Top games to watch this week
Friday, October 21
Juventus vs Empoli (Serie A)
Mainz vs Köln (Bundesliga)
Porto vs Benfica (Primeira Liga)
Ajaccio vs PSG (Ligue 1)
USA vs Nigeria (FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup)
Germany vs Brazil (FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup)
Saturday, October 22
Nottingham vs Liverpool (English Premier League)
Manchester City vs Brighton (English Premier League)
Chelsea vs Manchester United (English Premier League)
Real Madrid vs Sevilla (La Liga)
Fiorentina vs Internazionale (Serie A)
Borussia Dortmund vs Stuttgart (Bundesliga)
Hoffenheim vs Bayern München v
América vs Toluca (Liga MX)
Colombia vs Tanzania (FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup)
Japan vs Spain (FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup)
Sunday, October 23
Southampton vs Arsenal (English Premier League)
Tottenham vs Newcastle (English Premier League)
Barcelona vs Athletic Club (La Liga)
Roma vs Napoli (Serie A)
Montreal vs New York City (MLS Cup Playoffs)
Austin vs Dallas (MLS Cup Playoffs)
Monterrey vs Pachuca (Liga MX)
Monday, October 24
West Ham vs Bournemouth (English Premier League)
Celta de Vigo vs Getafe (La Liga)
Sassuolo vs Hellas Verona (Serie A)
Rio Ave vs Portimonense (Primeira Liga)
Tuesday, October 25
Salzburg vs Chelsea (UEFA Champions League)
Sevilla vs Kobenhavn (UEFA Champions League)
Dinamo Zagreb vs Milan (UEFA Champions League)
Celtic vs Shakhtar (UEFA Champions League)
RB Leipzig vs R.Madrid (UEFA Champions League)
Borussia Dortmund vs Man City (UEFA Champions League)
PSG vs Maccabi Haifa (UEFA Champions League)
Benfica vs Juventus (UEFA Champions League)
Flamengo vs Santos (Brasileirao)
Athletico-PR vs Palmeiras (Brasileirao)
Wednesday, October 26
Club Brugge vs Porto (UEFA Champions League)
Inter vs Viktoria Plzen (UEFA Champions League)
Napoli vs Rangers (UEFA Champions League)
Ajax vs Liverpool (UEFA Champions League)
Atlético vs Bayer Leverkusen (UEFA Champions League)
Barcelona vs Bayern München (UEFA Champions League)
Tottenham vs Sporting CP (UEFA Champions League)
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Olympique Marseille (UEFA Champions League)
Corinthians vs Fluminense (Brasileirao)
Thursday, October 27
PSV vs Arsenal (UEFA Europa League)
Lazio vs Midtjylland (UEFA Europa League)
Ludogorets vs Real Betis (UEFA Europa League)
Manchester United vs Sheriff (UEFA Europa League)
HJK vs Roma (UEFA Europa League)
Sturm Graz vs Feyenoord (UEFA Europa League)
Ferencvaros vs Monaco (UEFA Europa League)
Fiorentina vs Istanbul (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Nice vs Partizan (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Villarreal vs Hapoel Be'er Sheva (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Vaduz vs AZ (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Sivasspor vs Cluj (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Juventus vs Olympique Lyonnais (UEFA Women's Champions League)
Rosengard vs Barcelona (UEFA Women's Champions League)
Arsenal vs Zurich (UEFA Women's Champions League)
Benfica vs Bayern München (UEFA Women's Champions League)
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: October 10-16, 2022
Once again, a Premier League clash emerged as the most-watched game of the week, but contrary to other editions of this countdown, the English competition had to deal with some stiff competition from Liga MX matches who fought toe-to-toe for the top spot.
Without a doubt, the most anticipated tie of the week had to be the most watched, and Liverpool's win over Manchester City earned the top honors this time around with over 800,000 average viewers. Another Premier League fixture, this time the one featuring Tottenham and Everton, earned the runners-up spot with a few thousand average viewers short of 700,000.
And what about Liga MX games? Well, the presence of the match between Tigres and Pachuca, with over 620,000 average viewers, should serve as a testament to a job well done in the Mexican top-flight, a league that recorded five games with over 500,000 average viewers last week.
Let us have a look at the numbers last week brought us in terms of football games:
What are this week's must-watch games?
Porto vs Benfica live this Friday at 3:15 p.m. ET on GOLTV, GolTV Espanol, Fanatiz USA, and fuboTV
O Clássico is back! Primeira Liga giants Porto and Benfica prepare to face off for the first time this season in the league as bragging rights and the crucial three points are up for grabs. The Eagles are currently unbeaten in the Portuguese top flight, drawing once and winning the rest of their opening nine matches. The Dragons, on the other hand, have suffered one defeat this campaign and thus trail the Primeira Liga leaders by three points. However, it's the home side that enters this clash on the back of a five-game winning streak. Will the reigning champions end Benfica's unbeaten start? Don't miss this clash!
Chelsea vs Manchester United live this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on Peacock, NBC USA, Telemundo Deportes en VIV, UNIVERSO, fuboTV, Sling, and SiriusXM FC
Two of the Premier League's most successful clubs will lock horns this Saturday as the Chelsea vs Manchester United showdown is the standout fixture of the upcoming Premier League round. The Red Devils enter this clash on the back of their brilliant 2-0 midweek victory over Tottenham, with Ten Hag's side putting in their most dominant display of the campaign so far. Unfortunately, the Cristiano Ronaldo fiasco overshadowed that excellent game. The Blues, on the other hand, drew nil-nil away to Brentford but remain a point ahead of Manchester United in the table. The hosts are fourth while the visitors are fifth, meaning this tie, albeit early, could play an influential role in the top-four race. Make sure to catch this game.
Roma vs Napoli live this Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, and fuboTV
Our final weekend game to make this list is a Serie A fixture as league leaders Napoli prepare for an interesting showdown with fellow Italian heavyweights Roma this Sunday. The visitors currently boast a two-point lead over second-placed Atalanta and have been one of the most exciting teams to watch this season, winning their last 10 games in a row. Mourinho's men, on the other hand, have suffered three slip-ups in their last seven outings but remain in the hunt for the Scudetto, sitting only four points behind the leaders in fourth, making this a crucial fixture.
European football is back this midweek as Dortmund vs Manchester City and Barcelona vs Bayern Munich headline the UEFA Champions League action
Matchday 5 kicks off this midweek in Europe's three club competitions, most significantly in the UEFA Champions League, as the fate of some major clubs could be decided. Barcelona fall into this group as the Spanish giants host Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the standout fixture. Not only do Xavi's men have to beat the German giants, but the Catalan powerhouse need Inter Milan to slip up at home to Viktoria Plzeň in order to avoid a second consecutive group-stage exit. Elsewhere, Manchester City visit Dortmund having already sealed qualification, but even a second-string Guardiola side can put up a stern test at the Signal Iduna Park.
In the UEFA Europa League, Arsenal will visit PSV on Thursday after beating the Dutch side 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium recently. The Gunners will simply need a point at the Philips Stadium in order to win the group and secure a bye to the round of 16. Manchester United, on the other hand, host Sheriff as they continue their mission to overturn their three-point deficit over group leaders Real Sociedad.
We are back in full motion with some of the top leagues in women's football, which will bring fans closer to the decisive stages of the tournaments that are taking place in the coming days.
The list of tournaments being played this week features the FA Women's Super League, the Frauen-Bundesliga, and the Women's Serie A in Italy. But even with those competitions being played in the next seven days, there are some that will be even more eye-catching considering what will be at stake in each of them.
For starters, we will have the final rounds in the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, followed by international tournaments such as the UEFA Women's Champions League and the Copa Libertadores Femenina.To make matters even more interesting, the NWSL returns to action with some of the top matches being played this weekend which will determine the identities of the teams that will play for the title.
Without further ado, let's have a look at what the beautiful game will offer in terms of women's football matches for the next seven days.
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
It is time to determine the four teams that will fight for the final games in the competition with an age restriction. Teams such as the USWNT, Japan, Spain, and Germany are still in the race to become champions, and their matches will be set to start on Friday with the ton of excitement each clash will carry.
Once the quarterfinals are wrapped up, we will have to wait until Wednesday to watch the semifinal ties. Here are this weekend's quarterfinal matches:
Friday, October 21
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USWNT vs Nigeria
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Germany vs Brazil
Saturday, October 22
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Colombia vs Tanzania
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Japan vs Spain
2022 Copa Libertadores Femenina
The South American competition will give fans some of the most nerve-wracking matches in the history of the tournament as we enter the quarterfinals of the tournament. Three teams from Brazil (Ferroviaria, Corinthians, and Palmeiras) are still in the title race, with Boca Juniors defending the Argentine pride, and Colombia and Chile being represented by two teams each. It will be a battle for the ages in each of the matches set to take place.
2022 NWSL
We are down to the last four teams in the North American competition, which will surely keep fans on the edge of their seats.
Both matches will be held this Sunday, with the first one featuring the Portland Thorns, who finished second, and the San Diego Wave, who led the competition for quite a while until they went through a slump that prevented them from keeping that spot.
The other tie will feature the league-leading OL Reign and the Kansas City Current, the other surviving team from the previous round. The games between these clubs this season had the hosts claiming similar one-nil wins, which will surely make the tie even more difficult to predict.
2022-23 UEFA Women's Champions League
The top club competition in Europe will continue its run this week, following some top-notch performances by Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Arsenal, with the North London giants destroying defending champions Olympique Lyon with an emphatic five-one win away from home.
With such results taking place last week, it will be quite interesting to follow what will go down in the coming days, especially with some of the favorite teams in need to bounce back to defend their honor. Here are the matches taking place this midweek:
Wednesday, October 26
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St. Polten vs Roma
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Real Madrid vs PSG
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Slavia Praha vs Wolfsburg
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Chelsea vs Vllaznia
Thursday, October 27
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Juventus vs Lyon
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Rosengard vs Barcelona
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Arsenal vs Zurich
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Benfica vs Bayern Munich
Interested in more leagues? Visit our dedicated women's soccer page at LiveSoccerTV.com.
Biggest stories of the week
CONFIRMED: Full list of Ballon d'Or 2022 award winners
The 2022 France Football Awards successfully concluded on Monday night with Real Madrid and French football star Karim Benzema winning the Men's Ballon d'Or for the first time ever. The 34-year-old striker was presented the 66th Ballon d'Or award inside the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris after beating the likes of Sadio Mane and Kevin de Bruyne.
Following the controversy that came with Lionel Messi picking up the coveted award for a record seventh time, the criteria for selecting the winner was redefined for the prize to be given based on the merits of the last season of football, as opposed to the calendar year. Nevertheless, it was hardly in doubt that Benzema was going to be adjudged the winner this year after the remarkable campaign he had with Real Madrid and the French national team.
At the end of the night, the results that were leaked ahead of the ceremony were confirmed, with the Los Blancos skipper finishing in first place in the men's category. At the age of 34, the striker became the oldest Ballon d'Or winner since 1956. He is also the fifth Frenchman in history to secure the prestigious prize, with Zinedine Zidane being the last compatriot to receive the recognition in 1998.
In the women's category Barcelona forward Alexia Putellas successfully defended her crown by claiming her second Ballon d'Or in succession. Thibaut Courtois made it a double swoop for Real Madrid by winning the Yashin Trophy - the award for the best goalkeeper.
Robert Lewandowski, whom many tipped to win last year's Ballon d'Or, ended the night by winning the first-ever Gerd Muller trophy. The award is given to the top scorer of the season, combining goals both for club and country, and the Polish striker rightfully earned it after scoring 50 times in 46 games for Bayern Munich last season, while also hitting the target seven times for his national side.
Barcelona's teenage sensation Gavi made it three wins for the Catalans by securing the Kopa trophy for being the best youngster in the game after breaking through the ranks last season. The Socrates Award which recognizes acts of solidarity by football players was given to Sadio Mane and Manchester City completed the awards list by being adjudged the best club of the year.
Real Madrid ace Thibaut Courtois slams 2022 Ballon d'Or rankings after Benzema's win
Thibaut Courtois was one of two Real Madrid players to come away from Monday's Ballon d'Or gala with an award. The Belgian superstar was named the goalkeeper of the year, winning the coveted Yashin Award after his heroics last season.
What about the biggest prize? That went to Los Blancos teammate Karim Benzema, with the Frenchman being named the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, beating out competition from Sadio Mane and Kevin de Bruyne, who came in at second and third respectively.
However, despite being honored for his impressive season in between the sticks, Courtois left Monday's award ceremony with a bitter taste. The former Chelsea shot-stopper wasn't pleased with his overall Ballon d'Or ranking and hit out at the voting process for France Football's prestigious prize.
Despite playing a crucial role in Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League and La Liga success last season, with Courtois winning Man of the Match in the European final versus Liverpool, the Belgian did not even make the top five in the Ballon d'Or rankings.
After keeping 22 clean sheets and conceding 46 goals, the Santiago Bernabeu keeper only managed a seventh-placed finish, which rehashed the age-old question: can a goalkeeper ever compete for a Ballon d'Or in the modern game?
Of the six players that ranked higher than Courtois, all but one (De Bruyne) were attackers, and the two other players who weren't attackers that made the top 10 were midfielders idolized for their attacking contributions (De Bruyne in 3rd and Luka Modric in 9th).
"You win La Liga and you win the Champions League, your team wins thanks to your saves… and you only finish seventh," Courtois told Spanish outlet Teledeporte.
"The truth is that I see it as impossible. In the top 10, there wasn't even a single defender. At least this year they have invented the trophy for best goalkeeper."
While Thibaut saw off competition from Liverpool's Alisson, Manchester City's Ederson, and Chelsea's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations-winning goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, it brings up an interesting debate around the favoritism for attack-minded players.
As the Real Madrid keeper pointed out, there was no defender in the top 10, with Fabio Cannavaro back in 2006 being the last to win this prize. As for goalkeepers, only one has ever lifted the Ballon d'Or and that man was Lev Yashin, whom the Yashin Trophy was named after, winning it back in 1963.
EL Clásico - Valverde makes history with long-distance goal vs Barça
Once again, Real Madrid have dominated their bitter rivals and claimed a key win in their quest to win La Liga.
The Spanish giants managed to get a two-goal lead during the first half of the game with goals by Karim Benzema and Federico Valverde. Ferrán Torres brought Real Madrid's lead down to one, but in the dying moments of the game, Rodrygo converted a penalty that sealed the deal for Carlo Ancelotti's men.
It is precisely the second goal by Federico Valverde which has established a new record for Real Madrid, as he has joined one of Los Blancos' legendary players (Raul Gonzalez) with that strike, becoming only the second player in the club's history to score from outside the box in a home El Clasico in La Liga. It had been a while since the Uruguayan's last goal in the Spanish top flight, and he chose the best possible scenario to do so.
Following this win, Los Merengues are now the only team in La Liga with an unbeaten record. To make matters worse for Barcelona, this loss saw them slip to second in the title race.
German FA unveil new sponsorship deal with Continental
Ahead of the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup, Germany's men's team now has a new sponsor. The nation's football association (Deutscher Fußball-Bund) has revealed that the organization and tire manufacturer Continental AG will now be partners for four years. In addition to being featured during the men's senior team's matches, this four-year arrangement also covers the under-21 side.
Continental, known simply as Continental or "Conti", has been in existence since 1871 and is headquartered in Hannover, Germany. The conglomerate is based worldwide, with operations in North America (USA, Canada, Mexico), South America, and of course, Europe. Some of the company's customers include well-known names such as BMW, Ford, GM, Toyota, Honda, Renault, Daimler AG, Porsche, as well as trucking companies such as Koegel and Freightliner Trucks.
This deal between Continental and the DFB marks the third football-linked association for the company, who is already in a long-term agreement with Major League Soccer as well as the FA Women's League cup.
Indeed, Continental is no stranger to one of the world's most popular sports, as reflected in a statement made by Dr. Holger Blask, a managing director of sales and marketing at the DFB after the deal was announced.
"Continental has been at home in the sponsorship of the biggest international football competitions for more than two decades, [and as such] is now continuing this tradition with national team sponsorship. After all, we not only share the passion for the game but above all, the striving for top performance and innovation".
Ten Hag reacts to Ronaldo storming down the tunnel before the final whistle vs Tottenham
Erik ten Hag has stated that he will address Cristiano Ronaldo's actions during Manchester United's win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. The 37-year-old striker stormed off into the tunnel before the night's game concluded after playing no part in the 2-0 victory.
United delivered what was arguably their best-ever performance under Erik ten Hag in a competitive game when Spurs came to town for the midweek affair. Aside from rendering the London's club's attack toothless in the entirety of the game, they largely controlled the match's tempo and the course with which it took. Two brilliant goals by Fred and Bruno Fernandes were enough to secure the maximum three points for the Red Devils as they sealed their sixth win of the season.
The game began with Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench despite having recently scored his 700th career goal in the win over Everton. In certain instances, it looked as though the Portuguese international would be handed some minutes, having been signaled to warm up twice. However, the former Real Madrid and Juventus superstar was an unused substitute, with Erik ten Hag only handing playing time to Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen, and Anthony Elanga from his bench.
Barely a couple of minutes after the last set of substitutions was made, Cristiano Ronaldo went straight down the tunnel before the game even finished. Following the conclusion of the game, Ten Hag was quizzed about his striker's action, to which he responded: "I will deal with that tomorrow. Not today. Today we are celebrating this victory and now we have to recover from this and be ready for Saturday."
It is the second time that Ronaldo has left the United side before a game had concluded since returning to the club. Prior to the beginning of the season, the Portuguese star exhibited the same trait in a pre-season meeting with Rayo Vallecano to which he was subsequently chastised.
Ahead of the winter transfer window, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been tipped for a move away although no club has emerged yet as a potential destination.
Other key headlines from the world of football
FIFA World Cup: Diogo Jota issues heartbreaking message as Liverpool ace is ruled out for Qatar 2022
In one quick moment, both Liverpool and the Portuguese national team have been rocked with a huge blow. Diogo Jota, who has been an influential attacker for both club and country, has been ruled out for months.
This means that not only will the 25-year-old miss every single Premier League and UEFA Champions League game between now and the FIFA World Cup, but the former Wolves player has also been ruled out for Qatar 2022 after suffering a "pretty serious injury in the calf muscle".
The Anfield ace suffered this unfortunate injury during his club's recent showdown with Manchester City. After putting in an incredible shift, Jota fell to the floor in pain in the final minutes and had to be stretchered off the pitch.
The player took to Twitter, writing: "After such a good night at Anfield, mine ended in the worst way! At the last minute, one of my dreams (playing at the FIFA World Cup) collapsed," the Merseyside attacker wrote on Twitter. I will be one more supporting from the outside, club, and country, and fighting to be back as soon as possible. You'll Never Walk Alone!"
Cristiano Ronaldo ruled out of Manchester United's trip to Chelsea
Cristiano Ronaldo's recent tantrum after Manchester United's 2-0 win over Tottenham on Wednesday has been sorted out swiftly by coach Erik Ten Hag. Apparently, the player's attitude will not be tolerated anymore, which means he has been separated from the team that will face Chelsea this weekend.
In a brief press release, the Red Devils revealed that CR7 will not take part in any of the team's preparations ahead of the clash against the Blues, stating that no other player is unavailable for this match.
"Cristiano Ronaldo will not be part of the Manchester United squad for this Saturday's Premier League game against Chelsea. The rest of the squad is fully focused on preparing for that fixture," the brief presser stated.
Barcelona wear unique kits inspired by Drake in recent El Clasico clash
On Sunday, Barcelona took to the pitch looking very different from what fans have become accustomed to. No, not because of Xavi's starting XI, but rather because of the kits the players were wearing, both during their warm-up and during the actual match.
As a result of their new partnership with Spotify, Barcelona's kits featured an owl logo, which comes from Drake's OVO brand. The Canadian rapper hit a huge milestone recently by becoming the first artist to have 50 billion streams of his songs on Spotify, and in celebration of this achievement, the Blaugrana displayed his brand's icon on the shirts.
In addition to having achieved billions of streams, Drake has won nearly 300 awards in his career, among them four Grammys and as expected, has set and broken many records along the way. Unfortunately, the Blaugrana did not win El Clasico, losing 3-1 at Real Madrid's home ground.
