Top games to watch this week
Friday, August 27
Borussia Dortmund vs Hoffenheim (Bundesliga)
Hellas Verona vs Inter Milan (Serie A)
Orlando City vs Inter Miami (MLS)
Saturday, August 28
Man City vs Arsenal (English Premier League)
Liverpool vs Chelsea (English Premier League)
Bayern Munich vs Hertha Berlin (Bundesliga)
Porto vs Arouca (Primeira Liga)
Juventus vs Empoli (Serie A)
Famalicão vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
Real Betis vs Real Madrid (La Liga)
LAFC vs LA Galaxy (MLS)
Leon vs Club America (Liga MX)
Sunday, August 29
Rangers vs Celtic (Scottish Premiership)
Tottenham vs Watford (English Premier League)
Barcelona vs Getafe (La Liga)
Lille vs Montpellier (Ligue 1)
Wolves vs Man United (English Premier League)
Benfica vs Tondela (Primeira Liga)
Reims vs PSG (Ligue 1)
Milan vs Cagliari (Serie A)
Atlético Madrid vs Villarreal (La Liga)
Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers (MLS)
Wednesday, September 1
Denmark vs Scotland (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Norway vs Netherlands (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
France vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Thursday, September 2
Sweden vs Spain (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Italy vs Bulgaria (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Estonia vs Belgium (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Hungary vs England (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Liechtenstein vs Germany (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Venezuela vs Argentina (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Canada vs Honduras (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Chile vs Brazil (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Peru vs Uruguay (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Panama vs Costa Rica (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Mexico vs Jamaica (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
El Salvador vs USMNT (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
What are the must-watch games this week?
Man City vs Arsenal this Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET live on Peacock and SiriusXM FC
After a horrendous start to the Premier League campaign, Arsenal are gearing up for a tricky test on Matchday 2 in the English top-flight as they will be visiting defending champions Man City in Saturday's early kick-off. The Gunners, despite their hefty summer spending spree, are yet to win a single game in the league, having lost 2-0 in both their first two fixtures – away to Brentford and at home to Chelsea. The Cityzens, meanwhile, also suffered an opening day defeat, going 1-0 down to Tottenham, but have since bounced back, thrashing Norwich 5-0 in the most recent round. Will Guardiola's men hand the north London giants a third straight defeat or will Aubameyang and Co. follow up on their lovely 6-0 Carabao Cup triumph by winning at the Etihad Stadium? Do not miss this clash.
Liverpool vs Chelsea this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET live on NBC Sports, Peacock, Telemundo, fuboTV, Sling and SiriusXM FC
Two of the heavy favorites for the 2021/22 Premier League title will go head-to-head this weekend. They are none other than Liverpool and Champions League holders Chelsea, as both sides aim to maintain their perfect start to the season. After delivering European success at Stamford Bridge, Thomas Tuchel entered the current campaign with one main goal and that is to be crowned the champions of England. The addition of Romelu Lukaku, who made his debut with his Man of the Match performance in the 2-0 win over Arsenal, has boosted their odds. However, Klopp's side are not ones to be taken lightly. Despite a relatively quiet summer transfer window, the Reds have been nothing but stellar in their first two games of the season, brushing aside Norwich City and Burnley with ease. Will they make it three wins out of three when the Blues turn up at Anfield? Tune in on Saturday for the answer!
Stade Reims vs PSG this Sunday at 2:45 p.m. ET live on beIN Sports, TV5 Monde USA, Fanatiz USA, fuboTV, and Sling
PSG will be in action this weekend, taking on Stade Reims on Sunday on Matchday 4 of the 2021/22 Ligue 1 season. This fixture is on everyone's mind for one reason and one reason only: Lionel Messi could finally make his French top-flight debut in this tie. The Argentine sealed a move to Paris amid much fanfare after an emotional exit from Barcelona but has not been able to play due to match fitness, or a lack thereof. However, all signs point to the Argentine icon donning the stunning Jordan kit this weekend. Will he start on the bench or be named in the lineup? Only time will tell!
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The Division 1 Feminine 2021/22 season will kick off on Friday, when Olympique Lyonnais take on Stade Reims at Groupama OL Academy Decines-Charpieu in Lyon. Also, do not miss out on NWSL and Liga MX Femenil action this week.
Division 1 Feminine games on ATA Football
ATA Football's coverage of the Division 1 Arkema is back. ATA will stream two top-tier games this weekend starting with the league opener between Lyon and Stade Reims on Friday, Aug. 27, at 12:30 p.m. ET.
The next stream will go down on Sunday, Aug. 29, at 6:55 p.m. ET, when Paris Saint-Germain host Fleury 91 at Stade Georges Lefevre.
How to watch NWSL games this weekend
Five National Women's Soccer League games will unfold on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday, Aug. 28
The USA's top-flight soccer league will resume on Saturday with a game between the Chicago Red Stars and Kansas City, who will be coming off a mere two-day rest after defeating Racing Louisville on Wednesday. The win was their second of the season and they will be looking for back-to-back victories.
The Red Stars find themselves in seventh place and are toe-to-toe with the Orlando Pride, who are sixth in the table. They both have the same number of games played (16) and points (21), making this game essential in Chicago's plans of making it to the playoffs.
The game will stream on Twitch internationally, including in the USA. Kick-off is set for 8 p.m. ET.
Sunday, Aug. 29
The remaining four games of the week will unfold on Sunday, starting with the Washington Spirit hosting the North Carolina Courage at Audi Field, Washington D.C, at 5 p.m. ET. The Courage arrive at the meeting in second place while the Spirit arrive five points behind them in third place. A win for any of the two clubs will get them closer to that ever-so-important bye-week in playoffs.
Another attractive matchup will kick off at 5:30 p.m. ET in Gotham FC's goodbye game for Coombe against Sydney Leroux's Orlando Pride. The two teams are tied in points (21), meaning that a win is needed to keep playoff hopes alive.
The Cascadia Rivalry returns to NWSL as the Portland Thorns and OL Reign face off at Lumen Field at 7 p.m. ET. Portland lead the series record 12-7-5. The two teams meet for the first time since OL Reign's 2-1 win in May.
Lastly, the Houston Dash will clash against Racing Louisville at BBVA Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET. The two sides will be fighting for a playoff spot given that they find themselves in the eighth and ninth positions, respectively.
Paramount+ will stream all four Sunday games in the USA and Twitch internationally.
Liga MX Femenil games to watch this week
Here are the Liga MX Femenil games available in the USA this week
Sunday, Aug 29
Chivas Guadalajara vs. Mazatlan at 11:30 a.m. ET
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Telemundo Deportes En Vivo (USA), Chivas TV (Mexico), Eleven Sports (Internacional)
Monday, Aug. 30
Tigres UANL vs. Toluca at 8 p.m. ET
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TUDN USA, TUDN App, TUDN.com (USA), TUDN En Vivo, Blim TV, TUDN (Mexico)
Juarez vs. Leon at 10 p.m. ET
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TUDN USA, TUDN App, TUDN.com (USA), TUDN En Vivo, Blim TV, TUDN (Mexico)
Santos Laguna vs. Cruz Azul at 10 p.m. ET
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ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes+ (USA), Fanatiz Mexico, FOX Sports 2 Cono Norte, FOX Sports App (Mexico)
Women's Football top transfers
Barbora Votikova – from SK Slavia Prague to PSG
PSG have found their replacement for Chilean goalkeeper Christiane Endler in 24-year-old Barbora Votikova from the Czech Republic.
Hanna Bennison – from Rosengard to Everton
Hanna Bennison signed a four-year contract, becoming the Swedish women's footballer to sign the largest contract ever. Rosengard received approximately €145,000 - €225,000.
Christen Press – from Racing Louisville to Angel City FC
Despite not fielding a single game for Racing Louisville, USWNT forward Christen Press became the first-ever Angel City FC player. Racing received Angel City's first-round pick in 2022, $75,000 in allocation money and full roster protection from Angel City in the 2022 expansion draft.
Cecilia Ran – from KIF Orebro to Everton
Icelandic goalkeeper Cecilia Ran will join Everton from KIF Orebro on Jan. 2022. She will be loaned out to KIF Orebro until then.
Abby Dahlkemper – from Man City to North Carolina Courage
Despite signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with Manchester City in January 2021, center-back Abby Dahlkemper will re-join the North Carolina Courage.
Biggest stories of the week
Cristiano closing in on Man City switch despite hints of a PSG move from owner's brother
Football fans have long wondered what it would be like to see Messi and Cristiano playing in the same team. For years, the pair had gone head-to-head for both individual and collective trophies during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, but with the pair now being well into their 30s and drawing ever closer to the end of their careers, the desire to see them play side-by-side has hit an all-time high.
And according to the rumors, the odds of this occurring are actually plausible. With Kylian Mbappe being linked heavily with a move to Real Madrid this summer, word on the street is that Pochettino's side could move to bring in the five-time Ballon d'Or winner as his replacement. Imagine a team boasting two players with a combined 11 Ballon d'Or trophies in one lineup!
Furthermore, Khalifah Bin Hamad Al Thani, who is the brother of the Emir of Qatar and owner of PSG Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, hinted at a deal for the Los Blancos and Red Devils icon. This member of the Qatari royal family, who made headlines after confirming the signing of Messi prior to the Ligue 1 giants going public with the deal, tweeted a pic of both La Pulga and Ronaldo in the Parc des Princes shirt with the caption "maybe".
However, since then, a lot more has developed. Cristiano Ronaldo has decided to leave Juventus after having a meeting with the Turin board but despite the links to PSG, the latest reports claim that he is close to joining Pep Guardiola's Man City.
Premier League teams refuse to loan players for upcoming international break
The FIFA international break will not be the same after the decision made by Premier League teams, who agreed not to loan those footballers who were going to play for countries where the COVID-19 pandemic is still out of control.
The document issued on Tuesday evening reveals that EPL clubs had meetings with the English government to find a solution on this matter, but given that there are concerns related to incoming travelers from red-listed countries, the country's governing body refused to make an exception for these players.
The decision was made considering that, if the player(s) were required to quarantine after returning from a red list country, their welfare and fitness would be significantly impacted. Moreover, they would not be available to prepare and play for up to four matches – that is if the club in question is required to play in the EFL Cup or a UEFA-sanctioned competition.
"Premier League clubs have always supported their players' desires to represent their countries. This is a matter of pride for all concerned. However, clubs have reluctantly but rightly come to the conclusion that it would be entirely unreasonable to release players under these new circumstances," Richard Masters, Premier League Chief Executive stated.
This decision will force 60 players from 19 EPL teams to stay in England rather than making the trip home to represent their countries of origin. The list of players that will not be allowed to play for their countries includes Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Raúl Jiménez (Mexico), Richarlison, Gabriel Jesús, and Ederson (Brazil), to name a few.
Premier League: Michail Antonio makes history with brace as West Ham beat Leicester to top table
It was double delight for West Ham fans in Monday night's Premier League clash with Leicester City with the London club climbing to the top of the table after a resounding victory inspired by striker Michail Antonio. The 31-year-old entered his side's record books by scoring twice in the night's 4-1 victory over the Foxes inside the London Stadium.
It was almost certain that it was going to be a stroll in the park for David Moyes' men after Leicester's Ayoze Perez was sent off for an offense in the 40th minute. Prior to the Foxes being handicapped, Said Benrahma had assisted Pablo Fornals to score the opener for the host. The Algerian then proceeded to get on the scoresheet, doubling his side's advantage in the 56th minute.
13 minutes later Youri Tielemans reduced the deficit to one before Michail Antonio widened the gap once more with a brilliant finish in the 80th minute. Four minutes later, the England striker extended the lead to three to complete his brace, taking his tally in the Premier League to 49 and becoming West Ham's highest goalscorer in history. The record was previously held by Paulo Di Canio who managed 47 goals in the league in his career with the Hammers.
In the grand scheme of things, West Ham climbed to the top of Premier League table for only the second time in their history.
Former Chelsea starlet impresses on debut for new club Roma
It's often said that one man's discards are another's treasures, and that seems to be the case for newly signed striker Tammy Abraham.
Despite being one of the top goalscorers for the Blues, the English youngster found himself sidelined as new Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel preferred to play fellow German Timo Werner, despite the former RB Leipzig star repeatedly failing to convert chances and add to his goal tally.
As such, Abraham was forced to seek opportunities elsewhere, especially with Chelsea's massive signing of Belgian ace Romelu Lukaku. Roma, who are now being managed by Jose Mourinho, decided to take a punt on him, and paid Chelsea £34 million to sign him on a five year deal; however, the Blues do have the option to buy him back for double that amount should he achieve certain metrics over the course of his first two seasons at the Stadio Olimpico.
Over the weekend, Roma took on Fiorentina at home for their season opener, and the Lupi eased to a 3-1 win over the Viola. Abraham in particular was singled out for praise by the Italian media, whilst the fans gave him a resounding round of applause when he was being subbed off. Although the 23-year-old didn't open his account, he still chipped in with two assists, and certainly Roma, who finished in seventh last term, will be hoping that their new signing can fill the huge shoes left behind by Edin Dzeko and help fire them to a higher spot in the table this time around.
Key headlines from the world football
PSG receive $211M bid from Real Madrid for French superstar Kylian Mbappe
PSG have reportedly received a second bid from Real Madrid for their highly sought-after attacker Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman, who has been on Los Blancos' radar for quite some time now, informed his Ligue 1 employers of his desire to move to Santiago Bernabeu, leading to two official bids from the Spanish giants.
The most recent offer is said to be in the region of $211M. There have been conflicting reports regarding this offer, with some sources claiming Les Parisiens have accepted it while others insist a final decision is yet to be made. One things is clear, however: Mbappe has never been closer to a Parc des Princes exit.
TRANSFER: Former PSG and Roma star signs for AC Milan
Versatile defender Alessandro Florenzi has been on AC Milan's radar for a while, and now everything has finally come together. The 30-year-old, who once was one of the captains at Roma before moving on to PSG, has joined up with his new teammates at the San Siro to begin training.
Florenzi can play in a variety of positions, including midfield and as a winger. Interestingly, he's still officially a Roma player, but hasn't featured at the Stadio Olimpico for the past few years after going out on loan to Spanish outfit Valencia, followed by PSG, and now, Milan. The Rossoneri have secured a one year loan deal with an option to buy him outright if they're satisfied with their investment.
Manchester United equal Arsenal's record from the "Invincibles" era after Southampton draw
Manchester United entered the Premier League's history books as a result of Sunday's draw with Southampton in their second game of the season. The Red Devils extended their unbeaten run away from home to 27 Premier League games, equaling Arsenal's top-flight record for the most consecutive away games played without a defeat.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side was practically a shadow of the team that fired five goals past Leeds United in the first game of the season as they failed to stamp their authority on the game. Often caught in possession due to Southampton's high-press, they were made to pay the price after Bruno Fernandes was tackled from behind and conceded possession in his side's half to hand the Saints the opening goal. Not long after the break, teenage sensation Mason Greenwood equalized for the visitors, earning them a point at St. Mary's Stadium.
With that result, the Red Devils became the first Premier League club in history to play 27 successive matches on the road without picking up a defeat since Arsenal achieved this feat 17 years ago.
