Top games to watch this week
Friday, February 11
Sevilla vs Elche (La Liga)
RB Leipzig vs Köln (Bundesliga)
Porto vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
PSG vs Rennes (Ligue 1)
Chelsea vs Arsenal (FA Women's Super League)
Saturday, February 12
Man United vs Southampton (English Premier League)
Norwich vs Man City (English Premier League)
Villarreal vs Real Madrid (La Liga)
Atlético Madrid vs Getafe (La Liga)
Napoli vs Inter (Serie A)
Bochum vs Bayern München (Bundesliga
Al Ahly vs Al Hilal (FIFA Club World Cup 3rd place match)
Chelsea vs Palmeiras (FIFA Club World Cup final)
Benfica vs Santa Clara (Primeira Liga)
Olympique Lyonnais vs Nice (Ligue 1)
Sunday, February 13
Man City vs Man United (FA Women's Super League)
Burnley vs Liverpool (English Premier League)
Tottenham vs Wolverhampton (English Premier League)
Espanyol vs Barcelona (La Liga)
Milan vs Sampdoria (Serie A)
Sassuolo vs Roma (Serie A)
Atalanta vs Juventus (Serie A)
Metz vs Marseille (Ligue 1)
Monday, February 14
Mallorca vs Athletic Club (La Liga)
Spezia vs Fiorentina (Serie A)
Pachuca vs Querétaro (Liga MX)
Tuesday, February 15
PSG vs Real Madrid (UEFA Champions League)
Sporting vs Man City (UEFA Champions League)
Man United vs Brighton (English Premier League)
Santos de Guápiles vs New York City FC (CONCACAF Champions League)
Santos Laguna vs CF Montreal (CONCACAF Champions League)
Wednesday, February 16
Inter vs Liverpool (UEFA Champions League)
Salzburg vs Bayern (UEFA Champions League)
Atlético Madrid vs Levante (La Liga)
Forge vs Cruz Azul (CONCACAF Champions League)
Deportivo Saprissa vs Pumas (CONCACAF Champions League)
Mazatlán vs América (Liga MX)
Thursday, February 17
Barcelona vs Napoli (UEFA Europa League)
Zenit vs Real Betis (UEFA Europa League)
Borussia Dortmund vs Rangers (UEFA Europa League)
Porto vs Lazio (UEFA Europa League)
Sevilla vs Dinamo Zagreb (UEFA Europa League)
RB Leipzig vs Real Sociedad (UEFA Europa League)
PSV vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Fenerbahce vs Slavia Praha (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Celtic vs Bodo/Glimt (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Leicester City vs Randers (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Olympique Marseille vs Qarabag (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Comunicaciones vs Colorado (CONCACAF CL)
Motagua vs Seattle Sounders (CONCACAF CL)
Most-watched soccer games on U.S. TV: Jan. 31- Feb. 6, 2022
First in line was the U.S. Men's National Team's 3-0 win over Honduras on Wednesday, Feb. 2. FOX Sports 1's broadcast of the game garnered 843,000 average viewers and received a 0.32 viewership rating.
The USA made sure to use -2 Fahrenheit weather to their advantage, hosting the game at Allianz Field in Minnesota. The weather was so extreme for the Central Americans that two of their players were forced off the pitch suffering from hypothermia. Weston McKennier, Walker Zimmerman and Christian Pulisic scored the goals that edged the Americans closer to World Cup Final glory.
Another World Cup Qualifying match made it to the top three list in Mexico's 1-0 victory against Panama on Wednesday, Feb. 2. An average of 660,000 viewers watched the broadcast on TUDN, and it received a 0.26 viewership rating. Raul Jimenez's 80th-minute penalty separated the two sides, helping Mexico edge closer to direct World Cup qualification. On the other hand, the Panamanians find themselves in fourth place with Costa Rice trailing by just one point.
TUDN's broadcast of a Liga MX clash between Club America and Atletico San Luis on Saturday, Feb. 5, finished in the third position with 499,000 average viewers and a 0.23 viewership rating. San Luis left Estadio Azteca with three points after a 3-2 win against America. The home side attempted to overcome a three-goal deficit, but their two late goals were not enough to at least salvage a point. As a result, Las Águilas remain without victory after three games and in 16th place.
What are this week's must-watch games?
Porto vs Sporting CP live this Friday at 3:15 p.m. ET on GOLTV, Fanatiz, and fuboTV
The action starts on Friday with Porto hosting Sporting CP in a highly-anticipated Primeira Liga showdown. This is a clash between first and second, with six points separating these two clubs. This means that if the Lions wish to keep their title defense alive, victory over the Dragons is a must. Unfortunately for the visitors, the league leaders are yet to lose a game, winning all but two of their 21 outings. However, while Sporting CP have lost two fixtures, going down against Sporting Braga and Santa Clara, they boast a superior defense. Don't miss this tie.
The Chelsea vs Palmeiras FIFA Club World Cup final live this Saturday 11:30 a.m. ET on Fox Sports, fuboTV, and Sling TV
The FIFA Club World Cup final is here! One of Chelsea or Palmeiras will be crowned the champions of the world, with the Premier League giants in particular being keen on this crown after lifting the UEFA Champions League title last season. The Blues have been here before, making it to the final of the 2012 edition, but were beaten by Corinthians. The London giants will seek revenge but will have to beat the current Copa Libertadores holders. Will Tuchel's men pull this off? Tune in this weekend to find out.
Napoli vs Inter live this Saturday at 12 p.m. exclusively on Paramount+
Serie A will offer fans one of this weekend's standout games from Europe's top five leagues as Napoli prepare to do battle with Inter Milan. This is a clash between first and second, with only a single point separating the Nerazzurri, who currently top the table with 53 points, from their bitter rivals. Gli Azzurri have a game in hand, meaning should they triumph this Sunday, Mertens and Co. will have the golden opportunity to move five points clear of Inzaghi's side. The home team boast a four-game winning streak while the visitors enter this clash on the back of a 2-1 loss to AC Milan. Fans in the United States can tune in to Paramount+ to exclusively catch the action.
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PSG vs Real Madrid live this Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET on CBS, Paramount+, TUDN USA, Univision, and fuboTV
The UEFA Champions League round of 16 kicks off this midweek, and it kicks off with a bang! Four fixtures will take place on Tuesday through Wednesday, with the standout tie undoubtedly being PSG vs Real Madrid. These are two title favorites, with Messi and Co. looking to bring the elusive European title to Paris. Los Blancos, on the other hand, will be in for a tough ride at the Parc des Princes as the Spanish giants could be without top scorer Karim Benzema. However, that's not all as Serie A champions Inter Milan will lock horns with Klopp's high-flying Liverpool. Elsewhere, the unstoppable Bayern Munich will take on Salzburg while Man City will pay Portuguese champions Sporting CP a visit.
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Watch two of the most anticipated FA Women's Super League matches of the year and other top women's football games this upcoming weekend.
ATA Football to screen Arsenal vs. Chelsea, Man. City vs. Man. Utd. & more
ATA Football will stream two FA Women's Super League rivalry matches, starting with Chelsea taking on Arsenal on Friday at 2:45 p.m. ET and the Manchester Derby on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET.
The Blues and the Gunners will fight for the top spot of the FA WSL table. Arsenal will arrive at Kingsmeadow Park holding first place with 30 points after 13 games played. On the other hand, Chelsea enter the matchup with 28 points after playing 12 matches. Emma Hayes' Blues can overtake their rivals with a win and further separate themselves from them, given that they have a game in hand.
Two days after the all-mighty clash in London, two Manchester giants will go toe-to-toe in an important match in terms of UEFA Women's Champions League qualification. An in-form Manchester United side will travel across town to play against an inconsistent Manchester City team. The Red Devils enter the contest in third place with 25 points across 13 games, and the Cityzens in sixth place with 20 points after 13 games.
Americans can also watch the Chelsea-Arsenal clash via stream on the NBC Sports App and nbcsports.com, and the Manchester City-Manchester United contest will screen live on CNBC (TV), NBC Sports App and nbcsports.com.
Other European league games on ATA Football
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Olympique Lyonnais vs. ASJ Soyaux on Friday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. ET
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Paris Saint-Germain vs. Dijon FCO on Friday, Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. ET
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Fiorentina vs. Empoli on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 a.m. ET
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Freiburg vs. Bayern Munich on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 7 a.m. ET
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Athletic Club vs. Barcelona on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 6 a.m. ET
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SC Sand vs. Wolfsburg on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 7 a.m. ET
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Juventus vs. Inter Milan on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 8:30 p.m. ET
"This is ATA" campaign is live
ATA Football will be utilizing new video content that powerfully tells their brand and community story leading up to several high-profile matches this week including Chelsea versus Arsenal this Friday and Sunday's Manchester Derby. The campaign will come to life across ATA Football's social platforms, via e-blasts and newsletters to their 26,000 members, dedicated posts from clubs, influencers, players and ambassadors, and amplification from strategic partners and allies. The end goal is to continue to elevate brand awareness, spur viewership and grow ATA Football's community and the game.
Live Liga MX Femenil games in the USA this weekend
Two Liga MX Femenil Clausura Matchday 7 games will stream live in the USA this weekend.
Mexican women's football fans in the USA can watch a clash between mid-table dwellers Pumas UNAM and Cruz Azul live on television (TUDN USA) and stream (TUDN.com, TUDN App) on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
Third-place Chivas Guadalajara will take on 17th-place Santos Laguna on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET. Telemundo Deportes En Vivo will stream the game live in the USA.
Biggest stories of the week
Barcelona secure shirt sponsorship deal with streaming giant worth over $300 million
Starting from the 2022/23 season, Barcelona fans worldwide will have to get used to their team having a new look.
Currently, the Blaugrana have a sponsorship agreement with Japanese ecommerce firm Rakuten, a deal that dates back to 2017 and is worth about €55 million ($63 million) per annum. They also have a partnership with Turkish appliance manufacturer Beko, with that deal worth approximately €10 million ($11.4 million) for their training kits.
However, as per reports from Spain, Barcelona will now be linking up with Spotify. While the full details haven't been released yet, reports have indicated that the deal is for three years, starting from the 2022/23 season, and is worth an estimated €280 million ($320 million) over the course of that contract. The Swedish streaming giant will also take over as the club's training kit partner, thus replacing Beko in that space.
Legal complaint filed against Zouma, could face four years in prison over animal abuse case
Kurt Zouma, who was recorded slapping and kicking his poor pet cat in a video released by British tabloid The Sun, has been met with worldwide condemnation. The Met police decided against investigating the former Chelsea man and while there were suggestions that the Hammers would discipline him and drop him for Tuesday's clash with Watford, the London side opted against such punishment and started him in the 1-0 victory.
However, this does not mean he is out of the woods. According to the Daily Mail, a legal complaint has been filed against him in Paris after sparking anger in his home country due to his horrible actions. Lawyers working for 30 Million Friends Foundation, the country's largest animal rights group, have reached out to prosecutors in order to get the player punished.
France has tough animal protection laws that can punish a person for up to four years in prison for the mistreatment of animals. Additionally, article 113-6 of the French Penal Code allows a citizen to be prosecuted for criminal acts committed abroad. "In the case of Kurt Zouma, the video appears to show aggravating facts, so he could be in very serious trouble," a source close to the case told the British publication.
West Ham have since reacted to the backlash, handing the player a slap on the wrist by suspending him from their upcoming tie against Leicester and docking him two weeks' worth of salary, which will be donated to animal charities.
Arteta speaks out on Aubameyang rift for the first time after ex-Arsenal captain's Barcelona move
The Gabonese ace left the Emirates Stadium on deadline day after terminating his contract via mutual agreement before sealing a dream move to Spanish giants Barcelona. He made his debut for the Blaugrana in the 4-2 victory over Atletico Madrid and spoke about his Arsenal exit a few days earlier during his unveiling, touching upon his rift with the manager that led to his exile and inevitable departure.
"I think it was a problem just with him [Arteta]," the striker said on his falling out which led to him being stripped of the captaincy and dropped from the first team back in December.
"He made the decision. I can't say much more. He wasn't happy, I stayed very calm and that's it," the 32-year-old added.
Mikel sat in front of the media for the customary pre-match press conference for their clash with Wolves, which they won 1-0, and was thus given the opportunity to address Aubameyang's remarks.
While the Emirates Stadium boss kept things professional and issued a message of gratitude for all Aubameyang has done, including captaining the club to an FA Cup title in his debut campaign as Arsenal boss, the Spaniard flat-out denied the player's interpretation of the events. Arteta adamantly argued that he was not the problem in this disciplinary debacle involving their former striker, but was rather the solution.
"I'm extremely grateful for what Auba has done at the club, for his contributions since I got here. The way I see myself in that relationship is the solution, not the problem."
When asked for his thoughts on the striker's comments on the issue during his Barcelona unveiling, Mikel opted for a diplomatic response, saying: "That's his opinion, that's what he said and you have to respect that."
"I do a lot of things wrong for sure but the intention is the best. Not for me but for the club and the team," the gaffer added.
Premier League: Coutinho matches personal milestone as Leeds hold Villa in thrilling 3-3 draw
Aston Villa's newest acquisition Philppe Coutinho has equaled a feat he managed in his time at Liverpool with his goal contribution in Wednesday night's clash with Leeds United. The 29-year-old Brazilian had a hand in all the goals scored as his side shared spoils in a thrilling 3-3 draw with the Peacocks.
It may be too soon to call but the arrival of the former Barcelona and Liverpool star at Villa Park is proving to be a shrewd piece of business for Steven Gerrard. After inspiring the Claret and Blue to a snatch a point against Man United with a remarkable display in his debut, the Brazilian ran the show once more when Leeds United came to town.
Daniel James set the ball rolling by breaking the deadlock against the run of play and putting Leeds in front in the ninth minute. 21 minutes later, the Coutinho masterclass was ushered in in full force, with the Brazilian curling home the equalizer with an assist from Matty Cash. Eight minutes later, he set up Jacob Ramsey to double Villa's lead with a brilliant through-ball before assisting the young Englishman once again for their side's third in the 43rd minute.
While it was a thoroughly entertaining affair, the spotlight has been directed the way of Coutinho who scored and had two assists for only the second time in his 155 Premier League appearances. The first time he managed this feat was for Liverpool in their 5-1 win at Brighton back in 2017. Since completing his loan move from Barcelona to Aston Villa, he has registered two goals and three assists in two starts for the Premiership club.
Other key headlines from the world of football
Mourinho reportedly lashes out at players following Coppa Italia loss to Inter
On Tuesday, Roma took on Inter in the Coppa Italia in a match that pitted Jose Mourinho against his former side. I Giallorossi were outplayed from start to finish, and in fact, were fortunate that they didn't lose by a bigger margin than the 2-0 defeat. Given that they're out of the Scudetto race, the Coppa Italia and the Europa Conference League represented the only opportunities at clinching silverware for the capital club.
According to reports, he lashed out at the players in front of the entire staff and didn't hold back.
"I want to know why you've become so small against big teams for the last two years. If we are small, referees will treat us as such. Inter are a super team, but rather than find motivation, you sh** yourself!" he raged, according to reports from Italian publication Il Corriere dello Sport.
And he didn't stop there.
"Are you scared [to play in] big games? Then go to play in Serie C, without pressure, without champions, and big stadiums. You [have no] balls and that's the worst thing for a man."
Pochettino or Ten Hag? The manager Man Utd players want to replace Rangnick has been revealed
Two names in particular look to be the favorites for the permanent Manchester United managerial job and they are PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino and Ajax boss Erik ten Hag. Both the Argentine and the Dutchman enjoy their fair share of admirers in the Manchester United board. However, according to the Daily Mail, only one is heavily backed by the Red Devils dressing room and that man is none other than Pochettino.
The 49-year-old is no stranger to the Premier League, having enjoyed tremendous stints at Southampton and then Tottenham. However, there is one issue. The report by the British news outlet claims that Rangnick, who will be promoted to an advisory role once his interim job comes to an end, favors Ten Hag. One crucial aspect, which remains unclear as of now, is how influential the German will be in Man United's managerial search once he becomes a consultant.
Leverkusen sign new kit sponsorship deal with UK company
The Blaugrana are not the only major European side to be undergoing some big changes when it comes to their sponsors. Bayer Leverkusen, who previously worked with Adidas and then most recently, German sportswear producer Jako, will also be changing kit sponsors beginning in the 2022/23 campaign.
Die Werkself had initially partnered with Jako in 2016, signing a two year deal worth an estimated $4 million (€3.5 million) per season, before both sides mutually agreed to extend their deal until the end of the current term.
According to reports, Leverkusen have opted not to continue with Jako, and instead have signed a deal with UK-based sportswear manufacturer Castore. This represents the first foray into the German market for the company, and while financial deals haven't been publicly revealed, the deal is expected to go into effect at the start of the 2022/23 season and last for five years.
