Top games to watch this week
Friday, December 17
Celta Vigo vs Espanyol (La Liga)
Lazio vs Genoa (Serie A)
Salernitana vs Inter (Serie A)
Bayern vs Wolfsburg (Bundesliga)
Saturday, December 18
Aston Villa vs Burnley (English Premier League)
Leeds vs Arsenal (English Premier League)
Real Sociedad vs Villarreal (La Liga)
Barcelona vs Elche (La Liga)
Sevilla vs Atlético (La Liga)
Atalanta vs Roma (Serie A)
Bologna vs Juventus (Serie A)
Hertha BSC vs Dortmund (Bundesliga)
Gil Vicente vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
Tunisia vs Algeria (FIFA Arab Cup Final)
Sunday, December 19
Wolves vs Chelsea (English Premier League)
Newcastle vs Man City (English Premier League)
Tottenham vs Liverpool (English Premier League)
Athletic Club vs Real Betis (La Liga)
Real Madrid vs Cádiz (La Liga)
Milan vs Napoli (Serie A)
Freiburg vs Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
Benfica vs Maritimo (Primeira Liga)
Vizela vs Porto (Primeira Liga)
Feignies vs PSG (Coupe de France)
Monday, December 20
Levante vs Valencia (La Liga)
Tuesday, December 21
Arsenal vs Sunderland (League Cup)
Villarreal vs Alavés (La Liga)
Sevilla vs Barcelona (La Liga)
Juventus vs Cagliari (Serie A)
Wednesday, December 22
Brentford vs Chelsea (League Cup)
Liverpool vs Leicester (League Cup)
Tottenham vs West Ham (League Cup)
Granada vs Atlético (La Liga)
Athletic vs Real Madrid (La Liga)
Inter vs Torino (Serie A)
Empoli vs Milan (Serie A)
Lorient vs PSG (Ligue 1)
Thursday, December 23
Anderlecht vs Kortrijk (Belgian Cup)
Club Brugge vs OH Leuven (Belgian Cup)
PSV vs Go Ahead Eagles (Eredivisie)
Vizela vs Sporting Braga (Taca de Portugal)
Porto vs Benfica (Taca de Portugal)
Most-watched soccer games on U.S. TV: Dec. 7-13, 2021
New York City FC's penalty shootout win against the Portland Timbers in the MLS Cup Final at Providence Park on Saturday, Dec. 11, was the most-watched soccer games on U.S. TV last week.
ABC screened NYCFC's first-ever Major League Soccer Cup win, garnering a total of 1,140,000 viewers and receiving a 0.67 viewership rating. Regular season top scorer Valentin Castellanos scored the opening goal late in the first half to give the Pigeons the lead. However, Portland's Felipe Mora revived the Timbers and Providence Park by scoring with the last kick of regular time. Neither side scored in extra time, taking the game to a penalty shootout. Captain Sean Johnson blocked two penalties to lead his team to glory.
A Premier League match between Norwich City and Manchester United screened on NBC on Saturday, Dec. 11, was the second most-watched soccer games on U.S. television last week. The rigid tie saw the Red Devils win thanks to a penalty converted by striker Cristiano Ronaldo. An average of 1,009,000 viewers watched the broadcast, which received a 0.60 viewership rating.
And in third place, the second leg of the Liga MX Apertura Final between Leon and Atlas on TUDN was watched by 772,000 people. Atlas lifted the cup after a 1-0 home win that brought the global score to 3-3. Since Los Rojinegros scored two away goals, they were crowned winners.
.jpg?q=75&w=634)
What are this week's must-watch matches?
Wolves vs Chelsea this Sunday at 9 a.m. ET live on NBCSN, USA Network, Universo, Telemundo Deportes en Vivo, fuboTV, and Sling TV
Several weekend fixtures in the Premier League have been postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak, but Wolves vs Chelsea is set to go through for now – the Blues have confirmed three cases, though, meaning this tie is under asterisks. Tuchel's side have dipped in form as of late, with Thursday's 1-1 draw with Everton being the latest disappointing result from the champions of Europe. As a result, the Blues remain in third and now find themselves four points behind league leaders Man City. Next up for them is a tricky trip to Wolves, with Bruno Lage's side showing in their last six English top-flight outings that they are a tough team to break down – Man City and Liverpool, despite boasting the two best attacks in the league, can attest to this. Will Chelsea return to winning ways or will the West Midlands side become the latest team to nick points off of the Blues, be it one or all three? Tune in this weekend to find out.
Tottenham vs Liverpool this Sunday live at 11:30 a.m. ET exclusively on Peacock
Tottenham vs Liverpool is another exciting Premier League showdown set to go through this weekend, although this fixture is under asterisks as well as both sides are facing coronavirus-related issues. The Reds are continuing their pursuit of league leaders Man City, with Guardiola's men sitting a mere point ahead in the title race. As a result, Klopp's side must avoid any unnecessary slip-up in their upcoming trip to north London. Spurs, on the other hand, are in seventh but boast three games in hand over fourth-placed Arsenal. This means Conte's side must simply win their fixtures and could leapfrog their bitter rivals into a UEFA Champions League spot, though Man United are just as capable of doing that as well. Peacock will exclusively broadcast this epic showdown in the United States, so make sure to head over there to catch the action live.
AC Milan vs Napoli this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET live on Paramount+, fuboTV, CBS Sports Network
Two favorites for this season's Serie A title will go head-to-head on Sunday, with former league leaders Napoli visiting second-placed AC Milan at 3 p.m. ET. Form has slipped away from Gli Azzurri, with the visitors entering this clash on the back of successive defeats in the Italian top-flight. In fact, Insigne and Co. have picked up only one win from their last five fixtures, losing three and drawing the remaining one, hence why they are now four points behind first-placed Inter. Meanwhile, AC Milan have had their own issues, losing back-to-back ties in late November while drawing 1-1 with Udinese in their last outing. Fortunately, the Rossoneri remain a single point behind the Nerazzurri, meaning Ibrahimovic and Co. have more wiggle room in case of a slip-up. However, Pioli's men will not want that and will instead pursue a victory over a fellow Scudetto challenger in Sunday's San Siro battle!
.png?q=75&w=634)
.jpg?q=75&w=634)
This week in women's football, the Liga MX Femenil Apertura two-legged finals, top-flight European leagues and the 2022 NWSL will unfold. Learn how to stay on top of these events.
How to watch the two-legged Liga MX Femenil Apertura Final in the USA
The two-legged Liga MX Femenil Apertura Final between Monterrey and Tigres UANL will be broadcast live in the USA on two different channels.
Fox Deportes will televise the final's first leg on Friday, Dec. 17, at 10 p.m. ET. The second leg will be broadcast on TUDN USA.
How to watch the 2022 NWSL Draft on Saturday, Dec. 18
The 2022 NWSL Draft will stream live on Paramount+ and CBS Sports HQ on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. ET.
Formerly known as the NWSL college draft, the NWSL Draft is composed of four rounds and 12 selections for each round as the league expands to include Los Angeles and San Diego. The following is the current draft order. Mind you, the order is likely to change after Thursday's Expansion Draft.
Round 1
1. San Diego Wave
2. Racing Louisville
3. North Carolina Courage
4. Racing Louisville
5. Orlando Pride
6. Houston Dash
7. North Carolina Courage
8. NJ/NY Gotham
9. San Diego Wave
10. OL Reign
11. Chicago Red Stars
12. Kansas City Current
Round 2
13. Angel City
14. San Diego Wave
15. OL Reign
16. Racing Louisville
17. Kansas City Current
18. Chicago Red Stars
19. Chicago Red Stars
20. OL Reign
21. Houston Dash
22. Portland Thorns
23. Chicago Red Stars
24. NJ/NY Gotham
25. San Diego Wave
26. Angel City
Round 3
27. San Diego Wave
28. Angel City
29. Orlando Pride
30. Racing Louisville
31. Orlando Pride
32. OL Reign
33. OL Reign
34. NJ/NY Gotham
35. Chicago Red Stars
36. OL Reign
37. Chicago Red Stars
38. Washington Spirit
Round 4
39. Angel City
40. San Diego Wave
41. Kansas City Current
42. Racing Louisville
43. Kansas City Current
44. Houston Dash
45. North Carolina Courage
46. NJ/NY Gotham
47. OL Reign
48. Portland Thorns
49. Chicago Red Stars
50. Washington Spirit
ATA Football to show six European top-flight games this weekend
ATA Football is back with action from the top competitions around Europe. The following six games will stream live exclusively on ATA Football this weekend.
Saturday, Dec. 18
Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano at 6 a.m. ET
Sunday, Dec. 17
Madrid CFF vs. Real Madrid at 6 a.m. ET
Chelsea vs. West Ham United at 7:15 a.m. ET
Potsdam vs. Wolfsburg at 10 a.m. ET
Werder Bremen vs. Bayen Munich at 10 a.m. ET
Arsenal vs. Brighton at 1:45 p.m. ET
Biggest stories of the week
Real Madrid left fuming as La Liga giants get PSG in the last 16 after UCL Draw redo
A technical error forced UEFA to redo the entire UEFA Champions League last 16 draw, with Real Madrid getting PSG in the upcoming round after initially being drawn against Benfica.
A list of blunders occurred during UEFA's first attempt, with Man United first being mistakenly drawn against Group F rivals Villarreal, forcing UEFA chief Giorgio Marchetti to intervene in order to correct this issue. After that, the Red Devils were then omitted from being drawn against Atletico Madrid, which was another error, hence the decision to declare the whole thing null and void.
However, this move did not go down well in the Real Madrid camp. Los Blancos, who got Benfica in the first draw, argued that the errors began after they were pitted against the Portuguese giants and felt that a complete redo was not necessary.
Things got worse for the Spanish giants as take two of the UEFA Champions League draw saw them get PSG, a far more dangerous side than Benfica. As for Man United, who were initially drawn against Messi and Co, they dodged one bullet only to get struck by another as the Red Devils were pitted against Atletico Madrid. Fortunately for the Premier League giants, Cristiano Ronaldo boasts an outstanding record against Simeone's men and will thus look to inspire his side to victory.
After declaring the first attempt null and void, this is how the UCL round of 16 draw ended up
Lewandowski equals long-standing record as Bayern crush Stuttgart
Last season saw Robert Lewandowski do what no player has ever done - to break Gerd Muller's single season goal-scoring record. The Polish ace netted 41 times, overtaking the German icon's record of 40 in a single season that had stood for nearly 50 years (since 1972).
Lewandowski is also on target to successfully defend his Torjägerkanone crown, having won four of the last five and six overall. On Tuesday, Bayern took on Stuttgart, and not surprisingly, it was all one-way traffic as Julian Naglesmann's men cruised to a 5-0 win, with Lewandowski grabbing a brace.
In doing so, it takes him to 18 goals so far this season - putting him well ahead of Dortmund's Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, who has 11 so far - and more significantly, pulls him level with none other than the aforementioned Gerd Muller. Muller, who passed away in August at the age of 75 following a long-standing battle with Alzheimer's disease, scored 42 goals in a single calendar year in 1972.
Lewandowski can now break that record this weekend, as Bayern will close out 2021 with a home clash against Wolfsburg.
FIFA FIFPro World XI Nominees: Mo Salah misses out as Barca quartet's inclusion sparks debate
The final 23 nominees for the FIFA FIFPRO World XI for Men in 2021 have been revealed but have turned a few heads after yet another major omission. There was no spot for Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah in the list which featured 10 players from the English Premier League although Barcelona's Dani Alves, Frenkie De Jong, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba were named among those shortlisted. Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo made the cut, with Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski also earning a spot.
Salah scored 31 goals in 51 games last season but failed to make the final list in the category for forwards which was completed by Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland, Romelu Lukaku, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr. The Best FIFA Football Awards is set to take place on January 17, 2022.
Tributes pour in as Sergio Aguero announces emotional retirement from football
Everyone's fear was confirmed on Wednesday! In an emotional press conference, Argentine superstar Sergio Aguero stepped out at the Camp Nou to speak with the press, announcing his official retirement from football.
This statement did not come as a surprise. The Argentine suffered a worrisome heart arrhythmia in Barcelona's home clash with Deportivo Alaves back in October, forcing him off the pitch due to breathing problem and dizziness. Soon after his diagnosis, many predicted that this would mark the end of Kun's illustrious career.
Nonetheless, hearing the 33-year-old utter those words was emotional. The Man City icon announced that he can no longer play due to his heart condition, admitting this while in tears.
"This conference is to communicate that I have decided to stop playing football," a tearful Aguero said. "It is a very difficult moment. The decision I have made I have taken for my health, that is the main reason, because of the problem that I had a month-and-a-half ago.
"I was in good hands of the medical staff who have done their best and have told me the best thing would be to stop playing. So I made that decision about a week ago and I want to tell everyone I did everything possible to have hope, but there wasn't very much.'
"I am very proud of the career I have had, very happy. I always dreamt of playing football from five years old. I want to show my gratitude to everyone, all of the clubs I played at and, of course, my love, Argentina.
"I don't know what awaits me in the next life, but I know there are a lot of people who love me and want the best for me."
The Argentine has left his mark in the modern game, in particular the Premier League, having led the Cityzens' rise to the top of English football. Who can forget his iconic stoppage-time winner against QPR to secure the Manchester giants their first Premier League title? During his time in the English top-flight, Kun scored 184 goals in 275 matches, helping the club to an impressive five league titles.
Man City understandably led the tributes, but they were not alone, as Chelsea legend John Terry, the Premier League, Bayern Munich, Atletico, and even Real Madrid also issued kind messages on social media.
Other key headlines from the world of football
Real Madrid report new COVID-19 cases ahead of clash vs Cádiz
On Thursday, Real Madrid issued a medical report, revealing that four players and one of Carlo Ancelotti's assistants were diagnosed with COVID-19, which will effectively make them unavailable for Sunday's match against Cádiz.
"Real Madrid C. F. informs that our players Marco Asensio, Gareth Bale, Andriy Lunin and Rodrygo, and our head assistant coach Davide Ancelotti have tested positive for COVID-19," the press release stated.
This report adds to a previous one issued by the club where Marcelo and Luka Modric were diagnosed with the viral disease. As a result, Ancelotti will have to prepare for this game without six players and without the help of his son, the team's head assistant.
Manchester United return several positive COVID-19 cases amid outbreak concerns
Manchester United have found themselves in the middle of yet another crisis after more positive COVID-19 tests were returned on the same day their players resumed training following a brief lockdown period. According to a report from the UK, the Red Devils saw as many as 19 people contract the virus by Wednesday, putting their schedule for the festive period in serious disarray.
United's Carrington training facility was shut down on Monday as the players were instructed to spend 24 hours away following their trip to Norwich on Saturday. All operations had been halted amid a coronavirus outbreak, forcing the club's clash with Brentford on Tuesday night to be postponed as a result. Nevertheless, the Old Trafford outfit was hopeful that they could return in time to prepare for the weekend's meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion at home.
However, the Premier League have since announced that that clash with the Seagulls, as well as four other weekend fixtures, have been delayed in order to contend with the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
Barcelona forced to "freeze" starlet in order to fuel winter transfers
According to a report by AS, Yusuf Demir's transfer from Rapid Wien included a clause that would force Barcelona to pay the Austrian side €10M (around $11M) if the winger was involved in ten games during his first year with the senior team. As of December 8, Demir had featured in nine games in all competitions for Los Culés, which means that playing one more game would force the Catalan side to pay the Austrian Bundesliga team.
Now, Xavi will have to stop using the footballer if he wants to help Barcelona's struggling finances. Why? Because the team is expected to sign a couple of players during the upcoming January transfer window, and having to spend that amount to honor that clause would result in a hit to the Blaugrana's long-term plans. With that in mind, it seems the Catalan giants will be destined to play all their games without Demir until February regardless of how much promise the footballer has shown in his nine appearances.
