Top games to watch this week
Friday, July 22
Sweden vs Belgium (UEFA Women's Euro)
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal (Friendly)
Middlesbrough vs Olympique Marseille (Friendly)
Juventus vs Guadalajara (Friendly)
Saturday, July 23
France vs Netherlands (UEFA Women's Euro)
Tigres UANL vs Atlas (Liga MX)
Tijuana vs América (Liga MX)
Manchester United vs Aston Villa (Friendly)
Urawa Reds vs PSG (Friendly)
Rangers vs Tottenham (Friendly)
Lens vs Inter (Friendly)
Arsenal vs Chelsea (Florida Cup)
Bayern vs Manchester City (Friendly)
Real Madrid vs Barcelona (Friendly)
New York City vs Inter Miami (MLS)
Orlando City vs Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Sporting KC vs Los Angeles FC (MLS)
Sunday, July 24
Avaí vs Flamengo (Brasileirao)
Palmeiras vs Internacional (Brasileirao)
Copa América Femenina - 5th place game
Sporting CP vs Sevilla (Friendly)
Austin FC vs New York RB (MLS)
Monday, July 25
Gamba Osaka vs PSG (Friendly)
Copa América Femenina - Semi-final 1
Tuesday, July 26
UEFA Women's Euro - Semi-final 1
Copa América Femenina - Semi-final 2
AEK Larnaca vs Midtjylland (UEFA Champions League)
Sheriff vs Maribor (UEFA Champions League)
Atlas vs Tijuana (Liga MX)
Benfica vs Newcastle (Friendly)
Barcelona vs Juventus (Friendly)
Real Madrid vs América (Friendly)
Wednesday, July 27
UEFA Women's Euro - Semi-final 2
Bodo/Glimt vs Linfield (UEFA Champions League)
Fenerbahce vs Dynamo Kyiv (UEFA Champions League)
Internacional vs Sao Paulo (Brasileirao)
Salzburg vs Liverpool (Friendly)
Real Betis vs Olympique Marseille (Friendly)
Most-watched football games in the United States: July 11-17, 2022
As the summer of football carries on with interesting games, the numbers for all television channels airing football matches have given us quite a few things to discuss. For starters, women's football in the U.S. is more popular than ever, with games for the UEFA Women's Euro captivating audiences with large numbers to brag about.
The presence of European clubs in the U.S. has also caught the eye of some of their supporters. In this case, Chelsea's fandom propelled the Blues' game against América to the second place in this week's ratings. The game was sorted out with a 2-1 score thanks to a massive goal by Mason Mount.
But while there are various alternatives for fans to watch, the top spot once again was claimed by a Major League Soccer match. The Hudson River rivalry between the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC narrowly claimed the top spot for audiences this week.
What are this week's must-watch games?
Bayern Munich vs Manchester City live this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN, fuboTV, Sling TV, and CITY+
Two of Europe's biggest clubs will face off in the United States this weekend, with Bayern Munich taking on Manchester City in a highly-anticipated showdown in Wisconsin. This fixture could see Erling Haaland make his debut for Pep Guardiola's side, with the Norwegian striker hinting at a cameo against the Bundesliga giants. The Bavarians, on the other hand, continue to adapt in the absence of Robert Lewandowski, who got his move to Barcelona, and will test their new front three against the champions of England. Don't miss this tie.
Arsenal vs Chelsea live this Saturday at 8 p.m. on ESPN+
The Florida Cup final is upon us, with Arsenal and Chelsea preparing to face off in this interesting fixture. Neither side will want to lose this pre-season London Derby as the new Premier League season is around the corner. Zinchenko, who has joined the Gunners from Manchester City, could make his debut in this match. Additionally, Tuchel will likely give the likes of Sterling, Koulibaly, and Gallagher a cameo in this tricky test. Will the Gunners or the Blues win this showdown? Tune in to ESPN+ to find out the answer.
Real Madrid take on Barcelona in El Clasico live this Saturday at 11 p.m. ET on Fox Sports, Fox Sports GO, Fox Deportes, fuboTV, and Sling TV
El Clasico is back, and this time, the iconic Real Madrid vs Barcelona showdown will take place in the United States, with Spain's two powerhouses set to lock horns at the Allegiant Stadium in Nevada. All eyes will be on this clash as this fixture could see Robert Lewandowski make his debut for the Catalan giants. The Polish striker is one of many marquee summer signings from Xavi's side, including Raphinha and Franck Kessie, and could go head-to-head with none other than Karim Benzema! Who wouldn't want to see Europe's two best strikers face off? Make sure to tune in on Saturday as this game will be aired live on Fox Sports' several platforms, including Fox Sports GO and Fox Deportes, as well as streaming television services fuboTV and Sling TV.
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Women's football fans around the globe are set to enjoy an interesting weekend, mainly because of all the things that will be in play for some of the national teams that are involved in regional competitions as we speak.
The top competition to keep an eye on is the UEFA Women's Euro. The continental tournament has caught the eyes of the globe with some of the finest performances this year, and with teams such as hosts England making their mark in the competition.
Next up, the Copa América Femenina will continue with the rising talents in South American football trying to lead their national teams to glory against squads such as the Brazilians, one of the most consistent in the globe and the perennial winners of the competition organized by CONMEBOL.
As usual, we continue our coverage of domestic leagues. This time, the Liga MX Femenil will be the league we will keep an eye on since the NWSL will take a break this weekend.
Without further ado, let's have a look at what the beautiful game will offer in terms of women's football matches.
2022 Women's Euro
The first quarterfinal match of the tournament took place on Wednesday, with the hosts claiming the spot in the final four after beating Spain. The next three days will be packed with action as the last eight continue, including the match between Germany and Austria on Thursday, which ended in a 2-0 victory for the earlier nation.
Once this stage of the competition comes to a close, the semifinals will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, setting the stage for the title clash that will be played on July 31.
2022 Copa América Femenina
The end of the group stage has arrived in the South American competition, with the games set to take place on July 21. Colombia, Brazil, and Paraguay have secured their place in the semifinals, with one more slot up for grabs which will be decided between Argentina and Venezuela, who happen to play against each other in just a few hours.
The rest of the tournament will begin on Sunday with the fifth-place match. The semifinals of the competition will start on Monday, July 25, which will give us the names of the finalists on Tuesday evening.
Liga MX Femenil: Apertura 2022 season
The Mexican top-flight kicked off a few weeks back and has continued to give fans quite a few thrills. There are still six unbeaten teams in the tournament, which keeps the competition for the top spot wide open.
The surprising start of teams such as UNAM, who top the competition as of now, has kept the interest of fans around the country growing. Added to that, eternal rivals América and Guadalajara are among the teams with two wins in the tournament, which has also added to the interest from fans that keep an eye on this league.
For more details on games, standings, and news, visit our dedicated women's soccer page at LiveSoccerTV.com.
Biggest stories of the week
UEFA Women's EURO: Five things we learned from the group stages
After nearly two weeks of action, the group stages of the 2022 UEFA Women's EURO competition is now done, and eight teams will be featuring in the quarterfinals. Hosts England will be among six other teams, including Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, and Belgium hoping to deny reigning champs the Netherlands a chance to successfully defend their title. England took on Spain in the first last-eight fixture on Wednesday, July 20th.
So, with all that in mind, here are five key observations we gleaned after a very interesting group stage concluded on Monday, July 18th.
1. Goals, goals, and more goals
Women's football has received a rather unfair rap from some quarters, with some calling it "boring" due to the perceived lack of overall action. Well, so far, this edition of the EURO competition certainly has been far from that, especially when it comes to goals being scored. England, with 14 goals, set a competition record. Eight of those were scored during their demolition of Norway on matchday two, and the Three Lionesses completed the group stages sans conceding a goal.
Germany also added nine goals of their own as they also completed a perfect group stage campaign, with wins over Denmark, Finland, and Spain. Die Nationalelf also maintained a clean sheet throughout. No team completed the group stages without scoring; even debutants Northern Ireland, who endured a baptism by fire as they shipped 11 goals, at least scored once, along with fellow strugglers Finland and Denmark, who also netted once during a very disappointing group stage campaign.
All in all, a total of 78 goals was scored over the course of 24 games, or an average of over three goals per game.
2. Norway surprisingly fail to fire and set unwanted records in the process
Whether it be the men's or women's game, football is truly unpredictable, and this summer has certainly proved that. Norway, who were featuring in their 12th EURO, are one of the most experienced sides in this competition, but shockingly are heading home early after two catastrophic losses. All seemed to be going well for them as they eased to a 4-1 win over debutants Northern Ireland, but one would be forgiven for thinking that Norway had turned into an entirely different team on matchday two when they faced England.
All sorts of records were set in that match. Whether they are unwanted or wanted depending on which team one was supporting, but from Norway's perspective, it was an utterly shocking humiliation. By the time the final whistle sounded, they had conceded a whopping eight goals, which is the worst loss sustained during a EURO tournament proper in competition history.
3. Could Austria end up becoming a dark horse contender this summer?
It may seem like a long shot, especially as Austria's "reward" for finishing second in their group is a much unwanted quarterfinals clash with neighboring nation Germany. However, do not forget that Austria did beat a heavily-favored Norway side to book their spot at this juncture. Additionally, Irene Furhmann's side, who are featuring in their second EURO competition, did surprise most during their debut in 2017. Five years ago, Austria made a run to the semifinals, and while they were beaten by Denmark, it was only after penalties after neither side could find a way past each other.
Furthermore, Germany, while naturally a heavy favorite, are not infallible, and were knocked out five years ago by Denmark during the quarterfinals - so really, anything is possible.
4. Will it finally come home for England?
Quite akin to the men's side, England are playing all of their games at home this summer. However, the Three Lionesses will hope to avoid the heartbreak the Three Lions suffered last summer, during which they were beaten on penalties by Italy after a grueling 120 minutes of action. So far, things have gone pretty swimmingly for Sarina Wiegman's side, who cruised through their group stage campaign with three wins out of three and kept three clean sheets in the process.
England have long hoped to end their decades-long drought in international football, and it just may be the Lionesses who help them win a much sought-after trophy, 12 months after the Three Lions painfully came up short at Wembley. Time will tell if this time, the slogan "It's coming home" will finally ring true, because England's path to the final will be far from simple. They will first face Spain in the quarterfinals, and provided they progress, will have two more games to win before clinching the coveted prize.
5. Age ain't nothing but a number
Although Northern Ireland endured a disappointing EUROs as the debutants crashed out without picking up a single point, they did manage to set a record. Defender Julie Nelson not only became the first player to score for Northern Ireland at a EURO competition, but her goal, which ended up being a mere consolation as the Green Army slumped to a 4-1 loss to Norway, makes her the oldest player to score in this competition (she was 37 years and 33 days old at the time).
Jose Mourinho 'celebrates' European success with unique tattoo
A special accomplishment for the Special One needed a tattoo that no one else in the world -up to this point in history- could have. With that in mind, Jose Mourinho shared with his fans the design he will be carrying on his skin for the rest of his life.
The Portuguese tactician decided to get inked with the three European trophies he has won during his career: the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Champions League, and the UEFA Europa Conference League. The manager was able to win the first two crowns twice, while he won the latter with Roma just a couple of months ago.
In a couple of Instagram posts, the Portuguese boss explained the reasons for this decision, starting with his tribute to the teams he has managed to European glory.
"This is my tattoo. The joy of the Roman people led me to do it. Then I thought about something special, something that would honor all the clubs where I won European competitions. At the same time, I wanted a unique tattoo, one that, so far, I am the only one who can have it…" Mourinho wrote on Instagram.
New Borussia Dortmund striker diagnosed with cancer
Borussia Dortmund have been hit with an unexpected blow to their preparations ahead of the 2022-23 season, as star signing Sebastién Haller may not be able to play for the club in the next few months.
The club revealed that Haller left the team's training camp in Switzerland after telling the team's doctors he was not feeling well. After going through a battery of tests, an unexpected cancer diagnosis was revealed by the team.
"In the course of intensive medical examinations, a tumor was finally discovered in the testicles during the course of the day. During the coming days, further examinations will take place in a specialized medical center," a brief press release issued by the team stated.
The devastating news for both club and player come weeks after Haller had joined Borussia Dortmund after an impressive stint at Ajax, where he scored 47 goals in 66 apps for the Dutch side. The 28-year-old striker had also scored four goals in 15 apps for the Ivory Coast National Team.
Sporting director Sebastian Kehl spoke on behalf of the German club, offering the team's full support to overcome this diagnosis.
"This news today came as a shock to Sebastien Haller and to all of us. The entire BVB family wishes Sebastien a full recovery as soon as possible and that we can hug him again soon. We will do everything in our power to ensure that he receives the best possible treatment," Kehl stated in the press release.
While we may expect more details regarding Haller's health, the club has urged fans and media to respect the footballer's privacy at this time.
Cristiano Ronaldo finally responds to rumor suggesting imminent Man Utd exit
Cristiano Ronaldo has finally broken his silence amid the uncertainty about his future by responding to a new report linking him with a move to Sporting CP. The report stated that the 37-year-old could join the Portuguese club on loan this summer, a situation the player himself has since labeled as false.
Ronaldo rejoined Manchester United from Juventus last summer, scoring 24 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions. However, despite his input, the Red Devils failed to win a trophy for the seventh consecutive season and could not also qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Against this backdrop the five-time Ballon d'Or winner allegedly tasked his agent with securing a move away for him, and Jorge Mendes has since been touring Europe to find his biggest asset a transfer that matches his interest. While United have maintained that the former Juventus and Real Madrid superstar is not for sale, he has been offered to his former clubs as well as the likes of Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. All the aforementioned clubs reportedly turned down the opportunity to sign the forward, putting his desire to move away from Old Trafford in doubt.
Having begun his footballing career in Lisbon and with his extended family still living in the city, Ronaldo has constantly been linked with a move back to Sporting CP. On Sunday, Portuguese media outlet 'Sport TV' published a story about the possibility of the famous no.7 returning to the Portuguese club.
"Sporting fans with more hope of signing Cristiano Ronaldo... A photo is circulating on social networks that is said to be of the Portuguese's car in the garage of the Estadio Jose Alvalade," said the TV channel.
However, the player has swiftly come out to deny the claims, stating that the information being spread is untrue. On Sunday, the 37-year-old forward put the rumors to bed by replying "Fake" underneath the Instagram post. At the moment, it remains unclear when he will be heading back to Manchester United, having been given an extended summer break to attend to personal issues in Portugal.
Speaking of Ronaldo…
Spartak Moscow troll Cristiano as Bayern rule out move for Man Utd star once again
With Bayern Munich confirming that they have reached an agreement with Barcelona for the transfer of Robert Lewandowski to the Camp Nou, it was only a matter of time before links to Cristiano Ronaldo popped back up.
After a lengthy transfer saga, the Polish superstar finally got his wish, with the Bundesliga champions and the Catalan giants reaching an agreement. But what does this mean for the Bavarians and their summer transfer plans? The 33-year-old striker scored a whopping 50 goals in 46 appearances in all competitions last season for Nagelsmann's side, a feat not many strikers can achieve.
However, if there is an attacker who one would fancy matching those numbers, it is Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese icon has reportedly asked to leave Manchester United and despite previously denying any interest in the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Bayern Munich were once again linked with the 37-year-old once it became known Lewandowski's exit was imminent.
The director of the German giants Hasan Salihamidzić publicly addressed this topic for a second time and—once again—reiterated that the Portuguese legend is not on their wish list, telling Sport1: "I have a lot of respect for Cristiano Ronaldo, his successes and his career. But once again: that was and is not a topic for us."
While it is not clear whether this was the direct cause, Spartak Moscow decided to join in on the conversation and trolled Ronaldo in the aftermath of Salihamidzić's statement. The Russian heavyweights, who have become infamous for trolling players and clubs on Twitter, poked fun at the all-time top scorer in men's international football on social media.
The club shared a tweet they made over a year ago which shows a photoshopped Instagram conversation with Lionel Messi in which he turns down the opportunity to join them. However, this time, the Gladiators tweeted a photoshopped DM from Cristiano in which he offers himself to the Moscow outfit but they instead reject him, simply reply "no" to his message!
This is playing on the trending social media joke that despite being one of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo and his agent are struggling to find a noteworthy suitor for his services this summer.
Julian Nagelsmann hits out at Barcelona for 'suspicious' spending spree
Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann has taken a swipe at Barcelona amid their spending spree in the transfer market this summer. The 34-year-old German coach has questioned the club's source of revenue which has enabled them to secure several signings despite the public knowledge that the club is in financial crisis.
Behind the new-look Barcelona is still a canker to be address with the club presently posing €1.3 billion in debt. As it has been the case, the Catalans have had the trouble of registering players in each of the two most-recent transfer windows. According to Transfermarkt, the Camp Nou outfit have spent an additional €103 million on the signings of Raphinha and Lewandowski, having already secured the services of Franck Kessie, and Andreas Christensen for free.
On Tuesday, Barcelona confirmed the arrival of Robert Lewandowski, after reaching an agreement with Bayern Munich following about two months of negotiations. With the Bundesliga's second-highest goalscorer in history departing from the champions after his eighth season, his former side's manager was quizzed on how he felt about the move, to which he responded:
"It is the only club in the world that have no money, but then buy all the players they want.
"I don't know how they do it. It's a bit strange, a bit crazy."
Amid Nagelsmann's frustrations, the real concern for Barcelona is more about whether they can register players in accordance with La Liga regulations than if they have the money. The Blaugrana have more debt than any club in the world, despite mitigating and servicing it by reducing the wages of some of the club's top earners. While no apparent breakthrough can be seen in sight for the Catalans, the club has still been linked with moves for players such as Man City's Bernardo Silva and Sevilla's Jules Kounde.
Ten Hag caught in foul-mouthed rant at De Gea during Man Utd's 3-1 win vs Crystal Palace
While pre-season might not always be the best way to gauge the level of a club ahead of the new Premier League campaign, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is slowly winning over the fans with his style of play and attitude.
It was obvious from the moment the Red Devils appointed the Dutch tactician that they were going to employ a possession-heavy philosophy at the club. This has been evident from day one under the former Ajax head coach, with the Red Devils players playing intricate passes and pressing intensely without the ball in order to win back possession.
This was exhibited in Manchester United's recent pre-season fixture, a 3-1 victory over fellow English top-flight side Crystal Palace in Melbourne. As previously mentioned, while this was not a competitive game, the Old Trafford aces showed better understanding of Ten Hag's demands and system by playing silky football throughout the 90 minutes, which culminated in a beautiful team goal in the second half from Marcus Rashford to double their lead.
And if fans needed more reason to be excited by Ten Hag, a short clip has gone viral which will definitely do the work. The Manchester United boss was caught on one of the microphones yelling at goalkeeper David de Gea after he conceded possession, with the gaffer even using expletives.
The reason why this went viral is because it occurred in the final few minutes of normal time when the English giants were already leading 3-1, showing the gaffer's obsession for perfection. What sparked this short—but foul-mouthed—rant at the Spanish shot-stopper? The manager was not happy after De Gea decided to go long when pressed on the ball instead of passing it to the full-back who dropped deep to receive a short pass.
Erik's reaction could be heard on MUTV's live coverage of the game, with the 52-year-old yelling: "David! What the f*** are you doing?" While the commentators glossed over what was said, everyone else watching the game couldn't help but notice the manager's response.
Despite seeing a man get sent off, Manchester United maintained the score line and picked up their third consecutive victory of the pre-season, having beaten Liverpool 4-0 and Melbourne Victory 4-1 previously. Next up for the Red Devils is a friendly against Aston Villa in Perth followed by a rematch against Atletico Madrid in Norway.
Other key headlines from the world of football
TRANSFER: Former Juventus ace seals move to Roma
Last week, we reported that Roma and Napoli were engaged in a battle to secure the signature of Juventus's Paulo Dybala.
The Giallorossi have since won that battle, as reports from Italy reveal that the 28-year-old Argentinian international has successfully undergone his medical and has put pen to paper on a three year deal. Dybala will earn about $6 million (€6 million) per season over the course of his contract, which will run through 2025 with the possibility of an additional year added on to make it a four year deal.
In addition, Dybala, who scored 115 goals in 293 appearances across all competitions for the Bianconeri, has also had a $20 million (€20 million) release clause added in his contract by his new employers.
Transfer: Juventus close to signing De Ligt's replacement
Inter Milan have apparently conceded defeat in their pursuit of Brazilian defender Gleison Bremer as the player closes in on a move to Juventus. The Torino center-back is set to join the Bianconeri on a permanent five-year deal for $41 million plus add-ons, the media in Italy have reported.
Days after sanctioning the sale of Matthijs de Ligt to Bayern Munich for a fee of $80M, Juve have moved swiftly to recruit one of Serie A's fast-rising stars. Having come up with a shortlist which featured the likes of Pau Torres and Gabriel Magalhães, the Old Lady turned their full attention to beating rivals Inter to the signing of Bremer from arch-rivals Torino.
On Tuesday, the 36-time Serie A champions took to their social media platforms to share images and videos of Bremer upon his arrival in Turin.
Neymar to Man City? Guardiola addresses rumors linking PSG star with the EPL champions
PSG have reportedly put Neymar up for sale but given that the former Santos sensation is one of the world's highest-paid players, not many clubs can afford the 30-year-old. Chelsea, one of the richest teams in world football, have been touted as a possible destination, albeit loosely, while Les Parisen report that the Ligue 1 champions have offered the South American attacker to Manchester City.
This rumor was posed to Guardiola during his press conference ahead of their pre-season showdown with Club America and while the Spanish tactician hailed Neymar as incredible, Pep unequivocally refuted this claim and denied that his side are interested in bringing the Brazilian to the Etihad Stadium.
"I am so sorry for Le Parisien, but it is not true," Guardiola said. "I am sorry for them because the information they have received is false. Neymar is an incredible player and by my information, he is a nice guy. Let him express himself at Paris."
