Top games to watch this week
Friday, March 3
Real Sociedad vs Cádiz (La Liga)
Napoli vs Lazio (Serie A)
Borussia Dortmund vs RB Leipzig (Bundesliga)
Benfica vs Famalicao (Primeira Liga)
Nice vs Auxerre (Ligue 1)
Al Nassr vs Al Batin (Saudi Pro League)
Saturday, March 4
Manchester City vs Newcastle (English Premier League)
Arsenal vs Bournemouth (English Premier League)
Chelsea vs Leeds (English Premier League)
Wolves vs Tottenham (English Premier League)
Atlético Madrid vs Sevilla (La Liga)
Fiorentina vs Milan (Serie A)
Union Berlin vs Köln (Bundesliga)
Stuttgart vs Bayern (Bundesliga)
Chaves vs Porto (Primeira Liga)
PSG vs Nantes (Ligue 1)
Los Angeles FC vs Portland Timbers (MLS)
Inter Miami vs Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Dallas vs LA Galaxy (MLS)
Chicago Fire vs New York City (MLS)
América vs Pachuca (Liga MX)
Guadalajara vs Santos Laguna (Liga MX)
Sunday, March 5
Liverpool vs Manchester United (English Premier League)
Barcelona vs Valencia (La Liga)
Real Betis vs Real Madrid (La Liga)
Inter vs Lecce (Serie A)
Roma vs Juventus (Serie A)
Monday, March 6
Brentford vs Fulham (English Premier League)
Osasuna vs Celta (La Liga)
Sassuolo vs Cremonese (Serie A)
Torino vs Bologna (Serie A)
Tuesday, March 7
Benfica vs Club Brugge (UEFA Champions League)
Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund (UEFA Champions League)
Lazio vs AZ Alkmaar (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Violette AC vs Austin FC (CONCACAF Champions League)
Alianza vs Philadelphia Union (CONCACAF Champions League)
Tigres UANL vs Orland City SC (CONCACAF Champions League)
Wednesday, March 8
Tottenham vs Milan (UEFA Champions League)
Bayern vs PSG (UEFA Champions League)
Tauro vs León (CONCACAF Champions League)
Olimpia vs Atlas (CONCACAF Champions League)
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Real España (CONCACAF Champions League)
Thursday, March 9
Bayer Leverkusen vs Ferencvaros (UEFA Europa League)
Sporting CP vs Arsenal (UEFA Europa League)
Roma vs Real Sociedad (UEFA Europa League)
Juventus vs Freiburg (UEFA Europa League)
Sevilla vs Fenerbahce (UEFA Europa League)
Manchester United vs Real Betis (UEFA Europa League)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Feyenoord (UEFA Europa League)
AEK Larnaca vs West Ham (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Anderlecht vs Villarreal (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Fiorentina vs Sivasspor (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Motagua vs Pachuca (CONCACAF Champions League)
Alajuelense vs Los Angeles FC (CONCACAF Champions League)
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: February 20-26, 2023
The viewership numbers for soccer matches aired live between February 20-26 in the USA are in, with Liga MX once again overcoming stiff competition to come out on top. In fact, the top two spots in the list of most-watched games went to the Mexican top flight after beating out the likes of the UEFA Champions League and the English Premier League.
The blockbuster fixture saw Guadalajara, the league's second-most successful club, beat Tigres UANL 2-1 in a clash that was watched by over 1.3 million people on Univision. While that result was not enough to see Chivas go top of the table, they are now level on points with second-placed Toluca (18 points) but behind on goal difference.
It was a brilliant weekend for Univision, in particular, as the Spanish-language television network claimed the second spot with their coverage of the 2-2 draw between Atlas and Club America. Over 1.1 million people tuned in to see Liga MX's most successful team pick up a point at the Jalisco Stadium.
While TUDN and USA Network garnered large audiences with their coverage of European soccer and the Premier League, respectively, the third spot went to CBS thanks to their broadcast of the unforgettable UEFA Champions League tie between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Vinicius Jr. and Karim Benzema both scored twice as Los Blancos ran riot at Anfield, winning 5-2 in a contest watched by nearly one million people.
What are this week's must-watch games?
Manchester City vs Newcastle live this Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET on USA Network, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, and the NBC Sports App
Manchester City return to Premier League action this weekend in what should be a difficult clash with Newcastle. The last time these two sides faced off, they played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in front of a rocking St. James' Park. However, a stalemate won't suffice for Guardiola's men this time around as Premier League leaders Arsenal are already five points ahead. Meanwhile, the Magpies are fresh off of their Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester United and will be keen on seeking redemption immediately.
Liverpool vs Manchester United live this Sunday at 11:30 a.m, ET on USA Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, and the NBC Sports App
The second Premier League fixture on our list is the headline game of this weekend: Liverpool vs Manchester United. England's two biggest and most successful clubs face off in what should be a thrilling game at Anfield. Despite the 5-2 defeat to Real Madrid, Klopp's men have picked up some form domestically, going four games unbeaten and triumphing over Wolves, Everton, and Newcastle recently. The Red Devils, on the other hand, were recently crowned the Carabao Cup champions and pulled off a comeback victory over West Ham in the FA Cup. Ten Hag's men will be high on form and confidence come Sunday.
Roma vs Juventus live this Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET exclusively on Paramount+
Roma take on bitter rivals Juventus on Sunday in a game that could be pivotal in the race to qualify for Europe. Jose Mourinho's side enter this tie in fifth, sitting a point behind city rivals Lazio who are fourth in the table. The Bianconeri, on the other hand, are 10 points outside of the top four following their points deduction. However, Allegri's men are unbeaten in eight out of their last 10 top-flight games and will be keen on mounting a late push. Do not miss this showdown.
Bayern Munich vs PSG, Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund headline this week's UEFA Champions League fixtures live on Paramount+, TUDN USA, and Univision NOW
The UEFA Champions League returns this midweek, with the round of 16 set to wrap up soon. A total of four 2nd leg ties will take place this Tuesday and Wednesday, with the standout fixture being PSG's trip to Bayern Munich on Wednesday. The Ligue 1 giants are trailing 1-0 and will likely be without Neymar for the return leg. However, Kylian Mbappe, who was benched in the Parc des Princes loss due to injury, is back and firing on all four cylinders.
Elsewhere, Chelsea will host Dortmund on Tuesday as Graham Potter's side look to salvage what has been a disastrous season for the Blues. The London giants lost 1-0 at the Signal Iduna Park and while that isn't an irreversible scoreline, the Premier League giants have been lackluster in front of goal for months now, leaving their fans worried.
The UEFA Europa League round of 16 kicks off as Arsenal face Sporting CP this Thursday at 12:45 p.m. ET live on Paramount+, VIX+, TUDN, and the TUDN App
The UEFA Europa League round of 16 kicks off this Thursday, with Premier League leaders Arsenal taking center stage as they finally resume their European campaign. The Gunners, who will travel to Sporting CP for the 1st leg, were given a bye to the last 16 after winning their group. After heavily rotating for the group stage, it will be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta approaches this round as things begin to get serious.
Elsewhere, Manchester United, having beaten Barcelona in the previous round, will host Real Betis while Mourinho's Roma prepare for a tricky showdown with Real Sociedad.
Arguably, one of the highlights in women's soccer will be taking place in the FA Women's Super League, with several big matches that could shake up the title race happening over the course of the upcoming week as the league gets back underway after a long pause.
Meanwhile, the title race continues to get interesting in Mexico, while over in Germany, a battle for third place and a spot in the Champions League play-off rounds is starting to really heat up.
Here's all you soccer to know ahead of the upcoming week in the world of women's football.
FA Women's Super League
As things stand, Manchester United lead the way, with 32 points seeing them one point ahead of reigning champions Chelsea. Marc Skinner's side will be in action against relegation-threatened Leicester City on Sunday, which, given the gap between the two sides, appears set to be all one-way traffic. As for Chelsea, Emma Hayes's side have lost just one game so far all season and still do have a vital game in hand ahead of their Wednesday tie against tenth-placed Brighton.
Given that Manchester City, who are in third place on 29 points, will also play on Sunday as they host ninth-ranked Tottenham, things could get really interesting in the title race, depending on how things pan out. Should City beat Tottenham, they will move up into second spot ahead of Chelsea's Wednesday match against Brighton.
Elsewhere, fourth-placed Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways after being beaten 2-0 by familiar opponents Chelsea in the Women's FA Cup fifth round. Jonas Eidevall's squad will take on Liverpool, who sit in eighth place, on Wednesday.
Frauen Bundesliga
Matchday 13 in the 2022/23 Frauen Bundesliga season begins this Friday, as third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt host fifth-placed Freiburg. At the moment, Frankfurt are ten points behind reigning champions Wolfsburg, and five behind second-placed Bayern Munich, but their goal is to try to secure a spot in the upcoming Champions League play-off rounds, especially with teams like Hoffenheim and upcoming visitors Freiburg looking to close the gap.
Wolfsburg, who have won every single one of their 12 matches so far this season will take on Hoffenheim on Saturday. Given that die Wölfinnen have the strongest attack (42 goals, or 3.5 goals per match) and second strongest defense (just five conceded), it looks like Hoffenheim, despite their solid start, could find it very difficult to become the first team to defeat a side who have been a dominant force in German women's soccer for quite some time.
Second-placed Bayen, who are five points behind Wolfsburg, will hope to try to keep their foot in the door when they travel to face struggling Werder Bremen on Sunday. Alexander Straus's side have the best defense in the league (only four conceded) but will need more than that if they hope to close the five-point gap - which likely will be eight by the time they play a day after Wolfsburg - between themselves and the current title holders.
Liga MX Femenil
Still leading the way after 17 rounds, Guadalajara will hope to maintain their narrow lead as they take on Atlas at home on Sunday. Monterrey, who sit in second place on 42 points, putting them just one point off the top spot, could seize the lead should they defeat 11th-placed Juarez on Saturday.
While much of the focus is on the battle between Guadalajara and Monterrey, reigning champs Tigres UNAL still have not given up hope of successfully defending their league crown. While they still sit in third place, five points away from the summit, they will be firmly focused on picking up a crucial win on Monday when they host León. By the time that game kicks off, UNAL could find themselves a whopping eight points back, meaning that this game will be absolutely crucial if they want to have any shot at trying to stay in a title race that looks like it will be decided between only two teams.
Didn't find your favorite women's league on this list? No worries, as this is just a highlight of some of the exciting games coming up this week. Make sure to check out our bespoke women's soccer page here at LiveSoccerTV.com for full broadcast info, match updates, news, and more.
Major League Soccer - Full preview and details ahead of Matchweek 2
Major League Soccer fans were on the edge of their seats last week with the first games of the 2023 season, and with teams getting more in gear after their first matches, things promise to get even better this time around.
Last week's matches saw the Philadelphia Union and Seattle Sounders finding the back of the net four times, which helped them rise to the top spot of their respective conferences. Other teams with successful starts include Inter Miami and the recently created St. Louis City SC, who earned their first win ever and will now get ready for their first match at home. Meanwhile, three teams will be making their debut this season, as LAFC, Los Angeles Galaxy, and Chicago Fire get ready to start their campaign due to their bye weeks last time out.
How to watch Matchweek 2 in the 2023 MLS season?
Fans in the USA and Canada will be able to watch select games on regular TV networks. The first one of those will be Los Angeles FC vs Portland Timbers, which will mark the debut of the 2022 MLS Cup winners in the tournament. Another match set to be available on TV will be San Jose vs Vancouver Whitecaps. The rest of the matches will be available to be streamed in over 100 countries via MLS Season Pass.
Biggest stories of the week in Major League Soccer
Nashville SC announce Giannis Antetokoumpo as new part-time owner
NBA superstar Giannis Antetokoumpo has been named as the new investor for Nashville SC, along with Filip Forsberg, the all-time leading scorer for the NHL's Nashville Predators. Antetokoumpo's announcement comes weeks after Super Bowl winner with Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes, was also named as a new investor for Sporting Kansas City, in what seems to be a new trend among stars from other disciplines who are choosing MLS clubs to put their incomes to good use.
Chicharito set to return in April after hamstring diagnosis
The Mexican striker had already been ruled out of action for last week's suspended game against Los Angeles FC, but the former Manchester United man has stepped up to share that he will not be around to help the Galaxy for the next two to five weeks. Hernández is the team's major goalscoring threat and his absence will certainly create a void hard to fill for Greg Vanney's crew.
Positive update on Lorenzo Insigne's fitness ahead of clash vs Atlanta United
31-year-old Lorenzo Insigne came off with a calf injury last week in Toronto's 3-2 loss to D.C. United, and even though he is still doubtful for Saturday's match against Atlanta, the Italian footballer was able to train on his own this Thursday, giving fans and coach Bob Bradley some hope to have him around this weekend.
The footballer joined Toronto after a long spell with Napoli, and with the 2023 campaign being his first full season with the Canadian side, fans will want to see more of the league's reportedly best-paid player to help Toronto reach the playoffs one more time.
For additional details regarding Major League Soccer's schedule, top scorers, and more, visit our bespoke MLS page here.
Biggest stories of the week
Premier League clubs with the highest wage bill revealed, Man City not in the top two
It's no secret that the Premier League is where the money is at. Not only can clubs from the English top-flight outspend their continental rivals in the transfer window, but the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea can offer far more lucrative contracts than other European giants.
However, this raises the question: while some of the best players are currently in England, which club pays the most in wages? The figures from the Premier League's traditional big-six teams have been revealed, and to many people's surprise, the Cityzens aren't top of the list.
In fact, Guardiola's side, who have been charged with several FFP breaches and are often accused of financial doping, aren't even in the top two. As revealed by Martyn Ziegler of The Times, the defending Premier League champions have registered a wage bill of £354M, which currently places them in third.
Two things should be noted. First of all, these figures are from the 2021/22 accounts, which means it does not take into consideration Erling Haaland's exuberant contract. Additionally, while Chelsea are on the list and ranked a spot below Manchester City, the Blues are yet to file their 2021/22 accounts, and as pointed out by Ziegler, the London giants could leapfrog the Cityzens.
So which teams sit top of the table? Manchester United take home the no.1 spot with a wage bill of £384M. Since then, Cristiano Ronaldo, who was one of the highest earners at Old Trafford, has left the club but Casemiro and Antony joined on substantial salary packages.
In second is Liverpool, which might catch a few people by surprise. The Merseyside giants accounted for a wage bill of £366M, which is a 75% increase from five years ago. Arsenal, this season's Premier League leaders, came in bottom of the list with the lowest wages among England's big six thanks to a mere £3M gap over North London rivals Tottenham.
Since then, the Gunners have signed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, and have agreed to hand Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka bumper pay raises, which means they could move higher up the table soon.
Man City star Haaland reportedly set to sign big sponsorship deal
Since arriving in England on a transfer from Borussia Dortmund, Erling Haaland has been one of the most talked about players in Europe. The Norwegian international first burst onto the scene following his nine-goal haul during a 12-0 demolition of Honduras during the 2019 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, and has been breaking records left and right since securing a $61 million move to Manchester City in the summer of 2022.
With a whopping 27 goals to his name and plenty of matches still left to go in the 2022/23 Premier League season, it's safe to say that Haaland looks set to win the Golden Boot, which would make him among the youngest recipients of that prize in recent times. As such, given his star billing, it is no surprise that many corporations would be keen on having him on their books as a sponsor, including boot manufacturers Adidas, Puma, and Nike.
According to reports, it's Nike who have won the race for his signature, with the American conglomerate beating offers from German duo Adidas and Puma by tabling a deal that would see Haaland earn approximately $24 million per year. Haaland has worked with Nike before, but his previous contract ended in January 2022, which is why he has been seen wearing different boots during his time in the Premier League.
The Best FIFA Awards 2022: Lionel Messi beats Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe to win top gong
For the seventh time in his career, and for the second since the renaming, Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has won The Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year award. The 35-year-old Paris Saint-Germain ace beat off competition from French pair Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe to secure the gong following a memorable 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign with Albiceleste in Qatar.
Messi led Argentina to glory at last year's competition, scoring seven times, including twice in the final against France, and laying on three assists. The exceptional journey in Qatar ended the South American country's 36-year wait for their third mundial and sealed the iconic No.10's place among the country's greats.
While the World Cup achievement was unprecedented, Messi's competitors on the podium Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema equally had a year to remember. The former, who was present at the gala inside Salle Pleyel in Paris, finished as the World Cup's Golden Boot award winner after netting eight goals for France in their run-in to the final. Between August 8, 2021, and December 18, 2022 – the time period on which this year's FIFA Best awards are based – Mbappe scored 58 goals for PSG, the highest figure of any player across Europe's top five leagues.
Karim Benzema, on the other hand, finished the period with 50 goals for Real Madrid, inspiring them to another triumphant Champions League campaign and the Spanish La Liga title. However, an injury on the eve of the World Cup ruined the striker's chances of featuring for France in Qatar.
In the women's category, Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas was named the winner of the award. The Barcelona star pipped USMNT star Alex Morgan and England's Beth Mead to win the gong for the second successive year. England's Emma Earps was adjudged the Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper of 2022 while Argentina's Emiliano Martinez won the accolade in the men's category.
Meanwhile, Polish amputee Marcin Oleksy then won the FIFA Puskas Award with his spectacular overhead kick goal for Stal Rzeszow in the PZU Amp Futbol Ekstraklasa. In the coaching department, Sarina Wiegman won her third title as The Best FIFA Women's Coach for leading England to victory at the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 on home soil. Lionel Scaloni was named the winner of the men's category for leading Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar.
Luka Lochoshvili received the FIFA Fair Play Award while the FIFA Fan Award went to the Argentina Men's National team fans. Late Brazilian legend Pele received the FIFA Special Best Award for his contribution to football. The three-time FIFA World Cup winner passed away on December 29, 2022, following a long battle with illness.
Manchester United finally end six-year trophy drought with Carabao Cup win
Manchester United have won a major silverware for the first time since 2017. The Red Devils have finally broken the hoodoo by beating Newcastle United 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final played at Wembley on Sunday. Inside the electrifying stadium, both Manchester United and Newcastle gave their all to deliver a spectacle in the end.
In the beginning, the Magpies came close to scoring on a few occasions but were kept at bay by the resolute defense of the Red Devil who ended up getting the game's first goal. It was Casemiro who fired them in front in the 33rd minute by nodding home Luke Shaw's free-kick from the left flank.
The goal was made to stand after a brief check by the Video Assistant Referee and it did not take long for Marcus Rashford to inspire United into a comfortable lead. The English forward got on the end of a pass by Wout Weghorst and saw his attempt deflect off the foot of Sven Botman past Newcastle goalkeeper Loris Karius.
There were other opportunities for both sides to get on the scoreline in the second half but neither was able to alter the scoreline. With the Reds still in the running for the Premier League title, FA Cup, and the Europa League, a quadruple charge is well within reach.
Real Madrid set woeful record following one-nil loss in El Clásico
The anticipated clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona concluded with an anti-climactic ending due to the way Barcelona earned their one-nil lead, but it also had something to do with how they managed to dominate Los Merengues when they approached their box.
An own goal by Eder Militao ended up being the main difference between these Spanish titans, which followed up a major fail in defense by Real Madrid, who were unable to stop Franck Kessie's run to the box and eventually take a shot at their net. In the rebound, Militao was not capable of getting away from the ball and gave Los Culés an edge they would not lose for the rest of the game.
To make things even more frustrating for Real Madrid, it didn't matter if they were able to have 65% of the game's possession and practically kept Barcelona defending their net for the second half of the match, as Barcelona came closer to scoring a second goal than Los Merengues ever came to equalizing.
Added to the ball possession fact, the Spanish capital giants accomplished a never-before-seen record in El Clásico, but it will not be one they will brag about. It was the first time Real Madrid failed to register a shot on target at the Bernabeu since 2010 and the first in this fixture since 2013/14.
The chance for a rematch will come soon for Real Madrid, as Los Blancos will travel to Camp Nou for their La Liga clash on March 19. Meanwhile, the return leg of this Copa del Rey tie will be held on April 5. Will things change for that clash or will Los Blaugranas be able to hold on to their narrow lead?
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
Former USMNT boss Jürgen Klinsmann signs deal to coach Asian giants
A controversial figure in the world of football will be back in the spotlight this year, as former USMNT coach Jürgen Klinsmann has agreed a new deal to lead the South Korean National Team's efforts to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 1990 FIFA World Cup champion with Germany will put an end to a three-year wait to return to the dugout following his controversial exit from Hertha Berlin back in 2020. Back then, Klinsmann resigned via Facebook and sparked outrage within the club.
The former striker will have his first match at the helm of the Taeguk Warriors on March 24, when the Asian side stage its scheduled warmup match against Colombia. This will be the third national team gig for Klinsmann, following his spells with Germany and the USMNT.
Inter face financial worry as sponsor fails to come up with payments
Inter are currently dealing with a major financial concern, as it's been revealed that their shirt sponsor, DigitalBits, have not been meeting the terms of their contract.
The Nerazzurri signed an agreement with the cryptocurrency organization back in 2021 and were expected to receive a total of over $26.5 million (€25 million) over the course of the 2022/23 campaign. These payments were to be split into three installments, and as per reports from Italy, Inter have yet to receive any of this money, with the payments scheduled for June 2022, October 2022, and February 2023.
In addition, Inter have not been paid any of their expected bonuses from DigitalBits, which was to total approximately $1.3 million (€1.25 million). This has thus forced the Nerazzurri to scramble for funds from elsewhere, with Suning Group, Inter's majority shareholder, providing about $10.6 million (€10 million) in emergency funding from a massive $336 million (€317 million) loan the club took from American global asset firm Oaktree Capital Management back in May 2021 to help cover losses caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Bukayo Saka lands Arsenal milestone with goal in Everton win
Bukayo Saka made history on Wednesday night by scoring in the Gunners' 3-0 win over Everton at Emirates. The 21-year-old winger took his Premier League goals and assists contribution to 50, becoming the second youngest player in the club's history to attain this milestone.
On Tuesday Arsenal were finally able to play their remaining outstanding game, welcoming a resurgent Everton side to their home ground. Having suffered a shock defeat against the Toffees at the beginning of February, the hosts were poised to get their revenge in order to extend their lead at the top of the league.
Following a rather slow start, Arsenal eventually got into their groove and were able to break the deadlock in the 40th minute. Bukayo Saka was the man to draw first blood, getting on the end of Zinchenko through pass and smashing the ball into the roof of the net. Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli (twice) also got on the scoresheet.
