msl

5/16 Final weeks of Euro seasons, American in FA Cup Final Sat 11:30 ESPN+, MLS Rivalry Weekend, Europa Cup Wed 3 pm, State & Prez Cup this weekend at Grand Park

gatorbest , , , ,

Lots to play for this weekend and Germany & Spain wrap up their seasons and Italy & England are not far behind. Champions & Europa League and even Relegation Battles for some. (Read full round-up below).

FA Cup – Crystal Palace vs Man City Sat 11:30 am on ESPN+
American Chris Richards will look to become one of the few American’s (Tim Howard 2 times) to lift a FA Cup Trophy as Crystal Palace battles Man City in London at 11:30 am on ESPN+. Should be quite a game – especially if Palace can continue their run of scoring goals. The first American to win the FA Cup was… Julian Sturgis, from Boston, in 1873. He did it with Wanderers FC, an amateur club who are sadly no more. Props to Pablo Maurer for a hot piece of trivia. Of course Pulisic and AC Milan failed to win the Copa Italia on Wed vs Bologna and hopefully this will be enough to fire their pathetic coach. Pulisic always gets pulled in the last 15 minutes even if he has been the best player on the field. Drives me nuts. Pulisic scores again vs Bologna in Mother’s Day weekend

The Indy 11 ladies return to Grand Park indoors tonight as they open their season tonight!
Gamedays with the girls are BACK. That’s right—Indy Eleven W League team is SERVING goals, glory, and greatness all season long. We kick-off the season , May 16 at 7 PM. Join us at Grand Park Events Center as we cheer on our Girls in Blue! GET YOUR W LEAGUE TICKETS TODAY!

I want to wish everyone good luck at the President’s Cup and State Cup games this weekend on Saturday & Sunday at Grand Park. I will be out there coaching and reffing both days.

Congrats to the 2008 Girls – Kings Hammer Champs in Cincy (Lilly in goal)
Carmel FC 2013 Boys Gold Champions at Dynamo Tourney (Coach Brian Felter R)

 

Back on the Fields for President Cup at Grand Park this weekend! Here with Brad & Daniel.


TV Games

Fri, May 16
3:15 pm Peacock Chelsea vs Man United

7 pm ESPN+ El Paso vs Indy 11

8 pm Prime Video Orlando Pride (Marta) vs KC Current

Sat, May 17

9:30 am ESPN+ Dortmund (Reyna) vs Kiel
9:30 am ESPN+ Borussia MGladbach (Scaley) vs Wolfsburg
11:30 am   ESPN+        Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man City FA Cup Final
2:45 pm Para+ Genoa vs Atalanta 5 pm
CBS Golazo NC Courage vs Chicago Red Stars (Nayher) NWSL
7:15 pm FS1, Apple Columbus vs Cincy MLS
9:30 pm FS1, Apple Portland Timbers vs Seattle Sounders
10 pm Ion Bay FC vs Angel City NWSL

Sun, May 18

USA 7 am Everton vs Southampton (last game at Goodison Park)
9 am USA West Ham vs Nottingham Forest
10 am Peacock Brentford vs Fulham (Robinson)
11:30 am USA Arsenal vs New Castle
1 pm ESPN+ Atletico vs Real Bettis, Barca vs Villareal, Valencia vs Athletic Club all Spain games 2:45 pm CBSSN Inter vs Lazio Italy
2:45 pm Para+ Roma vs AC Milan (Pulisic)
7 pm Apple Miami (Messi)vs Orlando City MLS
9 pm Apple TV LA Galaxy vs LAFC – El Traffico
9:15 pm Univision America vs Cruz Azul
Tues, May 20
3 pm USA Man City vs Bournmouth (Adams)
3 pm Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Wolverhampton
7:30 pm Para+ NE vs Chicago Fire US Open Cup
10:30 pm CBSSN SJ Earthquakes vs Portland Timbers US Open Cup

Wed, May 21

CBSSN, Para+           Man United vs Tottenham Europa League Final in Balboa, Spain
7:30 pm CBSSN NY Red Bulls vs Dallas US Open Cup
7:30 pm Para_+ Philly Union vs Pittsburg Riverhounds (GK Carmel’s Eric Dick)

Wed, May 28

Paramount Plus             Chelsea vs Real Bettis (Ricardo) Europa Conference League Final in Poland

Sat, May 31

CBS 3 pm                     Inter Milan vs PSG UEFA Champions League Final in Munich, Germany

5 pm TBS                     US Women vs China

Sun, June 1

Fox Sport 1                  Cruz Azul vs Vancouver Whitecaps  CC Champions Cup Final

Tues, June 3

TNT, Max, Peacock       US Women vs Jamaica

Wed, June 4

2:45 pm Fox                Germany vs Portugal – Nations League Semi

Thurs, June 5

2:45 pm Fox                Spain vs France– Nations League Semi

Sat, June 7

3:30 pm TNT, Tele      US Men vs Turkey  

Sun, June 8

2:45 pm Fox                Nations League Finals

Tues, June 10

8 pm TNT, Peacock    US Men vs Switzerland

June 13 – 29               GOLD CUP MEN

Sun, June 15

6 pm FS1                     US Men vs Trinidad   Gold Cup

Thur, June 19

6 pm FS1                     US Men vs KSA  Gold Cup

Sun, June 22

7 pm FS1                     US Men vs Haiti Gold Cup

Sun, June 26

TBS, Peacock             US Women vs Ireland

Sun, June 29th

TNT, Peacock             US Women vs Ireland in Cincy

USMNT weekend viewing guide: Finales

By jcksnftsn  May 16, 2025, 10:47am PDT  

Tottenham Hotspur FC v Crystal Palace FC - Premier League

We are down to the final matchday in Germany, France and the Netherlands and there is a FA Cup final with USMNT implications this weekend as well, so despite a slow start on Friday there’s a lot of action on Saturday and Sunday as all the major leagues are still in action before the summer break. Here’s what we’re watching:

Saturday

Borussia Dortmund v Holstein Kiel – 9:30a on ESPN+

Gio Reyna was an unused substitute again last weekend and has appeared just once in league play since early March. His Dortmund side enter the last weekend of the Bundesliga season within a point of Freiburg for fourth place. Freiburg’s 2-1 victory last weekend relegated Holstein Kiel and John Tolkin with a week remaining.

Borussia Monchengladbach v Wolfsburg – 9:30a on ESPN+

Joe Scally did not start last weekend but came on as a halftime substitute as Borussia Monchengladbach fell to Bayern Munich 2-0. Gladbach are in tenth place heading into their finale against Kevin Paredes’ twelfth place Wolfsburg though it appears that Paredes has been shut down for the season.

St. Pauli v Bochum – 9:30a on ESPN+

James Sands remains out but his St Pauli teammates need just a point to guarantee that they will be in the Bundesliga again next season when Sands returns to the field. They face a Bochum side that are set to finish dead last in the Bundesliga table.

Crystal Palace v Manchester City – 11:30a on ESPN+

Chris Richards and Crystal Palace will be heavy underdogs on Saturday but have a chance to take home a trophy as they face Manchester City in the FA Cup Final. Richards scored in Palace’s last meeting with Man City, just a month ago, but City came back to thump Palace 5-2 in the league match.

Olympique Lyon v Angers SCO – 3p on beIN Sports

Tanner Tessmann and Lyon have lost their last two and three of their past four to fall out of the spots for European competition next season. To pull into the top six Lyon will need to defeat thirteenth place Angers and will need a loss from at least one of Nice, Lille, or Strassbourg in the last week of the season.

Lens v Monaco – 3p on beIN Sports

Folarin Balogun was out injured again last weekend as Monaco defeated Lyon 2-0 to clinch their top three finish and a Champions League spot next Fall. Monaco will now face Lens in the final weekend of the season with neither team able to make significant moves up or down the table, though Monaco could still overtake second place Marseille.

Saint-Etienne v Toulouse – 3p on beIN Sports

Mark McKenzie and Toulouse are in twelfth place heading into their final match, clear of the relegation scrum but unlikely to break into the top ten either as the season closes out. McKenzie returned to the starting lineup last weekend following his two match red card suspension and he has appeared in 29 of 33 matches for the Ligue Un side this season.

Sunday

Sparta Rotterdam v PSV Eindhoven – 8:30a on ESPN+

Malik Tillman, Sergino Dest and PSV defeated Heracles Almelo 4-1 on Wednesday with Tillman scoring twice and adding an assist and Dest assisting on the other goal. The victory, combined with yet another Ajax draw, pulled PSV into first place in what is an incredible comeback for the league title, thanks in no small part to Ajax’s meltdown. Ajax have failed to win in their past four matches, dropping ten points to allow PSV to retake the league lead heading into the final weekend. Eindhoven travel to Rotterdam controlling their own destiny and will clinch the league title with a win over the eleventh place side which they defeated 2-1 at home in October.

Brentford v Fulham – 10a on Peacock

Antonee Robinson was not included in the squad last weekend as Fulham fell to Everton 3-1. That makes two of the past three league matches in which Robinson did not appear which is quite unusual for a player who has been so consistent, logging just under three-thousand league minutes this season. Fulham are in eleventh place going into the final two weeks of the season and will face eighth place Brentford who are four points ahead of them in the table.

Atletico Madrid v Real Betis – 1p on ESPN+

Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis drew with Rayo Vallecano on Thursday and are now four points behind fifth place Villarreal with two matches to play. Betis can do no worse than their current sixth place position and qualifying for Europa League next fall but they will need some help over the next two weeks if they are going to catch Villarrreal for the coveted Champions League spot. Betis will have their hands full this weekend as well as they take on third place Atletcio Madrid. Betis won the first matchup between the clubs this season, 1-0 back in October with Betis hosting the match.

Cagliari v Venezia – 2:45p on Paramount+

Gianluca Busio and Venezia defeated Fiorentina 2-1 last weekend to pull a point ahead of Lecce and they now control their own destiny in the fight to avoid relegation. They will face fourteenth place Cagliari this weekend before finishing the season against a Juventus side that are fighting to remain in the top four. Venezia are just a point ahead of both Lecce and Empoli with the latter easily having the easiest remaining schedule of the three as they face last place Monza this weekend before finishing with 15th place Hellas Verona next Sunday. Venezia do hold the tie-breaker over Empoli should the teams end even but Lecce hold the tiebreak advantage over Venezia.

Juventus v Udinese – 2:45p on Paramount+

Tim Weah and Weston McKennie both started and went the full 90’ last weekend with Weah feeding Weston to setup the go ahead assist. Unfortunately, Juventus would play down a man the final 30’ after Pierre Kalulu was sent off with a straight red and Lazio would tie up the match late in stoppage time. The two teams remain tied for fourth place and the final Champions League spot with Juventus holding the tiebreaker advantage thanks to their 1-0 win in October. Juventus now face twelfth place Udinese who are coming off a 2-1 loss to last place Monza.

Roma v Milan – 2:45p on Paramount+

Christian Pulisic and AC Milan fell to Bologna midweek in the Coppa Itallia and will need help to pass at least two teams to make any European competition next Spring. They are within three points of Roma and a win this weekend would give them the tiebreaker but they will still need help as they remain two points behind Bologna in league play and four points behind fourth place Juventus and fifth place Lazio. Yunus Musah did not appear midweek in the Coppa Itallia and saw just a handful of minutes off the bench last weekend in Milan’s 3-1 Serie A win which was also against Bologna. Roma are coming off a 2-1 loss to third place Atalanta and still have hopes of cracking the top four though they will also need help as they trail by a point.

WORLD

FA Cup win won’t save Man City, but it can kick-start their rebuild
How Hansi Flick won the LaLiga title and took Barcelona back to the top
Madrid’s Carlos Ancelotti to Brazil is official And he reckons Ancelotti has his work cut out

Moyes: Goodison farewell match will be emotional

Salah: Don’t boo TAA in final Liverpool games

USA

Tillman puts PSV on title brink as Ajax collapse
 Pulisic scores again vs Bologna in Mother’s Day weekend
USMNT to face Korea, Japan in Sept. friendlies
USWNT celebrates 40 years with beautifully complementary kits
FIFA confirms 48-team Women’s World Cup in ’31
Kassouf: Tullis-Joyce top contender for USWNT goalkeeper

US Jersey Reveal

Goalkeeping

1 v 1 – Close Down Attacker – don’t back up
Yes Yann Sommer was that good vs Barca – 10 saves
Sommer tips last shot to save game vs Yamal

June 16th: 9-4 / June 17th: 8-3 12383 Cyntheanne Rd, Fishers, IN $595 Register

Reffing

El Classico Handball or not?  
Attacking Player in Wall?  

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Must Watch: Orlando Pride vs. Kansas City Current this Friday on Prime Video

The league’s top two teams will face off in Orlando in the third installment of Rivalries presented by Ally. Orlando went unbeaten against the Current in 2024, lifting the Championship trophy on Kansas City’s home turf. Who will appear in the top spot after this weekend? 

Watch this Friday on Prime Video at 8PM ET.  Read More
Nominees Announced for 2025 NWSL Lauren Holiday Impact Award

The Lauren Holiday Impact Award, presented by Nationwide, recognizes an NWSL player for outstanding service and character off the pitch, with the winner receiving a $50,000 donation to a charitable organization of their choice. Check out this year’s nominees!Read More
Esther González extends contract with Gotham FC through 2027

NWSL Champion and World Cup winner Esther González is here to stay. Her 2023 signing has made an immediate impact for Gotham FC. She scored the game-winning goal in the their first NWSL Championship in club history in her debut season. Now, in Week 9, González leads the league in goals (7). Read More
Louisville’s Arin Wright rocks captain armband designed by son for special Mother’s Day moment. 

The Racing Louisville captain dons an armband every game, but the one she wore on May 9 may be one of the most cherished mementos of her career.
 Read More

Indy 11

Gamedays with the girls are BACK. That’s right—Indy Eleven W League team is SERVING goals, glory, and greatness all season long.
We kick-off the season , May 16 at 7 PM. Join us at Grand Park Events Center as we cheer on our Girls in Blue! GET YOUR W LEAGUE TICKETS TODAY!

Europe’s top soccer leagues: Titles, cup finals, UCL, relegation

  • Dale JohnsonMay 16, 2025, 04:00 AM ET

The 2024-25 season has entered the closing stages, with the battles for the major honours, European qualification, relegation and promotion heating up.

Here’s a roundup of what’s at stake and what could be decided this weekend in the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Spanish LaLiga, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1.

This page will be updated through to the end of the European season.

Premier League
Last day: May 25

Title

Liverpool (83) were confirmed as champions on April 27 with four games to spare.

Champions League (5)

CONFIRMED

  • 1. Liverpool (36 games played, 83 points)

Premier League table

GPPTSGD
1 – Liverpool3683+46
2 – Arsenal3668+33
3 – Newcastle3666+23
4 – Man City3665+24
5 – Chelsea3663+19
6 – Aston Villa3663+7
7 – Nottm Forest3662+12
8 – Brentford3655+10
9 – Brighton3655+3
10 – Bournemouth3653+12
11 – Fulham3651+1

In 2025-26, the Premier League will have five teams in the Champions League due to the performance of its clubs in Europe this season, meaning the top five will qualify for the UCL.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur play each other in the Europa League final on May 21. The winners will qualify for the Champions League, meaning the Premier League will have six teams in the UCL and nine in Europe.

Liverpool have already booked their place, and while Arsenal (68) looked assured of qualifying they still have a little work to do. Two points will secure it for the Gunners as a maximum of 70 is needed.

All of the top seven are now guaranteed European football of some description.

Five other teams are battling along with Arsenal for the remaining four places, with just two fixtures remaining. Newcastle United (66), Manchester City (65) and Chelsea (63) are holding them right now; Aston Villa (63) and Nottingham Forest (62) will try to fight their way into those key positions.

Remaining games – UCL race

TeamGW37GW38
CHELSEAMan United (H)Nottm Forest (a)
FORESTWest Ham (a)Chelsea (H)
NEWCASTLEArsenal (a)Everton (H)
MAN CITYBournemouth (H)Fulham (a)
VILLASpurs (H)Man United (a)

Chelsea and Aston Villa are first up on Friday. At the start of the season, their fixtures would have been marked down as tricky. But Chelsea are at home to 16th-placed Man United, and Villa host 17th-placed Spurs, just a few days before the pair meet in the Europa League final. Chelsea and Villa will be expected to win to put the pressure on in the UCL race.

On Sunday, Forest travel to West Ham, which looks a must-win game to keep their hopes alive. Then Arsenal are at home to Newcastle, and if the Gunners lose they will suddenly look in a little danger, though they have relegated Southampton on the final day.

Man City don’t play until Tuesday, when they are at home to Bournemouth.

There’s a big last-day fixture, when Chelsea head to Forest in what could be a winner-takes-all UCL showdown.

Europa League (2)

As it stands, sixth (Villa) will enter the Europa League by league position, and it will go to one of those teams in the Champions League section.

Editor’s Picks

Sixth will be joined by the FA Cup winners, with Crystal Palace taking on Man City in the final on Saturday. (stream live on ESPN+ in the U.S.)

If Palace, who are 12th, win the FA Cup, then there will be no knock-on effect to the league places; the Eagles will be in the Europa League.

If Man City win it and finish in the top six, the FA Cup’s Europa League place will go to seventh — to last of the teams in the UCL race.

If Chelsea win the Conference League — they are in the final vs. Real Betis on May 28 — they are guaranteed at least a place in the Europa League, but will play in the Champions League if they finish in the top five. Their final position could also influence the allocation of European places.

Why Crystal Palace could stun Man City in the FA Cup final

Mark Ogden explains why he is backing Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup final.

Conference League (1)

Newcastle are guaranteed at least a place in the Conference League playoff round, as they won the Carabao Cup. But if Newcastle finish in the top six, to play in the UCL or UEL, the Conference League place goes to seventh. If Man City also win the FA Cup, the Conference League playoff-round place goes to eighth — so it’s a position worth fighting for.

With the FA Cup final taking place on Saturday, those in contention will know if it’s still on before they play again.

Brentford (55) have eighth in their control, with Brighton & Hove Albion (55), AFC Bournemouth (53) and Fulham (51) in contention.

Fulham have four points to make up and travel to Brentford on Sunday; Brighton have a tough game against champions Liverpool, while Bournemouth have to take on Man City.

If Brentford can win, a loss for Brighton on Monday and a draw/loss for Bournemouth on Tuesday will effectively lock the Bees in eighth, due to their far superior goal difference — but will it matter?

Relegation (3)

CONFIRMED

  • 18. Ipswich (36, 22)
  • 19. Leicester (36, 22)
  • 20. Southampton (36, 12)

Southampton (12), Leicester City (22) and Ipswich Town (22) have been relegated.

Leeds United and Burnley have been promoted back to the top flight from the Championship; another team will come up via the playoffs.

Sheffield United take on Sunderland in the playoff final on May 24.

LaLiga
Last day: May 25

Title

Remaining games

BarcelonaReal Madrid
G37Villarreal (H)Sevilla (a)
G38Athletic (a)Real Sociedad (H)

There are two games left to be played in Spain.

Barcelona (85) were crowned champions on May 15 with a 2-0 victory at Espanyol, moving them seven points ahead of Real Madrid (78).

Champions League (5)

CONFIRMED

  • 1. Barcelona (36, 85)
  • 2. Real Madrid (36, 78)
  • 3. Atlético Madrid (36, 70)
  • 4. Athletic Club (36, 67)

LaLiga table

GPPTS
1 – Barcelona3685
2 – Real Madrid3678
3 – Atlético3670
4 – Athletic Club3667
5 – Villarreal3664
6 – Real Betis3659
7 – Celta Vigo3652
8 – Vallecano3648
9 – Osasuna3648
10 – Mallorca3647
11 – Valencia3645

Like the Premier League, LaLiga will have five teams in the Champions League next season.

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid (70) had already booked their places, with Athletic Club (67) making it four with a 2-0 win at Getafe on Thursday.

The contenders for the last UCL place are fifth-placed Villarreal (64) and Real Betis (59) in sixth.

Villarreal beat Leganés 3-0 on Wednesday to pull away from Betis.

Betis dropped points in a draw at Rayo Vallecano on Thursday, and that means it’s almost over for them. Villarreal can seal their place with a win on Sunday … the only issue is they are away at Barcelona. A chance for Betis? Unfortunately they also have a very difficult away fixture, at Atlético Madrid.

– Stream all LaLiga games live on ESPN+ (US only)

McManaman: I’ve never seen an El Clásico as chaotic as that

Steve McManaman reacts to Barcelona’s 4-3 win over Real Madrid in LaLiga.

Europa League (2)

As Barcelona won the Copa del Rey, the place for the cup transfers to the league — sixth and seventh will enter the Europa League. One place will go to Athletic Club, Villarreal or Real Betis in sixth, but there’s a close race for seventh.

Celta Vigo (52) hold the spot, followed by Rayo Vallecano (48), Osasuna (48) and Mallorca (47).

On Tuesday, Celta Vigo won at Real Sociedad to open a gap and end the home side’s hopes of European football. On Wednesday, Valencia suffered a damaging defeat at Alavés and Mallorca lost at the Bernabeu.

Then on Thursday, Osasuna won 2-0 against Atlético Madrid and Vallecano drew with Betis.

It now looks very good for Celta, and they can confirm their place in the Europa League if they win on Sunday — but it’s certainly not over. Celta entertain Rayo Vallecano, so an away win opens it right back up again. Also on Sunday, Osasuna are at home to Espanyol and Mallorca host Getafe.

Real Betis are in the Conference League final, with the winners of competition earning a spot in the Europa League, but this can’t impact the LaLiga allocation.

Europa Conference League (1)

This will go to eighth place, held right now by Rayo Vallecano, with the same list of teams battling it out as noted in the Europa League section.

Although Valencia (45) cannot now qualify for the Europa League, they do have a sniff of eighth. But on Sunday they face a tough home game against Athletic Club.

Relegation (3)

CONFIRMED

  • 19. Las Palmas (36, 32)
  • 20. Real Valladolid (36, 16)

Real Valladolid (16) went down last month, and they were joined by Las Palmas (32) on Wednesday. Alavés (38) pulled clear by beating Valencia, leaving them six points ahead of Las Palmas with a better head-to-head record.

That leaves one place, with Leganés (34) looking doomed after losing in midweek. There would appear to be no way out, but there actually is hope of catching Alavés as Leganés travel to Las Palmas on Sunday.

If Leganés lose, they would definitely be down.

If the game is a draw, Leganés would be relegated if Alavés win or draw.

If Leganés win, it will likely go to the final day for the third relegation place and we might see Espanyol (39) and Getafe (39) in trouble.

It’s a very tight race for the two automatic promotion places from LaLiga2.

Elche, Levante, Mirandés, Racing Santander and Real Oviedo are fighting it out. A third team comes up through four-team playoffs.

Bundesliga
Last day: May 17

Title

Bayern Munich (79) won the title on May 4.

Has Bayer Leverkusen’s golden era come to an end?

Janusz Michallik believes Bayer Leverkusen’s most successful era has officially come to an end.

Champions League (4)

CONFIRMED

  • 1. Bayern Munich (33, 79)
  • 2. Bayer Leverkusen (33, 68)

Bundesliga table

GPPTSGD
1 – Bayern3379+63
2 – Leverkusen3368+29
3 – Frankfurt3357+20
4 – Freiburg3355-2
5 – Dortmund3354+17
7 – Mainz3351+12
6 – RB Leipzig3351+6
8 – Bremen3348-6
9 – Gladbach3345-1

Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen (68) have already secured their places.

It’s now a three-horse race for the final two spots, with one game to be played on Saturday.

Third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt (57, +20) looked certainties two weeks ago, but are now in danger of finishing fifth; while SC Freiburg (55, -2) sit fourth.

But Freiburg are at home to Frankfurt on the final day, and that leaves the door wide open for in-form Borussia Dortmund (54, +17).

Dortmund are assured of UCL football if they win at home to relegated Holstein Kiel by 2+ goals. A win of any description will be enough if Freiburg draw. A draw or win does the job for Dortmund if Freiburg lose.

For Freiburg, they will be in the UCL if they match or better Dortmund’s result but, with BVB at home to Kiel, the likelihood is that Freiburg must win.

And if Freiburg do win, it means Frankfurt, who only need a point, are in big trouble and could miss out on goal difference to Dortmund (if they win by those 2+ goals). If Freiburg win by one goal, they would qualify for the UCL with a negative goal difference.

If Freiburg get a victory, and Dortmund win by only one goal, then it’s Freiburg and Frankfurt (goal difference over BVB) in the UCL.

Europa League (2)

Only fifth place will be in this competition via league placing, and that place will almost certainly go to the team that misses out on the UCL.

For the second successive season, the final of the DFB Pokal (stream LIVE on May 24 on ESPN+, U.S. only) sees a Bundesliga club take on a lower-league side. Last season, Leverkusen beat then-2. Bundesliga strugglers Kaiserslautern.

This time VfB Stuttgart will play Arminia Bielefeld who, incredibly, are in the third division. The winners of the final will qualify for the Europa League.

Stuttgart are in ninth on 47 points and can’t finish in the top six, so there will be no transfer of the place to the league if they win the cup. If Arminia Bielefeld, who are top of 3.Liga and have sealed promotion, produce a shock win in the final, they are set to play in the Europa League as a second-division club

Conference League (1)

While Mainz (51, +12) and RB Leipzig (51, +6) have a mathematical chance of finishing fifth if Dortmund lose, goal difference means that’s highly improbable. The same can be said of Werder Bremen (48, -6) and their chances of sixth.

So, two clubs are fighting for sixth and a place in Conference League qualifying.

Mainz have a far superior goal difference to RB Leipzig, so a win will punch their ticket. The problem is Mainz are at home to Leverkusen, not an easy task. RB Leipzig host Stuttgart, who will have one eye on the cup final and must better Mainz’s result to claim sixth.

There is no route into Europe for seventh or eighth as there was last season.

Relegation (2+1)

Two teams are relegated automatically, while third-bottom takes on third place in the 2.Bundesliga in a playoff.

CONFIRMED

  • 17. Holstein Kiel (33, 25)
  • 18. VfL Bochum (33, 22)

VfL Bochum (22) and Holstein Kiel (25) are down, with 1. FC Heidenheim (29, -24) only having slim hopes of avoiding the playoff as they are three points behind TSG Hoffenheim (32, -18).

Heidenheim must beat Werder Bremen at home, hope Hoffenheim lose and there be a goal difference swing of 6+ goals. A chance? Hoffenheim have to host champions Bayern.

In 2.Bundesliga, Hamburg have been promoted. FC Cologne need at least a draw at home to sixth-placed Kaiserslautern on Sunday to be promoted. If Cologne lose, SV 07 Elversberg or Paderborn would overtake them on goal difference with a win for the second automatic spot.

Serie A
Last day: May 25

Title

The tight title race continues between Napoli (78) and Internazionale (77) with two games to be played.

On Sunday, it’s Parma vs. Napoli and Inter vs, Lazio. The title can be decided if Napoli win and Inter lose.

If the two teams finish on the same points there will be a one-legged playoff, hosted by the club with the best goal difference, to decide the Scudetto.

Champions League (4)

CONFIRMED

  • 1. Napoli (36, 78)
  • 2. Inter Milan (36, 77)
  • 3. Atalanta (36, 71)

Atalanta (71) got over the line with a 2-1 win over Roma on Monday. The fight for the last spot is intense, with a maximum of 71 points required.

Juventus (64) are in fourth, followed by: Lazio (64), AS Roma (63), Bologna (62) and AC Milan (60).

All the teams in contention play at the same time on Sunday.

Juventus are at home to Udinese and have the most favourable fixture. Lazio have to go to Inter Milan, Roma and Milan face each other, and Bologna are at Fiorentina.

Juve could be confirmed in the UCL if they win, Lazio and Roma lose, and Bologna fail to win.

Milan have won four of their last five matches to climb back into contention for Europe, but taking fourth looks a huge stretch.

If Inter win the Champions League there will be no impact on the Serie A places.

Inter or PSG: Which team is favourite to win the Champions League?

Stewart Robson and Alejandro Moreno preview the Champions League final between PSG and Inter Milan.

Europa League (2)

Bologna are guaranteed at least Europa League football after they won the Coppa Italia, beating AC Milan 1-0 in the final. If Bologna finish in the top five, then sixth will play in the UEL by league position.

On league position, fifth place (Lazio as it stands) will play in the Europa League, which will also be a battle between the clubs listed above.

Milan and Fiorentina (59) still have a chance of finishing fifth or sixth if others stumble.

Conference League (1)

At present this goes to sixth (Roma), though it will pass to seventh if Bologna finish in the top six. If so, that gives AC Milan and Fiorentina a marginally better chance of claiming a place in Europe.

Relegation (3)

CONFIRMED

  • 20. Monza (36, 18)

Monza (18) were relegated last month.

It’s a fierce battle to avoid the last two spots between Empoli (28), Lecce (28) and Venezia (29).

On Sunday, Empoli are at Monza, Lecce host Torino and Venezia make the trip to Cagliari.

While it’s probably a three-horse battle, Parma (32), Hellas Verona (33) and Cagliari (33) aren’t quite safe.

In Serie B, Sassuolo and Pisa have been promoted. One of six clubs will also come up through the end-of-season playoffs. Spezia, Cremonese, Juve Stabia, Catanzaro and Palermo have booked five of the six places with one round to play.

Ligue 1
Last day: May 17

All teams have played 33 games, with one round of games to go — to be played on Saturday.

Title

Paris Saint-Germain (81) secured the title with ease on April 5.

If PSG win the Champions League there will be no impact on the Ligue 1 places.

Champions League (3+1)

France gets three automatic places, with fourth place entering the UCL in the third qualifying round.

CONFIRMED

  • 1. Paris Saint-Germain (33, 81)
  • 2. Marseille (33, 62)
  • 3. AS Monaco (33, 61)

An incredibly tight race, where most teams kept on winning, took a strange twist on Saturday.

Nice, Lille, Strasbourg and Lyon remarkably all lost, meaning that victories for Marseille (62) and AS Monaco (61) sealed their spots. It seemed certain to go down to the final day, but it’s already resolved.

That does still leave the fourth place in qualifying, which is in the control of Nice (57, +19). A home victory over Brest should be enough, because they are four goals better off than Lille (57, +15) and six of Strasbourg (57, +13).

If Nice fail to win though, Lille (home to Reims) or Strasbourg (home to Le Havre) could take advantage.

There’s a very unlikely scenario where all three lose and are overtaken by Lyon (54, +17), who are at home to Angers, on goal difference.

NB: Lyon are provisionally relegated to Ligue 2 on financial grounds, which could affect European allocation.

Europa League (2)

Fifth place (Lille now) will be in the Europa League.

However, if PSG win the Coupe de France final on May 24, the UEL place will pass to sixth (that’s Strasbourg at the moment). PSG play Stade de Reims, who are 14th and will not finish in a domestic European place. If Reims win the cup, they will be in the Europa League.

Conference League (1)

At present, this goes to sixth (Strasbourg) and is a battle between the clubs listed in the Champions League section.

If PSG take the Coupe de France, seventh will be in the Conference League playoff round — a position held by Lyon.

Relegation (2+1)

CONFIRMED

  • 18. Montpellier (33, 16)

Montpellier (16) are already relegated, leaving one automatic and one playoff spot to be decided.

The best second-bottom Saint-Etienne (30, -37) can hope for is to get above Le Havre AC (31, -32) and into the playoff place as they have far inferior goal difference to 15th-placed Nantes (33, -16) and Stade de Reims (33, -13).

To avoid automatic relegation, Saint-Etienne almost certainly must win at home to Toulouse, and hope Le Havre do not take three points at Strasbourg.

There is a scenario whereby Saint-Etienne draw and Le Havre lose by five goals — which would see Saint-Etienne in the playoff place on goal difference and Le Havre relegated.

Due to goal difference, Nantes and Reims only need a point to make sure they avoid the playoff spot. But if Le Havre beat Strasbourg, a loss for Nantes (home to Montpellier) or Reims (away to Marseille) would seen them finish third bottom and in the playoff.

Lorient and Paris FC have secured promotion from Ligue 2, with Metz playing third bottom in that relegation/promotion playoff.

Wrexham in swoop for Premier League captain: report

By Ewan Gennery published 7 hours ago

Wrexham are aiming to make it four promotions in a row next season

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds

Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, Wrexham’s owners (Image credit: Getty Images)

Wrexham have enjoyed a sensational rise up the English football pyramid in the last few seasons.

They’ve earned promotion back-to-back-to-back and will play in the EFL Championship for the first time ever.They are looking to complete an unprecedented four promotions in a row and reach the Premier League, and have their eye on some spectacular reinforcements to make it happen.You may like

  • Ex-Scottish international being lined up for move to Wrexham

Several high profile names already turn out for the Red Dragons including captain James McClean, Jay Rodriguez and Steven Fletcher.

Ben Foster made football headlines across the country when he returned to the club and saved a stoppage time penalty against Notts County to put them three points ahead in an intense National League title race.

Steven Fletcher of Wrexham and Alfons Sampsted of Birmingham City challenge for the ball during the EFL League One match at St Andrew's on September 16, 2024
Steven Fletcher of Wrexham turning out against Birmingham last season (Image credit: Alamy)

However, owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are prepared to make their biggest signing yet this summer.TalkSPORT is reporting that Fulham captain Tom Cairney, who is out of contract at the end of the season is being lined up to join the Welsh club in their bid to reach the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The most prominent U.S.-born FA Cup winner – and his little-known predecessor

The FA Cup trophy

By Pablo Maurer The Athletic – May 16, 2025 6:00 am EDT

Tim Howard is arguably the greatest goalkeeper in U.S. men’s soccer history, and when he thinks of the FA Cup, memories come flooding back. There are the obvious ones, like his championship in 2004 and his heroics in the 2009 semifinals, when a pair of penalty saves guided Everton by Manchester United, his former club. But Howard has others, too, amassed during a decade-long career in the Premier League, to this day a rare feat for an American. Speaking to the U.S. men’s national team legend, it becomes obvious the tournament is special to him. “I’ve had some good fortune and some sad days,” Howard said. “But having been to three Cup finals and winning one, it is just an incredible day out. The pageantry to the Cup final. You get a new suit, the stadium is brimming with fans from both teams, which you don’t really get in England frequently – it is half and half, fans from both sides. I have so many dear memories of those finals, and they are so lasting because of how special the FA Cup is to people in the UK. There is still a magic to the FA Cup there.”

That atmosphere is something a pair of Americans – Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards and Matt Turner – will get to experience, in varying degrees, in the 2025 final Saturday at Wembley Stadium. Other U.S. internationals have appeared in an FA Cup final, but winning it has proved rather elusive. John Harkes’ Sheffield Wednesday forced Arsenal into a final replay before ultimately succumbing in 1993, while current U.S. star Christian Pulisic was a runner-up for three straight seasons with Chelsea and even scored in the 2020 final defeat to Arsenal. Should Palace beat Manchester City, Richards and Turner will join Howard as the only American men in the modern era to win the trophy.

Crystal Palace's Chris Richards and Matt TurnerCrystal Palace’s Chris Richards and Matt Turner are hoping to win the FA Cup. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

There is, though, one other U.S.-born man who tasted FA Cup glory. Over 150 years ago, Boston native Julian Sturgis won the second edition of the tournament with Wanderers FC, an amateur side that took its name from the fact that, well, it did not have a home ground. In 1873 – a full 134 years before Howard won his FA Cup with Manchester United – Sturgis became the first American-born player to win it. That was news to Howard. “Even back then when I won it,” said Howard, laughing, “I thought I was the first American to do it. But I guess not. It still feels good to be in a class with very few.” The paths the two players took to win the trophy could not be more different.

Howard arrived at Manchester United in 2003 after a dominant first stint in MLS. At the time, the $4 million paid for him was a king’s ransom for an MLS player, and Howard’s early performances at Old Trafford did not disappoint. He was instrumental in helping the club win a Community Shield, and he started the 2004 FA Cup final vs. Millwall, a 3-0 United triumph.

Howard had briefly lost his starting spot in ‘04 to Roy Carroll, and an erratic start in ‘05 saw him supplanted once again by the Northern Ireland international. Howard played a pair of early-round cup matches but did not figure in the 2005 final, forced to start the game on the bench.But United coach Sir Alex Ferguson did favor Howard in penalties, and prior to the match, the American was told to remain ready should the encounter with Arsenal end in a draw.“Because I’d had some success with penalties prior – in the Community Shield the year before for example – there was a thought that we’d switch up the goalkeeper, make a sub late on in extra time, to kind of get me in the game if it got to that,” Howard said

Howard remembers being told to warm up. He trotted down the touchline to prepare for his entrance.“The final whistle blew and I was like ‘What happened?’” Howard said. The answer he got from Ferguson feels, to this day, a little unbelievable. I forgot. “And we lost,” Howard said, with a laugh. “It was always a big ‘what if’ for me. What if we’d won again? What if I’d made the game-winning save? What if I could have been a two-time FA Cup champion? But it obviously wasn’t meant to be.”

Tim Howard wins the FA Cup with Man UnitedTim Howard won the 2004 FA Cup with Manchester United, which shut out Millwall 3-0 in the final (Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images; John Peters/Manchester United/Getty Images)

Two years later, Ferguson had moved on from Carroll and Howard, with the American finding himself at Everton. Though Howard holds little resentment toward United, the club that brought him to Europe, the semifinals of the 2008-09 FA Cup presented the American with a chance to close the door entirely on his time at Old Trafford. A matchup with United seemed the perfect opportunity. “Any athlete who wants to compete will have a bad taste in their mouth (when a club moves on),” Howard said. “United didn’t do anything to me, they helped boost my career beyond measure, but as a competitor, there was part of me that just wanted to slay that dragon, to put that whole situation to bed. On this stage, and against this opponent, it was my opportunity to exorcise those demons. If I could perform against Manchester United, I could prove something to other people and mostly to myself.” Howard certainly did so. A tense 0-0 affair was followed by penalties, offering Howard the opportunity he so badly wanted. Everton’s efforts started auspiciously, with Tim Cahill putting the club’s opening effort over the bar. But the American kept things level with a stop on a poor effort from Dimitar Berbatov. Howard’s second save, on Rio Ferdinand, was far more memorable, perfectly read and executed. By the time Howard watched Everton defender Phil Jagielka send Evertonians into bedlam with the winner, the demons had been fully exorcized. “God that felt good, man,” Howard said. “I remember we went into the dressing room, I put a towel over my head and I was just sobbing. The outpouring of emotion – it was just like, ‘It’s done now.’ I didn’t have to question if I was good enough anymore. That chapter was just done. It felt incredible.” Howard remains an Evertonian to this day, as he will proudly tell you. The magic of the FA Cup, that persists for him as well.

“There’s a history to the tournament,” Howard said. “There have been so many giant-slayings. Teams that should never have ever graced the pitches of the biggest teams in the world go get to play there. There is a prestige to that, because of how special football is in the UK. It’s just incredible.”

There was very little prestige involved when Sturgis won the tournament in 1873. The game of football itself was borderline unrecognizable back then – Sturgis’ taste of glory came just 10 years after the official establishment of the game in the UK and just six after the introduction of the first offside rule, which stated that three defenders must remain ahead of the ball at all times. Matches were crude and violent and played on muddy pitches. Tactics remained an afterthought, chucked aside in favor of brute force and the long ball.

This was the context for Sturgis’ club, Wanderers. Founded in 1859, right around the time that Darwin published “The Origin of the Species” and Dickens penned “A Tale of Two Cities,” Wanderers culled their entire team from local private schools in their early years. They were founding members of the Football Association in 1863, and by the time Sturgis debuted a decade later, they’d become a dominant force in English football. Sturgis himself was born in Boston in 1848, the fourth son of a merchant and lawyer. His father did business with China and just seven months into Julian’s life, the affluent family relocated to London. Sturgis attended Eton and was a standout athlete there, participating in both of the school’s varieties of football – wall and field. The Eton “wall game,” still played at the school to this day, shares little to no resemblance to the modern game of football, while the school’s field variety feels a little more familiar – you aren’t allowed to handle the ball, for example – but seems more aligned with rugby.

Sturgis’ athletic ways continued at Oxford, where he excelled on the college’s rowing team. After graduating, he began working towards a career as a barrister; as a pastime, he joined up with Wanderers, a fully amateur side.

Wanderers had actually won the FA Cup a year prior, in 1872, though the tournament was then known as the Football Association Challenge Cup. The format of the tournament back then was also vastly different, with the prior year’s champions being granted automatic entry into the next year’s finals, a format which would be abandoned by 1874. As the previous year’s winners, Wanderers were also allowed to select the venue for their title defense, another rule thrown away just a year later.

Calling Sturgis the tournament’s first American is a bit of an understatement, actually. He was not only the first American to participate in a final, he was the first foreigner to appear in any phase of the tournament, which had previously been populated exclusively by English, Irish or Scottish nationals. Sturgis was likely not perceived as an American back then, and no newspaper clippings or match reports mention his nationality, as he’d spent the vast majority of his life in the UK. We’ll have to assume that any trace of a Boston accent had been wiped away.More on the FA Cup FinalRebecca Lowe: Crystal Palace are my lifelong love. Winning the FA Cup would mean everythingNBC’s Premier League presenter will see her beloved Palace play for the first time in 12 years at Wembley as the club target a first trophy

Like so many other bits of football history, the number of people who were in attendance at Lillie Bridge Stadium in Fulham (demolished in the late 1800s) is hard to pin down. Some accounts put the number at 3,000, while others claim only 150 people attended the 11 a.m. match.

The formation of both teams serves as a testament to how much things have changed, with both teams lining up in a traditional 1-1-8. One fullback, one halfback and eight forwards. Oxford controlled the opening phases of the match, but Wanderers surged ahead on a 27th-minute strike from Arthur Kinnaird, by most accounts the man of the match. Wanderers’ 1873 Cup title would be Kinnaird’s first of five titles, a record that stood until 2010 when Ashley Cole broke it. His nine FA Cup appearances remain a record to this day.

Moments later, William Kenyon-Slaney – another standout for Wanderers who a year earlier had become the first player to score for England at the international level – appeared to double the lead for Wanderers, but the goal was waved off for an offside infraction.

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Oxford pushed for an equalizer but was reduced to 10 men after losing a player to injury (the use of substitutes, which was pioneered in the U.S., was still many years away as well.) Instead of playing a man down, Oxford chose to pull its goalkeeper, a rash decision that was immediately punished. The 2-0 final score sent Sturgis home as the first American to ever win the FA Cup.

Sturgis would make the Cup final again in 1876, scoring the only goal in the semifinals to push his new club, Old Etonians, to the brink of glory. Though they lost that match, Sturgis was influential in nearly every edition of the tournament in which he participated, scoring a hat trick for Etonians in 1878. The press described him as “clever,” “brilliant” and always “working hard from first to last.” The Christmas Eve 1866 edition of the Pall Mall Gazette describes Sturgis as “most conspicuous.”

Sturgis’ playing career drew to a close in the late 1870s, but his second act feels like the sort of story unique to that era, the sort of jack-of-all-trades, P.T. Barnum tale made impossible by modern life. By the time he debuted for Wanderers, Sturgis was already an accomplished rower, football player and debater, and by the end of his career a decade later he was a well-regarded lawyer. He became a British citizen in 1877 and in the years that followed he became a well-known librettist – one who writes lyrics and accompanying text for an opera.

His work as a novelist and librettist continued until the turn of the century. When Sturgis died in 1904, little was made of his football career, as he’d long surpassed it. Renowned novelist Henry James wrote of Sturgis’ “beautiful, noble, stainless memory, without the shadow upon him, or the shadow of a shadow, of a single grossness or meanness or ugliness – the world’s dust on the nature of thousands of men.”

While Howard is, for now, the only American male to have won an FA Cup in the modern era, it’s undeniable that Sturgis did so considerably earlier. And while Howard has gone on to great things in his post-playing days – he is an accomplished pundit and remains around the game – it’s highly unlikely that any FA Cup winner anywhere will ever touch Sturgis’ life off the field.
What You Should Read NextThe FA Cup final, an occasion full of historic traditions and unusual quirksFA Cup final day in England is a moment when the national sport celebrates its long history via a series of much-loved rituals

(Top photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Infantino, Trump and a walkout at FIFA summit, Ronaldo tops money list again

LUQUE, PARAGUAY - MAY 15: FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the 75th FIFA Congress at Centro de Convenciones de CONMEBOL on May 15, 2025 in Luque, Paraguay. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

By Phil Hay May 16, 2025Updated 7:19 am EDT

The Athletic FC ⚽ is The Athletic’s daily football (or soccer, if you prefer) newsletter. Sign up to receive it directly to your inbox.

Hello. The bromance between Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump continues to blossom. But closer to home, Infantino has trouble in paradise.

FIFA Congress mess: UEFA delegates’ dramatic exit as Infantino arrives late from Trump meeting

(Daniel Duarte/AFP via Getty Images)

Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, is in his element in American political circles, which is to say that he spends a lot of time in Donald Trump’s orbit. The men are friends, as far as these things go. Infantino has been in the Oval Office. So has the World Cup trophy, and the Club World Cup trophy (below).

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Infantino says a tight alliance with America’s president is vital, with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon. In cultivating that relationship, however, he might have pushed things too far. His choices have led to an internal mutiny at FIFA. Here’s what’s happened…

Three-hour delay

Over the past week, FIFA’s diary was filled with various events, including yesterday’s congress — an annual gathering of representatives from the world governing body’s 211 members. These meetings are important, with issues affecting football debated and addressed. Paraguay hosted this week’s edition.

Infantino, as FIFA’s head, was scheduled to be there. But out of the blue, he announced he was joining United States president Trump on a trip to the Middle East for meetings with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The change of plan had knock-on effects: a meeting of the FIFA council, which was supposed to be held in person in Paraguay on this Tuesday just gone, was staged virtually last Friday instead.

Infantino then arrived late for the congress, causing a three-hour delay. This, he said, was due to a complication with the jet that was flying him to the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion.

In protest, eight delegates from UEFA — European football’s governing body — walked out of the congress and issued a statement attacking Infantino. Adam Crafton was on hand to follow the clown show.

Infantino was contrite to a point, saying: “Apologies, sorry, and I am looking forward to spending time with you here.”

But he defended his tour with Trump on the grounds that the U.S. is one of the hosts of the 2026 World Cup, Qatar staged the tournament in 2022 and Saudi Arabia has been chosen as the host for 2034.

“Some important World Cup discussions took place and I needed to be there to represent football and all of you,” he said. As far as the European contingent were concerned, the explanation didn’t wash.

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‘Private political interests’

(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

One of the problems for Infantino is that his relationship with Trump, and meetings such as the one in the Middle East, can be rather opaque.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Debbie Hewitt, the president of England’s Football Association, were among the executives to walk out on Thursday.

A UEFA statement issued last night read: “The last-minute changes to the timings of the FIFA congress are deeply regrettable. To have the timetable changed at the last minute for what appears to be simply to accommodate private political interests does the game no service and appears to put its interests second.”

FIFA can be highly political but a certain etiquette persists. By the organisation’s standards, accusing Infantino of “accommodating private political interests” is a hell of a dig. He has bridges to build and dissent to quell, but as the 2026 World Cup draws nearer, his proximity to Trump promises to get closer, too. Those around him are finally asking: who is this relationship benefiting most?

News round-up

Barca Crowned: Flick’s side clinch La Liga title after worrying scenes outside stadium

Premier Sports

A 28th title in La Liga is Barcelona’s, still eight behind Real Madrid. Fittingly, the goal that set them on their way last night was assisted by their most effective (and complicated) signing, Dani Olmo, and scored by the star of the show, Lamine Yamal (above). The 17-year-old is having his own goal-of-the-season contest.

That facilitated a 2-0 win at local rivals Espanyol, where things seem to happen when Barca show up in party mode. Two years ago, when Barca also won the title there, the club’s euphoric players were chased down the tunnel by magnanimous home fans. At full time yesterday, Espanyol turned on their sprinklers, seemingly attempting to clear the pitch and avoid a repeat. Beforehand, there was a far more troubling incident in which a car drove into a crowd outside the stadium, injuring 15 people. We’re awaiting further updates regarding the severity of those injuries. But Barca have done it, in Hansi Flick’s first year and with an extraordinary amount of swagger. Laia Cervello Herrero picked out the five key moments in their campaign, and I had completely forgotten about Flick lamenting a “s*** November”. Set against Barca’s supreme serenity, that month is like a bad dream.