Top games to watch this week
Friday, July 1
Necaxa vs Toluca (Liga MX)
Mazatlán vs Puebla (Liga MX)
Central Córdoba vs Argentinos Juniors (Argentine Primera Division)
Boca Juniors vs Banfield (Argentine Primera Division)
Saturday, July 2
Guadalajara vs Juárez (Liga MX)
Tigres UANL vs Cruz Azul (Liga MX)
América vs Atlas (Liga MX)
Vélez Sarsfield vs Atlético Tucumán (Argentine Primera Division)
Fluminense vs Corinthians (Brasileirão)
Santos vs Flamengo (Brasileirão)
Palmeiras vs Athletico-PR (Brasileirão)
Toronto FC vs Seattle Sounders (MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Los Angeles FC (MLS)
Sunday, July 3
Atlético Goianense vs Sao Paulo (Brasileirão)
Huracán vs River Plate (Argentine Primera Division)
Santos Laguna vs Monterrey (Liga MX)
Columbus Crew vs Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Sporting KC vs New York RB (MLS)
Monday, July 4
Pachuca vs Querétaro (Liga MX)
Independiente vs Platense (Argentine Primera Division)
RB Bragantino vs Botafogo (Brasileirão)
Colorado Rapids vs Austin (MLS)
LA Galaxy vs CF Montreal (MLS)
USA vs Haiti (CONCACAF W Championship)
Mexico vs Jamaica (CONCACAF W Championship)
Tuesday, July 5
Pyunik vs CFR Cluj (UEFA Champions League)
Ludogorets vs Sutjeska (UEFA Champions League)
Shamrock Rovers vs Hibernians (UEFA Champions League)
Costa Rica vs Panama (CONCACAF W Championship)
Canada vs Trinidad & Tobago (CONCACAF W Championship)
Atlético Mineiro vs Emelec (Copa Libertadores)
Boca Juniors vs Corinthians (Copa Libertadores)
Libertad vs Athletico-PR (Copa Libertadores)
Wednesday, July 6
Palmeiras vs Cerro Porteño (Copa Libertadores)
Colón vs Talleres Córdoba (Copa Libertadores)
Flamengo vs Deportes Tolima (Copa Libertadores)
River Plate vs Vélez Sarsfield (Copa Libertadores)
Tobol vs Ferencvaros (UEFA Champions League)
Bodo/Glimt vs KÍ (UEFA Champions League)
Zrinjski vs Sheriff (UEFA Champions League)
England vs Austria (UEFA Women's Euro)
Thursday, July 7
Estudiantes vs Fortaleza (Copa Libertadores)
Lanús vs Independiente del Valle (Copa Sudamericana)
Sao Paulo vs U. Católica (Copa Sudamericana)
Norway vs Northern Ireland (UEFA Women's Euro)
Jamaica vs USA (CONCACAF W Championship)
Haiti vs Mexico (CONCACAF W Championship)
Most-watched football games in the U.S. - June 20-26, 2022
It was an interesting week in terms of football games being aired in the United States, with the return to action of some of the most popular teams in the country as well as the beloved USWNT.
Speaking of which, the Stars and Stripes had quite a following in their first friendly match against Colombia, which ended in a three-nil win for Andonovski's team. Nevertheless, there were some other games that "defeated" the American team in this week's ranking for the most-watched fixtures.
With no Premier League game in sight, MLS matches were once again the most-watched of the week. The combination between Californian teams and football clubs from the Big Apple gathered quite a bit of attention, and to complete the podium, the return to action of the Mexican top-flight was enough to keep fans glued to their TV sets this week.
Let's have a closer look at those games that caught the most attention in the past seven days.
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What are this week's must-watch games?
Club America vs Atlas live this Saturday at 10:05 p.m. ET on TUDN USA, Univision, fuboTV, TUDNxtra, Univision NOW, and the TUDN App
The latest Liga MX regular season gets underway this weekend, with two Mexican giants set to lock horns on Matchday 1 of the new campaign. They are none other than Club America and Atlas, who will face off in a highly-anticipated showdown at the Estadio Azteca on Saturday. America, who topped the table in the first round of the Apertura, will look to maintain their lovely form under Fernando Ortiz, who took the club from bottom of the table to the semifinals of the 2022 Clausura. Atlas, who won both the Apertura and Clausura last season, will look to kick off their title defense in winning fashion. Don't miss this clash!
USWNT vs Haiti live this Monday at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV, and VIX
The final round of the CONCACAF W Championship; the tournament that will determine the five 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup representative from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean; is about to commence. USWNT, the defending champions, kick things off with their interesting showdown against Haiti. The Stars and Stripes were grouped with the Caribbean nation in Group A and will need to finish in the top two spots in order to secure automatic qualification to Australia and New Zealand. However, while the World Cup champions are the undisputed giants of this region, Vlatko Andonovski's side could face tricky competition from Mexico and Jamaica, who are also in their group. Make sure to catch their opening game live on CBS Sports Network, Paramount+, fuboTV, and VIX.
Boca Juniors vs Corinthians live this Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on beIN SPORTS, beIN SPORTS en Español, Fanatiz USA, fuboTV, and beIN SPORTS CONNECT
The Copa Libertadores dominates the midweek round of fixtures, with everyone's favorite South American club competition set to wrap up the round of 16 on Tuesday through Thursday. One of the standout games will see Argentine and Brazilian giants Boca Juniors and Corinthians lock horns for a spot in the quarterfinals. The two sides, who sit fourth and second respectively in their leagues, drew 0-0 in the first leg, meaning everything remains up for grabs in the return fixture. Xeneizes, who have won only twice out of their last five games heading into this weekend, will be in action against Banfield first. Timão, meanwhile, have drawn their last two fixtures but have lost only once since late April. Make sure to catch this Copa Libertadores thriller.
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Women's football fans around the globe are set to enjoy an interesting weekend, mainly because of all the things that will be in play for some of the national teams that will begin their competitions soon.
The first topic of concern for those who follow women's football will be the start of the 2022 UEFA Women's European Championship. The competition will kick off on Wednesday, July 6, giving fans quite a bit of information to follow. As always, you will be able to follow the tournament with our broadcast guides.
Elsewhere, the 2022 NWSL season returns to action after a two-week hiatus, where the USWNT earned most of the headlines. The next batch of games will give fans a chance to get back in gear with the American tournament, especially since things are heating up among the top contenders for the title.
Speaking of the USWNT, the upcoming week will present The Gals with a new challenge, as they will be gunning to win a spot in both the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup and in the 2024 Summer Olympics as the CONCACAF W Championship gets underway. The Stars and Stripes have won the last two editions of the tournament, but something tells us that this one could be quite competitive given the caliber of all teams involved.
Without further ado, let's have a look at what the beautiful game will offer in terms of women's football matches.
2022 Women's Euro
The top national team tournament in Europe will kick off in the next few days with the clash between England and Austria. A total of 16 teams are ready to fight for the crown currently in possession of the Netherlands. The tournament will come to an end on July 31, 2022, and good moments and great goals will surely come our way.
2022 CONCACAF W Championship
Just as with the European tournament, the North American region will gather their finest teams in Mexico for the CONCACAF W Championship. There are four spots up for grabs to play in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, but that's not all, as the tickets to play in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will also be available here. One of those spots will be given to the winner of the competition, while the second one will be determined after a playoff between the runners-up and the third place. Teams such as the USWNT, Mexico, Canada, and Costa Rica will be among those to keep an eye on. The tournament will go on from July 4 to July 18.
2022 NWSL season
The tournament returns to action with the San Diego Wave still holding on to the no. 1 spot of the competition despite the rise of the Portland Thorns and the Chicago Red Stars, who trail the leaders by just two points.
This week, the standout games will begin on Friday as the Thorns make the trip to face Angel City FC. Next up, the Red Stars will make it to the Big Apple, where NY/NJ Gotham will be hosting them on Saturday evening, and last, but not least, the San Diego Wave will welcome the Washington Spirit in an attempt to maintain the top spot all to themselves despite the absence of striker Alex Morgan, who will be on international duty with the USWNT.
For more details on games, standings, and news, visit our dedicated women's soccer page at LiveSoccerTV.com.
Biggest stories of the week
Former Barcelona boss aims scathing dig against president Laporta
It was no secret that things between coach Ronald Koeman and Barcelona president Joan Laporta did not end on the best terms, but the Dutch tactician finally spoke his mind out on this subject in an interview with Esports 3.
The former Blaugrana boss admitted that doubts about his work were allowed, but Laporta's decision to share any of those to the public did not help his cause during their few months together.
"It was a complicated time for the club, especially when we did not have an acting president. Then, Laporta's doubts about the coach...you want to be there and do your best, and you know that if wins don't come you will get in trouble. He was allowed to have doubts as a president, but if you go on the record and speak about them, then all the world will start doubting you. It was a major mistake on his behalf," Koeman stated.
Koeman went on to state that given the chance to do things as he did to get to the club, he would not hesitate to coach Los Culés once more.
"Leaving the club was sort of liberating. I made an effort to leave the (Dutch) National Team. And if I had to do it all over again, I would. I have no regrets about that," Koeman added.
The Dutch coach went on about his relationship with those within the club, stating once again that the main issue came when Joan Laporta arrived.
"The team's locker room was never a problem. Never. Out of the 24 or 25 players there will always be some that will not be happy, but in general, we never felt that the players had anything against the coach. We got along just fine. All the problems started when president Laporta came,"Koeman said.
Bayern executive urges Barcelona to cease their pursuit of Lewandowski
Speaking after the end of an event where he made an appearance, Uli Hoeness referred to previous statements by Oliver Kahn, Hasan Salihamidzic and other Bayern officers who have not wasted time to turn down all approaches by the Blaugrana side for Robert Lewandowski. Nevertheless, Hoeness' words left no doubt regarding how the club will deal with the striker's desire to leave Die Roten this summer.
"I don't know anything about another offer by Barcelona. As things stand in Munich, and believe me, I have heard a lot of conversations about it, Barcelona would be wise if they refrained from making any more offers. Bayern's statements have been quite clear, and they have always said that Robert must see the end of his contract," Hoeness stated.
The former footballer added a slight dig to his statements when he spoke about Barcelona's financial situation and how that fact could be enough to end all conversations regarding a potential move for the Polish superstar.
"They must be masters in economics, especially since they were able to find a bank that would give them money for transfer despite their massive debt. They can't afford to pay signings such as this one, and to be honest, I can't see that happening," Hoeness added.
Despite Lewandowski's desire to leave, it seems that the top scorer in the Bundesliga will have to stay put and start the pre-season with Die Roten next month. Let's see if Bayern change their mind about his involvement with the team or if he is forced to end his deal with the club once the 2022-23 season comes to a close.
Revealed: Kylian Mbappe reportedly wants Neymar to be sold by PSG
Kylian Mbappe has asked Paris Saint-Germain to sanction the sale Neymar Jr. this summer, according to reports. The Frenchman is said to have been angered by the Brazilian's lack of professionalism which he has suggested that is harmful to the dressing room of the Ligue 1 outfit.
PSG and Mbappe recently ended one of the longest transfer sagas in recent memory by reaching an agreement for his contract renewal. As per the terms of the offer, a significant amount of influence has apparently been given to the French forward over football matters at the club. In hindsight, the 23-year-old is looking to do his part in steering the club in the right direction under new management and he is now eager to do so by urging the club to sell his attacking partner Neymar.
Back in May, a report by L'Equipe claimed that the relationship between Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar had deteriorated over the past season. According to the French newspaper, the former has been talking about Neymar behind his back, indicating that things are not going well between the two players.
This summer, there is growing indication that PSG could look to move the Brazilian on should the right offer arrive. As per Spanish news outlet El Pais' Diego Torres, the player's sale could be facilitated quickly after Mbappe endorsed the decision. He claimed that the forward has disclosed to the club's owners that he feels the former Barcelona and Santos sensation is too ill-disciplined to fit into a tactical system. He also raised concerns about the player's 'recovery routine'.
PSG's Qatari owners, who refused to comment on Neymar's future a few weeks ago, are said to have accepted Mbappe's instruction. The club's authorities now await an acceptable offer, with Premier League giants Chelsea said to be considering the potential acquisition of the Brazilian superstar. Nevertheless, a move away is expected to be a bit complex.
According to the report by El Pais, Neymar's father has told the Ligue 1 champions that his son must be paid his $240M salary if they want him to leave. Relatively, PSG have informed him they would be willing to top his salary up if his next club cannot afford his current wages.
Transfer: Barcelona reach agreement with De Jong's replacement as Man Utd move nears completion
In what is seemly the clearest indication that Frenkie de Jong will be exiting Barcelona for Manchester United this summer, a new report from Spain has revealed that the Blaugrana have reached an agreement with the Dutchman's supposed successor. The Catalans have reported agreed $21.2M (€20M) deal to sign Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler to occupy the vacancy that will be left after the sale of their talisman.
On Sunday, reports from Spain and the UK stated that both Barca and Manchester United have made a breakthrough in their talks about Frenkie de Jong. According to The Telegraph and Catalunya news outlet, Sports, a third bid from the Red Devils which amounts to $85M (£69M) plus add-ons had been accepted by the La Liga club. Per the report, talks involving the Premier League club and De Jong's camp are also expected to be completed swiftly in the coming days.
Meanwhile, a fresh update has been added to the development. As per AS, Barca are already focused on life after De Jong and have, as a result, had a bid for Carlos Soler accepted by La Liga rivals Valencia. According to the report, the player will be the direct replacement of the departing Netherlands international and will cost the club about $21.2M.
The Spanish midfielder will sign a four-year deal with Barça with the option to extend it by another year. The transfer is expected to be completed before June 30.
TRANSFER: Former Premier League striker arrives in Milan ahead of transfer
It is now official: Divock Origi will set for a new adventure, this time in Italy. The 27-year-old Belgian international will be playing for AC Milan starting next season after Liverpool opted not to renew his contract.
Origi played his role in Liverpool's Champions League winning campaign during the 2018/19 season, including netting a brace against Barcelona to beat the Blaugrana 4-0 at Anfield after losing the first semi-finals leg 3-0. Additionally, he was involved in the team that won the Premier League the following season, marking the first league title win for Liverpool in three decades.
However, his role over the last two seasons has been dramatically reduced. Whereas he made 42 appearances for Jurgen Klopp's team during the 2019/2020 campaign, he made just 17 the following year and 18 in the most recently concluded term.
As such, it is not really a surprise that the player is off for a new challenge as clearly Liverpool feel that they have enough options up front, especially with their signing of Darwin Nunez recently.
Meanwhile, Milan, who are the defending Scudetto champions, are hoping that Origi will help the club further improve as they look to compete on multiple fronts this season.
Chelsea reportedly tracking two Serie A defenders
Although the 2022/23 Premier League season is still a few months away, Chelsea are already looking forward to how they can successfully compete on multiple fronts.
Despite winning the Club World Cup, the 2021/22 season was a rather disappointing one for the Blues, as they were dumped out of the Champions League by eventual winners Real Madrid and were beaten twice in the EFL and FA Cup finals by Liverpool.
As such, they are looking to refurbish their squad. Having lost two defenders - Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen - the London giants are naturally aiming to boost their defense. With that in mind, reports claim that they have turned their attention to Serie A, with the two players on their list being Matthijs de Ligt and Milan Skriniar.
De Ligt has a price tag of €120 million and is looking set to leave Turin after failing to sign a contract extension. Chelsea are hoping to offset this price by including players like Timo Werner in exchange, but the two sides have yet to come to an agreement.
Meanwhile, although Skriniar has apparently already signed a contract worth €7.5 million a season with PSG, that has not stopped Chelsea from trying to hijack the deal at the last minute, according to Sky Sport Italia.
Other key headlines from the world of football
Bruno Fernandes opens up about CR7's potential exit from Man United
One of Cristiano Ronaldo's colleagues shared an insight on what to expect regarding this move. Manchester United and Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes admitted to being in the dark about his compatriot's desire to leave, but he also revealed he has kept in touch with him during their time off.
"I had a phone call with Cristiano a couple of weeks back. Right now we are both on holidays, but I expect to meet with him face to face when the pre-season begins," Fernandes stated.
Reports from all over England have suggested that Manchester United would be doing good business if they chose to let the Portuguese ace go, but according to the midfielder, that would not be a wise decision by the Red Devils.
"Although we are entitled to decide about our own future, I don't think it would be wise by the club to get rid of a player such as Cristiano," Bruno added.
AC Milan veteran signs six month contract extension
Although he is out for the long haul following another surgery to deal with his problem knee, AC Milan, who will start the 2022/23 Serie A season as reigning Scudetto champions for the first time in over a decade, still have every intent to keep Zlatan Ibrahimovic around.
According to reports, Ibrahimovic, whose contract is to expire at the end of June, has been offered a six month extension that will see him earn about $105,234 (€100,000). While that's "minimum wage" by football standards, it nonetheless means that he will be able to still be involved with the team and offer support to the younger players in the locker room.
Moreover, if all goes according to plan and his latest rehab following surgery goes well, the same report claims that Ibrahimovic could be offered another short-term deal in January 2023.
Luis Suarez set to close chapter on European football as transfer to River Plate looms
Luis Suarez is close to signing for Argentinian giants River Plate, with the Uruguayan set to close the chapter on a 14-year career in Europe. The 35-year-old striker's contract at Atletico Madrid expires on June 31st and he will subsequently be allowed to leave the club as a free agent.
Having ended last season with just 13 goals across all competitions, it seems Suarez is losing his mojo as far as the intensity of European football is concerned. Nevertheless, a host of club on the continent have expressed interest in bringing him onboard for their respective projects. The most notable among the bunch is Aston Villa who are currently managed by the player's former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerard.
While the offer is one that could significantly boost the player's chances of featuring in the World Cup at Qatar later this year, reports suggest that he is rather considering a move elsewhere. According to Mundo Deportivo, the former Barcelona and Atletico Madrid player is on the verge of moving back to South America, with River Plate emerging as the favorites to secure his service.
