archrival Juventus Sunday, apparently distracted by its upcoming Champions League match against Barcelona.

3.   Fiorentina, which surrendered the league leadership to Lazio since its Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta was sidelined with a knee injury, is less than a favorite against Parma.

4.   The league leadership could change hands this weekend if Liverpool slips up at home against West Ham, and Arsenal wins at Sunderland.

5.   The league leadership also changed in Spain this weekend, with Valencia leapfrogging Real Madrid to the top of the Primera Liga.

6.   Villa kept the league leadership and coach John Gregory was still celebrating a two-year extension to his contract signed Friday.