Top games to watch this week
Friday, November 4
Girona vs Athletic Club (La Liga)
Udinese vs Lecce (Serie A)
Borussia M'Gladbach vs Stuttgart (Bundesliga)
América vs Guadalajara (Liga MX Femenil)
Tigres UANL vs Monterrey (Liga MX Femenil)
Saturday, November 5
Manchester City vs Fulham (English Premier League)
Barcelona vs Almería (La Liga)
Atalanta vs Napoli (Serie A)
Milan vs Spezia (Serie A)
Borussia Dortmund vs Bochum (Bundesliga)
Hertha BSC vs Bayern Munich (Bundesliga)
Porto vs Pacos de Ferreira (Primeira Liga)
Sporting CP vs Vitoria Guimaraes (Primeira Liga)
Galatasaray vs Besiktas (Super Lig)
Los Angeles FC vs Philadelphia Union (MLS Cup Final)
Sunday, November 6
Chelsea vs Arsenal (English Premier League)
Aston Villa vs Man United (English Premier League)
Tottenham vs Liverpool (English Premier League)
Atlético Madrid vs Espanyol (La Lga)
Real Betis vs Sevilla (La Liga)
Roma vs Lazio (Serie A)
Juventus vs Inter (Serie A)
Bayer Leverkusen vs Union Berlin (Bundesliga)
Estoril vs Benfica (Primeira Liga)
Lorient vs PSG (Ligue 1)
Ajax vs PSV (Eredivisie)
Monday, November 7
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Madrid (La Liga)
Atlético Mineiro vs Botafogo (Brasileirão)
Fenerbahce vs Sivasspor (Super Lig)
Hatayspor vs Istanbul Basaksehir (Super Lig)
Tuesday, November 8
Athletic Club vs Valladolid (La Liga)
Osasuna vs Barcelona (La Liga)
Napoli vs Empoli (Serie A)
Cremonese vs Milan (Serie A)
Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
Bayern Munich vs Werder Bremen (Bundesliga)
Sao Paulo vs Internacional (Brasileirão)
Mexico vs Iraq (Friendly)
Wednesday, November 9
Nottingham vs Tottenham (Carabao Cup)
Liverpool vs Derby County (Carabao Cup)
Man City vs Chelsea (Carabao Cup)
Arsenal vs Brighton (Carabao Cup)
Mallorca vs Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
Sassuolo vs Roma (Serie A)
Inter vs Bologna (Serie A)
RB Leipzig vs Freiburg (Bundesliga)
Juventude vs Flamengo (Brasileirão)
Cameroon vs Jamaica (Friendly)
Costa Rica vs Nigeria (Friendly)
Thursday, November 10
Manchester United vs Aston Villa (Carabao Cup)
Real Madrid vs Cádiz (La Liga)
Hellas Verona vs Juventus (Serie A)
Lazio vs Monza (Serie A)
Botafogo vs Santos (Brasileirão)
Panama vs Saudi Arabia (Friendly)
Iran vs Nicaragua (Friendly)
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: October 24-30, 2022
Last week's battle for the ratings gave us one of the most anticipated games in the season, and in terms of audience, the popularity of that league has once again been proven, as the Portland Thorns and the Kansas City became part of the most watched soccer fixture in the 2022-23 term, surpassing every men's match that has been watched in the USA.
That NWSL showdown defeated two of the most popular leagues in the country: the English Premier League and Liga MX. Curiously, both of these leagues claimed the remaining spots on the podium, and even though that English top-flight clash that made it to second ended in a goalless draw, Liga MX's representation kept fans watching to see who was crowned as Apertura 2022 champions.
Let us have a look at the numbers last week brought us in terms of soccer games:
What are this week's must-watch games?
Atalanta vs Napoli live this Saturday at 1 p.m. ET exclusively on Paramount+
Saturday will bring a clash between first and second in Serie A as league leaders Napoli gear up for a tricky away test against Atalanta. The visitors enter this clash after seeing their unbeaten run this season end, losing 2-0 away to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday. However, Spalletti's men are flying high in Italy and remain five points clear at the top in this heated Scudetto race. Atalanta are Gli Azzurri's closest rivals, sitting in second with 27 points. La Dea lost 2-0 to Lazio roughly two weeks ago but bounced back with their 2-0 victory over Empoli last weekend. Can they hand Napoli their first domestic defeat of the campaign? Tune in to find out.
LAFC vs Philadelphia Union live this Saturday in the MLS Cup Final at 4 p.m. ET on FOX Network, the FOX Sports App, Foxsports.com, fuboTV, SiriusXM FC, TUDN USA, Univision, Univision NOW, the TUDN App, and TUDN.com
Everything has been building up to this. Saturday will see the MLS Cup Final take place as LAFC prepare to battle it out with Philadelphia Union for the coveted prize. This is the first time since 2003 in which the top seeds from the Eastern and Western Conferences face off in the ultimate fixture. Additionally, this is only the fourth time in history that the MLS Cup Final will feature two teams making their debuts at this stage. The Black and Gold beat Austin in the Western Conference Final to make it this far while the Union pulled off a 3-1 comeback victory over last season's champions New York City FC to win the Eastern Conference and make the final. Jim Curtin's side, led by Hungarian midfielder Daniel Gazdag, had both the best defense and best attack during the regular season. However, expect Vela and Co. to give Philadelphia Union a tough test in this weekend's exciting finale!
Chelsea vs Arsenal live this Sunday at 7 a.m. ET on USA Network, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, SiriusXM FC, fuboTV, and Sling TV
One of England's most-heated London rivalries will return this weekend as Chelsea prepare to host Arsenal on Sunday. A lot is at stake for the two clubs, but for varying reasons. The Blues, having lost 4-1 to Brighton in their last Premier League fixture, need to beat their opponents as both Manchester United and Newcastle have leapfrogged them in the standings. The Gunners, meanwhile, remain top of the table but are only two points ahead of second-placed Manchester City. Additionally, victory at Stamford Bridge would be a statement result and might just prove to all their critics that they are true title challengers this season.
Tottenham vs Liverpool live this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET on Peacock and SiriusXM FC
Chelsea vs Arsenal isn't the only huge weekend game taking place this Matchweek as Tottenham prepare to welcome Liverpool in the Premier League's other highly-anticipated showdown. Spurs enter this clash on the back of an interesting run, losing back-to-back games against Manchester United and Newcastle before pulling off crucial comeback victories over Bournemouth and Marseille. That triumph over the French giants not only secured a UEFA Champions League round of 16 ticket for Conte's men, but it also saw them win the group on the back of a few shaky performances. Liverpool, on the other hand, are on a two-game losing streak in the Premier League, going 1-0 and 2-1 down against Nottingham Forest and Leeds, respectively. However, their most recent fixture was a 2-0 triumph at home to Napoli. Don't miss their trip to North London!
Manchester City vs Chelsea live this Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET exclusively on ESPN
Round three in the Carabao Cup commences this midweek, with Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United, and Liverpool all taking to the field on Tuesday through Thursday. However, the standout fixture is Wednesday's clash between Manchester City and Chelsea as one of these two English giants will bid an early exit in the EFL League Cup. The Blues will enter this clash on the back of their showdown with the Gunners, meaning that result could play a huge part in this cup tie. Guardiola's men, on the other hand, will face Fulham in the Premier League over the weekend and can afford to rest a few more players than Graham Potter.
We are back in full motion with some of the top leagues in women's soccer, bringing fans closer to the beautiful game played by some of the top players in this category.
It has been a busy weekend for fans as the NWSL Championship took place last weekend. The Portland Thorns defeated the Kansas City Current to claim a third NWSL title, with that game becoming one of the most-watched fixtures of all time in the USA, which makes us realize the growth of women's soccer in the country and around the world.
With the North American tournament over, it is time for us to turn our attention to other competitions which are equally interesting and that are also starting to heat up. Those leagues include the Liga MX Femenil, the Primera Iberdrola, the FA Women's Super League, and the Frauen-Bundesliga, to name a few.
Without further ado, let's have a look at what the beautiful game will offer in terms of women's soccer matches for the next seven days.
Liga MX Femenil
The Mexican top-flight returns to action with two bitter rivalries about to determine the teams that will play for the Apertura 2022 title. The first one of these clashes will feature América and Guadalajara, the clubs with the largest fanbases in the country and beyond its borders. The other fixture will include Tigres and Monterrey, two teams from the north side of Mexico who have been quite successful in this category, with Tigres being the most-winning team in Liga MX Femenil history. Both matches will take place between Friday and Monday next week, which is why we encourage you to keep track of all four matches, which promise to be something else.
FA Women's Super League
It will be an interesting weekend for English women's soccer fans, with the standout match being the one between Manchester United and Chelsea. Other top matches in this league will include Tottenham Hotspur facing Everton and Arsenal trying to continue their unbeaten streak against the winless Leicester City. The first weeks of action have left three teams with five wins and sharing the top spot, and it will be quite fetching to see if any of these teams fall behind in a title race that promises to be one of the best in years.
Primera Iberdrola
The Spanish league will be one of the most-watched in the world during the upcoming weekend, as one of the earliest editions of El Clásico is set to be held with Real Madrid as hosts. So far, the Blaugrana side has won all of the four games these teams have played, but Real Madrid have certainly added some talent to their ranks in recent years that could shift the tides in their favor. Both teams, along with Real Sociedad, are the only ones still unbeaten in the tournament, and that fact will make things even more interesting when both sides make it to the pitch of the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium.
Interested in more leagues? Visit our dedicated women's soccer page at LiveSoccerTV.com.
Biggest stories of the week
Leeds snatch late win at Anfield as Van Dijk's incredible Premier League record ends
It's all over now. For the first time in his Liverpool career, Virgil van Dijk was on the losing side in a Premier League home match. The Dutch defender was at the heart of the defense for the Reds as a dramatic late goal by Leeds ended a remarkable run of 70 league appearances at Anfield without defeat.
Liverpool entered Saturday's encounter knowing that a loss would complicate their charge for a top-four finish in the league campaign this season. Despite beating Manchester City a couple of weeks ago, Jurgen Klopp's men suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest in their last appearance in the competition. They hoped to build on their convincing 3-0 victory over Ajax in the UEFA Champions League but began their evening on the worst possible note against Marsch's side.
The visitors started the day in the bottom three but were given a reason to smile momentarily when Rodrigo capitalized on another defensive mistake by Joe Gomez and put the ball into an empty net. Mohamed Salah's volley from Andy Robertson's cross gave Liverpool a quick response and an equalizer. However, the match-defining moment came in the dying minutes of the encounter when Crysencio Summerville fired Patrick Bamford's pass across Alisson to crush Liverpool's hearts.
With that result, Leeds move up to 15th place and are now four points behind ninth-placed Liverpool. For the Reds, they suffered their first home defeat in the Premier League since March 2021, ending a 29-game unbeaten run at Anfield (W22 D7).
Gerard Piqué announces retirement on social media
After several months of speculation regarding his future, Spanish footballer and Blaugrana legend Gerard Piqué has decided to put an end to his impressive career.
The center-back will forever be remembered as part of the team that dominated the world of football between 2009 and 2015, a team that included Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Sergio Busquets, Lionel Messi, and Piqué himself. That team was led to two trebles, one with Pep Guardiola as coach and one more with Luis Enrique at the helm in 2015.
The footballer had seen his playing time reduced during the current season, and with talks to extend his contract reaching a roadblock, the former Spanish international has decided to hang his boots.
Added to his problems on the pitch, Piqué has been in the middle of a controversial separation from Colombian singer Shakira, which has also shifted his focus away from his activities as a footballer.
In a two-minute video posted on social media, Piqué states that Saturday's game against Almeria at Camp Nou will be his last club match ever, and after that, he will end his playing career. He announced his retirement with the words "I had said that after Barcelona there would not be another team, and that's how it's going to be."
Piqué will retire from professional football having won eight La Liga titles, six Supercopa de España crowns, seven Copa del Rey trophies, and four UEFA Champions League trophies, one with Manchester United and three more with his beloved club.
Dortmund name their price for Jude Bellingham as interest from Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Man City increases
Dortmund sensation Jude Bellingham is one of the hottest young players in the world. However, as was the case with Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland, the consensus is that it is merely a matter of time before the Englishman leaves for pastures new.
The German giants are known for selling their talents to the continent's biggest clubs and Bellingham is no different, with interest increasing from all over Europe. Nonetheless, two powerhouses look to be leading the race and they are Real Madrid and Liverpool.
The Reds are in dire need of a midfielder, and with the Three Lions talent being identified as the perfect candidate for Klopp's side next summer, expect the Merseyside giants to do their best to bring the 19-year-old to Anfield.
Los Blancos, on the other hand, have already signed two other young, highly-rated midfielders in the form of Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni. Meanwhile, Federico Valverde, who is only 24, continues to impress, meaning the addition of Bellingham would hand the Spanish giants a world-class crop of midfielders yet to hit their prime.
Unfortunately for both clubs, Dortmund's asking price looks to have been revealed and to no one's surprise, the German side want a hefty fee in order to sanction this transfer.
Jude, who has three more years on his Signal Iduna Park deal, will reportedly cost a whopping €150M ($148M) to sign, according to German tabloid Bild. Given the length of his contract, BVB will have the upper hand when it comes to their teenage sensation.
This asking price could be a huge blow for Liverpool, a club known for running a tight business despite their tremendous success under Jurgen Klopp. Will the Merseyside giants cough up that huge fee or opt to explore other more economical options?
Real Madrid, on the other hand, were willing to splash the cash for Kylian Mbappe prior to his decision to remain with PSG. However, given the presence of Kroos, Modric, Camavinga, Tchouameni, and Valverde, it remains uncertain whether Florentino Perez will cut such a tremendous cheque for another midfielder.
Manchester City have also been linked, which is interesting, given that Ilkay Gundogan is out of contract this summer. The Cityzens do not suffer from the same financial constraints as Liverpool, meaning Guardiola's men could sign another world-class player from Dortmund for the second year running.
Japan become the first FIFA World Cup team to unveil their final squad for Qatar 2022
November is finally here, meaning we have officially entered the 2022 FIFA World Cup month.
And with the highly-anticipated tournament, taking place in winter for the first time ever, being just a few weeks away, all the participating nations are preparing to decide on their final squad for Qatar 2022.
Japan are the first team to jump the gun, announcing their 26-man squad ahead of the November 14 deadline, with their list featuring a number of recognizable names. The Blue Samurai, who were drawn into a tough group alongside Germany and Spain, have chosen a team featuring players who currently ply their trade in Europe's top five leagues.
One of the first names on the plan to Qatar is Takehiro Tomiyasu, the rock-solid Arsenal defender racking up rave reviews in the Premier League. Despite being a full-back, the Gunners ace often plays as a center-back for his national team and could partner veteran defender Maya Yoshida at the heart of Hajime Moriyasu's defense.
However, Yoshida isn't the only veteran to make the plane as iconic goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, one of the only surviving members from Japan's 2011 AFC Asian Cup win, also got a call-up.
In midfield, two names stand out and they are former Liverpool man Takumi Minamino and Frankfurt ace Daichi Kamada. Minamino currently plays for Monaco but despite struggling for minutes in France as well, the 27-year-old will be keen to impress while out in the Middle East. Kamada, on the other hand, is enjoying another lovely campaign, scoring 11 goals and assisting another three in his first 17 appearances for his Bundesliga club.
Further up the pitch, Real Sociedad starlet Takefusa Kubo and Celtic forward Daizen Maeda made the cut but fellow Scottish Premiership ace Kyogo Furuhashi, who has nine goals in 16 games for the Bhoys, was surprisingly snubbed.
Up-and-coming Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, who played a key role in the Seagulls' 4-1 thrashing of Chelsea over the weekend, was also named in Japan's final team. Check out the 26-man squad in full below:
-
Goalkeepers: Shuichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden), Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg)
-
Defenders: Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Reds), Maya Yoshida (Schalke), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield)
-
Midfielders: Wataru Endo (Stuttgart), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Gaku Shibasaki (Leganes), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton & Hove Albion), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg), Junya Ito (Reims), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus)
-
Forwards: Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Takuma Asano (Bochum), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge)
Update: Since announcing this list, Arsenal ace Takehiro Tomiyasu picked up a worrying injury during his side's UEFA Europa League victory over Zurich FC. Speaking after the game, Arteta labeled it as a muscular issue but this could jeopardize his FIFA World Cup spot.
MLS club confident of signing Lionel Messi after holding secret talks with PSG star
Lionel Messi is currently back at his best, entertaining fans and tearing teams apart both in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League, which is a far cry from his debut season with PSG. However, according to a recent report, his time in Europe could be numbered.
The Argentine legend, who is gearing up for next month's highly-anticipated FIFA World Cup tournament, is in the final year of his Parc des Princes contract. While the French giants have the option to extend this deal by an additional year, Leo has been holding off on making this decision until after Qatar 2022.
Initially, many fans were under the presumption that it would be a decision between a PSG stay or a fairytale return to Barcelona, with several rumors linking the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner with a move back to Camp Nou.
However, a new report has emerged regarding Messi's future and it has shocked everyone. According to the reliable David Ornstein of the Athletic, one Major League Soccer side are confident of bringing the 35-year-old to the USA.
They are none other than Inter Miami, the club co-owned by fellow icon David Beckham. The Florida-based team have long been linked with Messi, and for obvious reasons, as the 2021 Copa America champion has hinted at a move to North America on numerous occasions. However, not many expected this to come to fruition this early.
According to the report, secret talks have been going on for some time between Inter Miami and Leo's camp. The Herons, who lost to New York City FC in round one of the MLS Cup Playoffs, are now confident of securing the former Barcelona superstar's signature in what promises to be the most high-profile signing in this league's history.
Jorge Messi, Leo's father and agent, has had meetings with fellow Inter Miami co-owners Jorge and Jose Mas but PSG won't let this happen without a fight. Galtier's side wish to keep their influential attacker beyond 2023 but unless the player agrees to that one-year extension, he will be free to reach a pre-contract agreement in just a few months.
The desire to sign the Argentine is understandable. Putting the commercial gains attached to the Messi brand aside, Leo has rekindled his form this season, contributing to 25 goals in his first 17 appearances for PSG (scored 12, assisted 13). However, the player will make no decision until after the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on November 20 and ends on December 18.
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
Benfica scores in 92nd minute to pip PSG to Group H top spot
Benfica have extraordinarily beaten Paris Saint-Germain to the top spot in Group H following Wednesday night's win over Maccabi Haifa. The Portuguese outfit hit their Israeli counterparts for six as they moved to occupy the no.1 slot by virtue of the number of away goals scored having gone level on points and on goals with their rivals from France.
Roger Schmidt's men entered the game knowing that they could finish at the top and potentially get a favorable draw should they put Maccabi to the sword properly. Indeed, it was hardly a contest for the Eagles who had six different players getting on the scoresheet for all their goals. Goncalo Ramos opened the scoring in the 20th minute but the lead did not last after Tjaronn Chery put awat a spot-kick six minutes later. It was one-way traffic from that point onwards, with Petar Musa, Alejandro Grimaldo, and Rafa Silva all finding the back of the net before Joao Mario scored the most important sixth goal of the night to take his side right to the top.
Over at the Allianz Stadium, Paris Saint-Germain could only manage a 2-1 win over Juventus. With that result, they were tied on points as well as goals with Benfica but the Portuguese giants later earned the edge to advance the knockout stage through the seventh tiebreaker. This means that the Eagles were adjudged the winners after scoring the most away goals between them and Les Parisians.
Man City boss Guardiola gives honest assessment of Man Utd amid Red Devils' upturn in form
It looks like Manchester United fans aren't the only ones impressed by their club's short turnaround under Erik ten Hag. The Red Devils have garnered praise from Etihad Stadium boss Pep Guardiola after bouncing back from their defeats against Brighton and Brentford. Speaking ahead of City's Premier League showdown with Leicester, which they won 1-0, the Spaniard gave his honest assessment of his team's bitter rivals, admitting that the 20-time English champions are not far off from returning to the top.
"I have a feeling that United is coming. Finally, United is coming," Pep said ahead of his side's early Saturday kick-off against the Foxes. "I saw yesterday [against Sheriff] and [against] Chelsea the first half. I thought 'I like it', what I see from United just now. There will be a lot of teams.
"That is why you have to fight for the Champions League and fight for the title. In the first 10 games you don't win the Premier League, but you can be a little bit behind. Newcastle are already there. I saw them against Tottenham and the physicality from both sides."
2022 FIFA World Cup: German star Manuel Neuer reveals he has battled skin cancer
Manuel Neuer is one of the most popular players in the world. However, despite enjoying a brilliant career in front of everyone's eyes for nearly two decades and counting, not everything is known about the 36-year-old.
In fact, in the build-up to the highly-anticipated 2022 FIFA World Cup, the goalkeeper made a public admission regarding his personal life that shocked many supporters: the Bayern Munich icon has battled skin cancer.
The shot-stopper revealed this to the public on Wednesday. Neuer took to Instagram, stating that he has suffered from skin cancer on his face and has even undergone three surgeries to deal with the issue, but this doesn't look to affect his availability for Qatar 2022.
"We both have a history of skin diseases. In my case, skin cancer on my face, which required three surgeries," Neuer said on Instagram in a video alongside tennis star Angelique Kerber to promote their sunscreen.
