Top games to watch this week
Friday, February 4
Olympique Marseille vs Angers (Ligue 1)
Man United vs Middlesbrough (FA Cup)
Saturday, February 5
Osasuna vs Sevilla (La Liga)
Roma vs Genoa (Serie A)
Inter vs Milan (Serie A)
Fiorentina vs Lazio (Serie A)
Bayern vs RB Leipzig (Bundesliga)
Al Ahly vs Monterrey (FIFA Club World Cup)
Monaco vs Lyon (Ligue 1)
Chelsea vs Plymouth Argyle (FA Cup)
Manchester City vs Fulham (FA Cup)
Tottenham vs Brighton (FA Cup)
Sunday, February 6
Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
Real Madrid vs Granada (La Liga)
Juventus vs Hellas Verona (Serie A)
Borussia Dortmund vs Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
Al Hilal vs Al Jazira (FIFA Club World Cup)
Arouca vs Porto (Primeira Liga)
Sporting CP vs Famalicao (Primeira Liga)
Lille vs PSG (Ligue 1)
Liverpool vs Cardiff City (FA Cup)
Burkina Faso vs Cameroon (Africa Cup of Nations - Third-place match)
Senegal vs Egypt (Africa Cup of Nations – Final)
Monday, February 7
Tondela vs Benfica (Primeira Liga)
Athletic Club vs Espanyol (La Liga)
Salernitana vs Spezia (Serie A)
León vs Cruz Azul (Liga MX)
Tuesday, February 8
West Ham United vs Watford (English Premier League)
Newcastle vs Everton (English Premier League)
Burnley vs Manchester United (English Premier League
FIFA Club World Cup - Semi-final 1
Inter vs Roma (Coppa Italia)
Wednesday, February 9
Manchester City vs Brentford (English Premier League)
Tottenham vs Southampton (English Premier League)
FIFA Club World Cup - 5th place game
FIFA Club World Cup - Semi-final 2
Nice vs Olympique Marseille (Coupe de France)
Thursday, February 10
Liverpool vs Leicester City (English Premier League)
Wolves vs Arsenal (English Premier League)
Most-watched soccer games on U.S. TV: Jan. 24-30, 2022
A World Cup qualifying contest between the United States and El Salvador on Thursday, Jan. 27, was the most-watched game on U.S. television last week. An average of 727,000 viewers watched full-back Antonee Robinson score a volley early in the second half to separate the USMNT and El Salvador by a minimal lead. ESPN2's broadcast of the match received a 0.24 rating.
The second most-watched soccer game on U.S. TV was a goalless draw between Central American rivals Mexico and Costa Rica. An average of 478,000 people watched the clash on TUDN, resulting in a 0.20 viewership rating.
Universo made it to the top three most-watched soccer broadcasts of the week. The Spanish-language channel screened Mexico's 2-1 win over Jamaica in Kingston. Despite being a man down, Jamaica found a go-ahead goal early in the second half. However, the lead was squandered in a window of two minutes. Mexico's Henry Martin and Alexis Vega scored back-to-back goals to give El Tri the victory. The broadcast received a 0.07 viewership rating for the 216,000 viewers averaged throughout the game.
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What are this week's must-watch games?
The Milan Derby live this Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, and fuboTV
Saturday is all about the Milan Derby! Fans of Serie A will be treated to a lovely showdown straight after the international break, with league leaders and defending champions Inter Milan set to lock horns with bitter rivals AC Milan. The Rossoneri trail the Nerazzurri by only four points, but a defeat this weekend could be the final blow to Pioli's side's title hopes. The reason is simple: should Lautaro Martinez and Co. triumph, then they would move seven points clear of their neighbors with a game in hand – Inter have played 22 times so far, Milan have played 23. That would be a difficult hill to overcome for Il Diavolo, especially given that they have failed to win their last two fixtures. Don't miss this showdown.
Dortmund vs Leverkusen live this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET on ESPN, fuboTV, and Sling TV
Second take on third this weekend in the Bundesliga as Dortmund gear up to host Leverkusen in what should be an exciting showdown. Both teams are in need of the three points. Marco Rose's men would keep up pace with Bayern Munich with a win and would move 11 points clear of the visitors. As for Die Werkself, they could move within five points of BVB should they triumph amid the heated race for a top-four finish. The home side will be without Haaland for this tie, which is a huge blow, but the German giants boast enough firepower to put fear into the hearts of any opposition. Tune in to ESPN's array of platforms, as well as fuboTV and Sling TV to catch the action live.
Barcelona vs Atletico live this Sunday at 10:15 a.m. ET exclusively on ESPN+
La Liga is back with a bang, with Sunday seeing one of the most anticipated games of the season taking place: Barcelona vs Atletico. After an eventful January transfer window, fifth-placed Blaugrana return to the pitch as they look to enter the top four. However, Simeone's men stand in their way, with Los Rojiblancos occupying the fourth and final UEFA Champions League spot as of now thanks to a one-point advantage. The last time these two clubs met was back in October when Ronald Koeman was still in charge, with the Catalan giants losing 2-0. Since then, a lot has changed, namely the head coach, with Xavi being in charge now. Additionally, the likes of Ferran Torres, Dani Alves, Adama Traore, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were added to the Camp Nou roster, making for what should be an interesting battle.
The Senegal vs Egypt Africa Cup of Nations final live this Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on beIN Sports USA, Fanatiz, fuboTV, and Sling TV
It's Senegal vs Egypt, Sadio Mane vs Mohamed Salah, Aliou Cissé vs Carlos Queiroz in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final. The thrilling tournament will come to a wrap this Sunday, with the Lions of Teranga set to battle it out with the Pharaohs for the prestigious title. Senegal booked their ticket to the ultimate game courtesy of a convincing win over Burkina Faso in the semifinals, beating their opponents 3-1 in a fixture that saw their Liverpool attacker come away with the Man of the Match award. Egypt, on the other hand, overcame hosts Cameroon in the penultimate stage courtesy of a penalty shootout after playing a nervy and tense 120 minutes of football. Who will be crowned the champions of Africa this weekend? Fans in the United States can tune in to beIN Sports USA, Fanatiz, fuboTV, and Sling TV to find out the answer!
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The AFC Women's Asian Cup final headlines this week in women's football. Find out how to watch the final and more.
AFC Women's Asian Cup final
South Korea will face China for the AFC Women's Asian Cup trophy on Sunday, Feb. 6, at 6 a.m. ET. The final will stream live exclusively on Paramount+ in the USA. Visit the Women's Asian Cup competition page to find out how to watch the game in 16+ other countries.
The Taegeuk Ladies defeated the Philippines, who earned direct qualification to the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time by reaching the semifinals. On the other hand, China took down reigning champions Nadeshiko Japan, who entered the competition as one of the favorites to win it all.
The South Koreans made it to the final for the first time in competition history. They had previously reached the semifinals four times before. However, they showed that this could be their year in the last game of group stages against Japan, a match that finished in a one-all draw.
As for the Steel Roses, they are looking for their ninth AFC Women's Asian Cup win. China have not won since 2006, finishing in second, third and fourth place in the last three editions of the tournament.
Eleven top European league matches on ATA Football
ATA Football will exclusively stream 11 European league games for fans in the United States and other places around the world to watch. The action begins on Friday with a Division 1 Arkema match between FC Fleury 91 and Montpellier at 2:45 p.m. ET. Saturday is headlined by an FA Women's Super League clash of titans in Arsenal hosting Manchester United at 7:30 a.m. ET. And Sunday will be packed with action, including games from the Bundesliga Frauen, D1 Arkema, Primera Iberdrola and Serie A Women.
D1 Arkema
Friday, Feb. 4
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FC Fleury 91 vs. Montpellier at 2:45 p.m. ET
Sunday, Feb. 6
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Olympique Lyonnais vs. FC Girondins De Bordeaux at 8:45 a.m. ET
Barclays FA WSL
Saturday, Feb. 5
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Arsenal vs. Manchester United at 7:30 a.m. ET
Serie A Women
Saturday, Feb. 5
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AS Roma vs. Pomigliano at 8:30 a.m. ET
Sunday, Feb. 6
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Fiorentina vs. Napoli at 6:30 a.m. ET
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Hellas Verona vs. Juventus at 8:30 a.m. ET
Primera Iberdrola
Sunday, Feb. 6
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Real Madrid vs. Real Betis at 6 a.m. ET
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Barcelona vs. Eibar at 6 a.m. ET
Bundesliga Frauen
Sunday, Feb. 6
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Wolfsburg vs. Werder Bremen at 7 a.m. ET
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Bayern Munich vs. SC Sand at 10 a.m. ET
How to watch three Liga MX Femenil in the USA
ESPN Deportes, FOX Deportes and TUDN USA will televise three Mexican women's topflight games throughout Saturday and Monday.
TUDN USA
Saturday, Feb. 5
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Cruz Azul vs. Club America at 1 p.m. ET
FOX Deportes
Monday, Feb. 7
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Monterrey vs. Pumas UNAM at 8 p.m. ET
ESPN Deportes
Monday, Feb. 7
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Santos Laguna vs. Leon at 8 p.m. ET
Biggest stories of the week
Real Madrid ink long term deal worth BILLIONS with agency
Real Madrid have been consistently ranked by Forbes, Deloitte, and other financial publications as one of the most valuable sporting organizations not just in football, but in global sports, year after year. So it's no surprise that businesses, both large and small, have been consistently cueing up to do business with Los Blancos.
The latest organization to link up with one of the most successful clubs in world football is none other than Legends, an agency specializing in providing premium experiences. This deal, according to reports, is a 25-year arrangement that will see Legends manage non-sporting events at the famed Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
In total, further reports have indicated that the deal is worth a whopping $11 billion over the 25 year time frame, with annual revenues for Los Blancos estimated at $447 million to just over $490 million. Legends, as part of their arrangement, would keep about 20 percent of that, leaving Real Madrid with still a nice chunk of change (anywhere from about $360 million up to just over $390 million).
Breakdown: Premier League clubs make history with unrivaled January 2022 spending spree
The 2022 January transfer window has officially come to a wrap, and as has always been the trend, the Premier League once again flexed its financial superiority over Europe's other top five divisions.
In fact, the expenditure in the English top-flight did not simply surpass that of its rivals, it dwarfed them. A recent study by Deloitte dived into this matter, revealing that the Premier League's 20 teams had a combined gross spend of £295M in the recently-closed winter window.
While clubs across the continent are still reeling from the economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the world's most popular championship managed to register the second-highest January spending spree in history. In comparison, the top 20 teams in England only managed to splash more cash on incomings in a single winter window in 2018, a period that saw Liverpool sign Virgil van Dijk, Arsenal land Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Tottenham secure the services of Lucas Moura.
This is over four times higher than what EPL clubs forked out in January 2021 (£70M). Additionally, the English top-flight recorded the highest net spending in history since the January transfer window was introduced back in 2003 (£180M).
Elsewhere in Europe, La Liga, Seria A, the Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 spent a combined total of £315M. This means that of all the money dished out in January in Europe's top five leagues, 48 percent came from the Premier League alone.
USMNT's win over Honduras sparks controversy due to climate conditions
After losing 2-0 to Canada last month, the pressure was on the USMNT to turn things around as the Stars and Stripes look to avoid missing out on a second straight World Cup.
Fortunately for Gregg Berhalter's side, Team USA were able to rebound in their latest World Cup qualifier, beating Honduras 3-0 to help them move to second spot in the table, four points behind league leaders Canada and tied on points with Mexico, who they'll face in a tense showdown in March.
However, the USMNT's win, which saw Weston McKennie, Walker Zimmerman, and Christian Pulisic all get on the scoresheet, has now been shrouded in some controversy. Not because of anything the players actually did on the pitch, but because of the frigid temperatures both before and during the match.
For those not well aware, Minnesota is notoriously brutally cold at this time of year. Temperatures in the negatives are par for the course, and some reports indicate that Wednesday's game had readings of only 3 degrees Fahrenheit (or -16 degrees Celsius) just ahead of kick-off.
Considering Honduras doesn't get that anywhere near that cold, it's not surprising that Hernan Dario Gomez's struggled miserably throughout. In fact, two players, Luis Lopez and Romell Quioto, actually had to be subbed off at half-time due to hypothermia.
Sadio Mane makes history to book AFCON 2021 final berth for Senegal with audacious chip goal
Liverpool striker Sadio Mane has equaled a nation record after inspiring Senegal to back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations finals. The Lions of Teranga secured a 3-1 win in Wednesday night's semifinal clash with Burkina Faso, with the 29-year-old attacker becoming his country's joint-top goalscorer in all competitions by scoring the all-important third goal.
The highly anticipated encounter between Burkina and Senegal was met with a rather uneventful first half which saw the former losing their first-choice goalkeeper Herve Koffi to injury. The play had been marred by the 25-year-old shot-stopper's collision with Senegal's Cheikou Kouyate which had forced his early substitution.
While some had anticipated another low-scoring affair in the second 45 minutes, the script was altered effectively following two quick-fire goals by Senegal. Burkina were then handed a lifeline in the 82nd minute with Ibrahim Blati Toure scoring to cut down the goal deficit to just one. The Stallions pushed on for an equalizer but ended up being stunned in their bid after Sadio Mane finished off a brilliant counter-attacker attack with an audacious chip in the 87th minute.
Mane's assist and strike took his goal contribution for the tournament to five in six appearances, scoring three goals and assisting two more. In all, the Liverpool attacker has now scored 29 times for Senegal, equaling the record of Henri Camara as the all-time top goalscorer of the country.
Other key headlines from the world of football
Xavi's stance on Dembele revealed as Barcelona seek solution for exiled Frenchman
According to Marca, Xavi prefers to see Ousmane Dembele reintegrated despite his contract debacle. Club president Joan Laporta recently stated that the Dembele decision will be left to the head coach, and with the Spanish publication claiming that the Camp Nou boss is open to playing the 24-year-old, everything points to the attacker returning to the mix.
The report offers several reasons for this. First of all, while the Catalan giants were active in the January market, landing Adama Traore on loan and securing Aubameyang on a permanent deal, those two signings might not hit the ground running in a new league. As a result, the Frenchman's services could still be required.
TUDN continues coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League
TUDN continues its coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, bringing fans all the matches of the knockout stage on TV networks and digital platforms. The knockout stages kick off with European giants Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid clashing at Parc des Princes on Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. ET. Univision and TUDN will screen the game.
In another clash of titans, Internazionale will see out Liverpool on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. ET. UNIMÁS and TUDN will air the match. A week later, La Liga champions Atlético de Madrid host Ralf Rangnick's Manchester United on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. ET. Univision and TUDN will show the contest.
Additionally, TUDN will begin its multiplatform coverage of every Europa League game. Four games will be screened daily on UNIMÁS and Galavision per day. The remaining matches will stream live on TUDNxtra, accessible to subscribers of participating TV providers via the TUDN app and TUDN.Tv. Barcelona will host Napoli at Camp Nou on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. ET on UNIMÁS and TUDN in the Europa League Round of 16. Borussia Dortmund and Rangers will go head-to-head on the same day and time on Galavision. And Sevilla will take on Dinamo Zagreb at 2:50 p.m. ET. TUDNxtra will stream the game.
Alexis Sánchez keeps Chile's World Cup hopes alive with stunning free kick
Just when Chile needed their star player to step up and deliver, Alexis Sánchez came out of nowhere to help them accomplish a crucial win in the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers.
The talented winger was key for La Roja's purposes by scoring the opener in a five-goal thriller against Bolivia and the goal that gave Chile three crucial points in their quest to earn a spot in the World Cup. Martín Lasarte's side were seventh behind Colombia, but this win puts them in the driver's seat with only two games left for them in the qualifiers.
Sánchez's first goal came via a direct free kick, which paved the way for Chile's second straight win in La Paz in a World Cup Qualifying match. The South American heavyweights will now face Brazil and Uruguay during the International break to be played in March, with the clash against La Celeste being crucial for both of these teams' chances of making it to Qatar 2022.
