UEFA Champions League football returns this midweek but fans will first be treated to several exciting weeekend showdowns.

Top games to watch this week

Friday, September 27

Real Valladolid vs Mallorca

Milan vs Lecce

Borussia Dortmund vs Bochum

Estoril vs Sporting CP

PSG vs Rennes

Vélez vs Independiente

Al Nassr vs Al Wehda

Tigres UANL vs León

Saturday, September 28

Newcastle vs Manchester City

Arsenal vs Leicester City

Chelsea vs Brighton

Wolves vs Liverpool

Osasuna vs Barcelona

Udinese vs Inter

Genoa vs Juventus

Bayern vs Bayer Leverkusen

Benfica vs Gil Vicente

Monaco vs Montpellier

Belgrano vs Boca

Palmeiras vs Atlético Mineiro

Guadalajara vs Monterrey

Cincinnati vs Los Angeles FC

DC United vs Columbus Crew

Inter Miami vs Charlotte

Sunday, September 29

Manchester Utd vs Tottenham

Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid

Napoli vs Monza

Porto vs Arouca

Strasbourg vs Marseille

River Plate vs Talleres

Sao Paulo vs Corinthians

América vs Pumas UNAM

Monday, September 30

Bournemouth vs Southampton

Villarreal vs Las Palmas

Parma vs Cagliari

AVS vs Farense

Racing Club vs Platense

Al Nassr vs Al Rayyan

Tuesday, October 1

Salzburg vs Brest

Stuttgart vs Sparta Praha

Bayer Leverkusen vs Milan

Arsenal vs PSG

Slovan Bratislava vs Manchester City

PSV vs Sporting CP

Internazionale vs Crvena Zvezda

Borussia Dortmund vs Celtic

Barcelona vs Young Boys

Rosario vs Vélez

Wednesday, October 2

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Atalanta

Girona vs Feyenoord

RB Leipzig vs Juventus

Benfica vs Atlético Madrid

Lille vs Real Madrid

Liverpool vs Bologna

Aston Villa vs Bayern München

Dinamo Zagreb vs Monaco

Sturm Graz vs Club Brugge

Istanbul Basaksehir vs Rapid Wien

Vitoria Guimarães vs Celje

New York vs Cincinnati

Columbus vs Inter Miami

Colorado Rapids vs LA Galaxy

Real Salt Lake vs Minnesota United

Los Angeles FC vs St. Louis City

Thursday, October 3

Lazio vs Nice

Ferencváros vs Tottenham Hotspur

Hoffenheim vs Dynamo Kyiv

Slavia Praha vs Ajax

Rīgas FS vs Galatasaray

Real Sociedad vs Anderlecht

Qarabağ vs Malmö FF

Olympiakos Piraeus vs Sporting Braga

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Midtjylland

Viktoria Plzeň vs Ludogorets

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Bodø / Glimt

Rangers vs Olympique Lyonnais

PAOK vs FCSB

Twente vs Fenerbahçe

Porto vs Manchester United

Elfsborg vs Roma

Beşiktaş vs Eintracht Frankfurt

Athletic Club vs AZ

Omonia Nicosia vs Víkingur Reykjavík

Molde vs Larne

Legia Warszawa vs Real Betis

Noah vs Mladá Boleslav

Dinamo Minsk vs Hearts

Astana vs Bačka Topola

Cercle Brugge vs St. Gallen

Heidenheim vs Olimpija

Chelsea vs Gent

Shamrock Rovers vs APOEL

LASK Linz vs Djurgården

Borac Banja Luka vs Panathinaikos

Petrocub vs Paphos

Lugano vs HJK

København vs Jagiellonia Białystok

Fiorentina vs The New Saints

Fluminense vs Cruzeiro

What are this week's must-watch games?

Bayern München vs Bayer Leverkusen live this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET exclusively on ESPN+

Not only do we have one of the standout games in the Bundesliga but one of the most exciting games in Europe. Reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen visit Bayern Munich, the team most likely to wrestle the Meisterschale out of their grip. The Bavarians currently top the table, winning four out of four, scoring a whopping 16 goals, and conceding only three. Xabi Alonso's men, meanwhile, saw their unbeaten run come to an end on Matchday 2 when they lost 3-2 at home to RB Leipzig. However, Wirtz and Co. have won every other match and are only three points behind Kompany's side. Die Werkself are unlikely to leapfrog Bayern Munich in the table with a win due to the gap in goal difference but Alonso's side must win at all cost. The Bavarians, meanwhile, seek revenge after failing to beat Leverkusen at home last term.

Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga, Broadcast Listings 

Manchester United vs Tottenham live this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET on Telemundo, USA Network, and fuboTV

All eyes will be on Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag's struggling Manchester United side aim to return to winning ways when they host Tottenham this Sunday. The Red Devils enter this game having won only twice in their last six matches, drawing 1-1 with Twente in their recent UEFA Europa League opener. Spurs, on the flip side, beat Qarabag 3-0 despite having a man sent off early, making it three wins in their last three outings. Will Postecoglou's side win at the Theatre of Dreams? Don't miss this clash.

Manchester United, Tottenham, English Premier League, Broadcast Listings 

Atlético Madrid vs Real Madrid live this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on Paramount+ and FOX Deportes

The first derby of the season comes at one of the best possible moments, with Atletico Madrid showing fine form at home and Real Madrid ready to prove themselves as contenders one more time. Los Blancos will be put to the test by their bitter rivals, as coach Carlo Ancelotti will have to adapt to Kylian Mbappe's absence due to an untimely injury. On the other hand, Simeone's men will try to maintain their form at home, where they are yet to concede for the first time after three matches. Atlético have beaten Real Madrid in Los Merengues' last two trips to the Metropolitano, so it will be interesting to see if they make that three wins at home in a row.

Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, La Liga, Broadcast Listings 

Arsenal vs PSG live this Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET on Paramount+, ViX

The UEFA Champions League returns this midweek, with Premier League giants Arsenal involved in the standout fixture. The Gunners host PSG in their first home game of the campaign as they look to bounce back from their drab 0-0 draw at Atalanta. The Ligue 1 giants, on the flip side, overcame Girona on Matchday 1 thanks to a late own goal and will want send a message to their biggest rivals by winning at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal, PSG, UEFA Champions League, Broadcast Listings 

Columbus Crew vs Inter Miami live this Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, FOX Deportes, and MLS Season Pass

Inter Miami travel to Columbus Crew this midweek as the Herons aim to return to winning ways. Lionel Messi's side have drawn their last two matches, sharing the points with Atlanta United and New York City. Additionally, Tata Martino's men face the team that eliminated them from the Leagues Cup back in August. Meanwhile, the Crew are reeling from their Campeones Cup final defeat against Club America but should face a stern test this Wednesday.

Columbus Crew, Inter Miami, MLS, Broadcast Listings 

Porto vs Manchester United live this Thursday at 3 p.m. ET on Paramount+ and ViX

Manchester United resume their European campaign this Thursday, with the English giants visiting Porto at the Estádio do Dragão. The Red Devils suffered a frustrating 1-1 draw with Twente in their Europa League opener. Meanwhile, the Dragons suffered a defeat that same day, losing 3-2 at Bodo/Glimt. As a result, both sides enter this fixture seeking their first win of the campaign.

Porto, Manchester United, UEFA Europa League, Broadcast Listings 

Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock present big weekend full of soccer

Fans in the United States will get to witness a large number of soccer games across all of Telemundo's platforms and sister channels, with the Premier League, Liga MX, and FIFA Futsal World Cup for them to follow.

Things will kick off on Friday with the final round of 16 matches in the FIFA Futsal World Cup. Thailand, France, Argentina, and Croatia fight for the last two spots in the next round, with both games being available on Telemundo's website and the Telemundo App.

Saturday will be mostly about the Premier League, with Universo stepping up to cover three matches, including Newcastle vs Manchester City and Wolves vs Liverpool. Later that day, it will be Liga MX time with Chivas vs Monterrey being covered by Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock.

Sunday's action will be packed on all platforms, with the return of the FIFA Futsal World Cup, this time with two quarter-final matches being played and covered on Telemundo's website and the Telemundo App. Added to those games, Premier League action will be taken care of by Telemundo, with its highest point coming when Manchester United and Tottenham lock horns.

Monday will mark the end of the month on a high note for the network, with one more Premier League fixture and two FIFA Futsal World Cup matches.

For additional details on each channel's coverage, click here

Weekend schedules for ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes: Sept. 27-30, 2024

Many soccer leagues and tournaments will be offered this weekend for all ESPN Deportes and ESPN+. The streaming platform and the Spanish-language channel will team up this weekend to cover up to 100 matches between amateur and professional soccer games.

The Spanish-language feed will be able to cover the full extent of this week's La Liga action, where Barcelona are dominating the lot and will want to keep things that way. But even if the Blaugrana are stealing the spotlight, this will be a very special weekend to witness as Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid get ready to face each other in a crucial game for both clubs.

This will not be the only top European competition being covered by the channel and the streaming service, as the Belgian Pro League, the Eredivisie, the Bundesliga, the Bundesliga 2 and the Spanish Segunda División will also be included on ESPN+'s schedule. The German top-flight will be the stage for a major clash between Bayern München and defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, both of them fighting for the top spot of the table which right now belongs to the Bavarians.

While these leagues will be the top attraction for professional soccer fans, NCAA Soccer will be the main source of entertainment on ESPN+, as the platform will include over 100 games from both the men's and women's categories.

Here is the list of games being covered by ESPN Deportes and ESPN+

Biggest headlines

Ex-Real Madrid defender and World Cup winner Varane retires

France World Cup winner Raphael Varane on Wednesday announced his retirement from football at the age of 31, adding that he will remain at Como in a non-playing capacity.

Former Real Madrid and Manchester United center-back Varane had joined the Italian club for this season but was then excluded from their Serie A squad having suffered a knee injury in August.

"A new life begins off the pitch," Varane said on social media. Read more

Man City confirm Rodri knee ligament injury

Manchester City confirmed on Wednesday that Rodri suffered ligament damage to his right knee during their weekend clash against Arsenal, although the full extent of the injury remains unclear.

The midfielder has been in Spain this week consulting specialists after limping off midway through the first half of the match at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday after a collision with Thomas Partey.

"Manchester City FC can confirm that Rodri has suffered a ligament injury to his right knee," the Premier League champions said in a statement. Read more

Madrid's Mbappe suffers thigh injury before Atletico derby

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has sustained a thigh injury ahead of this weekend's La Liga derby with Atletico, his club said on Wednesday.

The French superstar was taken off during the 3-2 win over Alaves on Tuesday and appeared to be suffering some discomfort.

Spanish media suggest Mbappe will miss around three weeks injured. Read more

San Siro loses 2027 Champions League final due to uncertain future

The 2027 Champions League final will be moved away from the San Siro in Milan due to uncertainties over potential renovations, UEFA said on Tuesday.

European football's governing body said that the San Siro had lost the showpiece fixture as the city of Milan could not guarantee the ground and the surrounding area "would not be affected by refurbishment works".

"It was decided not to assign the final to Milan and to re-open the bidding process to appoint a suitable venue, with a decision expected in May/June 2025," added UEFA. Read more

Man Utd stadium regeneration could add £7.3bn to British economy

A proposed regeneration of the area around Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium could generate £7.3 billion ($9.7 billion) annually to the British economy, according to an economic feasibility study commissioned by the club.

However, the mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said on Monday no public money would go toward the project.

United are considering whether to pursue a £2 billion plan for a brand new 100,000-seater stadium or redevelop the existing 74,000-capacity Old Trafford.

Burnham has backed the ambitions to redevelop the stadium alongside a "mixed-use" neighborhood featuring apartment blocks, shopping centers, and new public transport stations. Read more

Barca goalkeeper Ter Stegen to undergo knee operation

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will have surgery on a ruptured knee tendon, the Catalan club said Monday, with the club's captain potentially sidelined for the rest of the season.

The 32-year-old German international was stretchered off after falling awkwardly during his team's 5-1 victory over Villarreal on Sunday. 

"(Ter Stegen) has a complete rupture in the patella tendon in his right knee," said Barcelona in a statement. Read more

CONCACAF chooses West Coast venues for Gold Cup

CONCACAF announced their 14 venues for June's Gold Cup on Wednesday with no East Coast venues featuring due to the clash with FIFA's new expanded Club World Cup.

The 16-team Gold Cup, for national teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean, and FIFA's 32-team Club World Cup, will be held during the same window.

The Gold Cup, which comes one year before the World Cup itself is held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature three venues that have not previously been used for the tournament and a mix of NFL and MLS stadia.

BC Place in Vancouver, PayPal Park in San Jose California, and U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will all feature Gold Cup games for the first time. Read more

Arteta stands by defensive tactics in fiery Man City clash

Mikel Arteta stood by Arsenal's defensive tactics in their explosive Premier League clash with Manchester City, saying he would have been "thick" not to learn from previous clashes.

Leandro Trossard was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away when Arsenal were 2-1 up at the end of the first half at the Etihad on Sunday.

After the break the Gunners sat back and soaked up pressure, ceding almost all the possession to the Premier League champions until John Stones netted a stoppage-time equaliser. Read more

Other headlines from the world of soccer

Leeds to expand Elland Road to 53,000 capacity

Leeds announced plans on Monday to increase the capacity of their Elland Road stadium to 53,000.

The project, which will be carried out in a phased approach to allow the stadium to remain operational, will see the ground expand by more than 15,000 seats. Continue reading

Ten Hag says lack of goals Manchester United's biggest problem

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has highlighted a lack of goals as the major factor behind the English giants' faltering start to the season.

There was fresh frustration for the Dutchman, now in his third campaign at Old Trafford, when United were held to a 1-1 draw at home to lowly-ranked FC Twente in their Europa League opener. Continue reading

Los Angeles FC double dream alive after US Open Cup win

Olivier Giroud was on target as Los Angeles FC kept their dream of a rare domestic double alive after defeating Sporting Kansas City 3-1 to win the US Open Cup final on Wednesday.

Extra-time goals from Omar Campos and Kei Kamara sealed victory for LAFC, who are also on course to reach this season's MLS Cup playoffs. Continue reading