Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said on Saturday the European Super League is “more necessary than ever” and called UEFA’s new Champions League format “absurd” in a speech to the club’s members. In an 80-minute intervention at the club’s Annual General Meeting, Perez reiterated his support for the dormant Super League project, criticised the standard of Spanish refereeing and VAR and hit out at LaLiga over its management of clubs’…
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka is an injury doubt for the Premier League game against Burnley, manager Mikel Arteta said in a news conference on Friday. Saka limped off late in the 2-0 Champions League win over Sevilla and was named in the England squad on Thursday. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Arteta said he doesn’t want a repeat of his last call-up when he left the England…
Tuesday sees the start of the 2023-24 Women’s UEFA Champions League group stage and there are some huge matches to be played. Although many will expect to see champions Barcelona to make it through, as well as Lyon, the record holders for most titles (8), there could be some surprises along the way and it wouldn’t be the first time in the competition. So how will it all play out?…
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Only Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United could win a game twice and still lose. When the full story of their wild 2023-24 season is told, there won’t be a more inexplicable chapter than the one that describes their Champions League meltdown in Copenhagen on Wednesday. A prematch tifo unfurled by the home supporters warned United that the Parken Stadium was “Your Theatre of Nightmares,” and it couldn’t…
The illustrious careers of Megan Rapinoe and Ali Krieger will each end on the same field on Saturday, at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, the site of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League championship. The match-up between Rapinoe’s OL Reign and Krieger’s NJ/NY Gotham FC could be the league’s most high-profile game yet, with a championship-record crowd possible and a large global audience expected to tune in for the…
Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma received a hostile reception from his former AC Milan fans during Tuesday’s Champions League game at the San Siro. Donnarumma faced his old club in Milan for the first time since leaving the Italian giants as a free agent to join PSG in 2021. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Many AC Milan fans have not forgiven Donnarumma, and a section of Milan…
When Paris Saint-Germain let midfielder Marco Verratti move to Qatari side Al Arabi for €45 million this summer, it came as a bit of a shock. The writing had been on the wall for the transfer all summer long, but the 31-year-old had won 30 trophies during an incredible 11 years at the club, was still playing at an extremely high level and seemed like a perfect tactical fit for…
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed plans for an independent football regulator to safeguard the future of English soccer clubs in his King’s Speech on Tuesday. The Independent Regulator for Football (IREF) will have the power to step in to address cash flow and other systemic issues within clubs, many of which are financially vulnerable. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) “Legislation will be brought forward to safeguard…
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND — Manchester City had Young Boys beaten by half-time on Tuesday and their UEFA Champions League group stage campaign is done and dusted after just four games. Pep Guardiola will want to secure the top spot in Group G but 12 points from a possible 12 so far means that, for the 11th year in a row, City will have an interest in the knockout rounds in the…
Another European soccer weekend is in the books, so let’s review! Bayern Munich shrugged off some recent woes with (yet another) comprehensive win over rivals Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga, while Arsenal were left raging after a controversial 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United in the Premier League that again involved VAR and its various applications. Oh, and in LaLiga, Barcelona wrapped up a dramatic (and lucky) late victory at…