Liverpool vs Man City and the UEFA Women's Euro final headline the top live games to watch on July 29-August 4, 2022

Top games to watch this week

Friday, July 29

1860 München vs Borussia Dortmund (DFB Pokal)

Udinese vs Chelsea (Friendly)

Argentina vs Paraguay (Copa América Femenina)

Los Angeles FC vs Seattle Sounders (MLS)

Saturday, July 30

Arsenal vs Sevilla (Emirates Cup)

Liverpool vs Man City (FA Community Shield)

RB Leipzig vs Bayern (DFL Supercup)

Porto vs Tondela (Super Taca)

Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United (Friendly)

Tottenham vs Roma (Friendly)

Inter vs Lyon (Friendly)

New York RB vs Barcelona (Friendly)

Real Madrid vs Juventus (Friendly)

Copa América Femenina - Brazil vs Colombia (Final)

Philadelphia Union vs Houston Dynamo (MLS)

Sporting KC vs Austin (MLS)

Chicago Red Stars vs San Diego Wave (NWSL)

Sunday, July 31

England vs Germany (UEFA Women's Euro 2022 Final)

PSG vs Nantes (French Super Cup)

Pumas UNAM vs Monterrey (Liga MX)

León vs América (Liga MX)

Manchester United vs Rayo Vallecano (Friendly)

Marseille vs Milan (Friendly)

Liverpool vs Strasbourg (Friendly)

Tuesday, August 2

Sheriff vs Viktoria Plzen (UEFA Champions League)

Monaco vs PSV (UEFA Champions League)

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Rangers (UEFA Champions League)

Benfica vs Midtjylland (UEFA Champions League)

Corinthians vs Flamengo (Copa Libertadores)

New York RB vs Colorado Rapids (MLS)

Seattle Sounders vs Dallas (MLS)

Wednesday, August 3

Crvena Zvezda vs Pyunik (UEFA Champions League)

Vélez Sarsfield vs Talleres Córdoba (Copa Libertadores)

Atlético Mineiro vs Palmeiras (Copa Libertadores)

Guadalajara vs LA Galaxy (Leagues Cup)

Los Angeles FC vs América (Leagues Cup)

Thursday, August 4

Athletico-PR vs Estudiantes (Copa Libertadores)

Atlas vs Querétaro (Liga MX)

Shamrock Rovers vs Shkupi (UEFA Europa League)

Maribor vs HJK (UEFA Europa League)

AEK Larnaca vs Partizan (UEFA Europa League)

Most-watched football games in the United States: July 18-24, 2022

The top football leagues in the world are close to witnessing the start of their campaigns, and with that in mind, club friendlies have made it to the front pages of most newspapers and websites across the world. As a result, it is no surprise to see some of those topping the charts of the most-watched football games in the United States this past week.

Surprisingly, El Clásico was not the most-watched game of the week despite being played on a Saturday. Its late kickoff did not help audiences to keep track of it, but the clash earned quite a bit of following with over half a million average viewers if we add the Spanish and English broadcasts. On that note, the most-watched game of the week featured none other than Manchester City in their first pre-season match of the summer, which concluded in a fun 2-1 win against Liga MX titans America. The game earned almost three quarters of a million viewers considering the Spanish and English feeds.

With the tournament nearing its conclusion, the UEFA Women's Euro keeps adding audience records with a respectable third place in this week's ranking. The exciting match between hosts England and Spain earned the most attention, and if things go as expected, the title clash taking place this weekend should bring one of the highest audiences in history for a women's game.

Without further ado, let's have a closer look at those games that caught the most attention last week.

What are this week's must-watch games?

Liverpool vs Manchester City live this Saturday in the FA Community Shield at 12 p.m. ET exclusively on ESPN+

Club football is back! While everyone eagerly awaits the 2022/23 Premier League kick-off, English football must first hold its annual curtain raiser: the FA Community Shield. This match will see Manchester City and Liverpool, the country's top two teams, lock horns in a highly-anticipated showdown in Leicester. All eyes will be on Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez as the two marquee summer signings will go head-to-head in this fixture. Which club will get their hands on the title? Tune in to find out.

RB Leipzig vs Bayern Munich live this Saturday in the DFL Supercup at 2:30 p.m. ET exclusively on ESPN+

Just as is the case for the Premier League, the Bundesliga is nearing a return, meaning German football fans will be treated to the DFL Supercup before the top-flight kicks off next week. This fixture will see the Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich lock horns with the DFB-Pokal winners RB Leipzig. And just like the previous game, this showdown will see two attackers steal the spotlight as in-form superstar Christopher Nkunku faces off against the new Allianz Arena signing Sadio Mane. The Senegalese ace has already made his debut for the club but will now aim to guide his new employers to silverware. Catch the action live on ESPN+.

England vs Germany live this Sunday in the UEFA Women's Euro final at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, WatchESPN, TUDN, Sling TV, and fuboTV

Wondering why the FA Community Shield is being held in Leicester? The answer is simple: only one match can be held at the iconic Wembley Stadium this weekend and the honor deservedly went to the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final. England will take on Germany in the ultimate game as the curtains draw on what has been a thrilling tournament. The Lionesses, having beaten Sweden in the semifinals, will look to secure this title on home soil and offer England fans a long-awaited silverware. However, Die Nationalelf aren't a side to be underestimated, having beaten France 2-1 to get here. Do not miss this highly-anticipated affair.

It will be a special week for women's football fans around the globe, as two continental competitions will come to an end this weekend. 

The first one of those will be the Copa América Femenina, which will have its title clash on Saturday evening. Brazil will face South American minnows Colombia in this match, where the Brazilian side will be put to test before they can think about winning their eighth title.

The other competition set to have a champion crowned is none other than the UEFA Women's Euro. The tournament that has caught the eyes of fans everywhere will conclude with a mouth-watering match between Germany and hosts England. The Lionesses seem to have everything in place to win their first title in this competition, but the German side will be eager to add one more crown to their resume this weekend.

As usual, we continue our coverage of domestic leagues, with Liga MX Femenil and the NWSL being the top competitions to keep an eye on.

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

There is only one match left to be played in the European continental tournament, and fate saw things developing in such a way where the hosts will be facing Germany for the crown. Both teams got to the final with a perfect five-game winning streak, and both sides have also conceded once, which may hint that we could have a close one on our hands. Nevertheless, the Lionesses must be considered favorites to win since they will have the full support of Wembley Stadium this Sunday.

The match will put an end to an epic edition of the UEFA Women's Euro, which saw a number of records being established and with the competition in itself earning new fans around the world.

2022 Copa América Femenina

The exciting Copa América Femenina will also come to a conclusion this weekend, with two more games set to be played this weekend. The first one will feature Argentina and Paraguay, who will lock horns on Friday to determine the team that ends in third place. Both sides proved to be contenders during the stage, but they were not able to get past their rivals in the semis, forcing them to fight for the bronze medal.

The title clash will be a dream for host nation Colombia, as Las Cafeteras will welcome Brazil at Alfonso group López Stadium in Bucaramanga trying to win their first-ever title in this competition. Brazil have dominated their rivals by scoring 19 goals without conceding en route to the final, and while we love surprises, it seems highly unlikely to see the Brazilian side losing this title.

2022 NWSL season

The North American competition returns to action with lots of interesting games to watch, starting with what could be the battle for the top spot in the league between the third-placed Chicago Red Stars and the league-leading San Diego Wave, who will enjoy the return of top scorer Alex Morgan after her involvement in the CONCACAF W Championship.

Other games to keep an eye on will see the Portland Thorns trying to reap the benefits of the aforementioned game. The Thorns could end the weekend in first place if they manage to beat Racing Louisville away from home and the other match ends in a draw. Nevertheless, a loss for Rhian Wilkinson's crew could see them slip to fourth if those trailing them can claim wins.

Liga MX Femenil: Apertura 2022 season

The Mexican top-flight continues to keep fans glued to their seats week in and week out, and this time around, we will witness Chivas del Guadalajara trying to keep the top spot to themselves after taking it away from Pumas. América and Cruz Azul are one win away from them, which should keep the intensity among these teams for as long as that distance remains.

For more details on games, standings, and news, visit our dedicated women's soccer page at LiveSoccerTV.com.

Biggest stories of the week

TRANSFER TALK: Juventus reportedly keen on signing Liverpool star

Could another of Liverpool's once-famed front three be departing Anfield? According to reports from Italy, namely Tuttosport, Roberto Firmino could follow in the footsteps of Sadio Mane and make a switch to another league this summer. Although he was once a core part of Liverpool's feared attack starring the aforementioned Mane as well as Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah, Firmino has seen his playing time drastically reduced as of late due to injury issues as well as the emergence of other players like Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz. 

Last season saw Firmino score just five league goals in 20 overall appearances in the Premier League, with 10 of those coming as starts. And with Liverpool having spent big to sign Darwin Nunez, the 30-year-old might be open to a move elsewhere to get his career back on track.

Juventus are one side that have been linked with his services, and the same Tuttosport report claims that the Bianconeri have already tabled a bid of $23.5 million (€23 million/£19.5 million) that the Reds are apparently "considering". However, it is likely that La Vecchia Signora might have to modify their bid in order for the two sides to come to some sort of agreement before the transfer window closes in just over a month's time.

After all, from Liverpool's perspective, they have already seen one major player depart, with Mane moving to Bayern, and while Firmino has not been an outright starter lately, they may decide to hang on to him as a back-up option as the Reds will again be involved in multiple competitions this season.

As such, it remains to be seen whether Firmino makes a switch to Serie A, or is still a Liverpool player by the time the upcoming season commences.

Cristiano Ronaldo tells Man Utd his desire to be freed from the final year of his contract

Cristiano Ronaldo has told Manchester United he wants to be freed from the final year of his £360,000-a-week contract, the Daily Mail has reported. The 37-year-old Portuguese superstar is poised leave Old Trafford this summer and has, as a result, communicated his wishes to the club ahead of the start of the new season.

Ronaldo missed out on United's season tour to Thailand and Australia after being given an extended vacation for 'personal reasons'. In his sabbatical, the player and his agent had been working tirelessly to secure a transfer elsewhere after he expressed his desire to play in the Champions League in the upcoming season. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was offered to the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid but none of them have explored the possibility of signing the attacker.

On Tuesday, the former Real Madrid and Juventus superstar returned to Manchester for a crunch meeting with the club's hierarchy. While United maintained their position of wanting to keep the Portuguese superstar at the club, the meeting apparently had an unsuccessful outcome. According to the Daily Mail, he and his agent Jorge Mendes informed the Red Devils that he wishes to be relinquished from his contract as he eyes a move to a Champions League side.

With just 12 months remaining on his current deal, Erik ten Hag has constantly reiterated that Ronaldo remains central to his plans this season. However, it seems the former Ajax manager might have to re-strategize and potentially welcome a new attacker to add to the squad. It is speculated that the Red Devils could make a move for Ajax winger Antony should it become clear that their talisman will not continue at the club again.

Amid the current development, Daily Mail reported that Ronaldo is still carrying on in a professional manner and even underwent medical tests on Wednesday before watching his team-mates in a behind-closed-doors friendly match against Wrexham. It remains unclear if he will be involved in this weekend's double-header of friendlies against Atletico Madrid on Saturday in Oslo and Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford on Sunday.

In a relative development, fans of Atletico Madrid showed opposition to rumors of Cristiano Ronaldo's purported pursuit with a banner during a friendly match. During Los Rojiblancos' pre-season clash with Numancia on Wednesday, a group of the club's fans held a banner which read "CR7 not welcome". Last week, a report from Spain suggested that the club was putting Antoine Griezmann up for sale in order to fund a move for the wantaway Manchester United star.

Chelsea starts 'payback' against Barcelona over failed Koundé and Raphinha bids

Chelsea's recent problems to sign players have not gone overlooked by the team's hierarchy, and they have reportedly identified Barcelona as the culprit for those failures.

With that in mind, the club is ready to get some "payback" against Los Culés in the ongoing transfer window, even if that means not to hire more players in defense.

According to a report by the Daily Mail, the English side has taken Barcelona's approach to hire Jules Koundé and Raphinha as insulting, since the Blues had agreed terms with both players before Los Culés came in and swooped them away from their reach. Now, the English club will execute their "vengeance" by refusing to sell two of their own players to the Spanish club.

The names in question are César Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso. Reports in Spain state that both footballers had agreed terms to join Barcelona this summer, but the problem with those moves is that both of them are still under contract. Now, with Barcelona's tactics to lure players away, Chelsea are ready to dismiss any offers for both players, even if they have already vowed to make the trip to Catalunya.

The Blues' captain has reportedly voiced his discomfort about this decision with coach Thomas Tuchel, who spoke out on this issue last week when asked about how Barcelona had hijacked Koundé's deal regardless of their efforts to sign the player.

"I don't think so much about other clubs as I think about us. The full focus is on us and what we need and what we have in Apzi. I said to him many times that I can understand him on a personal level and career level. I can understand his point of view. But I am not only in this role to give him what he wants, I am also manager for Chelsea and have to do what is best for Chelsea," Tuchel said on Friday.

Apparently, Chelsea are ready to play hardball against Barcelona after failing to hire two of their transfer targets. Let's see what time has in store for us regarding this tug of war between two European giants.

Edu hits out at the likes of Ozil and Aubameyang as Arsenal's technical director slams club's previous culture

Arsenal technical director Edu sat down for a conversation with the Sun and gave a candid interview with the British tabloid in which he discussed an array of topics regarding the Gunners and their transfer dealings, both ins and outs.

The Emirates Stadium executive did not hold back when speaking about the north London giants' ambitions, slamming the club's culture from when he first returned to the club three years ago. Edu argued that the Gunners' aim should never simply be to finish in the top four, but despite this, many were content with the club's position when he arrived at the job.

"Arsenal should not be building to just fight for fourth. A club of our size cannot accept that," he said.

"That's what really hurt when I returned three years ago. I was asking, 'What's happening here? Everybody is comfortable and they're all OK with that?'

"Well, f*** you, because that's not the mentality of this club. I want everyone to feel, 'F***ing hell, now we are really going to go for things'.

"So we needed a squad with personalities that say, 'I am not losing this game — I will kill someone first but I don't lose'.

"And this summer I think we've added more players with that kind of character."

While the technical director did not mention anyone by name, it appears obvious that he was referring to certain players within the dressing room. As a result, it is understandable why Arsenal have undertaken a drastic squad overhaul, with only two player's from Mikel Arteta's first starting eleven being key members of the team.

Edu went a step further and highlighted one of the most toxic aspects of the dressing room earlier on in his role. He admitted that there were several experienced footballers at the club who were simply happy with picking up a hefty pay cheque and living in the English capital, making it hard for them to be moved on.

In fact, the former Highbury midfielder argued that 80 percent of the players were like this when he initially arrived, hence why many were forced out the Emirates Stadium door, with some even being paid off to leave. And once again, while Edu mentioned no names, it is hard not to see a reference to Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, two high earners who were shipped out after a drop in form and attitude.

"When a player's 26 or older, has a big salary and is not performing, he's killing you," the 44-year-old added.

"In the past, 80 per cent of the squad had those characteristics and there was no chance anyone would buy them."

"They don't have a transfer value and are comfortable on a long contract living in London.

"So we needed to clean the squad and if we had to pay some to go, I considered it an investment.

"It's better than having them blocking the path of another player. It's not a problem if a player has a big salary and performs.

"I know it's strange to go to the board and tell them, 'Sometimes it's better to pay a player to leave than to keep them'.

"I realize that hurts and some people say that it's expensive — but you have to take the problem out."

One simply needs to look at Arteta's current squad in comparison to the team he inherited from Unai Emery in order to understand how drastic the overhaul has been. While it came at a huge financial cost, Mikel's current crop of players are younger and more promising.

Last season, a lack of experience hurt the Gunners in their race to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, with the north London giants eventually missing out on a top-four finish to bitter rivals Tottenham. However, having signed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Man City, as well as Fabio Vieira from Portuguese champions Porto, Arsenal have added talented footballers who know how to win silverware that are yet to hit their prime.

Other key headlines from the world of football

Huge blow for Liverpool as star player is ruled out for Community Shield clash vs Man City

Unfortunately, Jurgen Klopp's men have been rocked with a huge blow as one of their star players will miss the upcoming Community Shield. That man is none other than Alisson, the world-class Brazilian goalkeeper who is regarded as one of football's finest last line of defense. Given that Manchester City signing Erling Haaland will likely feature in this game, having scored against Bayern Munich 12 minutes into his debut, Klopp could have done with his undisputed shot-stopper.

Alisson picked up an abdominal injury during the club's pre-season tour of Asia and has been out since. While there was optimism that he would recover in time for the Community Shield, the German manager has now revealed that this is no longer the case.

However, it isn't all bad news. With the Reds set to kick off their Premier League campaign against Fulham on August 6, Klopp expects their goalkeeper to be fully fit for the trip to Craven Cottage, having already returned to training. Additionally, Caoimhin Kelleher has also been ruled out for this tie, meaning Adrian is destined to start in between the sticks against De Bruyne and Co.

Premier League legend hits out at Barcelona for Frenkie De Jong treatment

One reason that has kept the former Ajax star Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona is because of deferred wages which the club owes him. Multiple reports from Spain have indicated that the player and his entourage are keen on recouping the amount before making a decision on his future. On Monday, it emerged that the Catalans have made an initial approach to settle the arrears with the midfielder. However, the amount the club is offering seemingly angered the camp of the Netherlands international as it was over $10M less than what was owed.

Per the terms of the agreement, De Jong is not entitled to the $17.4M he is owed until his contract expires, which seemingly explains why the Blaugrana are not in a rush to pay him. Nevertheless, Gary Neville has advised the player to take legal action against the club for the manner in which the issue has been handled. The former Manchester United defender captured his sentiments in a tweet, saying:

"De Jong should consider legal action v Barcelona and all players should be behind him! A club spending fortunes on new players whilst not paying the ones they have under contract their money is immoral and a breach. @FIFPRO should be all over bullying like this and stop it."

Real Madrid flop aims scathing dig at Ancelotti thanks to new club

Speaking in an interview with DAZN, former Los Blancos player Luka Jovic did not hold back about his current stint with Fiorentina, where he has scored more goals (5) than those he did with Real Madrid. While doing so, the Serbian player aimed a dig at his former coach, clearly annoyed by the low amount of playing time he had with the Spanish side last season.

"I needed a coach like this, one that pushed me to work hard all day. I hope to do great things with Vincenzo Italiano," Jovic told DAZN.

The player was allowed to leave Real Madrid on a free move, but Los Blancos kept an option to collect 50% of a potential transfer away from the club in the future. That way, the Spanish side aims to recover a portion of what they spent in signing Jovic three seasons ago.