Top games to watch this week
Friday, April 22
Wolfsburg vs Mainz (Bundesliga)
Vizela vs Arouca (Primeira Liga)
Colón vs Estudiantes (Argentine Primera Division)
Saturday, April 23
Arsenal vs Manchester United (English Premier League)
Manchester City vs Watford (English Premier League)
Brentford vs Tottenham (English Premier League)
Inter vs Roma (Serie A)
RB Leipzig vs Union Berlin (Bundesliga)
Bayern vs Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
PSG vs Lens (Ligue 1)
Real Betis vs Valencia (Copa del Rey Final)
Benfica vs Famalicao (Primeira Liga)
Tigres vs América (Liga MX)
Guadalajara vs Pumas UNAM (Liga MX)
Sunday, April 24
Chelsea vs West Ham (English Premier League)
Liverpool vs Everton (English Premier League)
Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
Lazio vs Milan (Serie A)
Monday, April 25
Sassuolo vs Juventus (Serie A)
Sporting Braga vs Porto (Primeira Liga)
Boavista vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
Tuesday, April 26
Manchester City vs Real Madrid (UEFA Champions League)
Independiente Petrolero vs Deportivo Táchira (Copa Libertadores)
Libertad vs Athletico-PR (Copa Libertadores)
Vélez Sarsfield vs Nacional (Copa Libertadores)
Estudiantes vs RB Bragantino (Copa Libertadores)
Independiente del Valle vs Atlético Mineiro (Copa Libertadores)
Corinthians vs Boca Juniors (Copa Libertadores)
Talleres Córdoba vs Sporting Cristal (Copa Libertadores)
Wednesday, April 27
Liverpool vs Villarreal (UEFA Champions League)
América Mineiro vs Deportes Tolima (Copa Libertadores)
Fortaleza vs Alianza Lima (Copa Libertadores)
Cerro Porteño vs Peñarol (Copa Libertadores)
Emelec vs Palmeiras (Copa Libertadores)
Colo-Colo vs River Plate (Copa Libertadores)
The Strongest vs Caracas (Copa Libertadores)
Pumas UNAM vs Seattle Sounders (CONCACAF Champions League Final – 1st leg)
Bologna vs Inter (Serie A)
Thursday, April 28
West Ham vs Eintracht Frankfurt (UEFA Europa League)
RB Leipzig vs Rangers (UEFA Europa League)
Leicester City vs Roma (UEFA Europa Conference League)
Feyenoord vs Marseille (UEFA Europa Conference League)
U. Católica vs Flamengo (Copa Libertadores)
Olimpia vs Colón (Copa Libertadores)
Always Ready vs Deportivo Cali (Copa Libertadores)
Manchester United vs Chelsea (English Premier League)
Most-watched football games in the United States: April 11-17, 2022
The past week in the United States had Real Madrid and Chelsea topping nationwide viewership numbers with their second UEFA Champions League meeting. The game where Los Blancos came back from a three-nil score to make it to the next round of the continental tournament gathered the most attention by fans in the U.S., taking home the honor of being the most-watched game of the week by almost 200,000 average viewers.
The game was originally aired by CBS for English-speaking users and gathered over 904,000 viewers throughout the match that was decided in extra time. If you add the amount of viewers that also watched the game in Spanish via TUDN, then you'd be talking about a clash that was watched by over 1,100,000 average users.
Another UEFA Champions League match earned the runners-up spot in the ratings race. Liverpool and Benfica had over 700,000 average viewers. Meanwhile, the third spot in this ranking went to none other than Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United, who beat Norwich City with a stellar performance by the Portuguese ace, gathering over 400,000 average viewers in their weekend clash.
(1).jpg?q=75&w=634)
What are this week's must-watch games?
Arsenal vs Manchester United live this Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET on USA Network, Universo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, fuboTV, and SiriusXM FC
The upcoming round in the Premier League kicks off with a banger as Arsenal and Manchester United, two teams fighting it out for UEFA Champions League football next season, will face off in Saturday's early kick-off. Currently, the advantage weighs in the Gunners' favor. Arteta's side are fifth, level on points with fourth-placed Spurs, while Saka and Co. enter this tie on the back of their brilliant 4-2 win at Chelsea on Wednesday. The Red Devils, on the other hand, lost during the midweek, going 4-0 down to Liverpool at Anfield. Will Rangnick's men bounce back and spark their top four race back to life with a win at the Emirates Stadium? Tune in to find out!
.png?q=75&w=634)
Bayern Munich vs Dortmund live at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, ESPN Deportes, ABC, and fuboTV
Der Klassiker is back! Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, Germany's top two teams, will reignite their rivalry this weekend, with the league leaders set to host BVB at the Allianz Arena. Currently, nine points separate the two side, meaning victory for Lewandowski and Co. would all but end the title race. However, should the visitors triumph, then that lead will be slashed to a surmountable six points. The last time these two sides met, the Bavarians triumphed 3-2, albeit with some controversy. Haaland and his crew will be out for revenge.
Manchester City vs Real Madrid headlines this midweek's European semifinals as the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League return
European football resumes this midweek, with the semifinal rounds of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League all taking place on Tuesday through Thursday. All eyes will be on one fixture and that is the Manchester City vs Real Madrid showdown, as the Champions League's most iconic team take on the continental powerhouse yet to lift the trophy. After witnessing Los Blancos eliminate Chelsea, Guardiola's side must be wary of the Spanish giants, particularly Benzema and Modric. Do not miss this tie.
Wednesday will see Liverpool, another favorite for the title, take on this season's surprise package: Villarreal. The Yellow Submarine shocked everyone by beating Juventus in the last 16 and then Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals to make it to this stage. Will they add Klopp's men to their list of victims? Time will reveal all.
Thursday is all about the other two competitions as West Ham will lock horns with Eintracht Frankfurt while RB Leipzig take on Rangers in the Europa League. In the UEFA Europa Conference League, Leicester will battle it out with Mourinho's Roma while Marseille take on Feyenoord in the other semifinal.
.png?q=75&w=634)
There will be quite a few matches to keep an eye on in the top Women's football competitions across the globe. Here are some of the interesting upcoming fixtures.
The upcoming week in the Women's Football Arena will bring fans closer to some of the most exciting matches across the globe, with teams from Spain, the USA, Mexico, Germany and France taking center-stage to bring their best skills to the pitch.
Some of the most popular leagues and those still on the rise will keep fans glued to their seats with a series of interesting matches, which will begin this Friday with a tournament everyone wants to keep an eye on: the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Let's have a closer look at what U.S. fans will be able to watch on TV or stream via their mobile devices.
UEFA Champions League, Serie A, and Barclay's FA WSL games live on ATA Football
It will be one of the biggest weekends in recent memory, and fans will want to keep a close eye on ATA Football's coverage, which will feature teams such as Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal.
Friday, April 22, 2022
UEFA Women's Champions League - Barcelona vs Wolfsburg at 12:45 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Serie A - Fiorentina vs AS Roma at 08:30 a.m. ET
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Serie A - Lazio vs Juventus at 06:30 a.m. ET
Barclay's FA WSL - Tottenham vs Chelsea at 09:30 a.m. ET
UEFA Women's Champions League - Olympique Lyonnais vs PSG at 11:00 a.m. ET
Barclay's FA WSL - Everton vs Arsenal at 13:45 p.m. ET
NWSL Challenge Cup
The tournament will carry on with the OL Reign trying to defend their status as West Division leaders when they face the San Diego Wave. The Reign have to earn at least a point to make it to the knockout stage as leaders, otherwise, they could open a way for the Portland Thorns to snatch the top spot away from them in the last game of the regular season. In the Eastern Division, the North Carolina Courage face a tough match against the Washington Spirit in what could become a winner-takes-all match due to the points gap between these clubs.
Saturday, April 23, 2022
North Carolina Courage vs Washington Spirit at 13:00 p.m. ET
San Diego Wave vs OL Reign at 10:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Angel City FC vs Portland Thorns at 8:00 p.m. ET
Watch the final stages of the regular season in Liga MX Femenil in the U.S.
We enter the final two rounds of the regular season in Mexico's top-flight, and the clash between arguably the best teams in the tournament will steal all the attention. Monterrey will welcome their bitter rivals Tigres with the chance to claim the top spot all to themselves with one game to be played. Before that, Pumas will aim for a perfect finish to make it to the playoffs, with their clash against Atlético San Luis being available to stream on TelevisaUnivisión's new platform, VIX.
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Pumas UNAM vs Atlético San Luis at 13:00 p.m. ET
Monday, April 25, 2022
América vs Pachuca at 8:00 p.m. ET
Monterrey vs Tigres UANL at 10:00 p.m. ET
Biggest stories of the week
AC Milan set to have new owners in deal worth over $1 billion
Currently on top of the Serie A table, AC Milan are in contention to win their first Scudetto in over 10 years.
Although the Rossoneri had a torrid time in the Champions League - their first foray into European club football's top tier competition since the 2013/14 season - they have had more success in domestic affairs.
As they prepare to try to re-establish themselves among Europe's elite, some interesting news has come out that could look promising as Milan will need to refurbish their squad in order to become more competitive on the domestic and continental fronts.
Milan, who are currently under the ownership of American hedge fund Elliott Management, have had a rough past few years in terms of owners after Silvio Berlusconi sold the club to Chinese businessman Li Yonghong, who had made fraudulent statements about his alleged wealth and ended up defaulting on massive loans. Ultimately, the club ended up in the hands of Elliott, who took over fully in July 2018.
Now, nearly four years later, Elliott could be looking to sell the club, with reports indicating that Bahraini investment fund Investcorp potentially offering upwards of $1 billion to buy the Rossoneri outright.
Harry Maguire asks for police intervention after shocking death threat against center back
Manchester United fans may have taken their complaints about Harry Maguire's form too far, as the English International has urged the police to attend a serious threat to his family's safety in the last 24 hours.
According to reports by Sky Sports and The Sun, the player asked for police intervention after receiving a bomb threat to his home. The player lives with his fiancée Fern Hawkins along with their two daughters, and the player's request was answered by the Cheshire Police Department, who sent sniffing dogs to the property earlier today.
The player's request came after an email was sent to his inbox, claiming that an unspecified device was going to be sent to his home.
Maguire has been harshly criticized for his poor form during Manchester United's recent games, in which some of his mistakes have led to their rivals scoring goals. Nevertheless, taking such actions against his family is pushing the line too far.
Rangnick hints at drastic overhaul with as many as 10 Man Utd players facing axe following Liverpool humiliation
Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick has revealed that as many as 10 players of the side could exit the club this summer. The German coach delivered a damning assessment of his side's performance following Tuesday night's capitulation at Liverpool.
In the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Red Devils could not hold their own, falling to a humiliating 4-0 defeat at the hands of Premier League title-chasing Liverpool. The Old Trafford outfit were put on the back foot very early into the proceeding, conceding Luis Diaz's opening goal after just five minutes into the first half. Their defensive frailties were exposed again the 22nd minute when Mohamed Salah scored his side's second with an assist from Sadio Mane.
The Senegalese striker got on the scoresheet himself with Liverpool's third of the night, before Salah sealed the night's win with a brilliant finish for his second in the 85th minute. Following Tuesday night's drubbing, Ralf Rangnick told Sky Sports that Man United may require up to 10 new players to potentially get back to their old ways. He said: "it is extremely embarrassing for me as a coach to have press conferences like this one.
"It's embarrassing, it's disappointing, maybe even humiliating. We have to accept Liverpool are six years ahead of us now.
"When Jurgen Klopp came they changed at the club and lifted not just the team but the club and city to a new level. That is what needs to happen with us in the next transfer windows.
"There will be a rebuild for sure but that does not help us when we still have five games to play," Rangnick, added.
"If you analyse the situation it is not difficult to analyse. For me, it is clear there will be six, seven, eight, maybe ten new players. Before you sign those players you need to be aware how you want to play."
Leaked messages: How the RFEF and Pique allegedly made millions by moving Supercopa to Saudi Arabia
The decision to move the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia was not one that went down well with many, and to make things worse, leaked conversations appear to show monetary gain was the main reason behind this move.
An exclusive report by El Confidencial claims that RFEF president Luis Rubiales and Gerard Pique were the masterminds, with the pair discussing in messages how they would split the millions brought in by the decision to stage Spain's annual curtain raiser in the Middle East.
Spain's football federation and Pique's company Kosmos reportedly teamed up to arrange the Saudi deal, which secured the RFEF a whopping 40 million euros for each tournament held in the Gulf nation. As for Pique's business, they were cut a 4 million euros paycheck for each edition over a six-year period, adding up to 24 million in total.
The news outlet published recordings of conversations between Rubiales and the Barcelona defender in which they discuss business. In those messages, Pique argues that the RFEF stand to raise more money from staging the tournament in Saudi Arabia even if large fees had to be paid out to Real Madrid and Barcelona, Spain's two biggest teams, in order to get them to agree to this arrangement.
"If it's about money and [Real Madrid] would go for 8M euros, then they get paid 8M euros and Barcelona get paid 8M euros too, then the others get paid 2M euros and 1M euros," Pique said.
"That's 19M euros and you, the federation, keep 6M euros.
"We could even push Saudi Arabia for more, saying that if not then Real Madrid might not come.
"Rather than you hosting in it Spain where you won't even make 3M euros, think about this."
After the deal was finally completed and the Spanish Super Cup was moved to another continent, the RFEF president sent Pique a voice message in which he congratulates him for the crucial role he played in getting this over the line.
"Well done Geri and I'm not talking about your great game and goal yesterday," Rubiales said,
"I'm referring to the fact that the agreement is signed with Saudi Arabia.
"Thanks for everything and I'm here for whatever you need."
Did the 2010 World Cup winner commit anything illegal by facilitating this arrangement? According to the report, the answer is no, as Pique's company did not receive a commission directly from the RFEF so as to avoid breaching any rules.
Other key headlines from the world of football
On the move? Reports claim that either Donnarumma or Navas will leave PSG in summer
There have been numerous reports about Navas not being impressed about sharing the no. 1 spot with 23-year-old Donnarumma, and has been quoted as making comments regarding changing the situation.
Meanwhile, a report recently emerged linking Donnarumma with a shock move back to AC Milan - a rather unrealistic proposition considering the way he departed, leaving a sour taste in Rossoneri fans' mouths, plus the fact that Mike Maignan has quickly grown into a fan favorite with his strong showings for Stefano Pioli's side.
However, it has now emerged that one of these shot-stoppers could be moving on at the end of this season, especially after some comments Pochettino made in his press conference following PSG's recent win over Angers.
Cristiano Ronaldo heaps praise on Anfield fans after their gesture on Tuesday's match
The world of football has shown unprecedented support towards Cristiano Ronaldo following the announcement of a personal tragedy that involved his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, and one of the babies she was expecting.
The press release issued by the footballer shocked everyone around the globe, prompting all kinds of tributes from fans, teams, experts, and even television personalities. One of the standout tributes for the striker and his family came from Anfield fans, who stood and applauded CR7 while singing the iconic "You'll Never Walk Alone" song during Liverpool's 4-0 victory over Manchester United.
Ronaldo, who was given a compassionate leave, took to social media a few days later in order to thank the Liverpool supporters for their classy gesture, writing on Instagram: "One world… One sport… One global family… Thanks, Anfield. Me and my family will never forget this moment of respect and compassion."
Official: Manchester United appoint Ten Hag as new manager ahead of major summer rebuild
After months and months of speculation, the Red Devils have finally announced the true successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and to no one's surprise, it is Erik ten Hag.
The English giants officially confirmed the Dutch tactician as their new permanent manager on Thursday, with the current Ajax boss set to replace interim leader Ralf Rangnick once the ongoing season comes to an end.
Ten Hag will make the move to Old Trafford on a three-year deal running until June 2025, but there is an option to extend by another year should he prove to be the man to turn the Red Devils' fortunes around. This announcement came shortly after Manchester United's embarrassing 4-0 loss away to Liverpool, with Ralf Rangnick later confessing after the game that a complete squad overhaul is required at the club.
