Top games to watch this week
Friday, January 28
Colombia vs Peru (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Venezuela vs Bolivia (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Nantes vs Brest (Coupe de France)
Saturday, January 29
Olympique Marseille vs Montpellier (Coupe de France)
Gambia vs Cameroon (Africa Cup of Nations – Quarterfinal 1)
Burkina Faso vs Tunisia (Africa Cup of Nations – Quarterfinal 2)
Benfica vs Sporting CP (Taca da Liga Final)
Sunday, January 30
Egypt vs Morocco (Africa Cup of Nations – Quarterfinal 3)
Senegal vs Equatorial Guinea (Africa Cup of Nations – Quarterfinal 4)
Canada vs USA (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Mexico vs Costa Rica (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Panama vs Jamaica (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Honduras vs El Salvador (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Sporting Braga vs Moreirense (Primeira Liga)
Porto vs Marítimo (Primeira Liga)
Monday, January 31
PSG vs Nice (Coupe de France)
Estoril vs Pacos de Ferreira (Primeira Liga)
Tuesday, February 1
Japan vs Saudi Arabia (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Bolivia vs Chile (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Uruguay vs Venezuela (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Argentina vs Colombia (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Brazil vs Paraguay (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Peru vs Ecuador (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Wednesday, February 2
Jamaica vs Costa Rica (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
USA vs Honduras (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
El Salvador vs Canada (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Mexico vs Panama (FIFA World Cup Qualifying)
Belenenses vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
Benfica vs Gil Vicente (Primeira Liga)
AFCON - Semi-final 1
Celtic vs Rangers (Scottish Premiership)
Valencia vs Cádiz (Copa del Rey)
Thursday, February 3
AFCON - Semi-final 2
Al Jazira vs Pirae (FIFA Club World Cup)
Real Sociedad vs Real Betis (Copa del Rey)
Athletic Club vs Real Madrid (Copa del Rey)
Most-watched soccer games on U.S. TV: Jan. 17-23, 2022
One of the Premier League Matchday 23 highlights was a 0-0 draw between Arsenal and Burnley. Both sides struggled in all competitions ahead of the game, with Gunners coming into the clash on a four-game winless streak and the Clarets hoping to win their first game since October 2021.
The broadcast received a 0.13 viewership rating after an average of 363,000 viewers tuned in to watch the uneventful match.
TUDN's broadcast of a match between current Liga MX champions Atlas and Club America, the winningest team in Mexican soccer history, on Saturday was the second most-watched soccer game on U.S. television last week. An average of 358,000 viewers watched Atlas defender Diego Barbosa and youngster Jonathan Herrera score late to secure a 2-0 victory.
Turning back to the Premier League, USA Network's broadcast of Newcastle's 1-0 away win over Leeds United on Saturday was the third most-watched match last week. Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey scored the game-winning goal in the 75th-minute of the encounter. The broadcast averaged 249,000 viewers and received a 0.10 viewership rating.
What are this week's must-watch games?
Egypt vs Morocco this Sunday at 10 a.m. ET live on beIN Sports USA, Fanatiz USA, fuboTV, and Sling TV
The Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal stage kicks off this weekend, with one of the standout ties being Egypt vs Morocco. These continental giants are two of the favorites, but only one will progress to the penultimate round. The Pharaohs made it to the last eight courtesy of a nervy victory over Ivory Coast, with both teams failing to score in normal and extra time. Penalty shootout was required to separate the two teams, with Bailly's costly miss allowing Mohamed Salah to net the winning spot kick. The Atlas Lions, on the other hand, took on Malawi, coming back from a goal down to win 2-1 thanks to En-Nesyri and Hakimi. The PSG fullback scored a stunning free kick to send them through, winning plaudits along the way. Will Morocco make the semis or will they fall short in the face of Egypt? Tune in to find out.
Canada vs USMNT this Sunday at 3:05 p.m. ET live on Paramount+, Telemundo, Universo, fuboTV, and Sling TV
The World Cup qualifiers carry on in CONCACAF, with two of the biggest rivals in the North American scene set to face off in Canada vs USA. Both teams look set to make it to Qatar 2022, with the Canucks topping the table with 19 points while the Stars and Stripes are only one behind in second. However, bragging rights are up for grabs. Both sides enter this showdown on the back of victories, with the USMNT beating El Salvador 1-0 on Thursday while Jonathan David and Co. overcame Honduras via a 2-0 scoreline, with the Lille forward scoring a breathtaking goal. Fans in the United States can tune in to a plethora of platforms to catch the action live, including Paramount+, fuboTV, and Telemundo. Don't miss the action.
Mexico vs Costa Rica this Sunday at 8 p.m. ET live on Paramount+, TUDN, Univision, and fuboTV
While the aforementioned CONCACAF World Cup qualifier is all about bragging rights, Mexico vs Costa Rica is a showdown with a lot more on the line. With only the top three teams in this region securing automatic qualification for Qatar 2022, and with El Tri currently sitting in third, the CONCACAF giants are the favorites to make it. However, fourth-placed Panama, who occupy the playoffs spot, are only three points behind while Costa Rica trail by five. Tata Martino's men recently beat Jamaica 2-1, which was an excellent result, but with Navas and Co. also needing a victory in order to keep their World Cup hopes alive, Mexico must be at their best in this upcoming tie.
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This week in women's football, ESPN, TUDN and Telemundo will broadcast five Liga MX Femenil games across their platforms, ATA Football will stream top European matches and learn how to watch the AFC Asia Women's Cup in 17+ countries.
Upcoming Liga MX Femenil games on TUDN & Telemundo
The Liga MX Femenil Clausura is still young as teams fight for an early lead. TUDN and Telemundo will bring Americans the most exciting Matchday 4 of Liga MX Femenil Clausura fixtures live on TV and online.
TUDN USA, TUDN App, TUDN.com
Tigres UANL vs. Atlas on Friday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. ET
Toluca vs. Pachuca on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 11 a.m. ET
Pumas UNAM vs. Santos Laguna on Monday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. ET
Telemundo Deportes En Vivo
Chivas Guadalajara vs. Cruz Azul on Monday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m. ET
ESPN+, ESPN App
Tijuana vs. Tigres UANL on Monday, Jan. 31, at 10 p.m. ET
Watch European League games on ATA Football
ATA Football brings Primera Iberdrola, Bundesliga Frauen and Serie A action to women's football fans in the USA. Watch the reigning queens of Europe Barcelona take on Real Betis on Saturday, and more.
Primera Iberdrola
Barcelona vs. Real Betis on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 6 a.m. ET
Deportivo Alaves vs. Atletico de Madrid on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 6 a.m. ET
Bundesliga Frauen
Potsdam vs. Wolfsburg on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 8 a.m. ET
Serie A
Sampdoria vs. Milan on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 6:30 a.m. ET
Inter Milano vs. Juventus on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 8:30 a.m. ET
How to watch AFC Women's Asian Cup quarterfinals
The Women's Asian Cup has seen it all in its groups stage phase. A COVID-19 outbreak within India's squad, forcing the hosts to forfeit the tournament. An 18-0 score line favoring Australia over Indonesia, which saw Sam Kerr become Australia's all-time top goalscorer. And a clash of titans in Japan's one-all draw against South Korea to close-out group stage play.
The following are the ties for the AFC Women's Asian Cup quarterfinals:
Japan vs. Thailand on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 3 a.m. ET
Australia vs. South Korea on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 3 a.m. ET
China vs. Vietnam on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 3 a.m. ET
Chinese Taipei vs. Philippines on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 3 a.m. ET
Channels/streams for AFC Women's Asian Cup quarterfinal games in 17+ countries
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Australia: 10 Play
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Brunei: Eleven SEA
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Bulgaria: Diema Sport 3, Play Diema Xtra
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China: PPTV Sport China, QQ Sports Live, iQiyi
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Hong Kong: Eleven SEA
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Indonesia: MNC Soccer Channel
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International: Fanseat, Eleven Sports
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Ireland: FreeSports TV ROI
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Japan: DAZN
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Macau: iQiyi
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Malaysia: Eleven SEA
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Philippines: Eleven SEA
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Singapore: Eleven SEA
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Thailand: Eleven SEA
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United Kingdom: FreeSports TV UK
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United States: Paramount+
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Vietnam: FPT Play
Biggest stories of the week
TRANSFER TALK: Liverpool reportedly considering making offer for Juventus ace
With Fiorentina's Dusan Vlahovic set to join Juventus in a deal that will cost La Vecchia Signora a whopping €75 million, the Bianconeri will need to offload some players in order to balance the books.
One player who could be on his way out is none other than Paulo Dybala. Despite being handed the captain's armband, the Argentinian international has been at a loggerheads with the club regarding a contract extension. Previously, reports from Italy claimed that negotiations between player and the club were proceeding smoothly, with the former Palermo man being offered €10 million per season.
However, things appear now to have come to a screeching halt as Juventus have apparently retracted their prior offer. To that end, several teams have apparently been monitoring the situation, including English giants Liverpool, but the Reds may be facing serious competition from reigning Scudetto champs Inter.
Chelsea attackers reportedly unhappy under Tuchel despite successful one-year reign at Stamford Bridge
Former Inter Milan ace Romelu Lukaku infamously did an interview with Sky Italia a while back in which he opened up about his issues with Thomas Tuchel's tactics. Initially, he was dropped from the squad altogether as punishment, and while the drama was quickly resolved, the damage was done as the player hinted at an overall sense of unhappiness in London.
And according to the Athletic, he is not alone. In fact, the well-regarded news outlet claim that many other Chelsea attackers are dissatisfied with life under the German boss and are considering leaving London as a result.
A number of issues were revealed, one being Tuchel's animated reactions to even the slightest of errors on the pitch. The former PSG boss isn't afraid to exhibit his frustration from the touchline whenever a player makes a mistake, and this has not gone unnoticed in the dressing room. According to one source, this has discouraged the front men from taking risks in the final third out of fear of being humiliated publicly by the German.
And that's not all. The mood among the Blues forwards isn't high and another factor in that is the 48-year-old's tinkerman approach, with the highly-regarded tactician constantly changing his attacking lineup from game to game. Thomas isn't the only top coach in world football guilty of this as Man City's Pep Guardiola practices something similar, with the Spaniard also switching personnel quite frequently to match the demands of each game, be it down to tactics or intensity.
However, it is at Stamford Bridge, not the Etihad Stadium, where the attackers are struggling for chemistry and consistency. A great example is the Werner-Havertz situation. Despite costing a combined £124M, the German pair have started together only once this season and that was back in December in the win over Leeds.
Then there are certain men who are publicly not in Tuchel's good books. For example, Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic are attackers, yet neither is favored by the head coach in the final third. As a result, both have been used frequently as wingbacks and despite this not being their natural position, they have not been spared from harsh criticism from the boss.
Bayern executive has final say on Lewandowski's potential summer exit
The recent winner of The Best FIFA Men's Player trophy, Robert Lewandowski, is one of the players that will see the end of his current contract when the 2022-23 season comes to a close. Being one of the most consistent footballers in the world, the fact that his deal with Bayern is set to end has sparked speculation about his future, but one of the club's top executives and legends has stepped up to clarify his situation for the next months.
Former goalkeeper and UEFA Champions League winner with the Bavarian side Oliver Kahn admitted that while negotiations have not been as fast as expected, the team has already plotted a couple of scenarios to keep the player around, but it will be up to the striker to decide the kind of deal he wants to sign.
"Robert Lewandowski is a phenomenon, not only for his goals but also because of his consistency over the years. There is nothing to think about, obviously we want Robert to stay with us," the team exec stated.
According to Kahn, Lewandowski will still be able to come up with the kind of numbers he has put up in recent years despite turning 35 by the time his current deal with the club expires.
"I can see him scoring 25 or 30 goals per season. For us, having him around is like a life insurance for his style of play, which is why we are interested in keeping him around for a long time," Kahn added.
Reports coming in from Germany have revealed that the Bundesliga champions have offered two different scenarios for Lewandowski to sign an extension. The first one would see him extend his deal for one more season, thus keeping the same wages. The other one, which seems to be Kahn's desire, would require Lewandowski to take a pay cut from his current wage to keep him around until 2025.
Ivory Coast crash out of AFCON 2021 as Eric Bailly's missed penalty kick decides Egypt tie
Ivory Coast were dealt a blow in their quest for a third Africa Cup of Nations title after Eric Bailly's missed spot-kick sent them packing out of the tournament. The Elephants suffered a disappointing 5-4 defeat in the shoot-out against Egypt on Wednesday, with Mohamed Salah scoring the decider.
Bailly passed a late fitness test after a head injury forced him out of the group decider against Algeria but was lined up to feature against Egypt wearing a protective head guard. Up until his mishap in the shootouts, the Manchester United was among the game's standout performers, consistently putting his body on the line to deny the Pharaohs any chance of having a sniff at goal.
Both teams failed to score during the 120 minutes of the last-16 match, resulting in a draw after extra time. In-between, Egypt were forced to replace their first choice goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy with Mohamed Abo Gabal after the earlier picked up a groin injury. The game went to a shoot-out and with the score tied at 2-2, Eric Bailly saw his unconventional take being saved by the substitute shot-stopper.
With all the subsequent takers finding the back of the net, Mohamed Salah fired in the game-winner to secure a quarter-final spot for Egypt. The Pharaohs are now slated to take on Morocco in the last eight on January 30.
Other key headlines from the world of football
Dembelé's agent drops huge hint about his player's future thanks to his phone
Agent Moussa Sissoko, who arrived in Barcelona recently, made his way from the airport to the Camp Nou's offices to deal with his client's future with the club. While heading to the car that would take him to the stadium, he received a phone call that could be decisive to know where Ousmané Dembelé will continue his career. The phone call, as revealed by Spanish media outlet La Sexta, came from none other than PSG's sporting director, Leonardo.
Dembelé's agent, who has always stated that his client will not be forced to sign or leave the club, had a meeting with coach Xavi Hernández and Jordi Cruyff recently. Reports coming in from Barcelona hint that the meeting did not bring good news for Los Culés, as the first-team coach urged Dembelé and his agent to make up their minds. The message that leaked to the press came from Xavi: "Either you sign a contract extension, or you will need to leave the club in the winter transfer window," reports by Marca and AS claim.
Messi spotted having dinner with Xavi and other Barca heavyweights
The former Blaugrana ace flew to his former home to have dinner with his former teammate Xavi Hernández, who celebrated his birthday with a few close friends and their wives. Curiously, those "close friends" were none others than Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and Messi.
Reports from Mundo Deportivo, who broke the news to the world, revealed that the players and the recently appointed coach discussed how Xavi has adapted to his new role with Los Blaugranas and some of the issues on and off the pitch that have made it a bit more complicated than expected. Additionally, the three members of Barcelona's squad asked Messi about his current state of form at PSG and even wondered how it would be to have him around now that Xavi has taken the coaching role with Los Culés.
Transfer: Former Man Utd star tipped for Old Trafford return, Palace eye move for out-of-favor Red Devil
Former Manchester United midfield star Ander Herrera has been tipped for a return to Old Trafford after refusing to be a part of Paris Saint-Germain's proposed swap deal for Tottenham Hotspur's Tanguy Ndombele. The 32-year-old has reportedly stated that he will only be interested in a move back to his old Premier League club and insists that he is happy in the French capital.
Meanwhile, Donny van de Beek - who has become surplus to requirement at Old Trafford - has been tipped for a move away before the end of this transfer window. The former Ajax star is reportedly on the radar of Crystal Palace and could be joining the Eagles as with head coach Patrick Vieira pushing to sign him on loan for the remainder of the season.
