Kind of gives me chill-bumps when you hear an American being cheered like this in Italy – Pulisic in Milan. Wonder why the EPL is so popular Worldwide – games like this – Arsenal wins in Extra Time. When you are at the fields this weekend – think about this before you yell at the ref.
Champions League & Europa League this Week
Champions League Action is back today and Wednesday with some big games like Barcelona hosting PSG & Villareal vs Juventus & American McKinney, and the battle of American’s Pepe & Dest for PSV traveling to Bayer Leverkusen and Tillman on Wednesday at 3 pm. Tuesday we get the return of Jose Mourino to Chelsea as he brings Portugal’s Benefica into town at 3 pm on Para+. (Full schedule & coverage below)
US U20 Boys in World Cup – Sun 4 pm FS2
The US U20’s got over to great start with a 9-0 win (US Goals) in game 1 of their World Cup start. Games continue on Fox Sports 1, 2 and Desportes all week and weekend long. Spain vs Mexico Wed at 4 pm on FS2, Spain vs Brazil Sat 4 pm on Univision & USA vs South Africa on Sunday at 4 pm on Fox Sports 2. (Full schedule & Stories below)
US Open Cup Wed Night CBS Sports Network, Para+
The US Open Cup finals are Wed night with Austin City hosting BJ Callahan and Nashville SC at 8 pm on CBSSN. This is a historic moment for both teams, as it’s the first time Austin FC has hosted a major tournament final and the first Open Cup final appearance for Nashville SC. (Stories below)
Indy 11 Win Again – @ Louisville on WNDY 23 7:30 pm Sat
Indy Eleven midfielder Jack Blake scored his USL Championship era (2018-) franchise record 25th Boys in Blue goal for the game-winner in a huge 2-1 victory over Western Conference leader FC Tulsa at Carroll Stadium. The win moves Indy Eleven into a playoff position one point ahead of Rhode Island FC with four games left in the regular season. Indy Eleven will take their two-game winning streak to USL Championship Eastern Conference leader Louisville City FC next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on WNDY 23 and CBS Sports Golazo Network. The Boys in Blue have their final regular season home game with Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, October 18 at 7 p.m. at Carroll Stadium vs. Loudoun United FC.
Brett Y, Will F and me reffing at Purdue Polytech High in Broadripple Monday.
====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Field? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
FULL TV GAME SCHEDULE
Tues, Sept 30 Champions League 12:45 pm Para+, Uni Kairat vs Real Madrid 3 pm CBSSN Paphos vs Bayern Munich 3 pm Para+ Galatasaray vs Liverpool 3 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid vs Frankfurt 3 pm Para+ Marseille (_) vs Ajax 3 pm Para+ Chelsea vs Benefica 3 pm Para+ Inter vs Slavia Praha 3 pm Para+ Boda vs Tottenham 4 pm FS2 Panama U20 vs Ukraine U20 WC 7 pm FS1 Chile U20 vs Japan U20 7 pm FS2 Korea U20 vs Paraguay U20 Wed, Oct 1 Champs League 12:45 pm Para, Uni Union Saint Gilloise vs Newcastle United 3 pm CBSSN Dortmund vs Athletic Club 3 pm Para+ Barcelona vs PSG 3 pm para+ Arsenal vs Olympiakos Piraues 3 pm Para+ Napoli vs Sporting CP 3 pm Para+ Bayer Leverkusen vs PSV (Pepe) 3 pm Para+ Villareal vs Juventus (McKinney) 4 pm FS2 Spain U20 vs Mexico U20 7 pm FS1 Brazil U20 vs Morocco U20 7 pm FS2 Argentina U20 vs Australia U20 8 pm CBSSN Austin City vs Nashville SC US Open Cup Thurs, Oct 2 Europa 12:45 pm CBSSN Roma vs Lille 12:45 pm Celtic (Carter Vickers) cs Sporting Braga 12:45 pm Dynamo Kyiv vs Crystal Palace (Chris Richards) 3 pm CBSSN Feyenoord vs Aston Villa 3 pm Para_ Sturm Graz vs Rangers 3 pm Para+ Nottingham Forest vs Middtylland 3 pm Para+ Olympique Lyonnais vs Salzburg Fri, Oct 3 3 pm USA Bournemouth (Adams) vs Fulham (Robinson) 7 pm FS1 Egypt U20 vs Chile U20 WC 7 pm FS2 New Zealand U20 vs Japan U20 Sat, Oct 4 7:30 am USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Tottenham 9:30 am ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) vs Union Berlin 9:30 am ESPN+ Dortmund vs RB Leipzig 10 am USA Man United vs Sunderland 10 am Peacock Arsenal vs West Ham 12:30 pm NBC Chelsea vs Liverpool 4 pm Tele Mexico U20 vs Morocco U20 4 pm Univision Spain U20 vs Brazil U20 7 pm FS2 Argentina U20 vs Italy U20 10:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers Sun, Oct 6 4 pm FS2 USA U20 vs South Africa U20 7 pm FS2 Nigeria U20 vs Colombia U20 9 pm Apple LAFC vs Atlanta United MLS
Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia Thurs, Oct 23 9 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Chester PA Sun, Oct 26 4 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Hartford CT Sat, Nov 15 5 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Paraguay Chester PA Tues, Nov 18 7 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
USMNT midweek viewing guide: Champions League, Championship
Follow along with all the USMNT action this week. by Justin Moran Stars & Stripes
Midweek USMNT action is here. All kickoff times are in EST. All MLS games are available on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and EA Sports FC, as well as any other networks listed. Let’s get into it!
Tuesday
Atalanta vs Club Brugge, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Yunus Musah and Atalanta host Brugge in Champions League.
Atlético Madrid vs Frankfurt, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Johnny Cardoso and Atléti host Nathaniel Brown and Frankfurt in Champions League.
Marseille vs Ajax, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Tim Weah and OM welcome Ajax into town for this Champions League match.
Also in action:
Frosinone vs Cesena, 2:30p on Onefootball: Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena visit Frosinone in Serie B.
Palermo vs Venezia, 2:30p on Onefootball, DCTV: Gianluca Busio and Venezia visit Palermo in Serie B.
Birmingham vs Sheffield Wednesday, 2:45p: Ethan Horvath and Sheffield United visit Birmingham City in the Championship.
Middlesbrough vs Stoke, 2:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Aidan Morris and Boro host Stoke City in the Championship.
Sheffield United vs Southampton, 2:45p: Damion Downs and Southampton visit Sheffield United in the Championship.
Derby vs Charlton, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Charlie Kelman and Charlton Athletic visit Derby County in the Championship.
Inter Miami vs Chicago Fire, 7:30p: Chris Brady, Brian Gutiérrez, and the Fire visit Inter Miami in MLS action.
Wednesday
Leverkusen vs PSV, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Malik Tillman will face his former team as he and Leverkusen host, Sergiño Dest, Ricardo Pepi and PSV in Champions League.
Monaco vs Manchester City, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, TUDN USA, UniMás, Univision NOW, FuboTV (free trial), ViX: Folarin Balogun and Monaco host Man City in Champions League.
Villarreal vs Juventus, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, DAZN USA, CBS Sports Golazo: Weston McKennie and Juve visit Villarreal in Champions League.
Also in action:
Millwall vs Coventry, 2:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Haji Wright and Coventry City visit Millwall in the Championship.
Norwich vs West Brom, 2:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video: Josh Sargent and Norwich City welcome George Campbell and West Brom for this Championship match.
Portsmouth vs Watford, 2:45p: Caleb Wiley and Watford visit Portsmouth in the Championship.
Austin FC vs Nashville SC, 8p on Paramount+, Prime Video, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV: Walker Zimmerman and Nashville visit Owen Wolff and Austin for a chance to hoist a trophy in the US Open Cup final.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Vancouver FC, 10p: Sebastian Berhalter, Brian White, and the Whitecaps meet Vancouver FC in the Canadian Championship final.
Thursday
Celtic vs Braga, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Cameron Carter-Vickers and Celtic host Braga in Europa League.
Dynamo Kyiv vs Crystal Palace, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Chris Richards and Palace visit Dynamo Kyiv in Conference League.
Lyon vs RB Salzburg, 3p on Paramount+, Prime Video, DAZN USA: Tanner Tessmann and Lyon host Anrie Chase and Salzbug in Europa League.
USA U20 vs France U20, 4p on FS2, UNIVERSO, Prime Video, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FuboTV, Sling TV: Benja Cremaschi, Niko Tsakiris, Frankie Westfield, Nolan Norris, Taha Habroune, and Cole Campbell were the scorers in the USA U20’s 9-1 win over New Caledonia to open the U20 World Cup. France will be a much tougher test.
Also in action:
Panathinaikos vs Go Ahead Eagles, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Erik Palmer-Brown and Panathinaikos face Go Ahead Eagles in this Europa League battle to see which club can have the longest name.
Lausanne vs Breidablik, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Bryan Okoh and Lausanne host Breidablik in Conference League.
Omonio Nicosia vs Mainz, 12:45p on Paramount+, Prime Video, ViX: Lennard Maloney and Mainz visit Mix Diskerud’s old club Omonio Nicosia in Conference League.
Friday
Bournemouth vs Fulham, 3p on USA, UNIVERSO, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FuboTV, Sling TV, TeleXitos: Antonee Robinson and the Cottagers visit Tyler Adams and Bournemouth in Premier League action.
US U20 ROSTER GOALKEEPERS (3): 1-Gavin Beavers* (Brøndby), 12-Adam Beaudry (Colorado Rapids), 21-Duran Ferree (San Diego FC) DEFENDERS (7): 2-Reed Baker-Whiting (Seattle Sounders), 18-Luca Bombino (San Diego FC), 5-Noah Cobb (Colorado Rapids), 16-Ethan Kohler (SC Verl), 3-Nolan Norris (FC Dallas), 17-Francis Westfield (Philadelphia Union), 4-Joshua Wynder (Benfica) MIDFIELDERS (6): 19-Matthew Corcoran (Nashville SC), 8-Benjamin Cremaschi (Parma), 14-Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew), 6-Brooklyn Raines (Houston Dynamo), 15-Pedro Soma (San Diego FC), 10-Niko Tsakiris (San Jose Earthquakes) FORWARDS (5): 11-Luke Brennan (Atlanta United), 7-Cole Campbell (Borussia Dortmund), 20-Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake City), 13-Peyton Miller (New England Revolution), 9-Marcos Zambrano (Real Salt Lake) *Diego Kochen was initially called in, but FC Barcelona recalled him on Saturday.
Until 2:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, the last weekend of September was a quiet one for U.S. men’s national team players in Europe. Several USMNT regulars had been relegated to the bench for their clubs. None had scored. Then, in the third minute of a showdown with the reigning Serie A champions, Christian Pulisic changed everything. He burst down San Siro’s left wing for a world-class assist. Later, he scored his league-leading fourth goal, and sixth in all competitions this season.He propelled Milan to a 2-1 win against Napoli, and to the top of Serie A. So, of course, that’s where we’ll begin our weekly roundup of USMNT players.
Pulisic’s red-hot form and vindication
Pulisic opting out of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup left him facing weeks of criticism and questions. But when he finally explained himself, on a CBS Sports podcast in June, his reasoning was clear: He needed a break. He needed a proper offseason to rest and recharge, so that he could be at his best for Milan and the USMNT throughout the 2025-26 season and 2026 World Cup.“This is the right decision for myself, and for the team, at the end of the day,” Pulisic said at the time. “And people will see that. You guys will see, man. I’m hungrier than ever — truly. I’m really looking forward for big things to come.”And over the past few weeks in Italy, with four goals and two assists in three games, he has proven his point.He is playing with a lethal combination of explosiveness and calm. Despite a preseason ankle knock, and despite a not-quite-defined place in manager Massimiliano Allegri’s lineup, he is averaging more than two goal contributions per 90 minutes. He is skipping past defenders, and threading through balls. He is looking focused and fit. He is making lots of critics look silly.
Injuries, playing time concerns
Among U.S. players in Europe, Pulisic is something of an outlier.Before his man-of-the-match performance on Sunday, the stories of the weekend were starting lineup absences and injury concerns.In the Netherlands, Ricardo Pepi left PSV’s 2-1 win against Excelsior in the 32nd minute with apparent discomfort. PSV coach Peter Bosz indicated the injury was “minor,” and said he simply didn’t want to “take a risk” at this stage of the season. But Pepi’s status for the USMNT’s October camp is now in doubt.Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:In Spain, Johnny Cardoso has not played at all in the month of September due to an ankle injury suffered in training.
In Germany, Gio Reyna, after one start and one substitute appearance for Borussia Mönchengladbach, missed Saturday’s game against Eintracht Frankfurt with a thigh injury. (Joe Scally, who has been playing as an attack-minded right wingback, registered two assists in Gladbach’s 6-4 loss.)In England, Antonee Robinson got his first start of the season midweek in a Carabao Cup win over Cambridge United, but he played those 90 minutes alongside a mixture of regulars and reserves. On Sunday, he was back on the Fulham bench, and played only 11 minutes in a 3-1 Premier League loss at Aston Villa. After offseason knee surgery, he is healthy enough to play, but nowhere near his 2024-25 best. And it’s not quite clear what he’ll have to do to reclaim his starting spot ahead of Ryan Sessegnon.In New Jersey, meanwhile, Matt Freese, who’s been the USMNT’s No. 1 goalkeeper since June, left Saturday’s 3-2 win over the New York Red Bulls with a head injury. “He’s being checked by the doctors, and we’ll wait and see,” NYCFC coach Pascal Jansen said after the match.And elsewhere, there are non-injury concerns. In Italy, Weston McKennie was back on the Juventus bench for a 1-1 draw with Atalanta, playing 32 minutes as a sub. Yunus Musah, after one start for Atalanta (in a 4-0 Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain), has been a sparsely used reserve. He played 14 minutes off the bench against Juve.In France, Folarin Balogun — who seemed to cement himself as the U.S. No. 9 this month — was out of Monaco’s starting 11 for a second consecutive Ligue 1 game.Like in 2024 before the Copa América, club playing time could be developing into a broad worry for the national team. In September, it isn’t cause for alarm. In April, it would be.
Zendejas, Tessmann, others make statements
On the fringe of the U.S. roster, a few players have stated their case.Alex Zendejas has followed up his volley for the national team against Japan with four goals in four games for Club América. The third of four, on Saturday against Pumas, was an audacious, confidence-oozing chip over legendary goalkeeper Keylor Navas.Tanner Tessmann, who has been on the outside looking in at the USMNT since the March Nations League debacle, also scored a worldie Thursday for Lyon to beat Utrecht in the Europa League. He followed it up with a strong 90-minute shift in a 1-0 win at Lille on Sunday.Tessmann, perhaps more so than any other American player, has made a statement over the first two months of the 2025-26 season. He has been one of the best and most consistent players for a team that’s now won five of six Ligue 1 games, and currently sits tied atop the table with PSG.Aidan Morris, at a slightly lower level, has also been making noise at Middlesbrough. After three consecutive man of the match awards in August, he has continued apace in September and helped lead Boro to the top of the English Championship. They remain unbeaten after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Southampton.Haji Wright and Coventry City are also unbeaten, having trounced Birmingham City 3-0 this weekend.Especially with Johnny and Pepi likely sidelined, Morris and Wright seem like strong candidates for the USMNT’s October roster, which will be released early this week. Tessmann, meanwhile, seems like a no-brainer inclusion.
How did other USMNT players perform?
Brenden Aaronson is battling at Leeds United. Amid relentless criticism from fans, and despite his lack of production in the final third, he has played in all six Premier League games for Leeds this season, including starts in the past three. He received a standing ovation from the home crowd when substituted late in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. During the Gold Cup, he seemed to be drifting out of the USMNT picture, but with his work rate and fortitude, he is keeping himself in World Cup contention.In that same Leeds-Bournemouth game, Tyler Adams — who was booed by the Leeds fans throughout — was his usual pugnacious self for 81 minutes.Also in the Prem, Chris Richards was arguably culpable on Liverpool’s late equalizer, but was then spared by Eddie Nketiah’s dramatic 97th-minute winner. Richards took to social media afterward to amplify claims that the Liverpool goal should have been disallowed for a Mohamed Salah handball, which might have put Richards off as he tried to clear a cross with his head.Elsewhere in England, down in the Championship, Patrick Agyemang notched an assist for Derby County. Josh Sargent has cooled down for Norwich City. Damion Downs is struggling badly at Southampton.Agyemang and Sargent are right on the World Cup roster bubble. Their inclusions or omissions in October could say a lot about U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s preferences.(Top photos: Matt Freese, left; Christian Pulisic; Getty Images)
Champions League Standings after 1 game
Five talking points ahead of the Champions League action
Story by
Powered by
Five talking points ahead of the Champions League action
The Football Faithful
Tue, September 30, 2025 at 6:56 AM EDT·
4 min read
The Champions League returns for matchday two this week, as Liverpool, Barcelona, PSG, and Spurs all face key clashes on the European stage.
Five talking points ahead of the Champions League action:
Jose Mourinho returns to Chelsea
Chelsea welcome a familiar figure back to Stamford Bridge as Jose Mourinho’s Benfica take on Enzo Maresca’s side on Tuesday night.
The Special One’s shadow looms large over the club this week amid a run of poor form. The Blues are looking for their first win this month, against the manager who guided them to three Premier League titles across two stints.
The days when Chelsea played like true world beaters feels a long time ago now. They may be world champions, for whatever that is worth, but after losing consecutive league games it looks like this will be another year in which they don’t challenge for the title, despite their massive spending in recent years.
Chelsea came out 4-1 winners from their meeting Benfica in the Club World Cup this past summer, although the Portuguese giants did take them to extra time. They are favoured to win this tie, but could the Mourinho factor give the visitors an edge?
The west London outfit hope not; Maresca can’t really afford to lose this one after falling to a 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on the opening week of this year’s competition.
On Wednesday we will finally get the matchup that we should have seen in last season’s final as Barcelona host PSG at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Barça’s defensive frailties ultimately cost them in the semi-final defeat to Inter Milan, and given how the Italians fared in the decider, Hansi Flick’s men may have avoided a drubbing of their own in Munich.
They could be facing Paris at a good time, though. The reigning champions recently lost to Marseille and have not been their typically dominant selves against Ligue 1 opposition, despite topping the table.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are in scorching hot form; unbeaten in all competitions, they have scored 23 goals in eight matches. This will be a very early test for Flick’s side and a measure of their credentials for the ultimate glory.
All eyes will be on that titanic clash, but elsewhere two giants of the European game will travel to face the tournament’s supposed whipping boys.
Real Madrid make the arduous trip to Kazakhstan to take on Kairat Almaty, while Bayern Munich head to Cyprus for a meeting with Pafos FC.
Real and Bayern have 21 Champions League titles between them, while Kairat and Pafos are competing at this level for the first time ever.
These matches are expected to only go one way, but it has only been four years since Real were shocked by Moldovan outfit FC Sheriff Tiraspol in the group stage. Bayern are only two years removed from an embarrassing defeat to third-tier Saarbrucken in the German Cup, so neither club is a stranger to unlikely upsets.
Liverpool make the trip to Galatasaray for just the third time in Champions League history this Tuesday as they look to bounce back from defeat to Crystal Palace at the weekend.
The Turkish outfit’s fans have become known for creating a febrile atmosphere on these European nights ever since their famous win over Manchester United in 1993.
The Gala fans welcomed the United players at the airport with banners reading “Welcome to Hell”, and they certainly delivered on that front.
A win here would be another shock on that scale. Liverpool are prohibitive favourites, despite their unconvincing performances this season. Galatasaray may be dominating the Super Lig after signing Leroy Sane and Victor Osimhen, but they were trounced 5-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt on the opening week.
The Champions League might quickly become a hellscape for Okan Buruk’s team if Liverpool find their scoring touch.
On their way to Europa League glory last season, Tottenham Hotspur had to go through Bodo/Glimt. It was a tricky tie against the Norwegian upstarts who have taken many scalps in Europe in recent years.
Spurs won the quarter-final clash 5-1 on aggregate, ensuring Glimt have never beaten an English side, losing all five of their encounters.
Thomas Frank should guide his side to another victory here, although he would probably prefer not to have to travel to the Arctic Circle this week. His squad will make a 6,200km round trip, before heading to Leeds this Saturday.
Jose Mourinho: He meant everything to Chelsea fans in his heyday, but what about now?
On Tuesday night, Jose Mourinho will get to discover if he is still seen as special among Chelsea fans.You would think the answer would be a categorical ‘yes’, right? This is the man who ended the club’s 50-year wait for a league title in 2005. The Portuguese won seven major trophies (three Premier Leagues, an FA Cup and three League Cups) during two spells at Stamford Bridge (2004-7, 2013-15) and boasted extraordinary statistics like not losing any of his first 77 home Premier League games (a run finally ended by Sunderland in 2014). Pictures of him posing with the Premier League trophy are still on the walls inside the Drake Suite at the ground.He returns this week as Benfica’s head coach but this will not be the first occasion Chelsea fans have had a chance to show what they think of him. Mourinho was booed following one game as Manchester United manager after Chelsea beat them in an FA Cup quarter-final. His popularity sank to a deeper low after taking charge of bitter rivals Tottenham (2019-21).So how is he viewed now? “Time is a healer,” veteran season ticket holder Tim Rolls tells The Athletic. “If you look at what Chelsea are now and where the club were under him 20 years ago, people will look back so much more fondly to what we had. We had an air of invincibility. You knew if Chelsea went 1-0 up, that was it. That does not happen now. People appreciate Mourinho’s record even more.”
Mourinho in November 2004, his first season at ChelseaRichard Heathcote/Getty Images
Another season ticket holder Rafael Alleyne, who has supported the club for over 40 years, agrees. “I know there can be mixed feelings. There was a funny spell in terms of how he was perceived during his time at Manchester United. But he will always be top for me.
“Why did his popularity dip? Going to a rival like Manchester United was one thing. There were also some digs he made at Chelsea. I didn’t have a problem with it because that’s just Jose but others did.”Claudia Coulter was just a young child during Mourinho’s first tenure and only really got to appreciate what he brought to Chelsea between 2013-15. But that is what made seeing him then take charge of two Premier League sides tougher to bear.“I found it particularly hard to see him in the Tottenham dugout, it just felt so wrong,” she says. “My dad (also a Chelsea fan) felt the same, we could not believe it. Seeing him at another Premier League team was always going to be weird and we had that first with Manchester United. But seeing him at Tottenham was a real kick in the gut because we obviously hate them. It was a real shock.d“He knew what the Chelsea fans thought about Spurs so it was not great at that moment. But you kind of have to move on. It is not a case of forgetting it, it is still a sore point, but you have to concentrate on all the good things that he did.“I will be there at the game and I can’t wait to see him back. I think he is going to get a good reception. There will always be some people who are not happy but I will give him a good reception. I just hope we beat him!”
Mourinho prepares to manage Tottenham against Chelsea in 2019Michael Regan/Getty Images
Since being fired by Tottenham four years ago, Mourinho has gone on to coach Roma and Fenerbahce before taking over at Benfica two weeks ago. In terms of his standing at Chelsea, Mourinho once said, “Until the moment they have a manager that wins four Premier Leagues for them, I’m the No 1.”
No one has got close. Antonio Conte is the only other coach to guide Chelsea to top spot (in 2016-17) following Mourinho’s last triumph in 2014-15. Under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium, who bought the club three years ago, Chelsea have not even challenged, although they did claim a unique double of the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Conference League last season.
Stay in the know by selecting your interests on The Athletic:
Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and incumbent Enzo Maresca are the three managers hired by the current regime. None of them forged a bond akin to the one Mourinho enjoyed. The latter goes into the game under increasing scrutiny from many in the stands because Chelsea have lost three of their last four games.Another season ticket holder Dave Chidgey says: “Chelsea were a top club under Mourinho, not this state we are in at the moment. I go back to the recent hires. We have had Potter, Pochettino and Maresca. They are not at his level.“Would I have him back for a third time? I don’t know, to be honest. It is a head-vs-heart situation. I know deep down it will never work under this ownership. He would see holes in the squad and want world-class guys to fill them, not caring how old they are or how much they cost. That mantra is a thing of the past at Chelsea and will never happen as long as these guys are in charge.”
Mourinho’s commitment to the cause made him very popular with the Chelsea faithfulClive Brunskill/Getty ImagesDan Silver believes the 3-1 loss to Brighton three days ago has improved Mourinho’s chances of being greeted warmly. The season ticket holder explained: “There could be a lot more vocal support for Mourinho because of the Brighton result. Maresca is still very much a Marmite figure.”There were other factors that made Chelsea fans lose a bit of their admiration for Mourinho while he was at the helm. For example, he criticised fans for the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge in 2014, saying that it was like playing in an empty stadium. Opposition fans have been chanting, “Mourinho’s right, your fans are sh*te,” ever since.Chidgey says: “I didn’t like it when he dug the fans out. It was just unfair because, if you have an understanding of what’s been going on at Premier League clubs for the last 20 years, the way people have been priced out, the sport being gentrified, that all plays a part. It felt like kicking a dog when they’re down. That’s what ground my gears. That, for me, is deliberately not understanding what supporters have to go through.”Mourinho was often on the back pages of newspapers and leading sports broadcast bulletins for things he did and said. Former head of UEFA’s referees committee Volker Roth labelled Mourinho an “enemy of football” after he had wrongly accused then Barcelona head coach Frank Rijkaard of visiting referee Anders Frisk at half-time during a 2-1 Champions League defeat in 2005.
Mourinho called much-respected Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger a “voyeur” and “a specialist in failure”. In June 2005, he was fined £75,000 (then $135,000) for meeting then Arsenal player Ashley Cole, without the north London club’s consent. Cole joined Chelsea the following year.
ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Perhaps the most damning incident was reaching a discrimination settlement with former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro in 2016. Carneiro was demoted soon after a game against Swansea in August 2015. Mourinho was furious that she and first-team physio Jon Fearn ran on to the pitch late on to treat Eden Hazard. Carneiro accused Mourinho of shouting “filha da puta” at her, which means ‘daughter of a whore’. Carneiro brought a case against Chelsea too for constructive dismissal after leaving in September 2015 and both the club and Mourinho ended up paying an undisclosed sum to resolve the case.Speaking generally about Mourinho’s antics, Silver says: “Some of his behaviour was not a good look for him or the club. It left a bad taste. But no one acts perfectly. Wenger was seen in a different, positive light and yet he pushed Mourinho in a game and kicked water bottles in another. You think of Sir Alex Ferguson shouting in referees’ faces. It felt like Mourinho was singled out for criticism. Mourinho fought the club’s corner. He was the master of the siege mentality, us against the world.”
Alleyne continues: “At the time, I may have been more like, ‘Did we have to do this, do we have to be public enemy No 1?’ There were times when I would think, ‘Jose, don’t do that,’ because he was either putting himself in a negative light or the club. But it was never to the degree of not wanting to have him, this is the kind of heat that comes with a guy like Mourinho. We had a target on our back.“I know people had a problem with his playing style too, that the result was king. But I was always about that. Perhaps he brainwashed me completely but it was all about the result and not being there to just mess around.”
Phil Cole/Getty Images
Chidgey is another who felt living with Mourinho’s flaws was a price worth paying: “He is not a saint and that is the brilliant and beautiful thing about him,” he explains. “Mourinho says and does stupid things, he annoys people. We have all done that. But at the same time, he won loads of trophies and put Chelsea on the top table of Europe. You cannot airbrush that from history just because he has done a few daft things over time.”Another possible criticism is that he did not win a Champions League with Chelsea despite having one of the best squads in Europe to work with. He lost two semi-finals against Liverpool (2005, 2007) and Atletico Madrid in 2014. It was Roberto Di Matteo (2012) and Thomas Tuchel (2021) who wrote their names into Chelsea folklore by winning Europe’s most prestigious competition. Mourinho did lift the trophy with Porto in 2004 and, six years later, with Inter Milan, having beaten Chelsea at the last-16 stage.
“I do not see it as a mark against him,” Alleyne insists. “It’s knockout football, it happens. He got to three semi-finals in the five full seasons he had, that’s still very good. He proved himself by winning three league titles. I would say it just highlights the bit of luck you need, which we clearly had in 2012.“I don’t think Mourinho is given enough credit for the winning DNA that was instilled in the club. The way that we talk about winning silverware now, the expectation, has come from him. It wasn’t there before he turned up.”Mourinho is 62 now and the grey hair betrays the reality he has aged quite a bit since walking into Chelsea for the first time 21 years ago.“The reality is you have to say he is a fading force,” Rolls concludes. “He is no longer in the conversation for a job at the top clubs and that says it all. But I go into the Benfica match with a lot more trepidation than I had before. That says a lot about him. He is so astute tactically, you never lose that.”(Top photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Atletico dominated the derby by exposing Real Madrid in the channels
It is rare to see such a basic approach working in a high-level football match, but Atletico Madrid’s style in their 5-2 thrashing of Real Madrid felt like old-school Atleti: 4-4-2, and lots of balls into the channels.
Diego Simeone’s approach has evolved across his 14-year spell as head coach, introducing more attacking flair. For the ‘derbi’, though, Atletico often go back to basics. And it worked on Saturday, with Atleti putting five goals past their city rivals for the first time in nearly 75 years.
Advertisement
“We knew where we could do damage, with breaks on the outside with Nicolas Gonzalez, Pablo Barrios, Julian Alvarez and Giuliano Simeone,” said Simeone after the game. “Taking the centre-backs out and leaving Alexander Sorloth inside to get chances. Beyond their two goals, the team did well. I liked everything. The team always knew what they had to do.”
That summarised it neatly. Atletico were particularly good at attacking down the flanks, most decisively with crosses — but their approach was about running the channels and dragging out the centre-backs.
This was how Real Madrid lined up. Xabi Alonso’s system was roughly 4-2-3-1, but with Arda Guler playing very narrow from the right, and Vinicius Junior offering little support to Alvaro Carreras at left-back.
It left Carreras badly exposed, with and without possession. Here, despite being in a decent position to track the run of Simeone Jr, a simple ball behind him causes all sorts of problems, with centre-back Dean Huijsen having to sprint across in an attempt to close down. This left central defensive partner Eder Militao isolated against Sorloth for the cross, although Militao dealt with this well.
Carreras was also caught out on the ball here, taking too long and allowing Barrios to pounce and slide a pass for Sorloth to go through on goal, although the Norway striker lacked the acceleration to get there before goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Down the other flank, Madrid had slightly different problems. Because Guler was playing so narrow, Dani Carvajal was tasked with providing right-sided width, and he also pressed high.
Here, three minutes in, the right-back is dragged out from defence to close down Gonzalez, and Clement Lenglet has the fairly simple task of knocking the ball in behind for Sorloth’s run. Again, Sorloth lacked the speed to ensure this was a clear goalscoring chance, and Militao recovered to make an excellent tackle.
Here is a more extreme example, when a pass is lobbed out to David Hancko at left-back. Carvajal is never going to get this ball, but he presses anyway, which makes it easy for Hancko to knock the ball past him. This time, it is Alvarez working the left channel, although the pass forces him wide and Militao shadows him well.
The problems continued after the break, particularly as Militao was forced off injured and replaced by Raul Asencio.
Advertisement
The below example was unfortunate, as Carvajal went in for a tackle and the ball deflected straight to Alvarez. But again, centre-back Asencio was forced out wide into an uncomfortable position, and ended up hacking down Alvarez just outside the box.
Carvajal was then replaced, which initially seemed a mere tactical change considering how badly Madrid were struggling down that side, although it later emerged the captain had picked up a calf injury. This meant Asencio going to right-back, with midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni dropping to centre-back.
This first frame shows the tactical battle perfectly: Real Madrid’s full-backs are always significantly ahead of the centre-backs, and Atletico’s two strikers in the channels are waiting for a forward pass. Here, another simple pass from Hancko finds Alvarez, and Tchouamani decides to hold his position, allowing Alvarez to assess his options.
The strange thing is that none of these situations actually led to a goal.
Atletico’s first four goals came from set pieces, in different ways: a Robin Le Normand header in the aftermath of a free kick, a Sorloth header after a throw-in, an Alvarez penalty after Guler was penalised for a high boot at a corner, and then a whipped Alvarez direct free kick. In stoppage time, Antoine Griezmann rounded things off with a goal on the break, his first in La Liga since February. The highlights alone would suggest that Real Madrid’s problem was defending dead-ball situations.
Wow the world’s best competition is back with a vengance – we had a 4-4 thriller at Juventus as Juve and American Weston McKinney came back from 0-2, then 2-4 down to tie it in extra time. Marcus Rashford returned to London in Barca colors and helped Barcelona win 2-0 with a Brace vs Tottenham. Awesome as Tim Weah Becomes 1st American to Score at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu as Mareille took a 1-0 lead on Real before the Galictico’s got a questionable PK late to secure the 2-1 win. Matchday 1 ScoresMatchday 1 great saves | Best Saves | UEFA Champions … (see GK section below). Games return Sept 30th with Matchday 2.
INDY 11 hosts Birmingham Sun 5 pm Hispanic Heritage Night The two teams battling for the final playoff position in the USL Championship Eastern Conference faced off Saturday night, with host Rhode Island FC scoring a second-half goal and surviving a frantic finish for a 1-0 win. With six games left in the regular season, Indy Eleven trails Rhode Island by one point. Indy Eleven hosts Birmingham Legion FC this Sunday, September 21 at 5 pm on Hispanic Heritage Night at Carroll Stadium with $11 tickets & an $11 scarf special.
Shane, Nick H and Ted Howlet enjoying Gene’s Rootbeer in Anderson after an Indiana Christian game. Fried Cheeseburger baby!! Rachel and Jason M at Covenant Christian High Thursday night – this D1 team is really good.
Jorge, Nick & The Ole Ballcoach at University High Monday Night Doing a little 2 man with Scott Baker at Zionsville vs Noblesville Girls. Got to do some MAL games U12 at Grand Park with these young Refs
=====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Got some Good BarBQ for your Summer Plans ? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
FULL TV GAME SCHEDULE
Fri, Sept 19 8 pm Prime Houston Dash vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL 10 pm CBSSN, Prime Utah Royals vs Racing Louisville NWSL Sat, Sept 20 7:30 am USA Liverpool vs Everton 7:30 am CBSSN Leicester City vs Coventry City (Wright) 9:30 am ESPN+ Hoffenhiem vs Bayern Munich 10 am USA West Ham vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 10 am Peacock Burnley (Adams) vs Nottingham Forest 10 am Peacock Wolverhampton vs Leeds (Aaronson) 10 am Para, Prime Norwich City (Sargent) vs Wrexham 10:15 am ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Espanyol 12 noon Para+ Hellas Verona vs Juventus (McKennie) 2:45 pm Para+ Udinese vs AC Milan (Pulisic) 12:30 pm NBC Man United vs Chelsea 3 pm USA Fulham (Robinson) vs Brentford 7:30 pm Prime Columbus Crew vs Toronto FC 7:30 pm Prime, Apple Miami vs DC United 7:30 pm TUBI KC Current vs Seattle Reign NWSL 10 pm TUBI Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave NWSL 10:30 pm Prime LA Galaxy vs Cincy Sun, Sept 21 9 am USA Bournmouth vs New Castle 10:15 am ESPN+ Mallorca vs Atletico Madrid (Cardosa) 11:30 am ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) vs B Mgladbach (Scally, Reyna) 11:30 am USA Arsenal vs Man City 2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Sassuolo 2:45 pm beIN Sport Olympique Marseille (Weah) vs PSG 3 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Getafe 8:30 pm ESPN2 Bay FC vs NY/NJ Gotham FC NWSL 9 pm FS 1 LAFC (Son) vs Real Salt Lake (Luna) Tues, Sept 23 2:45 pm Para+ Fulham (Jedi) vs Cambridge 2:45 pm Para+ Wrexham vs Reading League Cup 3 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Lecce Copa 3:30 pm ESPN2 Levante vs Real Madrid Wed, Sept 24 Europa League 3 pm Para+ Crvena Z vs Celtic (CVB) 3 pm Para+ Real Betis vs Nottingham Forest thur, Sept 25 Europa League 3 pm Para+ Rangers vs Genk 3 pm Para+ Aston Villa vs Bologna Fri, Sept 26 2:30 pm ESPN2 Bayern Munich vs Werder Bremen 8 pm Prime KC Current vs Chicago Stars NWSL 10:30 pm Para+/Golazo San Diego Wave vs Orlando Pride NWSL Sat, Sept 27 10 am USA ? Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Liverpool 10 am Peacock Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Bournemouth (Adams) 10:15 am ESPND, ESPN+ Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid 12 pm Para+ Juventus (Mckinnie) vs Atalanta 12:30 pm ESPN+ B Mglabach (Reyna, Scally) vs Frankfurt (Chandler) 12:30 pm USA Nottingham Forest vs Sunderland 3 pm USA Tottenham vs Wolverhampton 7:30 pm Tubi Racing Louisville vs Angel City FC NWSL 10 pm Tubi Bay FC vs Utah Royals NWSL Sun, Sept 28 11:30 am USA Newcastle United vs Arsenal 3 pm ESPNd, ESPN+ Barcelona vs Real Sociedad 7 pm Apple TV Cincy vs Orlando City Sept 30, Oct 1/2 Champions League Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia Thurs, Oct 23 9 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Chester PA Sun, Oct 26 4 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Hartford CT Sat, Nov 15 5 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Paraguay Chester PA Tues, Nov 18 7 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
DISCOUNT SMALL ENGINE & BIG ENGINE REPAIRS IN CARMEL
Need your Riding Mower, Push Mower or any small engine or Car Engine Work Done by Carmel High Junior Mechanical Wizard for a bargain basement Price? Email my buddy Marc Sultanov at marc.sultanov@gmail.com
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Ides of September
Some of our most watched leagues embark on a new season.
Getty Images
It was a full week of soccer with Champions League rounds kicking off midweek but things aren’t slowing down over the weekend and we have a slew of matches including some head-to-head action in Germany. Here’s what we have our eyes on this weekend:
Saturday
Augsburg v Mainz – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Noahkai Banks did not appear last weekend in Augsburg’s 2-1 loss to St. Pauli, a week after getting his first minute off the bench in a 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich. Augsburg have lost their last two and look to get back on track as they play host to a Mainz side that are still looking for their first win of the season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leeds United – 10a on Peacock: Brenden Aaronson received his first start of the season last weekend in Leeds’ 1-0 loss to Fulham. Leeds have one point from their past three matches, after opening the season with a win over Everton, and are in 16th place early in the season. This weekend they face a Wolverhampton side that have lost all four matches this season, though three of the four have been decided by a single goal.
West Ham United v Crystal Palace – 10a on USA Network: Chris Richards came off the bench to score a goal and convert his penalty midweek as Crystal Palace defeated Millwall in a penalty shoot-out to advance in the third round of the EFL Cup. Palace are undefeated though they have just one win in four matches early in the EPL season. They take on a West Ham side that have been involved in some lopsided affairs, winning 3-0 over Nottingham Forest for their lone points of the season while giving up three or more goals in each of their losses.
Norwich City v Wrexham – 10a on Paramount+: Josh Sargent was held scoreless for the first time this season as Norwich City drew with Coventry 1-1 last weekend. Sargent will look to return to his scoring ways against Wrexham this weekend as Norwich look for their third win against a newly promoted side that have just one win on the season.
Hellas Verona v Juventus – Noon on Paramount+: Weston McKennie was back in the lineup for Juventus because of course he is. McKennie, who had appeared as a late sub in Juve’s first two matches started as a left wing-back as Juventus defeated Inter Milan 4-3 last weekend, and started again midweek as Juve drew with Burussia Dortmund 4-4 in Champions League action. Despite speculation that McKennie was on the outside looking in to start the season he has once again shown himself to be a part of the picture in Turin. Juventus have won their first three league matches and are tied with Napoli atop the Serie A table. On Saturday they face a Hellas Verona side that are looking for their first win of the 2025-26 campaign.
Udinese v AC Milan – 2:45p on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic has come off the bench in AC Milan’s past two matches, wins over Lecce and Bologna. The team doesn’t have European competition to worry about though they do have a Coppa Italia match with Lecce coming up on Tuesday. Their slip up to start the season, a 2-1 loss to Cremonese, has Milan in fifth place, a point behind this weekend’s opponent Udinese.
Fulham v Brentford – 3p on USA Network: Antonee Robinson was an unused substitute last weekend in Fulham’s 1-0 win over Leeds United, and he has appeared twice for just over fifty minutes combined this season. Fulham’s win over Leeds was their first victory of the season and they are currently a point ahead of Brentford who drew with Chelsea last weekend in league play and defeated Aston Villa midweek on penalties in the Carabao Cup.
Saturday MLS Matches with USMNT flavor – here is when the September MLS call ups are kicking off their matches this weekend, all matches on MLS Season Pass:
NYCFC v Charlotte – Noon: Matt Freese v Tim Ream
Philadelphia Union v New England – 2:30p: Nathan Harriel
Atlanta United v San Diego – 4:30p: Luca de la Torre
Columbus Crew v Toronto FC – 7:30p: Max Arfsten and Sean Zawadski
Orlando City SC v Nashville SC – 7:30p: Alex Freeman
Sporting Kansas City v Vancouver Whitecaps – 8:30p: Tristian Blackmon
Houston Dymano v Portland Timbers – 8:30p: Jack McGlynn
LA Galaxy v Cincinnati – 10:30p: Roman Celetano
Sunday
PSV v Ajax – 8:30a on ESPN Select: Sergino Dest and Ricardo Pepi had a rough midweek falling to Union Saint-Gilloise 3-1 in Champions League group stage play with Pepi having a bit of a howler on the defensive end (don’t ask me what he’s doing down there). They return to Eredivisie action which is normally safer, Pepi scored two last weekend and Dest had an assist in PSV’s 5-3 win over NEC Nijmegen, but they will be facing rivals Ajax, who are just a point back of them in the league standings.
Bournemouth v Newcastle – 9a on USA Network: Tyler Adams and Bournemouth have won three straight and currently sit tied with Arsenal and Tottenham for second place with nine points. On Sunday they face Newcastle who picked up their first league win 1-0 over Wolverhampton last weekend and fell 2-1 to Barcelona in Champions League play on Thursday.
Torino v Atalanta – 9a on Paramount+: Yunus Musah got his first start for Atalanta on Wednesday in Champions League play. Unfortunately, his side fell to last seasons champions PSG 4-0. Musah had also come off the bench last weekend to make his first appearance for his new club in a 4-1 win over Lecce.
Mallorca v Atletico Madrid – 10:15a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Johnny Cardoso was not included in the squad for Atletico Madrid midweek as the team fell to Liverpool 3-2 and he was an unused substitute last weekend in his teams 2-0 win over Villarreal. Cardoso apparently picked up a bit of an injury though it’s unclear at this time how much action he will miss.
Monaco v Metz – 11:15a on beIN Sports: Add Folarin Balogun to the list of USMNT players who had a rough start to the Champions League midweek. Balogun’s Monaco side fell to Club Brugge 4-1 on Thursday. In League play Monaco have won three of four, including a 2-1 win over Auxerre last weekend with Balogun picking up an assist, and the team sits in third place heading into their match with Metz who have just one point in four matches.
Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia Monchengladbach – 11:30a on ESPN Select: Mallik Tillman and Gio Reyna will face off on Sunday as Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach meet up in league play. Tillman started on Thursday but went just 51’ in Leverkusen’s 2-2 draw with Copenhagen. Meanwhile Reyna made his first appearance for Gladbach, getting the start and going 74’ in the team’s 4-0 loss to Werder Bremen. Interestingly, Joe Scally who has been such a consistent feature for Gladbach was an unused substitute in the loss that cost manager Gerardo Seoane his position.
Olympique Marseille v PSG – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Tim Weah was one of the few American’s to have a positive match midweek in the Champions League group stage. Weah opened the scoring at the Bernabeu to put Marseille up 1-0 on hosts Real Madrid. Unfortunately, Marseille were unable to hold on to the lead as Madrid took advantage of a questionable handball call late in the match to pull out the 2-1 victory. Marseille have alternated wins and losses to start the Ligue 1 season, most recently defeating Lorient 4-0, and will now host league leading PSG on Sunday.
Sunday MLS Activity:
Austin v Seattle Sounders – 7p on MLS Season Pass: Cristian Roldan
LAFC v Real Salt Lake – 9p on FS1: Diego Luna
Champions League overreactions: Arsenal only PL team to have deep run
Bill ConnellySep 19, 2025, 07:00 AM ET ESPNFC
One of the lessons we learned in last season’s Champions League league phase was that there’s little sense in playing for draws. Twenty-six teams won at least three of their eight matches, and 24 advanced. Feyenoord lost by scores of 4-0 and 6-1, but advanced with three wins. Club Brugge lost by scores of 3-0, 3-1 and 3-1 and advanced. Hell, three wins for Dinamo Zagreb damn near overcame a 9-2 first-matchday loss to Bayern Munich.If Matchday 1 of this year’s competition is any indication, teams figured this out, too, because teams were going for it. Sixteen of 18 matches featured at least two goals, and 11 featured at least four. We saw 18 goals after the 80th minute, and it only felt like all those were in the epic 4-4 between Juventus and Borussia Dortmund. We know that one matchday won’t teach us everything we need to know about a given competition; in last year’s Champions League, after all, eventual champion Paris Saint-Germain barely salvaged a meek 1-0 win over a bad Girona team, and eventual semifinalist Barcelona lost to Monaco. Reserved reactions are smart, but they’re also no fun whatsoever. So as we do at the start of the club season, we’re going to take the regulator off a bit and overreact.Here are five things I’m far more confident in than I was when matches began on Tuesday. – Champions League talking points: Is Rashford back to his best? Who shone? – Women’s Champions League: Arsenal draw Lyonnes, Chelsea get Barça –
Arsenal will win the Champions League
The only surprise about Arsenal‘s 2-0 win at Athletic Club on Tuesday was that they didn’t score from a set piece. Otherwise, it was just about as Arsenal as an Arsenal match could be in that a) very little happened over a long period of time and b) Arsenal won. They have long been happy to default to “war of attrition” mode (total goals in their first four Champions League league phase matches last season: 4), and following a summer of ambitious spending — eight new acquisitions, nearly €300 million in transfer fees — they now have the depth to really lean on opponents.That depth earned them three points in Bilbao. Through 70 minutes, the two teams had combined for just 0.9 xG from 17 shots. But in the 72nd minute, substitute Gabriel Martinelli scored on a breakaway assisted by substitute Leandro Trossard, and then Trossard put the match away with a goal (assisted by Martinelli) at the end of another vertical attack in the 87th minute.Arsenal’s subs were difference-makers while in a combined 82 minutes, Athletic’s five subs combined for two shots (combined xG: 0.05) and no chances created. In fact, after a decent run of attacking to start the second half, Athletic managed only those two shot attempts in the final 33 minutes.Arsenal already have the best defensive setup in Europe at a time when many top clubs, including Premier League rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, are struggling at times with transition defense and tactical balance. Now coach Mikel Arteta knows he can eventually find attacking answers, too, even if he has to wait for opponents to wear down first. That means he has even less reason to take major tactical risks. Athletic had kept wingers Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke mostly quiet on the night, and they’d gotten away with allowing a couple of decent opportunities to Viktor Gyökeres. But even without injured stars Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz, Arsenal still landed a knockout blow.You can make an easy case that the Gunners overpaid for both Eze and Gyökeres — both are 27 years old, neither are heavily involved in link-up play or intricate passing sequences, and both could become albatrosses by the end of their respective contracts. But Arsenal can afford them, they’re clearly in win-now mode, and it’s hard not to like their chances of making a run even deeper than last year’s semifinal trip. (I said something similar about their chances in their other primary competition recently.)
Arsenal threw body blows, bided their time and then put the match away. Thrilling? No. Effective in a way that could remain effective through May? Yes.
No other Premier League team will make a major run
Arsenal obviously weren’t the only English club to spend absurd amounts to build roster war chests this summer. In fact, among the Premier League’s Champions League teams alone, their outlay of transfer fees (€293.5 million) was dwarfed by that of Liverpool (€484.7 million) and Chelsea (€339.2 million) and nearly matched by Newcastle’s (€278.9 million). The league threw its financial weight around in an almost unprecedented way.
However, spending power has not bought loads of Champions League runs in recent seasons. After producing all-Premier League finals in 2019 and 2021, the league has averaged only one semifinalist per year since. And aside from Arsenal, the other English teams in this competition are in odd places at the moment.
Liverpool is less a team and more a collection of adrenaline junkies at the moment. They’ve already blown five leads in six matches, including three two-goal leads. Now, they’ve still won five of those six, including all four Premier League matches and Tuesday’s raucous affair against Atlético Madrid. They’ve scored five game-winners after the 82nd minute, too, three in stoppage time. This is an absolute thrill-ride, and with their suddenly epic spending, they’re almost developing a Real Madrid-like inevitability. But Real Madrid’s most clutch squads weren’t blowing leads at this rate, and relying on late heroics is a good way to eventually fall in a knockout competition.
That said, from a stats perspective, their match against Atletico was probably their best of the season. They attempted 20 shots to Atleti’s 10 despite leading most of the way, and their plus-2.1 xG advantage was far greater than in early Premier League wins over Bournemouth, Newcastle and Arsenal (combined: plus-0.3). Yes, it was another blown lead, but it required a couple of miraculous Marcos Llorente goals — the kind he particularly enjoys delivering at Anfield (and Anfield only) — and it was otherwise a one-sided affair. Maybe that’s a good sign.
Manchester City also handled its business just fine this week, eventually easing to a 2-0 win over 10-man Napoli. Napoli were enjoying their only particularly threatening spell at the time of Giovanni Di Lorenzo‘s red card in the 21st minute, and it was one-way traffic from there. It looked for a while that Napoli might be able to will themselves to a 0-0 draw, but Erling Haaland put an end to that in the 56th minute.
Napoli finished with one shot attempt and 26% possession, but that one shot was a close-range effort on a set piece and required a pretty good save from Gianluigi Donnarumma. It was worth 0.17, which just about mirrored the average xG per shot City are allowing in Premier League play. Going back to the 4-3 Club World Cup loss against Al-Hilal, there’s a level of defensive fragility here that makes it hard to trust this team just yet.Tottenham Hotspur also won their opener, but they did the bare minimum against Villarreal, scoring on a dreadful error from keeper Luiz Júnior in the fourth minute and closing up shop. They attempted just nine shots (0.5 xG) and allowed 10 (0.5). They got the job done, but did nothing to assuage my concerns about their ability to create quality shots — they’re currently 17th in the Premier League in xG per shot — and I’m guessing this is a round-of-16 or quarterfinal team this year.
On paper, Chelsea certainly have the pieces to make a run, but their dramatic Champions League inexperience was laid bare in Munich on Wednesday. Against a sharp Bayern Munich, they were outshot and outrun, 3-1. Cole Palmer scored on a counterattack and had a second goal disallowed, but Chelsea ceded control to their hosts in a way that a genuine contender rarely does. They looked like an inexperienced underdog. Not a great start.
Newcastle United probably deserved a better outcome on Thursday against Barcelona; they generated more xG in 10 shots (1.4) than Barça did in 19 (1.3), but they were bested by Barça’s high defensive line, possession-hungry play and two goals — one good, one unbelievable — from Marcus Rashford.The concerns I have for Newcastle in the Premier League — depth and scoring capabilities, basically — certainly apply in the Champions League, and their chances of securing a top-eight finish in the league phase took a hit here.
A Belgian team is making the quarterfinals
Don’t ask me which one, though, because two have a shot.
Since a Super Cup loss to Club Brugge, Belgian champion Union St.-Gilloise — one of the most enjoyable teams to follow in recent years as they leapt from the second division to immediate top-division contention and landed exciting young player after exciting young player — has laid down a path of destruction. They’ve outscored seven Belgian opponents by a combined 15-3 margin this season, and in their first-ever Champions League match on Tuesday, they traded haymakers with PSV for most of an hour, then shut things down and won easily, 3-1.PSV finally scored in the 90th minute, and they perhaps deserved more after creating shots worth 2.2 xG, but USG generated 3.4 xG from 18 shots. They out-PSV’d PSV.Club Brugge, meanwhile, out-everything’d Monaco in a 4-1 home win on Thursday. They’ve dropped some points in domestic play, but they could be forgiven since, including qualification ties, they’ve outscored five Champions League opponents by a combined 17-3 thus far. Veteran Hans Vanaken and the left-sided duo of Christos Tzolis and Joaquin Seys have combined for seven goals and eight assists; Vanaken had one of each as four different FCB players scored.Going back to last year’s round-of-16 run, Club Brugge have now won nine of their last 14 UEFA matches. Via the Opta Supercomputer, they now have the 12th-highest projected point total for the league phase now; USG is 11th. Both are ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Newcastle, Juventus and Atlético Madrid, among many others.Dutch teams have the far greater history in this competition, but their neighbors to the south are looking great, and they’ve positioned themselves well.
The price tag for Eintracht’s Can Uzun keeps going up
One of the most ruthless aspects of European competitions is that even if an upstart emerges and threatens to upend the status quo, the sport’s powers can pluck that upstart apart in the transfer window before the competition is even over.
Benfica had one of the most impressive teams in the group stage of the Champions League in 2022-23, winning a group with both PSG and Juventus while going unbeaten against both. But Chelsea offered eleventy million Euros (okay, €121 million) for star midfielder Enzo Fernández — who had himself only arrived from River Plate that previous summer — in the January transfer window, and that was that. Benfica still walloped Club Brugge in the round of 16 in February, but they fell with little resistance against Inter Milan in the next round. (Chelsea grabbed another breakout star, Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykhailo Mudryk for €70 million in that same window. That one hasn’t worked out quite as well.)
For players on teams that aren’t mega-clubs, European competitions are almost like auditions. Eintracht Frankfurt know this as well as anyone. Omar Marmoush‘s four goals and two assists in 406 Europa League minutes last season helped to provide proof of concept for a €75m January transfer to Manchester City.
For good measure, Hugo Ekitike (four goals and three assists in 809 minutes) then left for Liverpool for €95 million over the summer and even though they aimed for more of a veteran presence with their own summer acquisitions, another young star has quickly emerged. Nineteen-year-old Can Uzun has three goals and two assists in three Bundesliga matches this season, and he made an immediate Champions League impact with a go-ahead goal against Galatasaray on Thursday.Eintracht have made a lot of money due to their recent run of great talent identification and development, and it seems they’ll probably be rewarded for Uzun’s star turn, too. But it would be awesome to see what they might be capable of if they could keep some of this talent in-house for a bit longer at some point. They scored five goals against Galatasaray even without Marmoush and Ekitike, after all.If we’re doing some proper scouting for future big moves, here are eight other players who probably saw their respective stock prices rise quite a bit this week under the floodlights.
Ismael Saibari, PSV Eindhoven (24). He’s a central midfielder who plays so advanced that he was second in the Eredivisie in assists last season (11) and ninth in goals (11), and for all the nice words I paid to Union Saint-Gilloise above, Saibari created a couple of spectacular chances to redefine the game, missing opportunities in the sixth (0.54 xG) and 55th (0.80 xG) minutes.
Camilo Durán, Qarabag (23). Qarabag have come to rule Azerbaijan’s Premier League with a veteran-heavy squad, but Durán, acquired this summer from Portugal‘s Portimonense, took full advantage of a shot at Portuguese giants Benfica. He assisted Qarabag’s first goal, then scored its second as the Atlilar (the Horsemen, a pretty fantastic nickname) came back to secure their first-ever group stage victory in the Champions League.
Lamine Camara, Monaco (21). Monaco got absolutely wrecked by Club Brugge, but Camara still filled the box score. He had 20 combined progressive passes and carries and 10 ball recoveries, most of anyone in Matchday 1. He also suffered two fouls and won seven ground duels. He enjoyed a breakout season last year, with seven league assists, and if Monaco did anything right on Thursday, Camara was probably behind it.
Daniel Bassi, Bodo/Glimt (20). He has only just begun to work his way into the rotation for the Arctic Circle club, but in just 45 minutes on Wednesday, he won a penalty, scored to cut Bodo/Glimt’s deficit to 2-1, then played a key role in the sequence that made it 2-2.
Youssoupha Mbodji, Slavia Prague (21). Why was Bodo/Glimt down two goals to begin with? Because Mbodji scored twice, appearing out of nowhere from his left back position to finish two great opportunities.
Georgiy Sudakov, Benfica (23). A Benfica player recently acquired from Shakhtar? He was destined to become a Champions League star! And while his team played poorly enough against Qarabag to get its manager fired, Sudakov was fantastic, creating one assist from two chances and completing 12 progressive passes.
Nicolo Tresoldi, Club Brugge (21). After a couple of solid seasons in the 2. Bundesliga, the 6’0 Tresoldi joined a Champions League team, and including qualification he has two goals and an assist in 226 minutes. He scored Brugge’s first against Monaco, and I’m guessing that’s not his last in the league phase.
Marcus Rashford, Barcelona (27). Have you heard of this up-and-comer? Okay, no, this list was neither meant for known onetime stars or Barcelona players, but I had to squeeze him in here somewhere. I mean, did you see this strike?This is what life looks like when you escape Manchester United, I guess.
My off-the-cuff 1-to-36 rankings after one matchday
• 1. Arsenal • 2. PSG • 3. Liverpool • 4. Real Madrid • 5. Bayern Munich • 6. Barcelona • 7. Manchester City • 8. Inter Milan
Real Madrid are a perfect 5-for-5 since the Xabi Alonso era began in earnest last month, and while they needed a pair of penalties to survive Marseille at home, 2-1, the score was misleading — Real Madrid generated far more quality chances (even while playing down a man for about 20 minutes because of Dani Carvajal‘s foolish red card) and got away with both the red card and an early-game injury to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
• 9. Chelsea • 10. Tottenham • 11. Napoli • 12. Newcastle • 13. Borussia Dortmund • 14. Juventus • 15. Eintracht Frankfurt • 16. Sporting CP
• 17. Atlético Madrid • 18. Bayer Leverkusen • 19. Villarreal • 20. Union Saint-Gilloise • 21. Club Brugge • 22. Atalanta • 23. Athletic Club • 24. Bodo/Glimt
The fightin’ Glimts of Bodo, semifinalists in last year’s Europa League, erased a 2-0 deficit at Slavia Prague to salvage a point, and now they’ll get a shot at revenge with a semifinal rematch at home against Tottenham Hotspur in two weeks. (Monaco, Juventus and Manchester City must also visit the Arctic circle. Love it.)
I got to know this Qarabag team watching them nearly take down Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League two years ago, and with the dose of energy Durán has given them, they look awfully fun. Their comeback win over Benfica was a stunner, and they might need to spring only one more surprise to advance to the knockout rounds.
Juventus 4-4 Borussia Dortmund: Breaking down an instant Champions League classic
“I’ve already had enough of this type of match,” grumbled Juventus manager Igor Tudor in his post-match interview with Sky Sports Italia after their 4-4 draw with Borussia Dortmund. He certainly wasn’t speaking for the majority.For those fortunate enough to watch on, the Champions League laid out an opening-night banquet in Turin: eight goals from seven scorers, the latest two-goal-deficit fightback in the competition’s history, refereeing controversy and a glimpse of the game’s next star. Now, with breath just about regained, it’s time to unpack how last night’s madness unfolded.
Borussia Dortmund go 4-2 up in the 86th minute. Job done, surely… (Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
“We are conceding too many. At least we’re scoring a lot too, but we cannot carry on like this,” said Tudor, his fatigue betraying the whirlwind week his side has endured. A few days after a last-gasp 4-3 Serie A victory against perennial rivals Inter, here he was again embroiled in another chaotic thriller.While Italian football has shed much of its traditional defensive skin, Serie A still averaged fewer goals per game last season than Europe’s other ‘big five’ leagues, and its coaches bristle when games descend into disorder.The opening half was far more restrained, feeling like a subdued comedown from Juventus’ weekend exploits. It was tame and tentative, with neither side especially eager to force the issue. A speculative long-range effort from defensive midfielder Khephren Thuram after just three minutes drew a sharp save from Gregor Kobel, but action was scarce thereafter.The expected goals (xG) step chart below shows that while Juventus created more chances in the first half (0.67 xG), they didn’t exactly overwhelm Dortmund. Most of their threat came from corners and Weston McKennie’s long throws rather than incisive attacking play.
Juventus’ blunt approach still carried more impetus than Dortmund could muster, with the visitors failing to register a shot on target in the first half. Their first sign of attacking life arrived five minutes into the second period, when right centre-back Julian Ryerson picked out the darting run of Maximilian Beier. The attacking midfielder stretched to meet it and almost squeezed in his extremely acute effort, only to rattle the base of the post.
At last, a spark, and moments later, Adeyemi’s wonderful opener ignited the night. The 23-year-old German is blessed with quick feet, and only Jamie Gittens, now at Chelsea, completed more take-ons per 90 minutes for Dortmund last season. That elusiveness proved decisive, as Adeyemi skipped by three closely attendant markers before arrowing his shot into the corner.
As good as Adeyemi’s goal was, Kenan Yildiz’s wonder strike leveller 10 minutes later was the standout effort in a game packed with goal-of-the-round contenders. The move began with excellent work from substitute Joao Mario, the summer signing from Porto, who carried the ball across the width of the pitch before laying it off to Yildiz on the right edge of the box. From there, he curled a stunning effort into the top-right corner, a finish he later described as “a bit instinctive”. Those innate instincts for the spectacular are among the reasons that the 20-year-old Turkish winger is fast emerging as one of the most precious young gems in European football.
Yildiz was at his effervescent best all evening. As his player dashboard shows, no player was more involved in Juventus’ attacking sequences. Ryerson endured a tough evening, struggling to contain him.
Seemingly still spellbound by Yildiz’s strike, Juventus forgot they still had a match to play, falling behind again less than a minute after the restart. Below, Felix Nmecha can be seen screaming for the ball, arms outstretched, as Juventus left vast space at the edge of the area. The warning went unheeded when the ball was finally poked out to him, Nmecha punished them with yet another curling finish into the top corner.
This madcap spell was far from finished, and Juventus equalised again moments later, completing a remarkable flurry of three goals in four minutes. This time it was Dusan Vlahovic’s turn. Having only just come on, he could scarcely believe the space afforded to him as Yildiz slipped a clever through ball into his path. Vlahovic’s finish was relatively routine — the first goal of the night to come from inside the box.
Compared to the manic tempo that had preceded it, the ensuing seven-minute goalless lull felt like a marathon, broken when wing-back Yan Couto fired Dortmund back in front in the 74th minute. His low, driven effort from just inside the box skidded past Michele Di Gregorio at his near post, one the goalkeeper will feel he ought to have saved.
No thriller is truly complete without a dash of controversy, and this one duly obliged in the 86th minute when Dortmund were awarded a penalty. After squandering a golden counter-attack, the visitors worked the ball to Guirassy, whose shot struck a falling Lloyd Kelly’s hand, which he was using to break his fall. Centre-back Ramy Bensebaini calmly converted from the spot, and with a two-goal lead, it seemed Dortmund had settled the contest.Six minutes of stoppage time offered Juventus only a sliver of hope, and after three of them, it seemed to have fully evaporated. But Dortmund, a side with a reputation for late implosions, were architects of their own downfall. Penalty-scorer Bensebaini, instead of taking the sensible option of clearing long or conceding a throw, played the ball straight to the feet of Juventus’ Pierre Kalulu. From there, Kalulu flashed a cross across the face of goal for Vlahovic to turn in.
The dramatic equaliser came from the unlikeliest of sources, as Vlahovic then laid on an assist to Kelly, playing now as an auxiliary centre-forward, who powered home a headed effort. Few would have imagined Kelly delivering the decisive touch in a rip-roaring Champions League contest when he arrived from Newcastle United in February. Yet in some ways it was fitting: an unconventional goalscorer for a thrillingly unconventional game.Kelly’s goal is the latest scored by a Juventus player in the Champions League, which, for a club as storied as the Turin side, is quite something.Igor Tudor might be tired of chaotic games like this, but for everyone else, this was Champions League football at its very best, whetting our appetites for the campaign ahead.
Champions League post-MD1 projections: Liverpool early favourites but are Inter flying under the radar?
There were 67 goals scored across a thrilling Matchday 1 of the 2025-26 Champions League.Most of the big-hitters began with wins, some doing so in hostile territory and difficult circumstances. There were a few surprises along the way too, adding to the intrigue of this second season in the competition’s expanded 36-team format.Throughout the tournament, The Athletic will use its projections — powered by Opta data — to understand each club’s probability of league-phase elimination, direct qualification to the last 16 via a top-eight finish, entry into the play-off round by placing ninth to 24th and of winning the whole thing at the final in Budapest, Hungary on May 30.Despite being just one week into the eight-round league phase, our projections have already seen plenty of movement. The link to them is below.What You Should Read NextChampions League 2025-26 Projections: Who will lift the trophy in Budapest on May 30?Our Opta-powered Champions League projections update after each matchday
Here, we break down the key risers, fallers and more from Matchday 1.
Match of the week
Juventus’ stunning comeback to draw 4-4 with visitors Borussia Dortmund was the pick of the games. A fixture that was goalless for the first 51 minutes sprang to life in true “under the lights on a Tuesday night” fashion.
The result in Turin did not move the needle too much in terms of our projections for either team. Dortmund are still projected to pick up 12 points and have a 63 per cent chance of making the play-off round, the same as Juventus, who our calculations have finishing with 11 points.
Real Madrid are the only truly tough team among Juventus’ remaining seven opponents, while Dortmund must still play Manchester City and Inter.
How did the contenders do?
Despite wins for champions Paris Saint-Germain, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal and Barcelona, Liverpool lead the pack with a 20 per cent chance of being crowned champions of Europe for the seventh time.
Arne Slot’s side scored twice in the opening six minutes against Atletico Madrid but, typical of their start to the season, needed a stoppage-time goal from Virgil van Dijk (celebrating in the top image) to take all three points at Anfield. That improved their chances of qualifying directly for the round of 16 from 77 per cent to 84.
They trail only Arsenal, who beat Athletic Club 2-0 in Bilbao, on that front — Mikel Arteta’s side now have an 86 per cent chance of reaching the last 16 without having to go through February’s play-offs. This is largely due to the fact the north London club face, according to Opta’s fixture difficulty rankings, the third-easiest set of league-phase fixtures (Liverpool’s schedule ranks seventh). Arsenal currently have the second-highest chance of winning the competition at 17 per cent.
Barcelona are the only other team, alongside Liverpool and Arsenal, to have a less-than-one-per-cent chance of league-phase elimination after an impressive 2-1 away win against Newcastle United thanks to Marcus Rashford’s double. The manner in which Pedri and Frenkie de Jong dealt with Newcastle’s physical, ground-consuming midfield was also a joy to behold.
Barcelona’s projected points tally has improved to 17 (from an initial 15), while their chances of directly reaching the round of 16 have increased to 71 per cent (from 56).
Bayern, who have the hardest fixtures of all, were dominant in a 3-1 home win against Club World Cup champions Chelsea, courtesy of a Harry Kane brace and some self-enforced errors by the west London club. Though the Germans look a much more complete team now than last season, they have to play both Arsenal and PSG away, as well as a couple of potentially tricky games against Belgian pair Club Brugge and Union Saint-Gilloise. Bayern’s chances of league-phase elimination have fallen substantially, from 11 per cent to three, and beating Chelsea also boosted their odds of a top-eight finish to 50 per cent from 35.
City saw Napoli off 2-0, with Kevin De Bruyne’s swift return to the Etihad Stadium following his summer transfer cut short after 26 minutes as he was substituted following team-mate Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s dismissal. The win reduced City’s odds of finishing outside the top 24 to one per cent, while they have a 70 per cent chance of directly qualifying for the round of 16 in March. Barring a visit to Real Madrid in early December, Pep Guardiola’s side do not have a particularly tricky set of league-phase fixtures left.
Speaking of Madrid, they huffed and puffed to a 2-1 home win against Marseille to overcome losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to injury and Dani Carvajal to a red card either side of Timothy Weah’s 22nd-minute goal for the visitors.While not the most convincing victory, it means Madrid’s chances of league-phase elimination fell from six per cent to two, while their top-eight-finish probability rose from 48 per cent to 57. A 4,000-mile (over 6,000km) journey to play Kairat in Almaty, Kazakhstan, isnext for them, before facing Juventus, Liverpool and City all before Christmas. Phew.Inter’s 2-0 win against Ajax in Amsterdam went under the radar slightly, but the Italian side will once again be expected to go a long way in the competition. Champions League runners-up in two of the past three seasons, they have a three per cent chance of lifting the trophy this time and a 42 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight of the league phase. Inter host Liverpool and Arsenal and go to Atletico Madrid, but will be the favourites in their other four matches.
Biggest movers
Union Saint-Gilloise have increased their chances of qualification due to a surprise 3-1 win at PSV, courtesy of goals from rising stars Promise David and Anouar Ait El Hadj and centre-back Kevin Mac Allister (brother of Liverpool’s Alexis).Having begun the projections in 24th spot, the Belgian champions have soared to 13th with a 62 per cent chance of making the play-off round and 24 per cent odds of a top-eight finish. Newcastle, Inter and Atletico are USG’s next three opponents, so this may be short-lived, but for now, optimism in Brussels is through the roof.
PSV’s defeat at home, combined with Ajax never really threatening visitors Inter, poses some early questions for the competition’s Dutch contingent. Ajax were already ranked 32nd in our projections and are now down to second-last with a 71 per cent chance of league-phase elimination. This despite the fact John Heitinga’s side have the sixth-easiest schedule overall.
Eredivisie champions PSV have dropped from 22nd to 32nd, with their projected points falling from 10 to seven. They have the same odds as Ajax of finishing outside the top 24 in January and face the third-hardest schedule with visits to Anfield and St James’ Park, as well as home matches against Napoli, Atletico and Bayern. Yikes.
Alongside USG, Qarabag enjoyed an unexpectedly positive start in what is just the second time in the Champions League proper in club history. The side from Baku in Azerbaijan beat Benfica 3-2 away, courtesy of 25-year-old winger Oleksiy Kashchuk’s 86th-minute winner after the hosts had gone two up in 16 minuteQarabag ranked 35th out of 36 in our initial projections, having come through three rounds of qualifying to reach the league phase, and were estimated to pick up just six points, with elimination considered an overwhelming possibility (87 per cent). Wednesday’s result has added three points to their projected total and moved them up to 29th with a 41 per cent chance of making the play-offs and a two per cent probability of finishing in the top eight. They have the 12th-hardest schedule, with matches against Chelsea, Liverpool and Napoli to come, the latter two away, but this is the time to dream.
Benfica, meanwhile, could not have gotten off to a worse start, dropping from 13th to 23rd in our rankings following Tuesday night’s defeat in Lisbon. Their projected points tally has fallen from 12 to nine.
The “us against them” mentality Mourinho brings with him could yet have another say in Europe, so don’t count them out just yet. Benfica have a virtually equal probability of finishing within the top 24 (48 per cent) and outside it (47).
The chasing pack
Chelsea began the tournament with a seven per cent chance of winning it, but that has now dropped to five following defeat in Munich. Their odds of a top-eight finish fell from 51 to 37 per cent. Though it may not be time to panic just yet: last season’s UEFA Conference League winners have the fifth-easiest schedule, with matches against Ajax, Pafos of Cyprus and Qarabag, though the visit of Barcelona and a finale at Napoli will pose challenges.
Their fellow English sides Newcastle and Tottenham, the latter beat Villarreal 1-0 at home, are in a similar boat. Both have a greater chance of needing the play-offs to get to the round of 16 than of finishing in the top eight and neither of them are considered likely tournament winners. But don’t let that fool you: these two can cause plenty of difficulties, as Barcelona found in the opening 30 minutes against Eddie Howe’s side.
Spurs have the fourth-easiest schedule, with PSG away in late November their toughest remaining fixture. Games against Bodo/Glimt, Copenhagen and Slavia Prague will provide opportunities to rack up points. It will not be as straightforward on paper for Newcastle, who have the fifth-toughest schedule. Before a final-game visit to Paris in January, they face Benfica, Athletic Club, Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen.
Atletico, who struggled early in the league phase last season too, losing two of their first three matches, have it all to do after being handed a very tough fixture list. Games against Inter and Arsenal, the latter away, will need them to both play superbly and have their full squad fit, with neither being the case for that opening defeat at Liverpool. Diego Simeone and company now have just a 10 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight, but do have a less than one-third probability of league-phase elimination (31 per cent).
Napoli shot themselves in the foot early on Thursday night against City at the Etihad but can take some solace from getting their toughest league-phase fixture out of the way early.
The Italian champions’ projected final points tally is 12, while they still have a 17 per cent chance of finishing in the top eight. Their next two games are home against Lisbon’s Sporting CP (who beat Kairat 4-1 on Thursday) and at PSV. Antonio Conte’s side don’t play what looks the second-toughest tie of their opening eight — a visit from his former employers Chelsea — until the final matchday in late January.
(Photo: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
Little-known World Cup ticket rule sparked confusion. FIFA has (some) answers
When the first 2026 World Cup ticket lottery opened last week, Nick, a longtime soccer fan in Colorado, had a plan. Like many others across North America, to double his family’s chances in the random draw, he and his wife both signed up for FIFA IDs and entered. Then, via social media, they learned of a little-known rule that has sparked confusion as the Sept. 19 application deadline nears: “entries are limited to only one (1) entry per household.”
The restriction exists on Page 3 of the lottery’s “official rules,” and within the answer to Question 7 of a general ticketing FAQ on FIFA’s website. It was not, however, communicated to media or fans prior to the opening of this first sales phase, the “Visa Presale Draw,” last Wednesday.
So it startled some fans whose spouses, parents, children or roommates had applied.
Some were especially spooked by a portion of the FAQ that reads: “If FIFA identifies multiple registrations originating from the same household, it reserves the right to disqualify those entries and prevent the associated individuals from being selected in the draw.”
The revelation triggered flurries of questions on Reddit, TikTok, Instagram and elsewhere. As millions of applications rolled in — FIFA said there were over 1.5 million in the first 24 hours, and demand was “extraordinary!” — fans worried that their attempts to increase their lottery odds might backfire.
Ticket limits have become commonplace at major sporting events. (Carl De Souza / Getty Images)
“Everybody wants to maximize their opportunities,” said Jason Daley, a longtime fan who runs The World Cup Guide, “but nobody wants to risk their entire application being ignored.”
Nick — who spoke on the condition that The Athletic only publish his first name, so that the interview wouldn’t impact him professionally — said that he and his wife decided to delete one of their two entries.
Zara Pira, a fan in Toronto, told her apartment roommate to withdraw an entry because she was worried they’d both be disqualified. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said. “I don’t want to get stuck in this limbo and lose my chances.”
None of them, though, had seen any guidance from FIFA. A FIFA spokesman, when asked last week by The Athletic whether a husband and wife who applied would both be disqualified, did not provide a definitive answer.
Another FIFA spokesperson eventually told Travel Futbol Fan, a content creator who’s been explaining World Cup ticket intricacies to his TikTok followers, that households who’d submitted multiple applications didn’t need to take any action, but FIFA would only consider the first application.
On Tuesday, a third spokesman then told The Athletic that, in the days after the application window closes on Sept. 19, FIFA employees and other humans will manually check entries tied to the same home address as another entry. If they determine the two entrants are spouses or partners, the second application will be scrubbed, and the first will remain valid.
In other cases, specific details — such as credit cards, names and contact information — will be “taken into consideration,” the spokesman said, “and fans should not be concerned.”
When asked whether unrelated roommates, such as Pira and her friend, were allowed to apply separately, the spokesman confirmed that they can.
When asked about multigenerational households, though, and the precise line between permissible and impermissible, he could not give a conclusive answer. Much of this, he admitted, is “complex,” with many “different nuances.”
The reason for household limits
Ticket limits have become commonplace at major sporting events as a means to shut out scalpers and broaden access. The 2024 Paris Olympics, for example, capped purchases at four tickets per person for high-demand events and six per person for other events. At the 2018 men’s World Cup, according to FIFA, a given household could buy up to four tickets per match and 28 across the entire tournament. At the 2022 World Cup, the household caps were six per match and 60 overall.
“Household limits have been introduced to ensure fair and equitable ticket access for all fans,” the FIFA spokesman said.
For the 2026 World Cup, an expanded 48-team tournament set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer, FIFA lowered the cap back to four per household per match, and 40 tickets per household across all 104 games.
The spokesman said that data from the 2018 and 2022 tournaments — where the average number of tickets purchased per order (per match) was 2.2 and 2.8, respectively — “came into play as they were determining the specific rules and conditions for this tournament.”
The cap, though, has become a hurdle for families of five or more, and for larger groups hoping to attend games together. (There are 11.7 million households of five or more in the U.S. alone, according to the Census Bureau’s 2024 Current Population Survey.)
When asked about options for large families or groups, the FIFA spokesman mentioned hospitality packages. (The cheapest package for the cheapest group-stage game costs $1,400 per person.)
Separately, in theory, families could buy additional tickets, beyond the four-per-match limit, on unauthorized resale sites like StubHub. But it’s unclear if they’d be able to sit together, and FIFA, in the past, has warned fans to “be wary of unofficial ticketing sites claiming to be already selling tickets.”
On FIFA’s official resale platform, household limits will apply, though it’s unclear how they’ll be enforced in later phases.
It’s also unclear how, exactly, FIFA will distinguish between roommates and spouses who have different last names and different credit cards.
‘Annoyed with the lack of clarity’
Amid the uncertainty, Daley said he got many questions from friends, readers and others about what, exactly, was permissible as the presale draw opened. There were people wondering if they could apply twice with the same card. There were people wondering whether sons, daughters and parents could apply, essentially on their behalf. “There’s definitely high interest in trying to maximize opportunities,” he said.
Initially, he didn’t have clear answers to those questions. He scrutinized the information available and didn’t see any reason two spouses couldn’t both apply. FIFA’s “Visa Presale Draw Explainer” video on YouTube noted that “households can purchase up to four tickets per a match,” but said nothing about a limit on applications. FIFA officials had not mentioned the application limit during an hour-long Zoom call with reporters the week prior. There was nothing in the “Visa Presale Draw” section or “Sales Restrictions” section of a World Cup customer support website.
It wasn’t until the following day that a significant number of applicants began to discover the one-per-household limit and question FIFA.
“I think most people are fine with one entry per household,” Daley said. “But — just tell them. I think that’s where the frustration came from.”
Nick, who was feeling pessimistic about his chances of being selected for a ticket-buying opportunity in this first phase, agreed. “I’m not really stressed out about it,” he said. “I’m just kind of annoyed with the lack of clarity.”
Next steps in the 2026 World Cup ticket process
After the Sept. 19 deadline for applications, FIFA will complete its “data cleansing” or “data scrubbing” process. With the help of technology, it will weed out bots and other improper entries. It will then select applicants at random and begin notifying some on Sept. 29 that they have an opportunity to purchase tickets on specific dates, in specific time slots, starting Oct. 1.
It’s unclear how many people will be chosen in this first lottery phase. Soon after it concludes on Oct. 21, there will be a second lottery phase similar to the first — but with no stipulation that entrants must have a Visa credit card, debit card or reloadable prepaid card.
The second phase will be open to people who entered this first lottery, whether or not they were chosen and purchased tickets, FIFA has said. The official rules state: “A person entering the Presale Draw also may enter any other random selection draw separately offered by FIFA subsequent to this Presale Draw.”
After the second phase, and after the Dec. 5 World Cup draw places teams into groups and host cities, there will be a third lottery phase, during which ticket buyers can select specific matchups. There will then be a “first-come, first-served” phase or “last-minute sales” phase in the spring. FIFA will also operate a resale platform where fans can buy tickets on the secondary market at uncapped prices.
The four-per-household-per-match and 40-per-household limits will apply across all phases — meaning, for example, that if someone purchases four tickets to a given group-stage match next month, they cannot purchase four more tickets to that same match next spring.
US Finally Wins a Game 2-0 in the Fortress that is Columbus, Ohio The USMNT has finally beaten a Top 25 team under Pochitino as he lined up in the same 3-4-2-1 formation he ended with against Korea that yielded so many good shots. The US dominated from the start with 65% possession and a wonder goal from Man of the Match Alex Zendejas. The America’s man hit this spectacular volley (Zendejas Volley) to give the US the 1-0 lead. Zendajas Golazo in Spanish. Later the US would add an insurance goal from Flo Balogen (Balogan Goal) on a beautiful slip pass from Pulisic. (US Highlights). All in all a nice performance as I was in attendance of course. Now this was Japan’s C team mind you. So Bochitino poking his chest out like they had accomplished something was hiliarious. It beats losing – but Japan played their stars vs Mexico and their CHUMPs vs the USA. Let that sink in a second as you realize the depths that Bochitino has taken this team to in his 1 Full year on the job and the lowest ranking in 2 decades. Yes he’s been here 1 year now and still had 5 experimental MLS players in camp against 2 top 20 teams with 8 games until the World Cup. Its like he has never watched us play or watched tape (because he hasn’t) It seems the US Soccer press is beginning to Call BS just like I have for over a month now. Anyway it sure was nice to see the US actually win a game in person – albeit against Japan’s C team. I can tell you there were less than 1000 Japanese in the stadium – if the US wants to play a home game in front of a US only crowd – the ONLY places that is guaranteed to happen is in the Midwest – Columbus or Cincy.
INDY 11 Indy Eleven concludes its season-long three-game USL Championship road trip at Eastern Conference opponent Rhode Island FC on Saturday at 7:00 pm on ESPN+. Midfielder Jack Blake and goalkeeper Hunter Sulte have earned USL Championship “Team of the Week” honors after helping the Boys in Blue to a key road victory at Hartford Athletic last week. For Blake, it is the fourth time in 2025 and the 12th time in the past two seasons that he has gotten this recognition. Sulte is a two-time “Team of the Week” selection this year and a four-time pick in his two-year Indy Eleven career.
Champions League Returns Tues/Wed/Thur next week on Paramount+, CBSSN, Prime Video Group play starts Tuesday with 12:45 and 3 pm time slots all 3 days and constant coverage starting at 12 noon everyday and lasting thru the wrap up shows after the games.
All Youth Players who wear their Jersey to the Game will get FREE ADMISSION vs #19 Columbus North
Got a chance to ref with the Vets Sat at North Central with Joe and Alex got to see HSE Girls – good team Got to run center w/Alex and Jessica on hand on a beautiful night at Lawrence Central vs Brebeuf A blast catching the US vs Japan in Columbus with my Soccer Buddy Bart Scoble – Dos a Cero Baby!
TV GAME SCHEDULE
Sat, Sept 13 7:30 am USA Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest 10 am USA Fulham (Robinson) vs Leeds United (Aaronson) 10 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Sunderland 12 noon Para+ Juventus vs Inter 12:30 pm NBC Westham United vs Tottenham 12:30 pm CBS NC Courage vs Angel City NWSL 12:30 pm ESPN+ Bayern Munich vs Hamburger 3 pm USA Brentford vs Chelsea 3 pm ESPN+ Atletico Madrid (Cardosa) vs Villareal 5 pm Tubi Orlando Pride vs Bay FC NWSL 7:30 pm Tubi KC City vs Washington Spirit NWSL 7:30 pm Apple DC United vs Orlando City 8:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs LA Galaxy 8:30 pm Apple Dallas vs Austin Sun, Sept 14 9 am USA Burnley (Adams) vs Liverpool 11:30 am USA Man City vs Man United 11:30 am ESPN+ M’Gladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs Werder Bremen 2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Bologna 3 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Valencia 3 pm ESPN Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns NWSL 6 pm Golazo, Para Utah Royals vs Houston Dash NWSL 8 pm Golazo, Para Seattle Reign vs Racing Louisville NWSL Tues, Sept 16 – Champions League 12:45 pm CBSSN PSV (Dest) vs Union SG 12:45 pm PAra+ Athletic Club vs Arsenal 3 pm Para+ Juve vs Dortmund 3 pm Para+ Real Madrid vs Olympique Marseille 3 pm Para+ Tottenham vs Villareal 3 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Millwall League Cup 8 pm CBSSN Nashville SC vs Philly Union US Open Cup Semi Final Weds, Sept 17- Champions League 3 pm CBSSN Ajax vs Inter Milan 3 pm Para+ Bayern Munich vs Chelsea 3 pm PAra+ Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid (Cardoso) 3 pm Para+ PSG vs Atalanta 8 pm CBSSN Minn vs Austin US Open Cup Semi Thurs, Sept 18 – Champions League 12:45 pm CBSSN Kabenhavn vs Bayer Leverkusen (Tilman) 12;45 pm Para, Prime Club Brugge vs Monaco 3 pm CBSSN Frankfort vs Galatasaray 3 pm Para+, Uni New Castle vs Barcelona 3 pm Para, Prime Man City vs Napoli 10:30 pm CBSSN Angel City vs Washington Spirit (Rodman) Fri, Sept 19 8 pm Prime Houston Dash vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL 10 pm CBSSN, Prime Utah Royals vs Racing Louisville NWSL Sat, Sept 20 7:30 am USA Liverpool vs Everton 7:30 am CBSSN Leicester City vs Coventry City (Wright) 9:30 am ESPN+ Hoffenhiem vs Bayern Munich 10 am USA Burnley (Adams) vs Nottingham Forest 10 am Peacock West Ham vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 10 am Peacock Wolverhampton vs Leeds (Aaronson) 10 am Para, Prime Norwich City (Sargent) vs Wrexham 10:15 am ESPN+ Real Madrid vs Espanyol 12 noon Para+ Hellas Verona vs Juventus 2:45 pm Para+ Udinese vs AC Milan (Pulisic) 12:30 pm NBC Man United vs Chelsea 3 pm USA Fulham (Robinson) vs Brentford 7:30 pm TUBI KC Current vs Seattle Reign NWSL 10 pm TUBI Portland Thorns vs San Diego Wave NWSL Sun, Sept 21 9 am USA Bournmouth vs New Castle 10:15 am ESPN+ Mallorca vs Atletico Madrid (Cardosa) 11:30 am ESPN+ Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) vs B Mgladbach (Scally, Reyna) 11:30 am USA Arsenal vs Man City 2:45 pm Para+ Inter Milan vs Sassuolo 2:45 pm beIN Sport Olympique Marseille (Weah) vs PSG 3 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Getafe 8:30 pm ESPN2 Bay FC vs NY/NJ Gotham FC NWSL 9 pm FS 1 LAFC (Son) vs Real Salt Lake (Luna) Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia Thurs, Oct 23 9 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Chester PA Sun, Oct 26 4 pm TNT, Max USA Women vs Portugal Hartford CT Sat, Nov 15 5 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Paraguay Chester PA Tues, Nov 18 7 pmTNT, Max USA Men vs Uruguay Tampa, FL
=====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Got some Good BarBQ for your Summer Plans ? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Lovely night for Soccer reffing with veteran Thomas Kelley at Noblesville. Love those grass fields.
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Back again
Some of our most watched leagues embark on a new season.
Saturday
Fulham v Leeds United – 10a on USA Network: Antonee Robinson and Fulham will face Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United on Saturday morning. Robinson came off the bench in Fulham’s two most recent matches to play 20-30 minutes, and remained with his club over the break as he continues his recovery. Aaronson has also been coming off the bench for Leeds and getting roughly the same number of minutes though it seems clear that it is in a designed role and not an effort to get his minutes up over time. Fullham fell to Chelsea 2-0 ahead of the break and are still looking for their first win on the season while Leeds have thoroughly mixed results, opening the season with a win before being thrashed 5-0 by Arsenal and then rebounding with a draw against Newcastle.
Crystal Palace v Sunderland – 10a on Peacock: Chris Richards has played every minute of the first three matches for Crystal Palace and the club picked up their first win of the season, 3-0 over Aston Villa, heading into the break. They now face a newly promoted Sunderland side that have won two of their first three matches, defeating both West Ham and Brentford in the opening weeks of the season.
Bournemouth v Brighton & Hove Albion – 10a on Peacock: Tyler Adams and Bournemouth have won their past two matches 1-0 defeating Wolverhampton and Tottenham with Adams playing nearly every minute of the match though he also received a yellow card in each match. Bournemouth bounced back well after their season opening 4-2 loss to Liverpool and currently sit in seventh place, three points back of the league leaders.
Coventry City v Norwich City – 10a on Paramount+: Haji Wright and Josh Sargent will face off in English Championship action this weekend. Wright and Coventry have won twice and drawn twice in their first four matches of the season and currently sit in fifth place with Wright scoring in each of the team’s last three matches. Meanwhile Sargent, who may be running out of chances with the USMNT, was named the Championship player of the month after scoring five goals in the teams first four matches, including both goals of Norwich’s 2-0 win over Blackburn heading into the break two weeks ago.
Juventus v Inter Milan – Noon on Paramount+: Weston McKennie has seen just a minute in each of Juventus’s first two matches of the season, wins over Parma and Genoa. It seems that he has work to do to once again work his way back into the squad, a position he is very familiar with and has been very successful at. Juve have a huge matchup this weekend with last seasons runners up, Inter Milan.
NEC v PSV – 12:45p on ESPN Select: Sergnio Dest, Ricardo Pepi, and PSV will look to bounce back from a shocking 2-0 loss to Telstar heading into the International break. Dest started the match, as he has each of PSV’s first four matches, while Pepi came on at the half for his first extended appearance of the season.
Club America v Guadalajara – 11:15p on Paramount+: Alejandro Zendejas and Club America are undefeated in their first seven matches of the Liga MX Apertura with just two draws though they are still in second place, a point back of Monterrey who have won six matches and lost once. Zendejas has appeared in every match and started all but one.
Saturday MLS Matches with USMNT flavor – the below MLS players were called into the September camp and with the exception of the backup keeper, Roman Celentano, each made at least a brief appearance in the friendlies against South Korea and Japan:
Atlanta United v Columbus Crew – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass (Apple TV): Max Arfsten and Sean Zawadski
Charlotte v Inter Miami – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass: Tim Ream
DC United v Orlando City SC – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass: Alex Freeman
Cincinnati v Nashville SC – 7:30p on MLS Season Pass: Roman Celentano
Seattle Sounders v LA Galaxy – 8:30p on MLS Season Pass: Cristian Roldan
Chicago Fire v NYCFC – 8:30p on MLS Season Pass: Matt Freese
Vancouver Whitecaps v Philadelphia Union – 9:30p on MLS Season Pass: Tristan Blackmon and Sebastian Berhalter v Nathan Harriel
Real Salt Lake v Sporting Kansas City – 9:30p on MLS Season Pass: Diego Luna
Colorado Rapids v Houston Dynamo – 9:30p on MLS Season Pass: Jack McGlynn
San Diego v Minnesota United – 9:30p on MLS Season Pass: Luca de la Torre
Sunday
Southampton v Portsmouth – 7a on CBSSN: Damion Downs did not appear against South Korea and saw just a handful of minutes off the bench in the match against Japan, a role which matches what he’s seen thus far this season with his club in the English Championship. Downs has appeared in three of four matches as a substitute for Southampton, missing one due to illness.
Atalanta v Lecce – 9a on CBSSN: Yunus Musah spent the international break joining his new club, Atalanta who finished last season in third place in Serie A though they are still looking for their first win this season. Musah’s role with his new club remains to be seen, he had started in the midfield for AC Milan just ahead of his transfer, playing the full 90’ in the teams 2-0 win.
Lille v Toulouse – 9a on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse suffered a 6-3 loss to PSG heading into the international break and will look to wipe the slate clean as they face Lille on Sunday. McKenzie has played every minute thus far for Toulouse who won their first two matches, without surrendering a goal, before being crushed by PSG in their most recent match.
St. Pauli v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: James Sands started St Pauli’s first two matches of the season, a draw with Borussia Dortmund and a win over Hamburger, playing almost every minute early for a club that is picking up points early in the season and looking to put some ground between themselves and the threat of relegation. St. Pauli face Augsburg this weekend. Augsburg is coming off a 2-3 loss to Bayern Munich, a loss in which Noahkai banks saw 1’ minute off the bench, which was one more minute than he received while on international break with the USMNT.
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen – 11:30a on ESPN Select: Joe Scally, Gio Reyna, and Borussia Monchengladbach are looking for their first win, and first goal, of the season as they face Werder Bremen on Sunday. Gladbach opened the season with a scoreless draw against newly promoted Hamburger and fell 1-0 to Stuttgart in week two. Scally started both matches at rightback while Reyna has yet to appear for his new club. Werder Bremen also have one loss and one draw in their first two matches though they have given up seven goals in the two matches.
Rennes v Olympique Lyon – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann has started the season playing every minute for a Lyon side that have won their first three matches. Lyon are tied with PSG for the league lead with both teams also having a +5 goal differential. This weekend Lyon will face a Rennes side that are 1-1-1 to start the season and sitting in ninth place. Interestingly Rennes have played down a man in two of their three matches, the season opening win over Marseille as well as a 4-0 loss to Lorient in the second week of the season.
AC Milan v Bologna – 2:45p on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic scored his first goal of the season after coming on as a substitute late in AC Milan’s 2-0 win over Lecce just ahead of the break. Milan face a Bologna side who opened the season with a 1-0 loss to Roma before bouncing back and defeating Como 1-0. Milan will be looking to make a move up the table this season, relative to their disappointing eighth place finish last season, and a home win over a team that finished a point back of them would be the type of result they will need.
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
DISCOUNT SMALL ENGINE & BIG ENGINE REPAIRS IN CARMEL
Need your Riding Mower, Push Mower or any small engine or Car Engine Work Done by Carmel High Junior Mechanical Wizard for a bargain basement Price? Email my buddy Marc Sultanov at marc.sultanov@gmail.com
World Cup Onside/Offside: Good win for USMNT, Messi’s last dance?
Luis Miguel Echegaray
Sep 10, 2025, 01:10 PM ETareside! This week, Luis Miguel Echegaray recaps some of the most notable highlights from the international break. From jubilation in west Africa and the heights of El Alto in South America to a spark of encouragement in Columbus, Ohio, here is LME’s point of view as World Cup qualifiers took center stage.
ONSIDE: Finally, a spark for the U.S.
After Saturday’s uninspiring 2-0 loss to South Korea in Harrison, New Jersey, with another disjointed performance, the United States men’s national team finally gave its fans a reason to believe in Mauricio Pochettino’s project, beating Japan 2-0 at Columbus, Ohio’s Lower.com Field on Tuesday night.
Pochettino reacted to the South Korea loss by tinkering both in strategy and lineup (five changes from Saturday) so his side could better the agile, high-possession mentality of Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan, a team I think will do very well next summer. And so he went back to the playbook from his Southampton and Tottenham days, when he often employed a 3-4-3 (or 3-4-2-1) formation in order to play the role of contrarian against teams who enjoy buildup play. That’s exactly what happened Tuesday night as the U.S. pressed, attacked and exploited the massive holes that were available due to their high-press mentality.
It was classic, old-school Pochettino, and it worked.
Christian Pulisic — who was not part of the squad during the summer, which yielded plenty of criticism — was magnificent Tuesday night, finding so much freedom in possession as he constantly recovered the ball, made chances and notched an assist for Falorin Balogun. Club América’s Alex Zendejas was also excellent, capping a great performance with a lovely goal.
I also think that if there is meant to be any success in the future, it must unequivocally involve Chris Richards because I cannot overstate enough the importance of the center back from Crystal Palace. He is vital to everything the U.S. does.
Now, the actual result against Japan is neither here nor there — this was a friendly, after all, and the U.S. opponents rotated heavily after their draw with México, meaning key starters such as Liverpool‘s Wataru Endo, Takefusa Kubo from Real Sociedad didn’t play while others (Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, Monaco’s Takumi Minamino) entered only as substitutes. This also wasn’t the U.S. team’s “strongest” XI either, but let’s not focus on this point; instead, let’s remember the bigger takeaway. On Tuesday night in Columbus, they players — and Pochettino — were able to see the personality of a cohesive, resilient and creative side and in my opinion, it was their best performance since the Argentinian took over.
I do think, however, that playing every single friendly on American soil is not necessarily a good thing for this team because tougher challenges will come their way. Instead, I wish they tested themselves more often in hostile environments against a legitimate World Cup contender.
Now, some have argued to me that in a nation with massive support for Mexico and other nations, playing in the U.S., from the Americans’ perspective, can already seem like playing in an away environment. But that’s not the same. I am talking about a U.S. side that, for the sake of hypothetical argument, should travel to Monumental stadium and face Argentina, or head to north Africa and test itself against Moroccoin Rabat. Heck: forget major teams. Go and play a team such as Scotland or Indonesia, it doesn’t matter. The point is to face them at their house, in front of their fans, their culture and their support.
Canada, for example, did exactly that in the September window, with Jesse Marsch’s men winning 3-0 away at Romania and 1-0 against Wales in Swansea. The result is quite honestly secondary to the lessons you can learn when you play in alien territory, because this is how you learn how to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and if you want to make history at next summer’s World Cup, you have to be ready for everything. Being a host nation won’t save you.
The Americans’ remaining matches for the year are against Ecuador, Australia, Paraguay and Uruguay — all good testers for 2026, but they’re all happening in the USA. After that, there are reports of games in March against European giants such as Belgium and Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Portugal, depending on their own qualification routes. These are all very strong opponents to warm up against, but I think playing in this kind of proverbial bubble, always at home, helps no one, most notably the United States men’s national team. Being a host nation means very little once the whistle is blown and the game kicks off.
But let me finish with a positive because on Tuesday night, Pochettino’s U.S. team played a tremendous game, which is hopefully a sign of continued progress and ultimate confidence that can build toward something very special by the time June comes around.
ONSIDE: The underdogs rise up in South America and Africa
South America’s automatic places for next summer’s competition were already cemented as Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay had booked their tickets before the final matchday. So all eyes centered on Venezuela and Bolivia, who were looking to earn that seventh spot, which would put them in the intercontinental playoff spot.
Venezuela had the upper hand heading into the evening, but a heartbreaking 6-3 defeat at the hands of Colombia meant that Bolivia had an opportunity to do something they hadn’t done since 2009 — win against Brazil, and leapfrog Venezuela for seventh place. Just like 16 years ago, La Verde had the altitude to rely on as their Municipal stadium in El Alto stands at an overwhelming 13,600 feet above sea level — 1,800 feet more than their previous stadium in La Paz. Bolivia used this to their fullest advantage, not losing a single qualifier at home. In fact, in this campaign, they broke a World Cup qualifying record for most points earned with 20 points, and their singular victory away from home was against Chile last year, which ended up being incredibly important.
Against Brazil, they grabbed a 1-0 win thanks to a questionable penalty decision — what’s CONMEBOL without a little drama, eh? — but it must also be said that this has been a campaign in which Óscar Villegas’ team has played its heart out. In the end, Bolivia earned the playoff spot and are now closer to returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1994, which was funnily enough also hosted by the United States. This would also be the second time in Bolivia’s history where they have actually qualified for the tournament: their two other previous World Cup appearances (1930 and 1950) were done through invitation.Meanwhile, in Africa, Cape Verde — with a population equivalent to the city of Atlanta — won a historic game over Cameroon 1-0, meaning that the Blue Sharks have a lead at the top of their qualification group by five points. One more victory from their final two matches and they’ll be heading to their first-ever World Cup. After the final whistle, Cape Verde fans stormed the pitch, celebrating what could be an incredible conclusion to their campaign.Now, it must be said that if you’re an avid African football fan, this is not a complete surprise as this beautiful country, which consists of 10 islands and multiple islets, have done very well in recent years, including a quarterfinal appearance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but let’s not undermine this achievement. When you’re topping your group, one that includes a powerhouse like Cameroon, it is a testament to their work.
OFFSIDE: The end is nigh as the final chapters of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are about to be written
Last Thursday night in Buenos Aires, Lionel Messi played his final World Cup qualifier with Argentina. The evening — a 3-0 win for the defending World Cup champions over Venezuela — also yielded a brace from Messi to make it 36 goals from 72 games in CONMEBOL qualifying, which convincingly leads the history books on the continent. On Tuesday night, La Albiceleste lost 1-0 against Ecuador, but regardless, it comfortably concluded their 2026 qualifying campaign at the top of the table.
Messi, who sealed this campaign as the top scorer in South American qualifiers with eight goals, didn’t play in Guayaquil as he returned to the U.S. in order to get ready for Inter Miami’s final run towards MLS playoff, so this essentially means that Messi’s career in World Cup qualifiers is done. His presence at next summer’s tournament is also, at this moment, not guaranteed.
“Given my age, the most logical thing is that it won’t happen,” the 38-year-old star said last week, also holding the record for most appearances at the World Cup. “I’m excited, eager, but I’m taking it day by day, match by match. … I’ll continue as I have been, taking it day by day, trying to feel good, and above all, being honest with myself. When I feel good, I enjoy it. And if I’m not good, I have a bad time and I’d rather not be there. I’ll see. … I haven’t made a decision about the World Cup.”Why is Lionel Messi not committing to the 2026 World Cup with Argentina?Kasey Keller and Alejandro Moreno discuss Lionel Messi’s future with Argentina ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile in Europe, where UEFA qualifiers don’t finish until November, Cristiano Ronaldo also had a joyous international window. His pair of goals against Armenia in Portugal’s 5-0 rout meant that his 38 goals in World Cup qualifiers surpassed Messi and put him just one behind the recordholder, the legendary Carlos Ruíz from Guatemala. On Tuesday against Hungary, Ronaldo tied Ruíz with a penalty as Portugal won 3-2 against Hungary.Ronaldo, 40, also extended his international scoring record to 141 goals in 223 games. He will be 41 in February and his aim — just like Messi — is to play in a record sixth World Cup.So will we see a “Last Dance” next summer? Will the 2026 men’s World Cup be Messi and Ronaldo’s curtain call on the international stage?Even contemplating this feels surreal because after two decades of astonishing success and jaw-dropping memories, it’s almost unbelievable to believe that in the very near future, we will not see them play ever again, whether it’s for club or country.Years and years from now, younger generations will ask us about their incredible rivalry. They will ask about the most remarkable, inspiring and breathtaking time in the history of the sport when two superstars controlled the game in the palm of their hands and in turn, as we tell them all about it, we will als
Pulisic rates 9/10 as Japan win gets USMNT back on track
Following Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea, the USMNT quickly bounced back with a more proactive attack through an experimental 3-4-3 formation. In a first half that included 63% possession, the home side created danger through high-pressing fullbacks Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman. After a clever dribble from Arfsten in the 30th minute, the 24-year-old launched a cross that found Zendejas, who impressively volleyed the ball into the back of the net.The U.S. continued its attacking influence in the second half.In 64th minute, the Americans doubled their lead after a pacey run from Christian Pulisic led to an assist for Balogun’s goal. Despite Japan shaking things up with second-half subs that wrestled back some of the momentum, the 2-0 result was cemented by the final whistle for the home team that had a late second wind in the dying minutes of the match.Looking ahead in their ongoing World Cup preparation, coach Mauricio Pochettino and his U.S. roster will take part in friendlies next month against Ecuador on Oct. 10 and Australia on Oct. 14.
Manager rating (scale of 1-10)
Mauricio Pochettino, 8 — Credit where credit is due. Pochettino took a tactical gamble after not only ringing in five different changes from his previous XI but also testing out a 3-4-3 formation. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, there were some questionable defensive moments in the new setup and goalkeeper Matt Freese was kept fairly busy by Japan’s opportunities. Nonetheless, the overall performance is a step forward after the loss to South Korea.
USMNT Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best; 5 = average)
GK Matt Freese, 9 — USA’s starting spot in net appears to be his to lose after earning a clean sheet thanks to his six saves. He fumbled the ball during one of those interventions, but it didn’t end up hurting the scoreline.
DF Tim Ream, 6 — An inconsistent but decent evening for the captain. While he was a vital distributor that was able to get forward, Ream also found himself losing aerial deals and occasionally chasing attacking players.
DF Chris Richards, 7 — Not bad from the Premier League player who added more confidence to the backline. Provided crucial interventions but also had some imprecise passes going forward.
DF Tristan Blackmon, 6 — An improvement after his shaky debut last week. Although his decision-making may not be at an elite national team level, Blackmon still dished out some important clearances.
MF Max Arfsten, 8 — Looked much more comfortable in an advanced role. Wasn’t the strongest during defensive moments, but that may not matter much when you consider his attacking presence that created the assist for the first goal.
MF Cristian Roldan, 6 — A mixed bag from the central midfielder that was able to win back possession, but also didn’t regularly win his duels in the heart of the XI.
MF Tyler Adams, 7 — It wasn’t a vintage Adams performance, but it was still a big improvement from last week. Some crucial interventions in the midfield and plenty of accurate passing.
MF Alex Freeman, 7 — Granted, Freeman wasn’t superb defensively and could have done a better job with his distribution, but he should hold his head high with the ground he covered on the right flank and his overall involvement in the attack. A promising 90+ minutes.
FW Christian Pulisic, 9 — Roamed around, created his own opportunities with recoveries, dropped deep and then clinched the well-earned assist for Balogun’s goal.
FW Folarin Balogun, 8 — A clear upgrade over Josh Sargent. Balogun linked well with the frontline and created plenty of danger with his attacking presence. Briefly went quiet before scoring the second goal of the match.
FW Alex Zendejas, 9 — Zendejas dove into a tackle that earned a yellow card early on but quickly bounced back with his goal and clever movement in the final third. A statement performance from the highly involved Club America winger.
Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
FW Diego Luna, 8 — An energetic cameo from the young player that was a focal point in the buildup and almost earned an assist in the final minutes.
MF Jack McGlynn, 8 — Nearly scored twice, with the second shot rocketing off the crossbar.
MF Sergiño Dest, 7 — Provided the pass that led to McGlynn’s shot that hit the crossbar. Another player that could benefit from Pochettino’s change in formation.
MF Luca de la Torre, 7 — Accurate with his distribution and almost secured an assist from McGlynn’s first short-range opportunity.
FW Damion Downs, N/A — Subbed on in the 79th minute.
So Bochitino want’s us to fill the stadiums but he doesn’t want us to question the players effort or his horrific tactics and player decisions. Ok Poch. Sure!!
Pochettino’s back three worked for the USMNT. What might that mean for the World Cup?
Mauricio Pochettino wasn’t hired to help the U.S. men’s national team win games against regional opponents or friendlies. Those were two areas in which predecessor Gregg Berhalter was still excelling up until the end of his tenure as coach. The perceived value of investing $6 million annually in the Argentine manager was his history of success in the club game. With his pedigree, the theory went, his fresh eyes could find diamonds in the rough of his new player pool and configure a system that would give the USMNT a better chance of making a deep run at the 2026 World Cup.A year isn’t a long time in a job, but it’s over halfway from when Pochettino assumed the role and when his ultimate performance review will commence after the World Cup comes to North America. At a certain point along the way, it’s expected there would be signs of progress.On Tuesday night, we finally saw some evidence of evolution. Pochettino seemed to adapt based on persistent issues with his base 4-2-3-1 — which he had used in all 11 games to date in 2025 — to a 3-4-2-1. By dropping a player from the attacking line beneath his striker and introducing a third center back, his team was able to play with more decisiveness in transition and more downhill intentionality.“I think we have players that play in this new formation,” Pochettino said after his team’s 2-0 win over Japan on Tuesday, listing a few defenders whose clubs play a similar system. “I think it’s good to have different plans, approach to the games, use different formations.”
It was successful, albeit in a win over a fully rotated side that qualified for the World Cup this spring. But it also led to a more entertaining performance from the USMNT than we’ve seen in some time. That latter point seems more dependably replicable in this shape, too.Throughout his first year, the U.S. player pool has been thoroughly examined as Pochettino familiarizes himself with dozens of previously unknown options. Some recurring issues were understandable consequences of his continued chopping and changing. Others suggested he just didn’t have the players available to make his ideal system sing.Often, a team that’s struggling to generate chances or results will flock to the wing for refuge. The wide areas are less congested than the central third, offering more open room for carries and give-and-go sequences that can quickly move upfield. It rewards players’ athleticism and instinct while helping advance in spite of a system that isn’t quite a well-oiled machine.One finding from the Gold Cup was that Max Arfsten was not a natural answer at left back in a 4-2-3-1. Arfsten plays as an attacking wingback with the Columbus Crew, and he didn’t have the awareness or defensive composure as the ball neared the box. The same zone was repeatedly targeted at the 2025 Concacaf Nations League, when Joe Scally started in defeats against Panama and Canada. Thus far, there’s no proven alternative to Antonee Robinson on the left in a back four.In this 3-4-2-1, Arfsten was playing a far more similar role to the one he occupies at the club level. His opposite number, Alex Freeman, plays his club soccer on the right edge of a back four. However, the 21-year-old has the mobility and positional awareness to play a more advanced role, as he often factors into the Orlando City attack.
For the first 15 minutes Tuesday, it was Freeman who was pinning Japan back with dribbles upfield. The opponent began to catch on, shifting its center a bit to its left to slow him down. Perhaps fueled by playing at the Crew’s home stadium, Arfsten had confidence and space to operate on the left, providing the game’s breakthrough with a well-looped cross.
Even at his defensive shakiest, Arfsten remained in Pochettino’s first team thanks to his attacking dynamism. He’s good value to win his attempted take-ons when dribbling, an invaluable trait to progress upfield while creating space for himself to cross. Asking him to lean into his bag of tricks is a less risky idea when there’s an extra center back to cover the defensive duties he was already struggling to handle. It also gets him into spots to make more actions like these, dribbling until he finds his crossing angle.
The use of a wingback helps solve for one of the player pool’s biggest deficiencies. While Christian Pulisic is the current generation’s greatest success and Tim Weah has forged a steady career in Europe, the U.S. pool is concerningly thin on the wings. Rather than forcing the issue, this tweak to a base 3-4-3 operates with two attackers beneath the striker in the channel — more like attacking midfielders than touchline-hugging wingers.
Advertisement
That’s great news for Pulisic, Weah and Alex Zendejas, who are each more natural goalscorer than chance-creating crosser. It’s also good news for Malik Tillman, Diego Luna and, potentially, Gio Reyna, who would still have an obvious home in the half-spaces. Pochettino could find his favored combination based on the matchup, offering simple tweaks to the format for each match.
The formation shift might also be a welcome change for his star pupil. As a left winger playing out wide, Pulisic can struggle with his decision-making in possession sequences and transition alike, needing to cut in-field and survey passing options while acknowledging his instinct to set up his own shot. In the seam, he has a bit less to mull over as he’s already at a shooting angle…
…or able to slip a ball between the marking defender and a center back being pulled out of position away from his striker, as he did here to set up Folarin Balogun for the clincher vs. Japan. Don’t underestimate the value of Arfsten’s comfort in this role, offering a needed off-ball run to put the right half of the backline in two minds and thus giving Pulisic a little more space with which to operate. That has a trickle-down effect on the striker, who could get a little extra room with two more scoring threats or creators in close proximity.
As Pulisic exited following the assist, he gave Pochettino an affirmative nod while his coach gave a wink and a nod. Seemingly, they won’t see a need to swap barbs about this change on podcasts.
Mauricio Pochettino’s changes paid off vs. Japan (Koji Watanabe / Getty Images)
After halftime, Pochettino told the TNT broadcast that he was happy to see his team getting used to “another system.” Given how it performed, we haven’t seen the last of it. So what does that change about the squad permutations heading into the 2026 World Cup?
The biggest question about how viable this 3-4-2-1 will be has to do with the position group most directly impacted: the midfield. No area of the field has been rotated more heavily and consistently under Pochettino, with the previous cycle’s set-in-stone baseline of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah fully deconstructed to examine new options.
It goes without saying that two midfielders will have to cover more ground without a third teammate in the engine room. Sometimes, that’ll slow upfield progression until the ball sprays wide. Other times, it’ll allow opponents to take shots if they get behind the midfield and the backline is holding its ground, as Kōki Ogawa attempted in the 70th minute before seeing his chipped shot clang off the crossbar.
Advertisement
While line-breaking with dribbles and passes alike is still a major benefit, tirelessness and agility to follow a play as the ball leaves your proximity are even more mandatory in a double-pivot. It may mean more coordinated in-game rotation to keep legs fresh, or more trust in players who are used to playing in a two-man midfield (like Cristian Roldan, this camp’s late inclusion).
Playing with two midfielders is also a risk sheerly in terms of Pochettino’s personnel. The pool is pretty deep in central midfield; beyond the incumbent ‘MMA’ trio, Tanner Tessman and Aidan Morris continue to thrive since moving to Europe, while Johnny Cardoso, Sebastian Berhalter and Luca De La Torre have continued to warrant looks with the national team.
Almost certainly, two of the players named above will miss the World Cup squad; it might be three if Pochettino needs more center back depth. Considering the lack of surefire center backs who can be starters at an international level, he might want the safety of choice.
USMNT center backs Chris Richards (3) and Tim Ream (13) with goal-scoring winger Alex Zendejas (Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
If the midfield represents the pool’s deep end, then center back may be its wading area. Chris Richards and Tim Ream are the only options who have continued to make the majority of Pochettino’s camps, with Ream a month shy of his 38th birthday. Mark McKenzie starts for Toulouse in Ligue 1, but was bypassed in both September friendlies for the previously uncapped Tristan Blackmon. Miles Robinson and Walker Zimmerman are holdovers from Berhalter’s core. Celtic duo Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both missed this camp, and with the Scottish side missing out on the Champions League, they may not get the big-game tests needed to work back into Pochettino’s plans.
Of the program’s fullbacks, most — from Arfsten and Freeman to Sergiño Dest, Scally and John Tolkin — are more comfortable going forward than doing defensive work. The only exceptions are Robinson and Freeman; both could serve as makeshift wide center backs to offer further wide options and variety in possession, or play more naturally out wide.
The story of the September window, narratively, was one of impatience: discouragement that the team didn’t look more ready for next summer’s close-up, and confusion about the continued vetting of fresh faces so close to a World Cup. To Pochettino, a career club manager, friendlies may as well be his preseason. A string of bad results will harsh the vibe, but the losses can be spun into positive if lessons were learned.
“It’s hard to be more consistent,” Pochettino said. “(This) formation is more simple to understand, for the players, than the formation that we started in (against) South Korea.” From there, he emphasized the change as a chance to “simplify things” and lean into his players’ strengths. “We have a squad that can fit very well in that formation.”
Advertisement
In that sense, the change in shape against Japan may have provided valuable validation of his trust in players like Arfsten and evidence that this new formation could fit his player pool best. There’s still a lot of work to be done, especially in midfield. But for now, the U.S. fanbase can see a sign of evolution under Pochettino — and, after such a tense aftermath to Saturday’s defeat against South Korea, that sure looks like some measure of progress.
(Top photo: Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)Your Next Read
Jeff Rueter is a senior soccer writer for The Athletic who covers the game in North America, Europe, and beyond. No matter how often he hears the Number 10 role is “dying,” he’ll always leave a light on for the next great playmaker. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffrueter
No doubt in my mind that Balogun is the leader for the #9 with Pepi at this point. I wish Sargent had more luck for the US but he just doesn’t score with the stars & stripes on. .
Pochettino shows signs of pointing USMNT in a positive direction
It has taken exactly one year, but at long last we have witnessed some signs of progress from Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. men’s national team.
It’s nothing dramatic or radical, but after slumping to what has felt like the lowest levels possible, Pochettino and his players have given us a glimmer of hope. Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Japan was much-needed, but it wasn’t so much the result that pleased me, welcome as a win was after Saturday’s miserable performance against South Korea.It was the performance that cheered me the most; the ‘look and feel’ of a team that many, including me, had begun to fear was drifting aimlessly toward an inevitable disappointment in June’s World Cup. They suggested that maybe the die is not cast. That perhaps, we can still dream a little. Maybe.Collectively, Pochettino’s group, at last, looked something like a team rather than just a gathering of hopefuls thrown together for a tryout. And individually, there were some performances that reminded us that, as much as we may have despaired at recent displays, there is some talent with which the Argentine coach can work.Of course, we can’t get carried away. This was a Japan side missing many of its first-choice players, a ‘B team’ at best. But this wasn’t a full-strength USMNT either, and ultimately you can only beat what is in front of you.Crucially, for the first time in Pochettino’s tenure, there was a system change that made sense, a formation that fit the players and a collective comfort that has been sorely lacking. The manager may not overly concern himself with tactics, but he made a change and rolled out a back three with wingbacks — a shape that clearly played to the strengths of this squad. It made a real difference and allowed the U.S. to rely on the athleticism of its wide players, with Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman given license to attack.Arfsten, in particular, looked liberated, surging forward with the confidence he shows weekly for the Columbus Crew. Freeman, raw but with real potential, was less tidy on the ball but showed flashes of what he could become. Questions remain about the defensive side of his game, however. Early on he looked vulnerable, as Japan’s 23-year-old right wingback Henry Mochizuki targeted him. But he grew into the game as the U.S. took more control of possession, which allowed him to focus on his strengths going forward. That progression is encouraging.
USMNT had plenty to celebrate during its performance vs. Japan (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY Network / Imagn Images)
Antonee Robinson is the first choice at left back, but it is reassuring to see that Arfsten, who provided a pinpoint cross for Alex Zendejas’ opener, might have the potential to be a credible backup in a position where there is little depth, which would allow Pochettino to avoid shoehorning Tim Weah or Sergiño Dest into a left wingback role.Freeman is at an earlier stage of his development and the World Cup might come too soon for him, but he also looked more confident in a system where he didn’t have the sole responsibility of defending.The back line itself, felt settled for the first time in ages. Chris Richards is now the undisputed leader at center back, and apart from one badly misplaced pass, he exuded calm and intelligence. He plays in a back three at Crystal Palace and looked very much at home in that system.Tim Ream also looked better in a back three and at the moment he, too, looks to have a spot in the first-choice starting XI. Ream is more at ease when the defensive line is a little lower and with his experience and reading of the game, there doesn’t appear to yet be a real challenger to him on the left of the back three.Tristan Blackmon was better vs. Japan than he was against South Korea, but he is still untested at the top level, and there remains a place up for grabs. Pochettino did not get a true look at Noahkai Banks, the 18-year-old who has broken into the first team at Augsburg in the German Bundesliga. Perhaps his chance comes in the October friendlies against Ecuador and Australia.Matt Freese in goal has been solid, and at the moment the No. 1 jersey is his to lose. He may not yet look like the heir to the long list of top goalkeepers that this country has produced, but he is currently ahead of his rivals for that role.If left back has been a perennial headache, midfield is suddenly a source of abundance. The inclusion of 30-year-old MLS stalwart Cristian Roldan raised eyebrows — he’s had his chances and never quite convinced at international level — but his attitude and professionalism are beyond reproach. Roldan is the kind of player every squad needs: a glue guy, a leader in the locker room, someone who raises the standard without ever becoming a distraction. In a tournament setting, when you’re picking your final 26 and know some players might not see the field, you want a Roldan, not a malcontent, in the team camp.His performance against Japan was quietly effective, and with the likes of Weston McKennie, Johnny Cardoso, Malik Tillman, and Yunus Musah all absent, he took his chance to justify his late call-up.There is a debate over whether a solid performance against a weakened Japan justifies another call, but as Pochettino continues to learn about his squad, Roldan’s reliability and attitude may keep him in the mix, especially if injuries or club form keep others out.The formation used puts a lot of responsibility on the two central midfielders, and alongside Roldan, Tyler Adams looked to relish the responsibility and the knowledge that he had so much ground to cover, so much to take control of. It was good to see Adams looking hungry and determined to make that swath of the field his own. There is no doubt about Adams’s quality and leadership; he sets the tone for the midfield and looks ready to reclaim that role fully.
Mauricio Pochettino and Folarin Balogun share a hug after a successful showing vs. Japan (Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
Up front, the most encouraging development was the chemistry between Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun. Pulisic, so often burdened by expectation, looked loose and liberated in this new system. Freed from the rigid demands of being “the guy,” he roamed, found space and played with a joy that’s been missing. His second half was his best in a U.S. shirt for some time, capped by an assist for Balogun.Balogun, for his part, showed why he’s now the undisputed starter at striker. His movement, hold-up play and ability to link with Pulisic were a cut above. He’s not just a poacher; he’s comfortable dropping deep, drifting wide and creating as well as finishing.His main rival for that spot is probably still Ricardo Pepi, but the two are very different kinds of strikers. Pepi is more direct, more of a pure No. 9 who plays off the shoulder and looks to get in behind. Balogun, with his Arsenal academy upbringing, is more unpredictable, more versatile and, crucially, a better passer. Having both in the squad gives Pochettino options.Zendejas not only showed his outstanding technique with the volley for his goal, but he looked much more at home in this formation as well, operating behind Balogun and in the inside channels rather than working a narrow strip out wide.Even during the slower passages of play, there was a sense of purpose and understanding. The wingbacks knew their roles. The midfield duo covered ground and protected the back three. Pulisic and Zendejas, no longer forced to play as traditional wingers, thrived in more central, creative roles. Across the team, the formation brought out better things from the players.
However Pochettino came to the conclusion that this change was worth a try, the fact is that he has uncovered something that worked. Yes, it worked against a second-choice Japan in a friendly setting, but it worked, period. Very little up until then had gone Pochettino’s way as pressure continued to build.It’s easy to forget that Pochettino had almost no time to drill this formation. There were no tactical sessions, no practice games — just a leap of faith.Sometimes, international football is about keeping it simple: give the best players a system they know, and let them play. Sometimes, progress comes not from grand plans or ideological purity, but from circumstance and necessity. Coaches stumble upon solutions, forced by injuries or form to try something new. The key is to recognize when something works and to have the humility to stick with it.This was not the finished article. Far from it. But for the first time in a long time, there’s a feeling that the USMNT has taken a step in the right direction.October presents fresh challenges: Ecuador is fresh off a World Cup qualifying win over Argentina, and Australia interestingly also plays the back-three system. Ecuador should present a bigger challenge than either South Korea or Japan, and with roster experimentation ideally behind the USMNT, improvement and consistency now become the priority.But we can now look forward to those games with anticipation. Finally – finally – there are signs of progress. And for now, that’s enough.(Top photo: Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY Network / Imagn Images)
Former US men’s national team forward Charlie Davies is a contributor at The Athletic delivering hard-hitting opinion columns, straight-talking podcast appearances, and insightful explainer videos. Charlie made 17 appearances for the USMNT between 2007-09 and was pivotal in helping the team qualify for the 2010 World Cup, before his career was impacted by a serious car accident. He has remained firmly in the soccer spotlight with his TV contributions for CBS Sports and is one of the most prominent former USMNT voices in the country. Follow Charlie on Twitter @CharlieDavies9
USMNT after one year of Pochettino: Shake-ups, process and an unclear World Cup outlook
COLUMBUS, Ohio — One year ago, Mauricio Pochettino sat on a stage in lower Manhattan with a smile on his face, filled with optimism about the job he was taking on.“Everyone thinks that there is no time to prepare and to arrive in our best condition to the World Cup,” Pochettino said that day. “What I wanted to tell you is I am on the opposite side. I believe there is time enough. … Fútbol is like this: to touch the right buttons and we start to perform. For sure I think we have time. We have time. And we need to really believe in big things.”That time has slipped through Pochettino’s fingers faster than he might have expected.Exactly one year since Pochettino was named as head coach, the Argentine is still trying to find out exactly which buttons to press — and with whom. Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Japan marked his only marquee win since taking the job, and it came against a heavily-rotated side in a friendly. Even so, it felt like a massive relief for a coach in need of some sort of positivity to reinforce what he insists is a carefully considered process centered around one finish line: next summer’s World Cup.Amid what has been a sometimes stormy tenure, including ugly losses at March’s Concacaf Nations League final four, poor results against World Cup-caliber opponents in pre-Gold Cup friendlies (making for the program’s first four-game losing streak in 18 years) and two defeats to rival Mexico, Pochettino has insisted that fans need only to be patient. The results would come, he said.His hope has to be that the win over Japan was the turning point in a rebuild he was paid handsomely to undertake.“Always when we talk about that sport, soccer, it is about (winning),” Pochettino said on Tuesday. “I am so pleased because I think the players deserved that result. … When you are strong in your ideas and your belief, it’s about to keep going and never give up. So (I’m) happy for that, yes.”But, he reiterated, the most important thing right now isn’t the results.“It’s the process,” he said.
It’s one that started at his introductory press conference last September 10, when the former Tottenham, Chelsea and PSG manager called his staff “winners” and talked about how they would “create the platform for (the U.S.) to perform.” A defiant Pochettino earlier this week reiterated the same idea: that his staff has a plan.“We know what we are doing,” he said. “We have experience.”Without the results, however, Pochettino was asking fans to blindly trust that his process would wind up in the right place when it counted most. U.S. Soccer sought a coach with Pochettino’s profile in part so that fans might have exactly that kind of confidence in how he built a team after taking over a side that was eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 Copa América – on home soil, no less.Pochettino was a hard pivot from Gregg Berhalter, a coach who spent almost his entire playing career in Europe but was still seen by some fans as an “MLS coach” supposedly holding back a mostly-European-based player pool. Pochettino came with a pedigree of success in European clubs — and a price tag to match. He is making a reported $6 million per year, the highest salary in the federation’s history.U.S. Soccer was willing to bet that Pochettino’s success at the club level would translate to the international stage. That hasn’t happened immediately.Still, despite some poor results, including Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea, the players have been doing their best to buy in. The win over Japan was at least some validation of that faith.“(The coaches) have a plan in place, and they’re very well-versed in what they want to do,” U.S. veteran Tim Ream said on Saturday night after the Korea loss. “So for us as players, it’s all about coming in and adapting to what they want, what their instruction is, what their game plan is. … And that’s what we have to have to focus on as players. You can’t worry about, ‘Oh, we’re getting down to the wire. Oh, it’s going to be this.’ You just have to come in and adapt and adjust and do exactly what they’re asking you to do and go out and play the game.”
USMNT core figures Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams during Tuesday’s win over Japan (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA Today Network / Imagn Images)
Flipping the power dynamic
Pochettino’s tenure with the national team has, so far, been defined by his willingness to mix things up, especially after the March Nations League failures, when the U.S. lost to both Panama and Canada.“You remember March?” the coach asked, sarcastically and pointedly, during his press conference on Monday. “It was a wake-up call. Because we need to start a different process and (a) different approach.”
Pochettino challenged regulars in the team to prove they belong. He leaned heavily into the MLS player pool and insisted the domestic league is every bit as strong as some of its European counterparts. (An ironic turn for a fan base who insisted it was Berhalter who would favor MLS players even as he heavily leaned on the European core.) Pochettino also didn’t back down from a public back-and-forth with star Christian Pulisic this summer.The winger asked to skip the Gold Cup so that he could get much-needed rest. But in an interview with CBS Sports defending the decision amid criticism from alumni like Landon Donovan, Pulisic mentioned that Pochettino wouldn’t allow him to play just in pre-tournament friendlies.The manager responded forcefully on the eve of the Gold Cup.“I think when I signed my contract [with] the federation [it said] I am the head coach,” Pochettino said. “I’m not a mannequin.”The interaction was a microcosm of how Pochettino has tried to alter the power dynamics within the program. His goal has been to create more competition, mine the pool for depth and solve for any complacency that crept in. But without the results to reinforce those efforts, it left the strategy wide open for criticism.Pochettino insists the payoff is coming. And he’s been fairly open that the next step in the process will start in October. Upon revealing his September camp roster, he called this month’s gathering a “last opportunity to bring some new faces that we didn’t have the possibility to bring in the past.” In theory, that should mean we should have a better idea of Pochettino’s full-strength squad next month.For now, the players who make up that group remain somewhat of a question mark.
Malik Tillman and Diego Luna helped guide the USMNT to the Gold Cup final (Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images)
Building out depth
ochettino’s roster decisions over the last six months haven’t always been up to him. He couldn’t bring Weston McKennie, Tim Weah or Gio Reyna to the Gold Cup due to Club World Cup commitments. Sergiño Dest, Antonee Robinson, Ricardo Pepi, Folarin Balogun and Zack Steffen were out injured and couldn’t go either. Pulisic and Yunus Musah asked for time off.For these September friendlies, Pochettino said he took club form and fitness into consideration when leaving players like McKennie, Musah, Johnny Cardoso, Malik Tillman, Robinson and Matt Turner at home. Others, like Tanner Tessmann, Joe Scally and Aidan Morris seem on the outside looking in.Pochettino this week used Tillman as an example for how the roster churn shouldn’t be seen as an assessment of the best players in the pool. Tillman was a player he clearly would have called in if the U.S. was playing World Cup qualifiers. The Leverkusen midfielder was the breakout player of the Gold Cup. But with the U.S. playing two friendlies, Pochettino saw more value in letting the attacking midfielder stay at his club and work back into full fitness after missing all of preseason with an injury following the summer tournament.“You can call (him),” Pochettino said. “But if you call and you take a risk and it’s a setback and issue, and maybe it’s one, two, three months that (he doesn’t) play, it is a big risk for the World Cup.”Instead, Pochettino saw more value in bringing in other players to test them. That way, if the U.S. has to reach further into the pool for the World Cup, they know which players they can trust. So while fans (and media) groaned at some of the players called into camp, questioning whether there is an opportunity cost when minutes are spent on Tristan Blackmon or Nathan Harriel, Pochettino saw it as a necessary step in his process.“Of course I want to win,” he said. “But also we need to think in the process.”For Pochettino, the win over Japan was a level of validation. He pointed to Alejandro Zendejas’ performance as one that pushed a player into a better position for “the race for the roster for the World Cup.” Max Arfsten and others improved their standing, too.October should be an even more important gauge for this program.
It won’t be clear if Pochettino’s message and motivation have taken with this group until we see some of the players who have been at home since March’s Nations League disaster.
How can we judge whether he’s motivated the likes of Tessmann and Scally — and whether they are better options than Sean Zawadski or Harriel — unless he brings them back in October and gives them a chance? How will we know what this U.S. midfield looks like with Tyler Adams, McKennie and Tillman starting, rather than Adams, Sebastian Berhalter and Diego Luna, if we don’t see them together?
Mauricio Pochettino enjoyed a win over Japan, but successes haven’t been frequent in his time as U.S. manager (Koji Watanabe / Getty Images)
When winning matters
One year ago, Pochettino said “we are here because we want to win.” This week, he said the team didn’t have to start winning until the World Cup.
A national team coach operates on a different timeline than most any other type of coach. He’s not wrong that national teams are ultimately judged on their World Cup performances — not anything else. Gregg Berhalter used to say all the time that friendlies were times to experiment and try things, that sacrificing results in exhibitions in the name of success when the games counted made all the sense in the world. But that approach is fundamentally at odds with human nature.
Fans want to see wins. They want to see progress. Ahead of a home World Cup, that takes on even more importance. It’s part of the reason so many stadiums have been filled with fans of the opposition. It’s why a home World Cup feels so monumental. This is about building support around the national team, and in doing so to build up the sport in the country itself.
And it goes beyond just the fans. If the U.S. is going to find success at the World Cup, the players need to start to feel some level of confidence, too. So while wins won’t really matter until the World Cup, Pochettino’s process does need to account for wins before that.
“I love the feeling of winning, so I would like to win games before the World Cup,” Adams said this weekend. “I understand his thought process, and we talked about it in (the locker room). You could still have good performances and not necessarily get the result. But, yeah, I think at a certain time it’s important to have some results.”A result came Tuesday. Pochettino smiled at the end of his post-match press conference and said, “I’m looking forward to October.” It was a hugely different vibe than just a few days ago.The question will continue to come down to what Pochettino asked for: belief. Belief that there’s a plan behind some of what has felt, at times, like chaos. And belief that the plan will lead this U.S. team to something better than it was before he arrived. That, after all, is what U.S. Soccer is paying for.“It’s our responsibility to create the platform for them to perform,” Pochettino said that first day in New York last year.He will argue that the past year has been spent building that platform. Now the fruits of that work must start to yield results.he Japan win was, at least, a start.
(Illustration: Kelsea Petersen/The Athletic; Michael Owens/Getty, Catherine Ivill/Getty)
Folarin Balogun just reminded USMNT why he’s the answer to its striker problem
COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the 64th minute of a still-tight game Tuesday night in America’s heartland, Christian Pulisic skated past a Japanese midfielder, glanced up, and saw a somewhat novel sight.Over his nine-plus years with the U.S. men’s national team, Pulisic has turned and ran at countless defenders. He has spun into space countless times. He has skipped into dangerous positions game after game, and far too often, he has lacked options.But here at Lower.com Field, finally, Pulisic had the USMNT’s best option.
For the first time under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, he had Folarin Balogun.Spotting Balogun darting behind the Japanese back line, Pulisic stabbed a pass into space. Balogun surged onto it, nudged away a defender, finished with his left foot to the far post and gave the U.S. a 2-0 lead.
It was a “perfect example” of his movement, U.S. defender Tim Ream said, movement that made several teammates rave. “Even before that,” Ream continued, “he made a lot of good runs, a lot of [well]-timed runs, being able to get in behind when the pressure’s coming onto the midfielders, and onto the defenders, when we have the ball.”Balogun seemed to unlock the U.S. attack in a way that no other American striker has in years. Since Gregg Berhalter, the previous coach, took charge in 2019, 16 men have started up top for the USMNT; none has seized the position with two hands, two feet and consistent goals.Balogun, if healthy, is capable of doing that.
USMNT fans hope Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun can form a powerful combination. (Stephen Nadler / ISI Photos / ISI Photos via Getty Images)
“Balo is so good,” midfielder Cristian Roldan said.The Monaco forward is the most dynamic and well-rounded No. 9 that the USMNT has had this decade. And he could be a game-changer for Pochettino.He has been that, at times, since committing his international career to the U.S. over England and Nigeria in 2023. He went straight into the starting lineup, scored and won a trophy in his second match, looking like the striker the U.S. had been missing.But under Berhalter, who had built his system around a hole at striker, Balogun sometimes struggled. He scored just twice in nine appearances in 2024. Then, he battled injuries. Until last week, he still hadn’t linked up with Pochettino. As he recovered from an ankle knock last month, he was initially left off this September roster. He got an admittedly “late” call only after Vancouver Whitecaps veteran Brian White withdrew from the squad due to injury.That call, it turns out, might have changed the trajectory of the USMNT under Pochettino. The Americans created almost nothing from open play in a Gold Cup final loss to Mexico, and throughout most of Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea. On Tuesday, in came Balogun, and plenty improved.“He brings that know-how, and the timing of his runs,” Ream said. “To be able to put defenders on the back foot, running back towards their goal, helps us massively.”Added Pulisic: “He gives sort of an out a lot of the times. Whether it’s coming into pockets and laying the ball off, or it’s little runs in behind, he just kind of relieves the team when we’re under pressure.”
As a winger for much of his youth, Balogun is most comfortable running towards goal, stretching an opponent. But he has worked to round out his game, and on Tuesday, that work was evident.He checked to the ball with the U.S. under pressure in its defensive half. In the 21st minute, with a defender on his butt near midfield, he seemed to cushion a careening ball to wingback Alex Freeman, then spun in behind, and ultimately created a chance for Alex Zendejas.
“It’s definitely something that I’m practicing,” Balogun said of playing with his back to goal, as a target.
“I’m more comfortable facing the goal — I think anyone is, to be honest. It’s difficult when you’re not facing the goal. You have to kind of use your perception, and use spatial awareness to try and protect the ball. But it’s part of the job of a striker.” And it’s a facet he’s improving.It’s on the run, though, where he excels. Against Japan, he was on the run as much as he’s ever been in a U.S. jersey.“When I turn, I feel like I look, and he’s making short runs across the back line,” Pulisic said.“I felt I had good connections with the other players,” Balogun said. “And yeah, I felt comfortable.”It was only his second game, and first start, under Pochettino. But already, he said, “I felt like I knew my job, and that’s a credit to what the coaches are telling us.” He was significantly more effective than the teammate he replaced, Josh Sargent. He combined with Pulisic for an early chance. His diagonal run from center to left helped spring the USMNT toward its first goal. And his second-half finish capped the victory.He could still face competition from Ricardo Pepi or others for a starting spot at the World Cup next summer. But for now, after a dreary weekend, he has injected promise and reminded U.S. fans of potential.His return and instant impact are among the biggest developments of the Pochettino era to date.The win felt “really good,” Balogun said. “After the game against South Korea, we wanted a reaction, we wanted to give the fans some good news before we split up with this camp. So, I was really happy.”(Top photo: John Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
===RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Got some Good BarBQ for your Summer Plans ? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Interesting week of soccer I’ll start with Sad to see Wrexham’s Ollie Palmer’s farewell for those who watch We are Wrexham on FX or Disney+ Ollie was a big part of their multiple promotions – but his time with the club has come to and end. Also in the Championship American forward Josh Sargent Can’t Keep from Scoringas he notched a brace last weekend on his way to league leading 5 goals so far. Cool to see Pochitino Take in Ohio State College Football last weekend on Fox’s Texas vs OSU pregame show. Messi’s last home WC Qualifier at Argentina was last night. Another record signing on the ladies side as American & Angel City star Alyssa Thompson goes to Chelsea for $1.3 million-sad for my daughter who has season tix for Angel City FC. World Cup Tix Go on Sale starting next week unfortunately our closest locations are Atlanta & Kansas City. If you haven’t seen the Pulisic special series on Paramount plus its 8 episodes and worth the watch.
USA faces Korea Sat 5 pm then Japan Tues at 7:30 pm in Columbus on TNT, HBO, Peacock
So lets put it out there – I said it last week that Men’s Coach Bochitino has no clue what he is doing after again seeing what a pathetic roster he called in for this one of the last 10 games we will play before the World Cup. Now the media is finally starting to agree with me –ESPNFC Agrees Poch is Clueless. How he could leave home our starting GKs, starting 8, backup 6s, and outside backs is just beyond me. He should be getting this squad ready for battle against top 20 competition and instead he brought questionable MLS players in for their first camps. At least Pulisic is back and Dest and Weah. But there is still a lot of the core of this squad missing. I may be the one holding up the Go Back Home BOCHITINO POSTER in Columbus on Tuesday night. Clueless is all I can say at this point. I honestly think this guy is mailing this $6 million a year job in and laughing in our US faces. So what do I see this weekend? 1 loss and 1 tie. We’ll lose the first one to Korea and Son as he’ll torch our backline and its lack of speed. While Japan will match us in possession but will not beat us in the fortress that is Columbus with the American Outlaws in Full Voice. I hope we have a good crowd – though US soccer and Boch have given us NOTHING to get excited about. I truly thought Poch was gonna bring our A team and we would win both of these games this weekend. I guarantee if Nashville Headman BJ Callaghan who won a nations league and Gold cup with this team was in charge that is what would happen. But with Boch calling the shots its a lost and tie and him saying we need to play em better with more hart. Since I would have NEVER picked this US Roster– I have no clue who might start this weekend but lets try this.
Seattle was truly spectacular last Sunday Full house in Seattle – as they destroyed Messi and Inter Miami 3-0 Hi-Lights on the night. After such a fantastic Leagues Cup that the MLS dominated – it was sad to see Miami players Suarez and Busquets just absolutely lose it after the game as the post game broke out into an all-out brawl. I am not sure MLS has punished Miami’s punks enough as Suarez (6 games) and (Busquets 2 games) were only kicked out of Leagues Cup games. Suarez spit on coach or security guard from Seattle he has to be suspended from MLS games too.
More USA Friendlies this Weekend and Tues in Columbus
USA v. South Korea (Saturday, 5 p.m. ET, TNT/Peacock) USA v. Japan (Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT/Peacock)
If the U.S. men’s national team World Cup squad was one of those reality cooking challenge shows, we are at the stage where the clock is running down but the raw ingredients are still spread out all over the prep table, and it remains to be seen if we can combine them into any kind of competitive recipe. South Korea and Japan will be testing mid-tier opponents. Win one game, get Pulisic firing, and we can all feel so much better. Lose both and it is going to feel very, very dark. Two very different paths lie ahead. Here are the headlines to prepare you for all that is to come: Christian Pulisic, Our Lord and Savior, Is Back When the roster for the upcoming friendlies was announced last week, Pochettino said he hadn’t spoken with Pulisic since the Gold Cup, adding, “I think everything is behind us, all that happened in summer, and I think now we need to look forward.” We will find out the truth of that the moment Christian takes the field for his first appearance since that Nations League disaster back in March. He has looked spritely for Milan with a goal in his first two games, but must now play for the U.S. with the same dominance as he did in the commercials which were omnipresent this summer. Knowing Christian, he will be highly motivated to score. He knows one electric moment of football can change everything in the blink of an eye. I would settle for another goal testicled over the line. When I spoke to Tyler Adams, he told me the difference between the U.S. with and without Pulisic is that Christian is the one American player who can make something out of nothing. I both pray and expect that to happen tomorrow.
The Focus is Going to Shift Immediately from the Big Names Who Are Not There, to the Glut of New Ones Who Are ️ So much focus over the past weeks has been spent on the vast number of big-name players who were not called up. Make no mistake: this is an MLS-heavy, raw squad with some mighty omissions—not just reputationally in terms of the more familiar names like Weston McKennie and Gio Reyna, but also from a footballing perspective. Aidan Morris, who has been balling out for top-of-the-Championship Middlesborough, is outside looking in.
There are honestly so many questions all over the field. Who is the No. 1 striker? Who is our goalkeeper, out of a very raw group? Who are our leaders? The midfield group looks very green aside from Tyler Adams. There is always a sense with our squad, that the big names—McKennie, Reyna, Brendan Aaronson, Yunus Musah—will come back and save us. We often tell ourselves this team is just a placeholder and that the cavalry is coming. What if it is not coming? And this is it? The U.S. are playing South Korea and Japan. Two teams who are well-drilled, intelligent collectives, primed to punish any mistake we make at high pace. They will be stern tests. The kind of quality we could expect to face if we make the knockout phase of the World Cup. This is a moment for the USMNT to prove themselves to themselves against teams at the level of Türkiye and Switzerland, the two sides who outclassed them in friendlies ahead of the Gold Cup.
One Thing Not to Worry About Finally, don’t stress the noise from outside pundits. Their voices and opinions and insights are actually what you want. I laughed with Tyler Adams that the volume of noise we currently have in the United States is a tiny squeak compared to the booming torrent of punditry in England or Italy. Think about how many former NFL or NBA stars have platforms to make their opinions known. A vast layer of pundits is ultimately a sign of a healthy football-sphere. Indeed, it will hopefully grow and grow as the profile of the game grows, and the U.S. men, please god, begin to capture the interest of the nation. That is the real story of the moment. This team needs to start winning. The empty seats at Gold Cup stadia spoke volumes about where this team is right now. Charlie Davies wrote this week: “There is already a worrying lack of enthusiasm bordering on apathy in the USMNT’s fan base at a time when positivity and optimism should be growing in anticipation of this huge moment in American soccer. I don’t even want to think about what the impact would be of another heavy loss at home.” It is hard to live out this team playing in the shadows like this. The truth is, we are in danger of becoming a club football country now. Liverpool-Arsenal felt like a massive rumble that captured the interest of American sports fans. The lack of casual chatter going into this U.S. game is deafening. This is the moment to change everything.
Got to Ref with Drew Emenhiser for the first time at Lawrence North Wed a little 2 man style. Nice night for soccer with Jonathan and Andrew at Heritage Christian with the Girls Thursday night. All Youth Players who wear their Jersey to the Game will get FREE ADMISSION vs #19 Columbus North
TV GAME SCHEDULE
Sat, Sept 6 9 am Fox Sport 2 Latvia vs Serbia WCQ 10 am CBSSN,Para+ Bolton vs AFC Wimbledon 12 noon FS2 England vs Andorra WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 Ireland vs Hungary WCQ 5 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Korea 7:30 pm ESPN+ Charleston vs Indy 11 7:40 pm Tubi NC Courage vs Utah Royals NWSL 10 pm Tubi Bay FC vs KC Current NWSL Sun, Sept 7 9 am FS1 Georgia vs Bulgaria WCQ 12 noon FS1 Lithuania vs Netherlands WCQ 2:45 pm FS1 Germany vs Northern Ireland WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 Poland vs Finland WCQ 2:45 pm ?? Turkey vs Spain WCQ 3 pm Para+, Prime Chicago Red Stars vs Orlando Pride NWSL 4 pm CBSSN, Para, Prime, Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Seattle Reign NWSL 5 pm ESPN NY/NJ Gotham vs Angel City NWSL 7 pm Apple free Sporting KC vs Austin MLS 8:30 pm ESPN San Diego Wave vs Houston Dash NWSL Mon, Sept 8 2:45 pm FS2 Israel vs Italy WCQ 8:30 pm Para+, Peacock El Salvador vs Suriname WCQ 9:30 pm CBSSN, Para Panama vs Guatamala WCQ Tues, Sept 9 12 noon ESPNDes South Africa vs Nigeria WCQ 2:45 pm FS2 France vs Iceland WCQ 2:45 pm ?? Serbia vs England WCQ 3 pm ?? Wales vs Canada 7:30 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Japan in Columbus, Ohio 9 pm Uni, TUDN Mexico vs Korea Fri, Sept 12 2:30 pm ESPN2 Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman) vs Frankfurt Sat, Sept 13 7:30 am USA Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest 10 am USA? Fulham (Robinson) vs Leeds United (Aaronson) 12 noon Para+ Juventus vs Inter 12:30 pm CBS NC Courage vs Angel City NWSL 5 pm Tubi Orlando Pride vs Bay FC NWSL 7:30 pm Tubi KC City vs Washington Spirit NWSL 7:30 pm Apple Cincy vs Nashville 8:30 pm Apple Seattle Sounders vs LA Galaxy Sun, Sept 14 9 am USA Burnley vs Liverpool 11:30 am USA Man City vs Man United 11:30 am ESPN+ M’Gladbach (Reyna, Scally) vs Werder Bremen 2:45 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Bologna 3 pm ESPN+ Barcelona vs Valencia 3 pm ESPN Chicago Red Stars vs Portland Thorns NWSL 6 pm Golazo, Para Utah Royals vs Houston Dash NWSL 8 pm Golazo, Para Seattle Reign vs Racing Louisville NWSL Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia
=====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Got some Good BarBQ for your Summer Plans ? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Just how “together” they are will be revealed over the next week and beyond, but make no mistake: they need to be on the same page if the U.S. is to reach its stated aim of making a deep run at next summer’s World Cup.This isn’t to say that the two have had a falling out, nor do they need to be best friends and have regular dinners together. But there has been a disconnect.
Pulisic waved off an attempt by Pochettino to sub him out of the third-place game at the Concacaf Nations League last March. He missed out on the recent Gold Cup two months later, and while USSF sporting director Matt Crocker said at the time, “We made the collective decision that this is the right moment for [Pulisic] to get the rest he needs,” the public backlash was intense, with former USMNT players, among them Landon Donovan, questioning the player’s commitment.
Pulisic’s response, in part, was to state in an interview with CBS Sports that he had offered to play in two pre-Gold Cup friendlies, but that Pochettino had turned him down. Pulisic later said in the interview that he didn’t understand the decision even as the manager explained he wanted just one roster for the entire Gold Cup program. While Pulisic’s impulse to defend himself is understandable, divulging some of the deliberations about his Gold Cup participation was a mistake and only served to annoy Pochettino. The U.S. manager responded, stating that he is “not a mannequin” and that he alone would decide who plays for the USMNT and when. When the roster for the upcoming friendlies was announced last week, Pochettino said he hadn’t spoken with Pulisic since the Gold Cup, adding, “I think everything is behind us, all that happened in summer, and I think now we need to look forward.”Left unsaid is how effective that approach will be if there hasn’t been any communication. To be clear, success at the World Cup doesn’t rest solely on Pulisic, as numerous moving parts need to align for a deep run to occur. The U.S. needs to sort out its goalkeeping situation. Right back Sergiño Dest has to be healthy, the better to augment the attack with his ability to deliver the unexpected. The same is true for Antonee Robinson on the opposite flank. Holding midfielder Tyler Adams needs to be at his ball-hawking best. One of the available strikers — be it Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, Haji Wright, etc. — needs to hit top form ahead of the tournament.But Pulisic’s combination of talent, creativity and experience remains a critical piece of the attack. When Pulisic plays well and is in full flow, the team usually follows suit. Scoring goals is the most difficult part of the game, and Pulisic remains a vital contributor to that aspect of the cause. Pochettino and Pulisic need each other for the team to succeed. Part of what’s at issue between Pulisic and Pochettino is that the U.S. manager is in the middle of attempting a cultural reset. That goes for everyone, from the biggest stars down to uncapped players who get called in. Pochettino is demanding total commitment, at least as he defines it. As fatigued as Pulisic was after playing over 50 games a season at AC Milan the last two years, his decision to sit out the Gold Cup, while offering to play in the two friendlies before the tournament, sent Pochettino a different kind of message.
“If you arrive to the camp and you want to spend a nice time, play golf, go for a dinner, visit my family, visit my friend, that is the culture that we want to create?” Pochettino said last May. “No, no, no, no, no. What we want to do is to go to the national team, arrive and be focused and spend all my focus and energy in the national team. If we want to be good in one year’s time, we need to think that today is the most important day.”The adjustment from the players — including Pulisic — to Pochettino’s approach has taken some time. Defender Tim Ream admitted after the Gold Cup that it had taken too long. At Tuesday’s media availability, Ream said that with players just arriving, there hadn’t been a team-wide meeting yet to discuss expectations, though coaches had been pulling players in for individual meetings.”We’ll sit down I’m sure [Tuesday] and have a discussion,” he said.”But for us, it is just the guys who were here during the Gold Cup … We kind of know what the standard needs to be and what it is going forward and just making sure that everybody’s being held accountable, pushing each other, helping each other, and making sure that we all know that we’re on the same page, we’re on the same team.”Pochettino was a top-flight manager for 15 years — with stops at Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea — before taking up with the USMNT. If there is to be movement in any direction, that will fall on Pulisic, because Pochettino won’t be changing his ways. The U.S. manager has made it clear that no one’s spot is secure. Weston McKennie was left off the current roster, and while Pochettino blamed his absence on a lack of rest due to participation in the Club World Cup, Tim Weah had a similar workload, yet was included in this camp. Relationships between players and coaches can be fluid, going through difficulties. Pulisic’s rapport with former U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter experienced some rough patches before the two found alignment ahead of the 2022 World Cup, in which Pulisic played a critical role in the U.S. reaching the round of 16. That could very well be the case with Pochettino and Pulisic. However, Pulisic and the rest of the team will need to adapt to Pochettino’s ways.
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
DISCOUNT SMALL ENGINE & BIG ENGINE REPAIRS IN CARMEL
Need your Riding Mower, Push Mower or any small engine or Car Engine Work Done by Carmel High Junior Mechanical Wizard for a bargain basement Price? Email my buddy Marc Sultanov at marc.sultanov@gmail.com
USMNT’s home crowd dilemma is US Soccer’s age-old problem
Since taking over as coach of the U.S. men’s national team last fall, Mauricio Pochettino has had a jarring introduction to some aspects of American soccer culture. He has felt it most acutely standing on the sideline and looking into the stands around him.Pochettino’s first competitive games in charge of the U.S. were opening acts in doubleheaders staged by Concacaf, meaning swathes of ticket holders for the late games, which featured Mexico, didn’t show up for the U.S. contests. Then, during the Gold Cup, Pochettino experienced the power of the immigrant communities in the U.S. as Guatemala fans far outnumbered Americans in St. Louis for the semifinal and Mexico supporters created a home-field advantage for El Tri in Houston in the final.Other games highlighted a lack of interest. Six games between September 2024 and July 2025 had 18,008 or fewer fans in attendance.For an Argentine used to diehard fans packing home stadiums, the huge numbers supporting visiting teams and the lack of U.S. fan support seemed to catch Pochettino off guard. After the final, he implored U.S. soccer fans to come out and support the team. “I would love to see my players playing with 70,000 people cheering,” Pochettino said in the postgame press conference in Houston. “We need the people. We need the fans. The fans have one year to realize how important are the fans in soccer.
“I think that today (against Mexico), like with Guatemala, it’s a scene in our country to see how important are the fans – to be in the stadium, to stay with the team, to support, not only through Instagram, social media or behind the TV. It’s (important) to be here and translate the energy.
“Football without fans? It’s impossible.
Mauricio Pochettino ha expressed his wish for packed home crowds – full of USMNT fans. (Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA/ Getty Images)
“Here, I think that it’s time to realize that we need the fans. … I think, I hope, and I wish, next time to play with full stadium, with our fans there cheering for the team and helping to achieve a good performance and good result.”The U.S. coach was wading into an attendance issue that has ensnared the program for more than a decade now. It traces back to a ticketing strategy built around revenue rather than accessibility, a team that has struggled on the field and the realities of playing a global sport in a country defined by its diversity.On Saturday, the U.S. will play South Korea in front of a 25,000 sold-out crowd at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. Tuesday’s friendly against Japan at Columbus’ 20,000-capacity Lower.com Field is trending toward a sellout as well. Fewer than 600 tickets were available, including suites and premium options, as of Thursday night.The crowds are indicative of U.S. Soccer’s efforts to alter the equation and find the right mix of market, price point and opponent to balance sporting goals, fan engagement and revenue-driven realities. With what has long been expected to be a transformative home World Cup approaching, the efforts to reach new fans and bring them into the gates are as critical as ever to the short- and long-term growth of the sport. As the men’s team struggles to get results, making the games more accessible will be a vital part of any attempt to build excitement in the run-up to the tournament.
The slide is infamous in American soccer circles. As part of a presentation at a board meeting in 2017, U.S. Soccer executives presented how the federation’s ticketing strategy shifted from the 1998 World Cup cycle through to the 2018 cycle to emphasize smaller venues and higher ticket prices for U.S. games. Ticket prices in the 2002 cycle averaged $28.05. By the 2018 cycle, when the U.S. men missed the World Cup, the average price jumped to $97.06. Revenue more than doubled, from $7 million over eight games in the 2002 cycle to $17.6 million in the 2018 cycle. But it came at a cost of attendance and accessibility. In that same period, attendance dropped from 249,266 fans across eight games to 181,090.What You Should Read NextDoes USMNT have an attendance issue? The answer isn’t simpleThe USMNT’s friendlies against Canada and New Zealand were played with swathes of empty seats in the stadia – but is that cause for concern?
Undoubtedly, the socioeconomic makeup of those in the stadium shifted along with those fast-rising prices.U.S. Soccer chief commercial officer David Wright insists that the federation is “an organization that has evolved dramatically in the last three to five years.” But ticket prices for games can vary dramatically, based both on dynamic pricing and also on the business realities for U.S. Soccer.
“We’re a 501(c)(3), nonprofit, but as many people know, our ability to drive revenue is really important because it funds and candidly accelerates our ability in the sport,” Wright tells The Athletic. “Obviously, we’ve got our women’s and men’s senior national teams, but we have 25 other national teams that are really important to U.S. Soccer and our overall efforts throughout the game. We’re also thinking about coaching, we’re thinking about refereeing, thinking about participation, and have programming against all three to grow. So it takes resources. It’s always a balance between the business side, but then also providing access and accessibility.”
The USMNT takes on Japan, and Yuto Nagatomo, next week. (Koji Watanabe / Getty Images)
Tickets were available for the Japan friendly in Columbus for less than $50. The get-in price for friendlies in Austin and Colorado in October are currently $54 and $75, respectively. Tickets prices in New Jersey were not as friendly. The original get-in price for non-supporters in New Jersey was $50, but a month later that had jumped to $180.There have been at least some steps toward increasing that accessibility.U.S. Soccer recently reached a deal with the American Outlaws, its largest supporters group, in which all tickets for supporters in federation-hosted matches through October 2026 will be capped at $45 (plus fees), and will be sold directly by the Outlaws to members.The aim is not just to drive accessibility, but to bring new fans into the supporters’ culture.“Our supporter groups are the lifeline,” Wright said. “They provide incredible energy and atmosphere. I think it also speaks to our fan-first approach. We’re an evolving organization. We have great relationships with our supporter groups. And I think it’s just an acknowledgement that (they) are really important, and to be able to provide access in a really meaningful way is a win-win.”In a statement, Justin Brunken, co-founder of the American Outlaws said the partnership, “helps eliminate one of the biggest barriers — cost — and makes it possible for more passionate fans to stand, sing, and support together.”“This isn’t just about saving a few bucks,” the statement read. “It’s about keeping soccer grounded in community.”U.S. Soccer has also done more outreach toward college students to bring younger games into the stadium at discounted prices.The business side of U.S. Soccer has changed dramatically since 2017, which has also impacted the reliance on ticket revenue for the federation’s aims. U.S. Soccer brought all commercial work in-house in 2022, ending its longstanding relationship with Soccer United Marketing. Since the federation’s sponsorships have been moved in-house, commercial and event revenue has increased substantially, with projections above $200 million in total revenue.The federation also grew out its “advancement” team, which focuses on donations. Those efforts have brought in enormous donations from Arthur Blank for the new training facility and Michele Kang with a directive to grow women’s and girls’ soccer, as well as many other donations pointed toward everything from hiring Pochettino to growing youth programs or coaching and referee education. In prior years, U.S. Soccer raised between $4 to $6 million annually in contributions. That number jumped to around $70 million under the expanded advancement team.“As a percentage of revenue, (ticker revenue will) come down, but it doesn’t diminish the importance,” Wright said. “Not only is the revenue obviously important to fuel the business and to provide opportunities, but it’s obviously one of the most high-profile opportunities to engage with fans,” Wright said. “So the ability to have 20 to 25 marquee matches a year that provide access and leave an impact in a community, while also engaging millions of fans via social (media) and broadcast is really important. It’s something that we recognize, and obviously we’re leaning in on.”The strong expected crowds in New Jersey and Columbus show that the U.S. men can draw a crowd, but finding the right venue and the right opponent is an increasingly difficult dance.
It’s easy to point to some of the repeat visits to cities — Austin, Columbus, Cincinnati, St. Louis — and wonder how exactly U.S. Soccer makes decisions on where they play games. It’s not an easy process.
It starts with finding an opponent, which has been especially difficult in this cycle because the U.S. men are not playing qualifiers, but confederations are still going through their qualification process. That, combined with the Nations League, has decreased available opponents in every window.Once an opponent is found, John Terry, U.S. Soccer’s senior director of events, tries to narrow down markets based on a number of factors.Opponents often have preferences on how far they will travel based on their second opponent in the window and where that game is being staged. Brazil, for example, was willing to play the U.S. ahead of the Copa América, but only if the game was staged in Orlando. U.S. Soccer was willing to make that accommodation, and to play on a temporary surface at Camping World Stadium, in order to get a game against such a high-quality opponent.U.S. Soccer also has to find training facilities for both teams in markets — one reason why it hasn’t frequented the New York market as often, for example, and why Austin and St. Louis have been favorites for the team.The availability of venues in markets isn’t always simple either. In the fall, U.S. Soccer is contending with the NFL, college football, MLS and concerts. It has to think about the cost of playing on grass laid on top of turf — both in terms of dollars and in quality of play. It considers the size of the venue and the ticket demand in the market. And it isn’t picking a city based solely on what is happening in that window. It also has to consider future windows and look at where it can play games in future months. And, of course, it’s weighing those options simultaneously for both the men’s and women’s national teams.
Austin’s Q2 Stadium has become a popular site for the USMNT. (David Buono / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Even then, repeats can happen. U.S. Soccer had its October USMNT friendly scheduled in Austin against Ecuador for months when Concacaf put them in Austin for a Gold Cup group stage game this summer, for example. Meanwhile, travel for a team increasingly based in Europe has made it more difficult to schedule games on the West Coast. (Though the makeup of the roster under Pochettino has been swinging back toward a prominent mix of MLS players.) U.S. Soccer also tries to avoid traveling far distances between games in a window. There has been an effort in recent years to go to new markets, or to get back to cities for the first time in several years. That includes a friendly played in San Antonio, Saturday’s game in New Jersey — the first there since the U.S. lost to Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying in 2017 — and a reported friendly set for Tampa in November. “It’s not just because we’ve got a World Cup (coming), that’s a strategy that I think we’ve employed for a number of years now,” Wright said. “For us, it’s: How do you expose the sport to a variety of different markets, but also partner with local markets that really want you to be there?” In addition to all of those considerations, U.S. Soccer does think about trying to maximize home field advantage. But as the pro-Guatemala crowd in St. Louis showed, sometimes it doesn’t matter where the U.S. plays. The makeup of the country is such that it can lead to crowds that favor the visitors.That may not always be what the coach or team wants, of course. But for U.S. Soccer, there are still gains to be made in those crowds. “The amount of diversity in this country is a really, really powerful thing, and something that, as an organization, I think we’ve really leaned in and embraced,” Wright said. “If you’re a fan of the sport in this country, we believe we’ve got a real opportunity to engage with you. There’s about 130 million fans of the game. We expect that number to drastically increase coming out of the next summer. Not all those 130 million are passionate U.S. soccer fans, but they’re passionate about the game … And I think it is really powerful as we think about the future. It’s a huge area of opportunity.” Those points of connection will be the true measure of success of the World Cup, and that’s a process that has already started. The magnitude of the World Cup’s impact will depend on many things, including the results of the host team. But beyond what happens on the field, U.S. Soccer must find wins off of it, too. Getting the cities, venues and prices right to open the game up to fans can make just as lasting an impact. (Top photo: Joe Puetz / Imagn Images)
USMNT’s Balogun finally has his chance for a late first impression on Pochettino
U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, back with the national team for the first time in nearly a year, said Wednesday that the injuries that kept him away from the USMNT are “behind me.” “I’m in a good shape, and in a good way,” Balogun said via Zoom from U.S. camp in Morristown, N.J., ahead of Saturday’s game against South Korea. Those injuries cost him four consecutive U.S. camps, the team’s first four under head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Balogun, after starting or appearing in all nine A-team games for the USMNT in 2024 under former head coach Gregg Berhalter and interim Mikey Varas, missed camps in October, November and this past March due to injury. He was initially named in Pochettino’s pre-Gold Cup squad, but also withdrew from that camp due to an ankle ailment. “It was a tough period, but I think every athlete goes through that at some stage,” Balogun said. Another ankle issue in August cost him a preseason game and Monaco’s Ligue 1 opener. It was presumably part of the reason why the 24-year-old was not on the first version of the USMNT’s September roster, which was revealed last week. But when Brian White withdrew due to injury, U.S. Soccer contacted Balogun, who’d made his 2025-26 debut that past weekend, playing 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Lille. “I got the call — I can’t remember the date, exactly, but it was a bit late,” Balogun acknowledged Wednesday. “I was really happy,” he added. “It was important for me to be back with the team.” Several days later, he scored his first goal of the season in a 3-2 win over Strasbourg. Then he jetted across the Atlantic, to New Jersey, where he was one of the last to arrive at U.S. camp. Now, he will get his chance to make a delayed first impression. He is one of a few players who, at roughly the midway point of Pochettino’s tenure, are meeting and training under the new boss for the first time. “Everyone wants to make an impression,” Balogun said. “And I think that’s just natural, with such a big competition coming in 10 months, it’s important to leave your mark.” That “big competition,” of course, is the World Cup. The 2026 edition, slated for June and July in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, would be Balogun’s first. For roughly 11 months, the countdown to that milestone coincided with Balogun’s absence from the USMNT. Now, a first opportunity to impress the coach who’ll select the U.S. World Cup roster might lead some players to press, to over-exert, to try to be something other than themselves. “That’s part of the psychology, to not overdo it, because things will just become more complicated,” Balogun said. “The harder you try sometimes, the more difficult it is.” But Balogun is comfortable searching for and finding a middle ground, and pushing for a potential place in the U.S. starting lineup come next June. He’ll compete with EFL Championship leading scorer Josh Sargent and new Southampton signing Damion Downs for the prime minutes at striker in this camp, which also includes a friendly against Japan. “It’s something I’ve been doing all my career, fighting for my position and fighting to get in teams,” the former Arsenal academy product said. “I believe that’s a balance that comes naturally to me.” (Top photo: Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Pochettino, ‘jealous’ of CFB atmospheres, wants Americans to share same passion with soccer
MORRISTOWN, N.J. — For Mauricio Pochettino, the 2025 Gold Cup doubled as a crash course in American soccer culture. First in half-empty stadiums, then in front of hostile crowds on home soil, the Argentine coach of the U.S. men’s national team seemed shocked by the lack of public passion for his team.After a Gold Cup semifinal against Guatemala and a final against Mexico, he spoke about the missing emotional connection between U.S. players and fans. “The fans,” he said, “have one year to realize how important fans are in soccer.”Ahead of his next USMNT camp, though, he learned that such passion exists in the United States — for the other type of football.Last Saturday, Pochettino visited Columbus, Ohio, for the Week 1 college football showdown between the universities of Ohio State and Texas. He stood among a crowd of 107,524 people, nearly all wearing red and silver for the Buckeyes. “It was amazing,” Pochettino said Friday ahead of the USMNT’s first of two September games (Saturday against South Korea).“For me, it was a massive surprise,” Pochettino continued. “I’m 53. It’s difficult to have this type of surprise. But to live the atmosphere that we lived there, three hours before, seeing the passion of the people, the atmosphere … the fans in the stadium, 100,000. I was so jealous.”
He was jealous, of course, because that type of passion often doesn’t follow the USMNT or any U.S. soccer team.“I was so jealous, I said, ‘I want to coach these teams. I want to be next,’” Pochettino said with a wide smile and a laugh.Throughout his three decades in soccer, he has played for and coached teams boosted by similar passion. He has seen it at Newell’s Old Boys and Espanyol, at Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain.When he didn’t see it this summer — or when he saw it for Guatemala in St. Louis, and when he saw it for Mexico in Houston — he called it out.“The fans gave to you, to Guatemala, an unbelievable energy,” he said after the U.S. squeaked past Los Chapines in the semis. “That is football. That is football. When we say the connection between the fans and the team, that is the connection that we like to see in the World Cup. That connection that makes you fly. The energy that translates.”He said he saw Guatemala players crying after the loss and noted, “That is the way that we need to feel. And our fans need to feel the same. It’s not to come here to enjoy all the spectacle, and if you lose, nothing happens. … You play for your pride. … When we talk about culture, that is culture. … That is an important thing that we need to learn here in this country.”Pochettino saw an example of that kind of sports culture at 9 a.m. last Saturday, when he appeared on Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show in Columbus. He led an “O-H-I-O” chant. “We really feel the passion of the people here in this country,” he said Friday.And he knows that part of his job, as USMNT coach, is to try to create that passion for soccer. He talked Friday about being a “representative or ambassador” for the sport. “I think I feel a little bit of responsibility,” Pochettino said. “It’s our responsibility to translate to all these people that maybe are more focused on another sport like football, American football. It’s to try to convince them (to) share with soccer that passion. “If only a little bit we can translate to our sport, I think our players will appreciate a lot, and for sure (the fans) will help us to achieve or earn what we want.” (Photo: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)
USMNT star Tim Weah doubles down on ‘evil’ comment about former players turned pundits
U.S. men’s national team forward Tim Weah said Thursday that he doesn’t regret calling former USMNT players turned pundits “evil” for their criticism of the current team.Weah made the comments earlier this summer in an interview for Christian Pulisic’s Paramount+ docuseries. The remarks aired in an episode released last month and reignited the public spat between active USMNT players and alumni.“I think those guys are chasing checks,” Weah said in the docuseries. “And for me, I just feel like they’re really evil. Honestly. Because they’ve been players, and they know what it’s like when you’re getting bashed. Those are the same guys that’ll turn around and shake your hand and try to be friendly with you at the end of the day.”“Don’t get me wrong,” he added, “I respect all of them. They were the players that I looked up to. But quite frankly, the guys before us didn’t win anything, either. Christian himself has had a better career than every single one of the guys who speak negative on us.”On a video call with reporters Thursday from U.S. camp in New Jersey, Weah was asked whether, in retrospect, he felt the term “evil” was accurate and appropriate.“One hundred percent — don’t regret anything I said,” he began. “But I’m fully focused on the positives now. I’m leaving all that negative energy out the window.”
Tim Weah, left, trains with USMNT teammate Folarin Balogun. (John Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
Weah continued: “I think right now it’s important to kind of shift the focus to what we’re doing as a group, and what this team is doing, and how we can execute performances and kinda take our game to the next level in order to be prepared for the World Cup. I’m 100 percent focused on that. And if that means blocking out all the noise, that’s what we’re gonna have to do. We’re just focused on what our main goal is. We’re, each camp, trying to build. I’m so happy to be back with the boys.”
Weah missed this summer’s Gold Cup while with Juventus at the Club World Cup. Then, last month, he completed a roughly $17 million transfer from Juve to Marseille — a club with whom his father, George, played for six months at the end of his career. The move begins as a loan deal but includes an obligation to buy after the current season. “The move to Marseille was a fun one, obviously, with my family history,” Weah said Thursday. “Joining the club, for me, was a no-brainer. I know the history of Marseille, how passionate that city is and how fans are and the team is. I knew it was the right place for me to be before the World Cup and building up to one of the biggest tournaments of our lives.” U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino left other regulars who’d recently moved to new clubs off his September roster. Pochettino said last week that the reason for omitting Johnny Cardoso, for example, was to allow Cardoso to settle at Atlético Madrid.Weah completed his transfer more recently and has played fewer games for Marseille than Cardoso has for Atleti. But when asked if missing this U.S. camp was ever a consideration, Weah said, “No, I never thought about not coming into camp.”“As Marseille’s a priority, the national team is also a priority to me as well,” he continued. “Coming here, and being with the group, and building on what we already have, and fine-tuning a lot of things, for me, is important. Because at the end of the day, the goal is nine months away. We have to perform and be on top of our game. So, any chance I get to come in and kinda build with these guys, I’m 100 percent for it. I’m always here.”He also spoke about Marseille — the city and club — as the ideal place for him as he and the USMNT build toward next summer.
“The club is everything to the city, everything to the fans. I mean, they eat, sleep, breathe football; eat, sleep, breathe Marseille,” Weah said. “You know what it means to them, it’s their heart and soul, so you have to give 100%. If we lose a game, they’re on us. It’s super intense. Just the group alone, we get into so [many] fights together, in trainings, in the locker rooms, that people think we’re crazy at times. But it’s just because everyone is so passionate, everyone has the same goal, everyone wants to win. “And I think being at a club like that before the World Cup, and before going into something so big, I think it’s super important for me. Because I get to build that mindset of being a warrior, I get to build on that. I think that’ll be super positive for me going into the World Cup — and also for the [national] team, because I get to bring that kind of vibe into camps when I come back.”(Top photo: Jeff Roberson / Associated Press)
Three of Europe’s top five leagues return on Friday, with the Premier League, La Liga, and Ligue 1 kicking off for Matchday 1; the German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A will start a week later on Aug 22/23 they both have League cup games this weekend. See La Liga (Spain) games (More) and Ligue 1 (France) fixtures (More) – full season previews below for all 3 leagues. In the EPL my Final 4 are Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea – hoping Crystal Palace or Fulham can make a top 6 run. Premier League Fri 3 pm USA Network Liverpool vs. Bournemouth, Liverpool haven’t lost their opening league game in any of the last 12 seasons, winning nine of them. Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah is the Premier League’s top goal scorer and leading player for goal contributions on Matchday 1. Adding to this, Bournemouth and American midfielder Tyler Adams have just one point from their eight Premier League visits to Anfield. See the full list of Premier League fixtures here.
Notes
Chelsea players will give an equal portion of their $15.5M Club World Cup bonus to the family of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, equating to around $500,000 (More). Cute look at new Everton Stadium. Funny Wrexham Fans left too early – I have to admit I am watching these games on Para+ now that they are in the Championship – Ollie with the brace.
US Players Abroad Begins Seasons this Week – Richards Palace Wins Community Shield What a thrill to see Chris Richards and Crystal Palace win the Community Shield 3-2 in PKs over Liverpool on Sunday (Palace Hi-lights), just months after winning the FA Cup at Wembley over Man City – Crystal Palace looked the better squad vs the defending EPL Champs. Palace plays at Chelsea at 9 am on Sunday on USA, while Fulham hosts – while Complete rundown on American’s Abroad below. Man I am not sure who is advising Christian Pulisic but I wish he would just leave well enough alone on the criticism from Landon Donovan & Tim Howard here’s what was said. Not sure if he’s doing it to get more people to watch his Series on Golazo Network (see Pulisic Docuseries Trailer) or what. Tim Weah, speaking on the CBS Sports series Pulisic about criticism by former USMNT stars now working as television and podcast commentators of Christian Pulisic‘s decision not to play in the 2025 Gold Cup. (Golazo Network). At this point lets just get to early September play our friendlies – Pulisic can come score a couple of goals and we can put this all behind us. Oh by the way the US men are coming to Columbus, Ohio Lower.com Field on Tuesday night Sept 9th for a 7:30 pm match up with #17 ranked Japan. The Ole Ballcoach is going along with some buddies to the game sitting in section 129 ($50) – close to the American Outlaws who will be in the Nordic Section 127. Visit http://ussoccer.spinzo.com/CarmelFC this special link to get discounted tickets. Let me know if you plan to join – feel free to send on to friends.
LEAGUES CUPfour MLS vs. LIGA MX quarterfinals Wed Aug 20.
Quarterfinal matchups
Inter Miami CF (MLS 2) vs. Tigres UANL (LIGA MX 3) 8 pm on FS1, Apple TV Free Seattle Sounders FC (MLS 1) vs. Club Puebla (LIGA MX 4) 11 pm FS1, Apple TV Free
LA Galaxy (MLS 3) vs. CF Pachuca (LIGA MX 2) 11:45 Apple TV Free
Orlando City (MLS 4) vs. Toluca FC (LIGA MX 1) 9 pm Apple TV Free
High School Soccer Season Kicks Off!
High school soccer officially starts this weekend across the state, and Carmel FC wants to send a huge congratulations and good luck to all our current players representing their schools this season. We’re proud to see you take the field, wear your school colors, and continue to showcase the skills, hard work, and sportsmanship you’ve developed here at Carmel FC. The Carmel High Girls Come in Ranked 3rd with new head coach John Simmons and Asst Coach and former Carmel FC Coach Carla Baker in charge replacing long time coach Frank Dixon at the helm. The CHS Boys are unranked after a 7-8-3 record but reached the Regional Semi’s last year.
ISCA Class 3A girls soccer poll
Hamilton Southeastern
Noblesville
Carmel
Crown Point
Evansville Memorial
Brownsburg
Cathedral
Castle
Center Grove
Homestead
Penn
East Central
Westfield
Zionsville
FW Carroll
Northridge
Fishers
Bloomington South
Lake Central
Mt. Vernon
ISCA Class 2A girls soccer poll
Lawrenceburg
Brebeuf Jesuit
Mishawaka Marian
FW Bishop Dwenger
SB Saint Joseph
Bishop Chatard
Guerin Catholic
Evansville Mater Dei
Bellmont
Hanover Central
Heritage Hills
Highland
Washington
FW Concordia Lutheran
West Lafayette
Hamilton Heights
Roncalli
Park Tudor
Gibson Southern
Madison
ISCA Class 3A boys soccer poll
Harrison (West Lafayette)
Hamilton Southeastern
Center Grove
FW Carroll
Zionsville
Fishers
Bloomington South
Noblesville
Concord
Evansville Memorial
Brownsburg
Cathedral
Columbus North
Goshen
Warsaw
Castle
Westfield
Chesterton
Crown Point
Penn
ISCA Class 2A boys soccer poll
FW Concordia Lutheran
Park Tudor
Hammond Bishop Noll
Bishop Chatard
Illiana Christian
Heritage Hills
FW Bishop Luers
Washington
South Bend St. Joseph
West Lafayette
Cascade
Hanover Central
Leo
Bethany Christian
FW Bishop Dwenger
Speedway
Culver Academy
Charleston
Heritage Christian
West Noble
Mike S, Shane & Scott F last preseason High School Scrimmage at Bishop Chatard Thurs Night. Excited to hit the fields Saturday at @ Heritage Christian & Guerin. Had a blast training new Carmel Dad’s Club Refs Ryleigh, Fred, & Noah last weekend at Badger Field.
TV GAME SCHEDULE
Fri, Aug 15 EPL Starts 12 noon ESPN+ Grobaspach vs Bayer Leverkusen German Cup 3 pm USA Liverpool vs Bournemouth (Adams) 8 pm Amazon Prime Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Racing Louisville NWSL 10 pm CBS Golazo Utah Royals vs Angel City (Thompsons) NWSL Sat, Aug 16 7:20 am Para+ Wrexham vs West Brom 7:30 am USA Aston Villa vs New Castle United 10 am USA Brighton vs Fulham (Robinson is hurt) 12:30 pm NBC Wolverhampton vs Man City 1:30 pm ESPN2 Mallorca vs Barcelona 2:30 pm ESPN+ Stuttgart vs Bayern Munich 4 pm CBS KC Current vs Orlando Pride (Marta) NWSL 7 pm TV6, ESPN+ Loundoun United vs Indy 11 7:30 pm Apple TV free Inter Miami (Messi) vs LA Galaxy 7:30 pm ION NC Courage vs Portland Thorns NWSL 8:30 pm FS1 Minn vs Seattle Sounders 9 pm ESPN2 Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Phoenix Rising 10 pm ION Bay FC vs San Diego Wave NWSL Sun, Aug 17 6:50 am Para+ Ipwich Town vs Southampton 9 am USA Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 11:30 am NBC Man United vs Arsenal 3 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Bari Copa Italia 3:30 pm ESPN2 Espanyol vs Athletico Madrid (Cardoso) 4 pm Para+? NY Gothem vs Houston Dash NWSL 5 pm Apple TV NYCFC vs Nashville 7 pm Apple TV San Jose vs San Diego 9 pm Apple TV Vancouver (Mueller) vs Houston Mon, Aug, 18 3 pm USA Leeds United vs Everton 10 pm CBSSN Seattle Reign vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL Weds Aug 20 Leagues Cup MLS vs Liga MX Inter Miami CF (MLS 2) vs. Tigres UANL (LIGA MX 3) 8 pm on FS1, Apple TV Free Seattle Sounders FC (MLS 1) vs. Club Puebla (LIGA MX 4) 11 pm FS1, Apple TV Free LA Galaxy (MLS 3) vs. CF Pachuca (LIGA MX 2) 11:45 Apple TV Free Orlando City (MLS 4) vs. Toluca FC (LIGA MX 1) 9 pm Apple TV Free Sat, Sept 6 5 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Korea Tues, Sept 9 7:30 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Japan in Columbus, Ohio Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia
=====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Got some Good BarBQ for your Summer Plans ? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb has suggested that VAR could be expanded to include reviews for yellow cards and corners. The technology is currently only used to review potentially match-changing decisions such as goals, straight red cards, penalties, and mistaken identity. The case in favour argues that second yellow cards, which result in red cards, can significantly influence a match. Webb revealed that the game’s law-making body, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), is considering changes to VAR’s scope, including discussions around possible extensions for the technology. This comes after Uefa recently opposed measures to widen VAR’s powers to intervene in corner kicks and yellow cards, arguing it would increase delays. In related news, Webb said it would be “tough” for David Coote to return to top-level refereeing after being sacked for making derogatory remarks about Liverpool and then manager Jurgen Klopp. “Under the circumstances, it’s difficult [for him to return],” said Webb. “We stay in contact and care about him, but it would be tough.”
Americans abroad
Dest, Morris, Corboz, Pittman stand out, Jedi shelved, & Much More
ASN’s Brian Sciaretta writes up his thoughts from the weeekend amongst Americans abroad. Sergino Dest looked terrific, while Scott Pittman, Aidan Morris, Marlon Fossey, and Mael Corboz are also standout performers. Plenty of good and bad to go through.
BY Brian SciarettaPosted August 11, 2025 9:00 AM
SHARE THIS STORY
IT WAS A BUSY weekend for Americans in Europe, despite the top divisions in Germany, England, France, and Italy still at the tail end of preseason. Many U.S. players, in including USMNT hopefuls, were in action in both regular season and preseason games.
For now, let’s just get right into it and we will start with the Eredivisie opening weekend.
Dest shines vs. PSV
One of the big stories this weekend for American in Europe was the big statement made by defending champion PSV, who sold a lot of talent this summer (including USMNT midfielder Malik Tillman) but also spent money on new players.
Despite playing well at times this preseason, Ricardo Pepi was not deemed fit enough to be in the squad for Saturday’s opener against Sparta Rotterdam. But Sergino Dest, who mist most games this calendar year, including the Gold Cup, did start.
The news could not have been any better for Dest, who played in top form and did not show any indication of his ACL tear or subsequent injury at the end of the season. He played like the high level player he is.
Dest scored the third goal in a 6-1 win over Sparta that featured PSV having five different goal scorers. That is what makes this team difficult to beat – numerous scoring options.
Overall, Dest played 82 minutes and had three shots. He was consistently dangerous. This bodes well for both PSV and the USMNT as it heads into the fall.
Rest of Eredivisie
In the rest of the Eredivisie outside of PSV, Taylor Booth started and played all 90 minutes for Twente in a 1-0 loss to PEC Zwolle. It was a disappointing result for Twente, who is expected to be in contention for a top five finish, because Zwolle is typically in relegation battles.
Booth, 24, wasn’t one of Twente’s problems on the day and he did create a few chances. He had his own shot in the box blocked in the first few minutes and then he set up two chances later in the game with crosses.
Booth is still likely a long way off from the USMNT but a good season could put him into the picture next year, likely after the World Cup.
The younger Booth brother, Zack Booth, had a tough game in Excelsior’s opener as he came off the bench in the 71st minute in a 5-0 loss to NEC Nijmegen. The game was 4-0 when he came on. The best news for Booth, 21, is that Excelsior will likely have to make changes after such a poor result.
Championship: Morris impresses for Boro
There are a lot of Americans in the Championship this season and we could see a few involved in the promotion races.
Aidan Morris, 23, was solid in central midfield for Middlesborough in a 1-0 win over Swansea to open the season. He was good at setting the pace and helping Boro win the possession battles.
It wasn’t a flashy performances, but he is very important to the Boro midfield moving forward.
After a big 2024/25 campaign, Josh Sargent scored his first goal of the new season in Norwich’s opening day win. The 55th minute goal was an equalizer in what eventually turned out to be a 2-1 loss at home to Millwall.
The goal was all hustle as Sargent blocked a goalkeeper clearance directly back into the goal. It was more seen as a goalkeeper error, but Sargent hustled on the play.
Sargent remains an interesting player for the rest of the month. Norwich is still hopeful of selling him, as they could use the money. But for Sargent to get interest, he needs to keep scoring in any way possible. But where does Sargent want to go? Turning down Wolfsburg two weeks ago shows signs of a limited options.
Damion Downs played the final 31 minutes for Southampton and was on the field as they scored two very late goals to turn a 1-0 loss into a 2-1 win over Wrexham in the season opener. It was a good shift for Downs as he was involved in the final goal where he slightly touched a pass to Jack Stephens, who smashed in the winner from close range.
Downs, 21, is in a good spot. He will continue to get chances and he will contribute to a team that should be in contention to bounce right back up.
George Campbell came on in the dying minutes for West Brom to help see out a 1-0 victory over Blackburn. It marked his debut for the club after moving from Montreal earlier in the transfer window.
Charlton defeated Watford 1-0 on Saturday. Charlie Kelman, 23, started and played 71 minutes for Charlton. He is coming off a season where he won the third-tier League One scoring title with Leyton Orient. Caleb Wiley was out with a back injury for Watford. Kelman had a good chance to score in the 59th minute but his close-range shot was saved. Charlton found a stoppage time winner to earn all three points.
Scotland: Pittman & CCV stand out
Scott Pittman, 33, has scored goals in Livingston FC’s first two games of the Scottish Premiership season. The latest in a 3-1 win over Falkirk on Saturday.
The all-time appearance leader for Livingston opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a shot from inside the box for a 1-0 lead.
After earning promotion last season, Livingston is looking to pull away from a relegation battle early.
Celtic dominated its way to a 2-0 win over Aberdeen on Saturday. Cameron Carter-Vickers completed 139 passes in the win. Auston Trusty completed 51 passes in just 24 minutes when he came on to see out the win.
Those passing numbers reflect Celtic’s domination in possession which typically began with the central defenders.
Coincidentally enough, Aberdeen’s best chance of the game came from American midfielder Dante Polvara in the 75th minute – two minutes after he subbed on. His right footed shot from close range was saved.
Belgium: Fossey scores in big Standard win
Standard Liege defeated Genk 2-1 on Sunday to move to seven points from three games to start the Belgium First Division season. Standard captain and USMNT hopeful Marlon Fossey scored in the 54th minute to give Standard a 2-1 lead – which he then celebrated with a back flip.
On the play, Fossey, 26, moved into the attack and was able to pounce on a ball from close range and beat the keeper with a shot into the top of the net.
Will Fossey make it back into the USMNT picture? It seems difficult. With Dest now back, Alex Freeman continuing to impress in Orlando, and Joe Scally continuing to be the starter for Borussia Monchengladbach, there is a crowded field. But performances like this don’t hurt.
Also in Belgium, Westerlo dropped a 1-0 loss at home to KV Mechelen at home after conceding a goal in the 84th minute. Griffin Yow started at right wing for Westerlo but was subbed out after the first half as part of a tactical change. Despite the loss, Bryan Reynolds had a strong 90-minute shift at right back. Both Yow and Reynolds could move before the end of the month as they have likely done all they can do for a small club like Westerlo. The club could also use the money but it comes down to offers.
2.Bundesliga: Corboz impresses again
It was the second matchday in the 2.Bundesliga season where several Americans play their trade. This week, there were two games that saw multiple players involved.
Holstein Kiel dropped a 2-0 decision to Arminia Bielefeld and it was a big setback for Holstein Kiel, which has no points from the first two games in a season where they are coming back down from the Bundesliga.
John Tolkin, 23, started for Holstein Kiel but was subbed out at halftime for tactical reasons as both wingbacks were removed. The tactical shift did not help at all. Tolkin was okay in his 45 minutes, but the team overall was very poor and does not want to have a poor start to the season. Such starts only create relegations battles.
On the flip side, Arminia Bielefeld was excellent and now has a perfect six points from two games – immediately coming off promotion last year. Led by American captain Mael Corboz, Arminia Bielefeld is off to a great start. Corboz has done well to add maturity to a team that looks ready for the 2.Bundesliga. Corboz, 30, is one of the best “under the radar” stories in American soccer.
Eintracht Braunschweig defeated Greuther Furth 3-2 and Johan Gomez enjoyed one of his best performances in years when he came off the bench in the 61st minute. He was dangerous, assisted on goal that was called back, won a lot of duels, and built a case to start for the club.
For Eintracht, the club has six points from two games. This is huge after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.
On the flip side, Furth sits on three points from two games after the loss. Both Julian Green and Max Dietz both started. Green was subbed out in the 86th minute while Dietz went the whole game. Neither stood out.
On Friday, Paderborn drew Preussen Munster 1-1. Santiago Castaneda, 20, started in defensive midfield for Paderborn but did not stand out in his 78 minutes. Both of the Tampa native’s first two games have been quiet.
Richards wins Community Shield
Chris Richards can now add a Community Shield to his trophy case as played the entire game at Wembley as his Crystal Palace defeated reigning Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Richards had a “hockey assist” on his team’s second goal and saw his header off a corner saved in the 61st minute.
Richards looks to be in great shape to start the Premier League season next week. His great calendar year of 2025.
Elsewhere abroad
In Poland’s Ekstraklassa, Jagiellonia Bialystok defeated Cracovia 5-2 with Aziel Jackson making his first start for Bialystok in the win. Leon Flach also played the final 12 minutes in the win. Kahveh Zahirolelam made his debut for Cracovia when he came on in the 79th minute.
In Croatia’s HNL, Hajduk Split defeated HNK Gorica 2-0. The win was helped by a Gorica red card in the 50th minute when the score was 0-0. Rokas Pukstas returned to the starting lineup after struggling to break in recently and he was helped by injuries that made him needed. He was active in the attack, despite no goal contributions. Was it enough for him to remain in in the starting lineup? That is an open question.
In the Austrian Bundesliga, George Bello scored in the 50th minute for LASK in a 3-1 loss to WSG Tirol. Sam Adeniran started for LASK but was ineffective. It was good news for Bello to have scored but LASK is winless after two games and has work to do in the weeks ahead.
Quincy Butley, 23, meanwhile started and played well for WSG on the right side of the midfield where he won duels and passed effectively. WSG has won its first two games of the season.
In the Swiss Super League, Lausanne dropped a 2-1 decision at home to FC Zurich. Konrad de la Fuente played the final 18 minutes in the loss.
In the Danish Superliga, Matthew Hoppe started for SonderjyskE but was held in check by Viborg in a 1-0 loss. Hoppe was subbed out in the 71st minute.
In Uruguay’s Primera, Agustin Anello played 82 minutes for Boston River in a 1-1 draw with Montevideo City Torque. Anello was subbed out with his team trailing 1-0 and down to 10 men. Boston River now has four points from two games.
Preseason & Transfer updates
Robinson on the shelf
Antonee Robinson has not played at all this preseason and will not be available for Fulham to start the season. Once figured to be the subject of transfer rumors this summer to big clubs, everything with Robinson has been quiet.
Every year, McKennie is on the brink of falling out of favor with Juventus and has always pulled himself back into the mix. But eventually this will end. Perhaps now is a good time for him to make a break and Roma is still a very high landing spot. McKennie knows Serie A well and likely wouldn’t need as much adjustment.
Also in this game was Cole Campbell, who played the last 15 minutes for Borussia Dortmund. This comes after interest from VfB Stuttgart was shelved – at least temporarily as Dortmund assess its winger situation. The speedy U.S. U-20 attacker has been on the edge of BVB’s first team and has made his debut. But works remains for him to be a consistent presence.
As expected, there was no Gio Reyna for BVB and there has been no breakthrough on the transfer front.
Captain McKenzie
Toulouse played Sevilla to a 1-1 draw in a preseason friendly and the big takeaway is that USMNT central defender Mark McKenzie wore the captain’s armband for Toulouse – a sign of his growing importance to the Ligue 1 club.
Chelsea smashed AC Milan 4-1 over the weekend with Yunus Musah starting and playing 73 minutes for Milan. It was 3-1 when Musah departed the game. Musah remains a player to watch in the weeks ahead as his preseason has not gone well. Milan might opt to drop their asking price and move on.
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
DISCOUNT SMALL ENGINE & BIG ENGINE REPAIRS IN CARMEL
Need your Riding Mower, Push Mower or any small engine or Car Engine Work Done by Carmel High Junior Mechanical Wizard for a bargain basement Price? Email my buddy Marc Sultanov at marc.sultanov@gmail.com
Antonee Robinson’s injury timetable underscores his importance to USMNT
By Jeff RueterAug. 14, 2025Updated 12:47 pm EDT The Athletic
No doubt, Fulham will feel a bit up against it heading into the club’s Premier League opener, away at Brighton.The 2024-25 season saw Antonee Robinson cement his place as one of Marco Silva’s most vital charges, arguably the best pure left back in the Premier League. Nicknamed “Jedi,” he’s proven capable of containing Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah on one end before dependably squaring crosses right into his striker’s stride. He gutted out an injury to his right knee until season’s end, finishing third in the fan-voted Player of the Season pageant after a 10-assist campaign.On Thursday, 48 hours before a trip to the AmEx, Silva confirmed that Robinson would not be available for selection as he works back from an offseason surgery on that vital plant-leg knee. So, too, would Ryan Sessegnon, leaving the Portuguese manager without his two top options at left back.Mauricio Pochettino may still be envying Silva’s situation. At least the Fulham boss has a viable alternative in the role to Robinson.It’s hardly a new phenomenon that the U.S. men’s national team is dangerously thin at left back. In fact, the program went over a decade with makeshift solutions, forcing players like DaMarcus Beasley and Fabian Johnson to own the role despite spending their careers up until that point further afield. While U.S. Soccer can’t take credit for Robinson’s development, his commitment was a clear end to holding the left side of the back line together with duct tape and chewing gum.While Robinson has amassed a tidy 50 caps to date, he’s been absent for the last four camps under Pochettino, a 12-game sample from which the coach has learned plenty about his player pool. He’s had his initial trust in Diego Luna validated by a star-making turn at the Gold Cup. That same tournament gave reason to think Matt Freese could be a shot-stopping alternative to Matt Turner in goal.There have been frustrating realizations, too. Mexico is back on the ascent, although that’s a bit more of a subplot than usual as both nations will abstain from World Cup qualifying this cycle. His faith in the core that helped qualify for the 2022 installment has potentially been rocked by Christian Pulisic and others opting out or missing out on the Gold Cup. And, more relevant to today’s news via Silva: he doesn’t have a clear alternative to Robinson at left back.
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t have many options behind Antonee Robinson at left back (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Unlike other USMNT mainstays like Gio Reyna, Pochettino and Robinson have already logged a bit of collaboration. The left back was on Pochettino’s first squad last October, and started both legs of the Concacaf Nations Leg quarterfinal against Jamaica the following month. In the second, Robinson assisted on the second goal of a 4-2 win that sent the U.S. through to the final four. Since then, however, Pochettino has had to play alternatives to Robinson. When an ailment kept Robinson out for the Nations League’s business end in March, it became a calamity: Panama targeted out-of-position Max Arfsten and, later, Joe Scally, exploiting the latter’s lack of awareness to score a last gasp winner in a 1-0 semifinal upset. Scally went on to start the third-place game, putting in such a poor shift that he got a halftime hook.In the 12 games that have passed since Robinson’s last U.S. appearance, four players have been called upon in his absence. Arfsten has been Pochettino’s most relied-upon alternative, appearing in nine of that dozen, most often as starter. John Tolkin, of recently relegated Holstein Kiel in Germany, has made five appearances, while Scally and DeJuan Jones have each appeared twice in the role. None have made a terribly compelling case for further looks.Throughout the Gold Cup, Arfsten and Tolkin — as indicated by their higher utilization — were the two options on Pochettino’s squad.Arfsten, a winger with the possession-dominant Columbus Crew, has fared about as you’d expect for a player who usually sees the game from a vastly different perspective. His attacking contributions were that of an ideal wingback, logging assists and chipping in goals as an auxiliary threat from wide. His defensive performances were riddled with the kinds of mistakes coaches have to drill out of defenders in the youth ranks, taking the bait and making needless fouls (like one just inside the box against Costa Rica that resulted in a penalty).Tolkin, largely as a substitute, has at least spent his career in the role since debuting with his boyhood New York Red Bulls. His issues more closely mirror the struggles recently seen from young left backs George Bello, Kris Lund and Sam Vines: bona fide left backs, but unable to prove themselves at the international level.There’s a paucity of alternatives, too. Unlike other spots, there’s no alternative who hasn’t been tested and is flying under the radar. The closest to matching that mold is Caleb Wiley, the Chelsea prospect who earned three caps in 2023 and 2024 but hasn’t been in a national team camp since Pochettino took charge. While it’s impressive for a 20-year-old to have amassed 135 club appearances, mostly with Atlanta United before the club from London came calling, his first loan with Strasbourg was inconclusive. He’s at Watford now, and could very easily work into the fold in the months to come. The other alternatives to Scally are, in the program’s grand tradition, playing out of position. There’s Arfsten, still tapping into his winger’s instincts at the expense of his team’s defending. There’s Scally shifting over from right back (and Sergiño Dest before him, the first-choice option in that spot), who fancy themselves to put in a shift on the left. Even then, it weakens the right back contingent that is seemingly three players deep: Dest, Scally, Alex Freeman. If Robinson’s recovery timetable will keep him out of the next international camp spanning from Sept. 1-9 (the fifth-to-last camp before the 2026 World Cup), those speculative alternatives may get another chance to log starts and fortify their cases for inclusion. Pochettino and a fanbase starved for optimism will rightfully hope for a pleasant surprise. As it stands right now, it’s a bleak reality for the USMNT: against ideal operational standards, this is a Jedi without a worthy padawan. (Top photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
La Liga season preview: Our predictions on Barcelona, Real Madrid and much more
The new La Liga season gets started later on Friday, with defending champions Barcelona opening at Real Mallorca tomorrow and Real Madrid welcoming Osasuna on Tuesday.
As usual, there is no shortage of storylines, including Barca again struggling to register their new signings, Madrid once more battling against La Liga’s authorities and Atletico Madrid spending big to try to challenge the Clasico duo for the title. There’s also plenty of political intrigue, controversy, figures under pressure and the possibility for history to be made on and off the pitch.
The Athletic has taken its annual stab at predicting how things will go (which will hopefully turn out better than last year, when we predicted Barcelona would sack new manager Hansi Flick by Christmas)…
Who will win La Liga and why?
Flick had a phenomenal first season in charge at Barcelona, winning the domestic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa.
His squad is arguably stronger this year. Defender Inigo Martinez has left, but on-loan Marcus Rashford brings another option in attack, and most importantly, the team’s young core should be even better — centre-back Pau Cubarsi, midfielders Pedri and Gavi, and especially emerging-superstar attacker Lamine Yamal.
Can Flick’s Barca build further on last season’s success? (Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)
Madrid also look to have significantly improved, with a rebuilt defence and fresh energy and impetus under new coach Xabi Alonso. Atletico have spent a lot again to try to mount a challenge, and Diego Simeone arguably now has the deepest squad of his 14 seasons in charge. But Alonso’s impact across the capital could be hampered by minimal pre-season preparation time after going to the final four of the Club World Cup last month, while Simeone’s new signings might take a while to settle in.
Barcelona, Madrid and Atletico have finished among the top four in Spain every year since 2012-13, and they will again this time. But the race for the fourth Champions League qualification spot looks wide open.
Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal are playing in that competition this season, so their domestic form could suffer as they juggle the extra eight games. That might open up an opportunity for Real Betis, who continue to make progress year on year under veteran coach Manuel Pellegrini. Betis’ top-four challenge will be especially strong if they can secure the return of Brazilian attacker Antony from Manchester United after his impressive loan spell in the second half of last season.
Mallorca could potentially challenge for a European spot, while Valencia improved tremendously after Carlos Corberan took over as coach in January.
Who will be the biggest underperformers?
One of the biggest questions is how Madrid’s Club World Cup exertions, tacked onto the end of last season, will affect how they start this new campaign.
Madrid’s players finally got to go on holiday on July 10, after losing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals in the United States. They then returned for pre-season training on August 4, just 15 days before they welcome Osasuna to the Bernabeu for both sides’ opening La Liga fixture.
Managing that situation is a huge challenge for new coach Alonso, who also has to integrate three new defenders in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras.
Alonso was appointed as Madrid coach back in May (Sara Gordon/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Their games at the Club World Cup suggested that Alonso’s biggest issue will be how to fit both Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior into his XI while implementing a version of the high-energy, high-pressing style he used at previous club Bayer Leverkusen.
Midfielder Jude Bellingham will be missing until mid-October at least, following a summer operation to fix a long-running shoulder issue, and players could also still leave in the summer transfer window, including Brazilian attacker Rodrygo.
Alonso could well end up being a success at the Bernabeu – he has the experience and nous to deal with the challenge of the job – but there might be some bumps along the way, and Madrid could be playing catch-up in the 2025-26 title race from early on.
How do you expect the promoted clubs to do?
Levante, Elche and Real Oviedo would all see a 17th-place finish in the 20-club table, so avoiding an immediate return to the second tier, as success.
The three promoted clubs are working with limited finances, having spent around €10million (£8.6m; $11.7m) between them so far on new players (for comparison, the three teams promoted to the Premier League this summer have spent over €300m combined).
Levante’s players, coach and staff played a big role in providing crucial supplies and support when the team’s home city of Valencia was badly flooded last October. Elche owner Christian Bragarnik’s CV includes experience as a striker in fifth-tier Argentine football, time spent as a video-store assistant, and working as an agent to Diego Maradona.
Who will be the best young player this season?
Yamal only turned 18 in mid-July and could already be the best player in Spain, if not the world, so he’s a good candidate for this section.
Already a senior Argentina international, Mastantuono is used to dealing with pressure and expectation. He has already played 64 senior games for River, scoring 10 goals and providing seven assists. Some of those goals were spectacular, especially the tremendous free kick scored in a 2-1 derby victory against fierce local rivals Boca Juniors in April.
Many kids have arrived at Madrid with big hype and have taken a long time to settle, or just never made it at all. But people who know Mastantuono reckon he can hit the ground running and quickly rival Yamal as the hottest teenager in La Liga.
Which under-the-radar figure have the big clubs been sleeping on?
Athletic Club’s Mikel Jauregizar had a real breakout season in 2024-25 and is fast developing into one of the top defensive midfielders in La Liga. Only 18 months on from his senior debut, the super-combative and mobile 21-year-old has established himself as a key member of coach Ernesto Valverde’s team.
Jauregizar, pictured in pre-season for Athletic (Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
He is not the biggest at 177cm (5ft 10in), but Jauregizar ranked third-highest among all midfielders for tackles in La Liga last season. That ability to regain possession and then launch attackers such as brothers Inaki and Nico Williams was key to Valverde’s team’s success in finishing fourth.
Jauregizar did not help himself with his performance in Athletic Club’s biggest game of the season, being embarrassingly dribbled past by Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire in the Europa League semi-final first leg at San Mames. But his career so far suggests he is a very quick learner, and playing in the Champions League this season should bring plenty more experience and exposure.
For much of last season, Atletico appeared set to seriously compete on all fronts, but their season shuddered to a stop in March with a series of disappointing defeats by Barcelona and Madrid across La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
Atletico’s subsequent summer spending of around €150million looks directly aimed at fixing issues in the squad highlighted during that tough spell. Slovakia defender David Hancko and United States international midfielder Johnny Cardoso bring more physicality, while Italian Matteo Ruggeri and Spain’s Alex Baena form an all-new left flank.
United States international Cardoso in action for Atletico in pre-season against Newcastle (Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)
On paper, they all look like excellent acquisitions. The question now is how Simeone integrates all his new players and whether he can get them to buy quickly into his trademark super-intense style of play.
If it all clicks, Atletico’s challenge could go a lot further this season.
Which club have had the worst transfer window?
Villarreal supporters had known that Spain international Baena was set to leave, and the club banking €42million from Atletico and signing Las Palmas’ Alberto Moleiro as a replacement for €16m was not such bad business. Similarly, selling inconsistent forward Thierno Barry to Everton for €30m and getting Spain Under-21 international centre-back Rafa Marin on loan from Napoli look like smart moves.
Less easy to understand is bringing in former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey on a free transfer.
Partey’s experience and ability could be useful on the pitch as Villarreal return to the Champions League this season, but for many, it is just unacceptable to sign a player who has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in England. Partey denies the charges, and club president Fernando Roig said on Tuesday: “We respect the presumption of innocence and of course we condemn any kind of violence, inside or outside football.”
Advertisement
Tell us one great storyline we might have missed…
Barcelona’s issues around registering their summer signings with La Liga are eye-catching due to the size of the club and the regular drama involved, but they are far from the only ones struggling in this area ahead of the new season.
Just days before the games kick off this weekend, more than 50 new arrivals had yet to be officially registered with La Liga. Clubs still looking to make room within their budget included the three promoted clubs, as well as Sevilla, Celta Vigo, Espanyol, Getafe, Real Sociedad, Betis and Alaves.
So some well-known names are likely to watch their new team’s opening game from the stands, while a frantic couple of weeks of wheeling and dealing are likely until the end of the transfer window.
What will be making headlines as the season progresses?
La Liga president Javier Tebas has been openly trying to stage official Spanish top-flight games in the United States since 2018, but until now has always been denied by a mix of political and practical factors.
Tebas is nothing if not dogged, however, and many of the big hurdles have now been removed — including the settlement of a U.S. legal case between world football’s governing body FIFA and promoters Relevent, and improved relations with the Spanish FA in the post-Luis Rubiales era.
The biggest opposition domestically comes from Madrid president Florentino Perez, while green lights are still required from the European game’s rulers UEFA, Concacaf (the regional federation that includes the U.S.) and the United States Soccer Federation.
Though it’s not yet fully sorted, sooner or later, Tebas’ signature project looks certain to happen.
(Top photos of Rashford, left, and Alexander-Arnold: Getty Images)
FourFourTwo Premier League Season Previews 2025-26
Our legendary previews on all 20 teams set to grace the Premier League this season is here, brought to you by expert journalists and hardcore fans at the heart of each club
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool, lifts the Premier League trophy after his team’s victory in the 2024/25 Premier League (Image credit: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
We’re not far away from the start of the 2025/26 Premier League and all the twists, turns and drama that comes with it.
The transfer market has been going into overdrive as teams look to do battle once again, with some mouthwatering spectacles set to light up the pitch again from August to May.
Read on for FourFourTwo’s preview on all 20 Premier League teams in the 2025/26 season…You may like
Bukayo Saka celebrates with Gabriel Martinelli after scoring for Arsenal against Real Madrid (Image credit: Getty Images)
After finishing second for a third season in a row last year, Arsenal are looking to go one better and finally lift the Premier League title. Preseason has been strong, with several new signings through the door, and now, Mikel Arteta is ready to take his side over the line and lift silverware this season.
FourFourTwo has your complete season preview ahead of the new campaign, with the lowdown on star players, what to expect and predictions of what’s to come over the next few months, along with Arsenal’s full fixture list, too.
Aston Villa
Aston Villa celebrate (Image credit: Getty Images)
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa missed out on Champions League football on the final day of last season. After another impressive campaign, in which they qualified for European football, reached the quarter-final of the Champions League, and the semi-final of the FA Cup, they will be looking to continue finishing inside the top six and make a serious play for one of the cups.
FourFourTwo has everything you need for the new term with our season preview. Get the inside scoop on star players, what to look forward to, and our predictions for the coming months, along with Aston Villa’s fixtures.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Brentford
Nathan Collins of Brentford (Image credit: Getty Images)
Brentford are entering uncharted waters. For the first time in the Premier League they will not be led by Thomas Frank, and Bryan Mbeumo will not be in the squad. They have attempted to negate too much disruption by appointing former set-piece coach Keith Andrews, while they’ve brought in Caoimhin Kelleher and Jordan Henderson as they look to solidify their mid-table status.
Your essential guide to the new season is here. FourFourTwo brings you the full preview, including key players, team expectations, our final predictions and Brentford’s fixtures.
This will be Brighton’s eighth season in the Premier League and they enter with significant expectations. 18-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas has become their third highest transfer of all-time as they look to push for European football for the second-time in their history.
Ahead of the new campaign, FourFourTwo offers your complete season preview. We’ve got the lowdown on the biggest stars, what to expect, and a glimpse into our predictions for the next few months – plus Brighton’s full fixture list.
Burnley
Josh Brownhill of Burnley (Image credit: Getty Images)
Burnley finished second in the Championship last season with 100 points, the most ever for a team in second place, only beaten to the title on goal difference. Across the 46 games, they conceded just 16 goals, but shot-stopper James Trafford has returned to Manchester City. Scott Parker will be hoping they can build on their strong defensive performance and stay up this season.
Fresh off the back of their record points tally, Bournemouth will be looking to go one further and reach European football for the first time. Adoni Iroala’s side however, will be without much of their defence from last season, including Kepa Arrizabalaga, Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez making their task slightly more difficult.
FourFourTwo’snew season preview is out now. Dive into our analysis of key players and our predictions for what’s to come over the next few months – and check out Bournemouth’s fixture list, too.
Chelsea
Chelsea star Cole Palmer (Image credit: David Ramos/Getty Images)
Club World Cup champions Chelsea head into the season with lofty expectations. Their impressive performance in America this summer shows their scatter-gun transfer approach has worked and after spending north of £250 million again this summer, the Blues fans will be hoping they can make a serious bid for the title.
And the new season is almost here: FourFourTwo has your complete preview, covering everything from top players to our final predictions, and even Chelsea’s fixtures.
The mood is mixed at Selhurst Park. On the one hand, Oliver Glasner has delivered nothing that any Eagles manager has ever done before and won a trophy: the good feeling isn’t going to disappear any time soon, and Crystal Palace fans are hoping to push on up the league – but on the other, the cloud of the European football debacle and what competition they’ll be dropped into still lingers.
We’ve got everything you need to know ahead of the start of a new campaign with our comprehensive season preview, delving into what to look forward to and where Palace will be in another year’s time – plus, see Crystal Palace’s fixture list.
Everton
Everton manager David Moyes (Image credit: Alamy)
David Moyes is back at the wheel at Everton and the Toffees are under new ownership, as they look to buck the recent trend of fighting the drop and push on up the league: it’s arguably the most exciting time to be on the blue side of Merseyside for quite some time – and that’s before you factor in the small matter of a new home.
Find out what to expect from the new campaign: FourFourTwo provides a full season preview, including insights on star players and our predictions for the months ahead, along with Everton’s fixture list.
Fulham
Alex Iwobi of Fulham battles with Yegor Yarmolyuk of Brentford (Image credit: Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Fulham are looking up in the table. Marco Silva has been in charge since 2021 now and with the Cottagers having kept key stars over the summer, now could be the time to mount a serious charge up the Premier League.
Leeds United are back in the big time – but can they remain there? Things are going to be tough for the Championship winners but after strengthening this summer, they’re in a good position to give it a whirl.
Be prepared for what’s to come: FourFourTwo offers you a full preview with the lowdown on star players and our predictions for the months to come, plus Leeds’ complete fixtures.
Liverpool
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah (Image credit: Pic Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Liverpool have refused to stand still. After winning the title last term, big money has been spent on improving Arne Slot’s side, as Florian Wirtz joins for a British record fee and two new full-backs join the side.
Are the Reds set for the new season? FourFourTwo has you covered with our complete preview, featuring key players, what’s expected, and our predictions, along with Liverpool’s fixture list.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola instructs his players (Image credit: David Ramos/Getty Images)
Manchester City failed to win the title last year for the first time in five seasons. Now, armed with new recruits across the pitch and newfound fire to get back on top, Pep Guardiola is looking to wrestle back his crown.
FourFourTwo’scomplete season preview is here to get you hyped for the new campaign. We break down the star players, what you can expect, and our predictions for the campaign, ahead of Manchester City’s full fixtures.
Manchester United
Bryan Mbeumo trains with Manchester United (Image credit: Getty Images)
Last season was a generational low for a Manchester United side that finished 15th and lost the Europa League final. There’s certainly hope, however, that complete with a new-look frontline, the Red Devils can go again and that boss Ruben Amorim can start to get this side clicking under his system.
Before the new campaign kicks off, check out our full season preview from FourFourTwo. You’ll get the inside scoop on top players, what to anticipate, and what we think will happen over the next few months – and check out Manchester United’s complete fixture list.
Newcastle United
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe (Image credit: Getty Images)
Newcastle United may have had a tough summer but they go into the new season having lifted a trophy last term and with Champions League to look forward to. Despite the struggles in the transfer market, Eddie Howe has built a side to be feared on the pitch: and this is a club that will be looking to go even further in their ambitions.
Ready for the new season? FourFourTwo has you covered with our in-depth preview. We give you the lowdown on the players to watch and share our predictions for the coming months, ahead of Newcastle’s fixtures.
Nottingham Forest bucked all expectations last term with a finish in the European places – and after the unexpected bonus of Europa League football to look forward to, the Tricky Trees are welcoming European football back for the first time in a generation. There’s plenty to be excited by.
The new season is just around the corner, and our complete preview is finally here. FourFourTwo gives you the essential details on star players, a rundown of expectations, and a look at our predictions, plus Forest’s fixture list.
Sunderland
Sunderland fans (Image credit: Getty Images)
Sunderland’s dramatic promotion in the play-offs sees the Black Cats returning to the Premier League and wanting to do far more than make up the numbers: if summer business has anything to go by, they could be about to spring a few surprises, too.
What’s in store for the new season? Find out with our complete preview from FourFourTwo. We’ve got the scoop on key players, what to expect, and our predictions for the months to come – and we’ve even got Sunderland’s complete fixture schedule.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham boss Thomas Frank (Image credit: Copyright (c) 2025 Shutterstock Editorial. No use without permission.)
Optimism at Tottenham Hotspur is unusually high for a team that only scraped 17th in the table last season: that will be because Thomas Frank has arrived, preseason has been positive and the Europa League triumph last season means that the trophy curse has finally been banished. Now, Spurs can start looking upwards again.
The wait is over: FourFourTwo presents our comprehensive season preview, complete with a close look at the most exciting players and our predictions for the next few months., along with Tottenham’s fixture lists.
West Ham United
West Ham man Tomas Soucek (Image credit: Getty Images)
West Ham United are quietly going about their business this summer and with a highly-rated coach in Graham Potter, they’ll be hoping to cause some upsets and return to battling for Europe.
Anticipation is building, and so is our new season preview: FourFourTwo brings you all the essential info on players to watch and our bold predictions for the season – plus, West Ham’s fixtures.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves boss Vitor Pereira (Image credit: Getty Images)
Wolverhampton Wanderers enjoyed a remarkable turnaround under Vitor Pereira last season – but having lost star players Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha, can the Old Gold expect another campaign like last, or can they push on up the Premier League?
Get a head start on the new campaign with the FourFourTwoseason preview: we’ll give you a full rundown on the top stars and offer our predictions for the season ahead, along with Wolves’ complete fixtures.
Premier League Predictions: Liverpool vs Bournemouth, Man Utd vs Arsenal and the rest of Matchday 1
Welcome to the first edition of The Athletic’s new Premier League Predictions game.
This is where you (our lovely subscribers) have the opportunity to join a data algorithm, a six-year-old boy, and me in putting our credibility on the line on a weekly basis.
Every week, we will give score predictions for each of the 10 Premier League games, with a correct scoreline gaining three points and a correct result gaining one point. To make things more interesting, there will be a bonus point if a player is the only one to get a scoreline or result correct. You’ll be able to see the standings from next week.
We will have a different subscriber each week, chosen from those who have replied with their interest (see here for how to get involved and for other general information), but I will be a constant throughout the season until May, along with the algorithm and, of course, six-year-old Wilfred.The more I talk about this, the more convinced I am that The Athletic are setting me up for a fall here, exposing not only my inability to predict the outcome of football matches but, even worse, my blatant bias against your team.Ah, let’s brush away these pangs of insecurity. Three hundred and eighty Premier League matches lie ahead of us from now to May 24, so let’s get cracking.For the opening weekend, the subscribers will be represented by Vaageesh, a Manchester United supporter who hails from Chennai, India. Will he tip his beloved team to hit the ground running against Arsenal? Will any of us? This is already causing me more stress than I thought it would…
Our subscriber’s match of the week
Manchester United vs Arsenal, Sunday 4.30pm BST/11.30am ET
Vaageesh says: “I don’t have much time; I’m writing this moments after entrapping my battling optimistic and pessimistic selves in a bunker. Here’s the rationale: Manchester United’s ability in transition will cancel out Arsenal’s confidence when in possession and neither will quite have the fluidity required to pull ahead despite the fact that both teams seem to have improved over the summer.”
Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal
Oli says: I’m old enough to remember Arsenal, as champions, being obliterated on the opening day in 1989-90 by a new-look Manchester United team, for whom it proved a classic false dawn. United’s prospective new owner, Michael Knighton, was on the pitch beforehand, ball-juggling and blowing kisses to the crowd, and Neil Webb smashed one in from 25 yards on his debut — wild stuff, honestly (yeah, get on with it, Grandad).If I close my eyes, I can imagine a scenario where something similar happens — this new United front line looks perfect for a balmy Sunday afternoon in August — but… no, not quite. This Arsenal team strike me as too serious to be rolled over on day one. I’ll try not to sit on the fence too often, but I’m going to have to go for a very lively draw here.
Manchester United 2-2 Arsenal
Bryan Mbeumo (left), Benjamin Sesko (middle) and Matheus Cunha (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Oli’s other predictions
Liverpool vs Bournemouth
Oli says: If I describe this as an awkward start for Liverpool, it’s in part because Bournemouth are unconventional opponents. Nobody seems to have it easy against them. I’ll go for a home win, but not a comfortable one. It might be a tight, nervous one, requiring a lively cameo from Rio Ngumoha and a late winner from Mohamed Salah, that kind of thing.
Liverpool 2-1 Bournemouth
Aston Villa vs Newcastle
Oli says: They have both had challenging summers, but stylistically this is one of my favourite match-ups in the league. The past six meetings have seen four wins for Newcastle (4-0, 5-1, 3-1, 3-0) and two for Villa (3-0 and 4-1), and I could see this one swinging violently one way or the other. Which way? I’ll say Villa this time.
Aston Villa 3-1 Newcastle
Brighton vs Fulham
Oli says: Another nice match-up, another that could certainly go either way. Why am I going with Fulham to hit the ground running against a Brighton team I rate? Not sure, but perhaps because of their quiet summer in the transfer market, rather than despite it.
Brighton 1-2 Fulham
Sunderland vs West Ham
Oli says: I’ve missed having Sunderland in the Premier League — or certainly the notion of what Sunderland should or could be. The place will be rocking on Saturday and even though I like the look of a couple of West Ham’s signings, it’s a winnable opening game for Sunderland.
Sunderland 1-0 West Ham
Tottenham vs Burnley
Oli says: I don’t know what to expect from Tottenham this season, but I will at least predict a winning start. Burnley had an outstanding defensive record last season, but facing Dominic Solanke, Mohammed Kudus, etc, represents a step up in class for Scott Parker’s team.
Tottenham 2-1 Burnley
Wolves vs Man City
Oli says: The Wolves fans I know are all worried after another summer dominated by departures. As opening games go, this looks more likely to intensify the gloom rather than lift it. Manchester City always seem to hit the ground running — Erling Haaland in particular — and I expect that to continue.
Wolves 0-2 Manchester City
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace
Oli says: I don’t know how Chelsea’s Club World Cup exertions will affect them in the long run, but I fancy them to start well. Palace, incidentally, have been slow starters and excellent finishers over the past few seasons. There’s no reason to expect that pattern to continue, but Chelsea away on the opening weekend is tough.
Chelsea 2-1 Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
Oli says: Looking at how the fixtures have fallen, Forest are another team I fancy to start well — at least until the European commitments kick in, which will test their squad depth — whereas I’m slightly concerned for Brentford. I’m expecting a home win and a Morgan Gibbs-White goal, followed by a flamboyant kiss of the badge.
Nottingham Forest 2-0 Brentford
Leeds vs Everton
Oli says: For Leeds and their fans, this is the perfect opening game, particularly under the floodlights on a Monday night. They didn’t get to enjoy an occasion like this after promotion during the Covid pandemic in 2020, so I’m predicting an utterly wild atmosphere, an exuberant performance, a refereeing controversy, and, ultimately, a Leeds win to round off a lively opening weekend.
How players force a transfer, Pulisic and Weah hit back at ‘evil’ ex-USMNT stars NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – MAY 25: Alexander Isak of Newcastle United applauds the fans as he warms up prior to the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Everton FC at St James’ Park on May 25, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) By Phil Hay Aug. 14, 2025 1
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! Feigning injury, missing pre-season, downing tools. We’re covering the dark arts involved in convincing a club to sell you. Just don’t bother with an actual transfer request.
On the way:
How footballers force a move Pulisic beef intensifies Rooney fires back at Brady A stone-cold 50-metre lob Exit strategy: Isak wants to leave Newcastle… but how do players get their way?
Alexander Isak during pre-season training in July (Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images) I once asked a footballer (best left nameless) why, at one of his previous clubs, he upset all and sundry by submitting a transfer request. “It wasn’t a transfer request,” he replied. “It was a perceived transfer request.”
You can guess the follow-up question: what on earth is a perceived transfer request? “They took it to be an official request, when it wasn’t,” he explained, which sounded suspiciously like semantics to me; a player actively plotting to leave, without saying so formally or quite so explicitly.
Advertisement
Written transfer requests — the unequivocal, black-and-white means by which restless pros can manipulate a move — are less common than you might think. For one thing, submitting a demand in writing risks forfeiting future bonuses or loyalty payments. For two, they’re regarded as small-time. As one agent tells The Athletic’s Stu James: “You’re handing in a letter saying you want to leave. What the hell does that do?”
Stu wrote about the art of manufacturing a transfer in 2021 but he updated his piece when trouble brewed between Newcastle United and Alexander Isak (above), and it’s relevant again in light of the sorry deterioration of that relationship. The Swedish striker has no intention of making another appearance for the Tyneside club. He would sooner sign for Liverpool. But how does he force his way out the door if Newcastle aren’t minded to trade him?
This isn’t new ground, or even close. Cerys Jones went back through the Premier League archives to analyse other high-profile names — Harry Kane, Luis Suarez and others — who effectively went on strike, hoping to be sold. Some who stamp their feet get their way. Others don’t. Stu’s feature is a window into Newcastle’s reality.
Top Stories The biggest issues facing youth sports? Greg Olsen has strong opinions NBA 2025-26 schedule release: 40 games I’m looking forward to next season The epicenter of stalking in sports? Why tennis stands apart Never get an owner angry Isak hasn’t done a bad job in employing the tactics suggested by different agents Stu talked to (all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity). Complain of minor injuries? Check. Refuse to travel on a pre-season tour? Check. Down tools, or cast doubt over your commitment to your existing employers? Check. Textbook stuff.
Here’s what those who know the drill had to say about facilitating a contentious exit from a club:
One agent warned: “What you must never do is get an owner angry. Once a billionaire says, ‘He’s not for sale’, you’re dead. You’re ain’t going nowhere because their credibility is on the line.” A manager with Premier League experience talked about trying to drop a wantaway star down to work with the club’s under-23s: “Then you’ll have the club push back on you and say, ‘He’s an asset, he needs to be involved’. You end up having friction with the club. It’s an absolute nightmare.” Another high-profile representative said, “Some agents try to force things through that are just ridiculous. And all that happens is that it causes a load of bad feeling, nobody wins. Try to find a solution for everybody.” But by far the most revealing quote came from David Sullivan, the co-owner of West Ham United. Generally speaking, Sullivan said, coaches want disruptive players out of the building because they “create a terrible atmosphere”. A sulking asset is essentially a bad apple. And in the case of Isak, it might be that fact that grants him his wish.
‘I feel like they’re evil’: Pulisic and Weah bite back on criticism of ex-USMNT players. Again. USMNT’s Tim Weah and Christian Pulisic Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah celebrate against Germany in 2023 (Alex Grimm/Getty Images) To say that current USMNT stars are at odds with certain retired U.S. internationals would be the understatement of the day. Tyler Adams tried to be diplomatic about criticism from Landon Donovan and others in an interview with The Athletic this week, but yesterday’s episode of the ‘Pulisic’ series on Paramount+ took the beef up a notch.
Advertisement
One thing to point out first: by any objective measure, the USMNT have done nothing to shield themselves from ex-pro scrutiny. The past couple of years have been miserable, and Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah (above) choosing to miss this summer’s Gold Cup wasn’t going to pass without comment. But blimey, they’re taking it all to heart. Here’s what was said on ‘Pulisic’:
Weah: “Those guys are chasing cheques. And for me, I just feel like they’re really evil. Because they’ve been players, and they know what it’s like when you’re getting bashed. Those are the same guys that’ll turn around and shake your hand, and try to be friendly with you at the end of the day.” Pulisic: “The most annoying thing, and the biggest cop-out of all time, is when all pundits want to say, ‘They didn’t want it, they didn’t have the heart. Back in our day, we would fight and die on that field’. It’s frustrating.” Pulisic’s father, Mark: “These guys want clicks. It’s social media, it’s, ‘Subscribe to my channel, listen to my podcasts’, or whatever.” Quote three is a little ironic coming from someone talking in a docuseries, but here we are. The thing is, I don’t see the former USMNT corps backing down tamely, so where this goes from here is anybody’s guess. National unity with less than a year to a home World Cup? If only.
News Round-Up A tasty spat has broken out between Birmingham City shareholder Tom Brady and the club’s former head coach, Wayne Rooney. Brady was filmed raising doubts about Rooney’s work ethic in a recent documentary. Rooney hit back on his new podcast, saying the comments were “very unfair” and that Brady didn’t “really understand football that well”. Barcelona’s board are putting millions of their own money on the line in an effort to get Marcus Rashford and others registered with La Liga. Their salary-cap stress has reached crisis point, again. The Daily Liverpool: they’re closing in on the signing of 18-year-old defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma in Italy. He’ll set them back £26m ($35.2m). The Club World Cup was a nice little earner for the squad at Chelsea. After winning the tournament, their players will share bonuses worth more than £10m. But, bless them, a portion is to be donated to the family of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva. Gimnastic de Tarragona, a Catalan club who play in Spain’s third division, have cancelled the signing of Jose Manuel Calderon…after the defender was caught on camera saying: “I sh** on all dead Catalans.” Calderon apologised, albeit too little too late. An under-21s match involving Manchester United had to be abandoned after midfielder Sekou Kone suffered a bad head injury. The 19-year-old was taken to hospital but appears to be OK. Keeping it together: Chevalier and PSG come back from 2-0 down to beat Spurs in Super Cup
TNT Sports Well, colour us shocked. Paris Saint-Germain ostracise Gianluigi Donnarumma and the first thing the goalkeeper’s replacement, Lucas Chevalier, does is mark his debut in last night’s UEFA Super Cup match by throwing one in this goal, above. That’s football being football.
The evening got better for Chevalier, who saved a penalty in a shootout as PSG picked up their fourth trophy of 2025. They were on the ropes in normal time, trailing 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur with five minutes to go, but something woke them from their slumber.
I’d caution against reading too much into Tottenham’s display because PSG were rusty, as if they were psychologically tearing themselves away from the beaches of Saint-Tropez. That said, for much of the game, there was decent structure to Spurs and their set pieces worked. It was only as they dropped deep in defence of their lead that PSG got a sniff. No early silverware for Thomas Frank, but green shoots all the same.
It didn’t stop Sheffield United sliding out of the Carabao Cup, but I wouldn’t have you missing Gustavo Hamer’s glorious 50-yard finish against Birmingham City last night. Nottingham Forest’s Murillo should sign him up for lessons.
ITV Sport Around TAFC On the eve of the Premier League season, I’ll point you towards a rundown of all the coverage you can expect from The Athletic. It’s here and it’s epic. I like the sound of the alternative league table. There can’t have been many summers in which top-flight English teams threw more money at attacking signings, including Viktor Gyokeres and Florian Wirtz. Mark Carey and Thom Harris have taken a closer look at an expensive trend. Gyokeres, in theory, should enhance Arsenal’s chances of winning the title. Amy Lawrence sat down for an exclusive chat with their manager, Mikel Arteta. James Milner is a machine: 39 years old and still at it in the Premier League. This interview with him by Oli Kay is ace. Fantasy Premier League: once more, the code to our TAFC league for any readers who wish to be part of it. Enter using 30j0f7. We’ve got a few more last-minute tips for you. Most clicked in Wednesday’s TAFC: the PSG-Donnarumma rift. And finally…
X / @sportsru How we chuckled a few weeks back at the footballer in Brazil who re-enacted the Cristiano Ronaldo ‘Siu’ celebration routine and gave himself a gammy leg in the process.
But that self-inflicted wound looks fairly pedestrian when set aside the post-goal backflip attempted by Dynamo Barnaul’s Kirill Mogel in a Russian lower-league match at the weekend. To cut him some slack, the striker hadn’t scored for months but if the crunch was as nasty as it looked, he might not be scoring again for a good while either.
“The acrobatic trick didn’t work out for him,” lamented Dynamo Barnaul’s official website. I’ll say.
(Top photo: George Wood/Getty Images)
How players force a transfer, Pulisic and Weah hit back at ‘evil’ ex-USMNT stars
Hello! Feigning injury, missing pre-season, downing tools. We’re covering the dark arts involved in convincing a club to sell you. Just don’t bother with an actual transfer request.
Exit strategy: Isak wants to leave Newcastle… but how do players get their way?
Alexander Isak during pre-season training in July (Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
I once asked a footballer (best left nameless) why, at one of his previous clubs, he upset all and sundry by submitting a transfer request. “It wasn’t a transfer request,” he replied. “It was a perceived transfer request.”
You can guess the follow-up question: what on earth is a perceived transfer request? “They took it to be an official request, when it wasn’t,” he explained, which sounded suspiciously like semantics to me; a player actively plotting to leave, without saying so formally or quite so explicitly.
Advertisement
Written transfer requests — the unequivocal, black-and-white means by which restless pros can manipulate a move — are less common than you might think. For one thing, submitting a demand in writing risks forfeiting future bonuses or loyalty payments. For two, they’re regarded as small-time. As one agent tells The Athletic’s Stu James: “You’re handing in a letter saying you want to leave. What the hell does that do?”
Stu wrote about the art of manufacturing a transfer in 2021 but he updated his piece when trouble brewed between Newcastle United and Alexander Isak (above), and it’s relevant again in light of the sorry deterioration of that relationship. The Swedish striker has no intention of making another appearance for the Tyneside club. He would sooner sign for Liverpool. But how does he force his way out the door if Newcastle aren’t minded to trade him?
This isn’t new ground, or even close. Cerys Jones went back through the Premier League archives to analyse other high-profile names — Harry Kane, Luis Suarez and others — who effectively went on strike, hoping to be sold. Some who stamp their feet get their way. Others don’t. Stu’s feature is a window into Newcastle’s reality.
Never get an owner angry
Isak hasn’t done a bad job in employing the tactics suggested by different agents Stu talked to (all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity). Complain of minor injuries? Check. Refuse to travel on a pre-season tour? Check. Down tools, or cast doubt over your commitment to your existing employers? Check. Textbook stuff.
Here’s what those who know the drill had to say about facilitating a contentious exit from a club:
One agent warned: “What you must never do is get an owner angry. Once a billionaire says, ‘He’s not for sale’, you’re dead. You’re ain’t going nowhere because their credibility is on the line.”
A manager with Premier League experience talked about trying to drop a wantaway star down to work with the club’s under-23s: “Then you’ll have the club push back on you and say, ‘He’s an asset, he needs to be involved’. You end up having friction with the club. It’s an absolute nightmare.”
Another high-profile representative said, “Some agents try to force things through that are just ridiculous. And all that happens is that it causes a load of bad feeling, nobody wins. Try to find a solution for everybody.”
But by far the most revealing quote came from David Sullivan, the co-owner of West Ham United. Generally speaking, Sullivan said, coaches want disruptive players out of the building because they “create a terrible atmosphere”. A sulking asset is essentially a bad apple. And in the case of Isak, it might be that fact that grants him his wish.
‘I feel like they’re evil’: Pulisic and Weah bite back on criticism of ex-USMNT players. Again.
Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah celebrate against Germany in 2023 (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
To say that current USMNT stars are at odds with certain retired U.S. internationals would be the understatement of the day. Tyler Adams tried to be diplomatic about criticism from Landon Donovan and others in an interview with The Athletic this week, but yesterday’s episode of the ‘Pulisic’ series on Paramount+ took the beef up a notch.
One thing to point out first: by any objective measure, the USMNT have done nothing to shield themselves from ex-pro scrutiny. The past couple of years have been miserable, and Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah (above) choosing to miss this summer’s Gold Cup wasn’t going to pass without comment. But blimey, they’re taking it all to heart. Here’s what was said on ‘Pulisic’:
Weah: “Those guys are chasing cheques. And for me, I just feel like they’re really evil. Because they’ve been players, and they know what it’s like when you’re getting bashed. Those are the same guys that’ll turn around and shake your hand, and try to be friendly with you at the end of the day.”
Pulisic: “The most annoying thing, and the biggest cop-out of all time, is when all pundits want to say, ‘They didn’t want it, they didn’t have the heart. Back in our day, we would fight and die on that field’. It’s frustrating.”
Pulisic’s father, Mark: “These guys want clicks. It’s social media, it’s, ‘Subscribe to my channel, listen to my podcasts’, or whatever.”
Quote three is a little ironic coming from someone talking in a docuseries, but here we are. The thing is, I don’t see the former USMNT corps backing down tamely, so where this goes from here is anybody’s guess. National unity with less than a year to a home World Cup? If only.
News Round-Up
A tasty spat has broken out between Birmingham City shareholder Tom Brady and the club’s former head coach, Wayne Rooney. Brady was filmed raising doubts about Rooney’s work ethic in a recent documentary. Rooney hit back on his new podcast, saying the comments were “very unfair” and that Brady didn’t “really understand football that well”.
Barcelona’s board are putting millions of their own money on the line in an effort to get Marcus Rashford and others registered with La Liga. Their salary-cap stress has reached crisis point, again.
The Daily Liverpool: they’re closing in on the signing of 18-year-old defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma in Italy. He’ll set them back £26m ($35.2m).
Gimnastic de Tarragona, a Catalan club who play in Spain’s third division, have cancelled the signing of Jose Manuel Calderon…after the defender was caught on camera saying: “I sh** on all dead Catalans.” Calderon apologised, albeit too little too late.
An under-21s match involving Manchester United had to be abandoned after midfielder Sekou Kone suffered a bad head injury. The 19-year-old was taken to hospital but appears to be OK.
Keeping it together: Chevalier and PSG come back from 2-0 down to beat Spurs in Super Cup
TNT Sports
Well, colour us shocked. Paris Saint-Germain ostracise Gianluigi Donnarumma and the first thing the goalkeeper’s replacement, Lucas Chevalier, does is mark his debut in last night’s UEFA Super Cup match by throwing one in this goal, above. That’s football being football.
The evening got better for Chevalier, who saved a penalty in a shootout as PSG picked up their fourth trophy of 2025. They were on the ropes in normal time, trailing 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur with five minutes to go, but something woke them from their slumber.
I’d caution against reading too much into Tottenham’s display because PSG were rusty, as if they were psychologically tearing themselves away from the beaches of Saint-Tropez. That said, for much of the game, there was decent structure to Spurs and their set pieces worked. It was only as they dropped deep in defence of their lead that PSG got a sniff. No early silverware for Thomas Frank, but green shoots all the same.
On the eve of the Premier League season, I’ll point you towards a rundown of all the coverage you can expect from The Athletic. It’s here and it’s epic. I like the sound of the alternative league table.
There can’t have been many summers in which top-flight English teams threw more money at attacking signings, including Viktor Gyokeres and Florian Wirtz. Mark Carey and Thom Harris have taken a closer look at an expensive trend.
Gyokeres, in theory, should enhance Arsenal’s chances of winning the title. Amy Lawrence sat down for an exclusive chat with their manager, Mikel Arteta.
James Milner is a machine: 39 years old and still at it in the Premier League. This interview with him by Oli Kay is ace.
Fantasy Premier League: once more, the code to our TAFC league for any readers who wish to be part of it. Enter using 30j0f7. We’ve got a few more last-minute tips for you.
How we chuckled a few weeks back at the footballer in Brazil who re-enacted the Cristiano Ronaldo ‘Siu’ celebration routine and gave himself a gammy leg in the process.
But that self-inflicted wound looks fairly pedestrian when set aside the post-goal backflip attempted by Dynamo Barnaul’s Kirill Mogel in a Russian lower-league match at the weekend. To cut him some slack, the striker hadn’t scored for months but if the crunch was as nasty as it looked, he might not be scoring again for a good while either.
“The acrobatic trick didn’t work out for him,” lamented Dynamo Barnaul’s official website. I’ll say.
Probably not, because it never really stopped. But if you were struggling, fear not, because the Premier League is back.
Three hundred and eighty matches, 282 days, 20 teams, endless grumbling about VARs, and almost certainly a new officiating debate that none of us have dreamed up yet are waiting just around the corner, all starting when reigning champions Liverpool host Bournemouth on Friday at 8pm BST/3pm EST.Leeds United, Burnley, and Sunderland are up from the Championship, there are new faces on the pitch and in the technical areas, and, as always, there are a host of minor tweaks, too.his, then, is what you need to know for the new Premier League season.
New laws
The major change (and, whisper it, possibly even a popular one) is the introduction of the eight-second rule, which will already be familiar to those who watched the Club World Cup.If goalkeepers are in control of the ball with their arms/hands for more than eight seconds, they will concede a corner from the side closest to them. This replaces the old law, which was rarely enforced, where goalkeepers could concede an indirect free kick if they held onto the ball for more than six seconds.When the rule was announced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), it said only four corners were awarded in its trial of the rule, which consisted of hundreds of matches.It is up to the referee to decide when the ’keeper has control of the ball and start the countdown. They will visually count down the last five seconds so it is clear to the goalkeeper what is happening.
There will be no disciplinary action unless the ’keeper repeatedly commits the offence, and they are not penalised if they are starting to or about to release the ball as the countdown ends.
The referee will also not start counting if the goalkeeper is being obstructed by an opposition attacker — if, during the countdown, an opponent pressures the ’keeper, they will concede an indirect free kick.
Teams will be awarded a corner if the opposition goalkeeper holds onto the ball for too long (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
There are also new ‘only the captain’ guidelines on approaching the referee. ‘Normal interactions’ between players and the referee will be allowed, but the guidance is aimed at preventing players from surrounding or mobbing them after big incidents or decisions. Team captains are responsible for helping direct team-mates away from the referee, and anyone who approaches without permission may be booked.The referee may invite the captain over to explain a decision. The hope is that players will know there is an avenue for them to receive engagement with the referee through their captain, but also know they can expect a booking if they approach when they should not.If the captain is the goalkeeper, they can nominate an outfield team-mate before the coin toss to approach the referee instead.Finally, the rules have been tweaked for accidental ‘double-touch’ penalties. If a player scores a penalty kick but accidentally touches the ball twice, they will be allowed to retake it. If they miss, they do not get another chance.
Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez was involved in a double-touch penalty in last season’s Champions League (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
New refereeing tech: semi-automated offside technology (SAOT), announcements, and ‘Ref Cam’
Some might recall that SAOT was on our list last year and was expected to be introduced “from after one of the autumn international breaks”. It actually ended up being introduced to the Premier League in April, so we deem it new enough to make the list again, as this will be the first full season where it is used.
The technology aims to reduce the length of VAR checks by automating parts of the decision-making process. The technology won’t be used for clear offside decisions. However, the old method of ‘drawing lines’ might still be needed in some cases if the technology fails, or if players are blocking the view of the ball or the system’s cameras.
(Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
This happened in March, on the first weekend when the technology was trialled in English football. During Wolverhampton Wanderers’ FA Cup game against Bournemouth, a congested penalty area meant officials could not rely on the technology and there was an eight-minute delay.There will also be more information for fans in stadiums this season. Graphics showing the results of SAOT decisions will be shown on giant screens, and after a trial in the Carabao Cup, referees will make an announcement in the stadium explaining the outcome of all VAR reviews (except for factual offside or onside calls).The league also plans to trial referee-worn cameras, as seen at the Club World Cup. The trial is expected to begin this month and last for around six weeks.The footage can be used as an additional replay angle in broadcasts, allowing fans to see the game from the referee’s perspective. However, no confrontational or controversial moments should be shown.
A new, bigger, UK broadcast deal
More Premier League games will be shown on TV than ever before as the league’s new broadcast deal, agreed back in December 2023 and worth £6.7bn, takes effect.
All games outside the Saturday 3pm blackout will now be broadcast live in the UK. Previously, some Sunday 2pm games were not available to watch live in the UK if they had been moved to that slot due to teams competing in European competition in midweek.
At least 215 matches will be on Sky Sports, and TNT will show 52. Amazon Prime no longer shows any.
Sky will show games on a Saturday at 5:30pm, on a Sunday at 2pm and 4:30pm, Monday and Friday evening games, and the first three rounds of midweek fixtures. Sky’s coverage also includes a new ‘Multiview’ format, which will allow customers to watch up to four games at once on Sunday afternoons.
TNT will show the early kick-off games at 12:30pm on Saturdays, as well as the last two rounds of midweek fixtures.
BBC Sport has highlights rights for all 380 matches.
In the U.S., NBC will show all 380 games, with just under half of them streamed exclusively on Peacock. The remainder will be shown on a main NBC channel or USA Network.
(Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
New broadcast access — including in-game and half-time interviews
Clubs are now obligated to grant more access to broadcasters, including the potential for access to dressing rooms or interviews at half-time or during the match.
Each club will only have to agree to these extra obligations a limited number of times.
At least twice per season, each club must do one of the following:
Allow filming for at least 90 seconds in their dressing room. This could be between the end of the warm-up and start of the match, at half-time, or immediately after the match once the players are back in the dressing room. The club can request that this footage is without audio unless they approve it.
Make a player or manager available for an interview at half-time. This should be no more than three questions, all of which should be positive and related to the match. The interview must be timed so it will not delay the restart.
Make a substituted player, or the manager, available for an interview during the match. This must be by no later than the 85th minute and the interview should be no more than two questions, both of which must be related to the match and positive.
The broadcaster will request this extra access before the fixture and say which of the three options it would prefer, but the club chooses which it plans to provide.
If a club is losing when they were supposed to provide this extra access, they can choose to do it at another match instead.
(Stu Forster/Getty Images)
A new ball — and not a Nike one
Lastly, the official ball has changed. Nike’s 25-year partnership has come to an end and Puma will now supply the match ball.
The German company is already the ball supplier for Serie A, La Liga, the English Football League, and the Carabao Cup. It was in the latter competition that Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta referred to the match ball when dissecting his side’s 2-0 loss to eventual tournament winners Newcastle United in the first leg of their semi-final.
“(The Carabao Cup ball) is very different to a Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies differently. When you touch it, the grip is also very different, so you adapt to that.”
(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Check back for Arteta’s review of Puma’s Orbita Ultimate ball when the season gets underway…
=====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Got some Good BarBQ for your Summer Plans ? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Wrexham’s revamped home: A (longer) £1.7m pitch, heated dugout seats and goal-line technology
But he’s far from alone at Wrexham in experiencing a hectic close season. Aidan Miller, the club’s strategy and projects director, has overseen a revamp of the SToK Cae Ras designed to nudge the world’s oldest international football ground into the modern era.A new £1.7million ($2.3m) pitch, complete with undersoil heating and new drainage, has been the marquee addition. No one at Wrexham’s Carabao Cup first-round victory over Hull City could have failed to notice just how lush the new surface looked in the August sunshine. Nor how well it played.
The seeding and stitching operation to make Wrexham’s surface compliant with European football’s regulations was only part of an overhaul that included moving both dugouts to the opposite side of the pitch, building a new TV gantry, reconfiguring stands to squeeze in extra seats, erecting two new giant TV screens at one end and taking down the old scoreboard at the other.
Wrexham’s new pitch, as seen before their first home match of the season (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
There was also the dismantling of a temporary stand, plus the all-important deactivation of a live electric cable underneath the old Kop, as preparatory work continues ahead of the new 7,500-capacity stand starting to go up, on schedule, in the autumn.To squeeze all this into exactly 100 days between Wrexham staging a promotion party after last season had ended and Tuesday’s cup tie against Hull is impressive. Even more so when you consider the club did not know until beating Charlton Athletic on April 26 when the 20224-25 season would finish — or when their 2025-26 league campaign would start.“We had to do a lot of planning,” explains Miller, who joined Wrexham early in 2025 after almost seven years at Everton, primarily working on the club’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium. “The key thing with the pitch is it would take six weeks to reconstruct it. But two months to grow it.
“If we’d finished third and then not gone up, the window would have been tight. In the end, the opposite happened, where we had an extra three weeks (due to Wrexham clinching automatic promotion). But we’d had to plan for the worst and hope we got the best.”In recent years, Wrexham’s historic home has struggled to keep pace with Parkinson’s upwardly mobile team. Facilities have been improved, such as the installation of new floodlights prior to returning to the EFL in 2023. But, really, it won’t be until the new Kop stand is finished that The Racecourse Ground will truly shine.The changes — which include the installation of goal-line technology — have brought a new sheen to a venue that first hosted a Wales international in 1877.
The newly-installed cameras (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
“We’ve always said with the sporting side being so successful, then the standards get raised in terms of what is expected,” says Rob Faulkner, Wrexham’s chief business and communications officer, when giving The Athletic a tour of all the changes, including upgraded concourses and hospitality areas.
“A lot of things will go into the new Kop, particularly for the fans and players with top-class facilities, new dressing rooms and so on. But until then, we are trying to catch up as much as we can.”
At one stage this summer, six different projects were being worked on inside The Racecourse at the same time by a small army of workers.
Contractors Cleveland Land Services (CLS) worked around the clock to get the pitch ready, with seeding taking place on June 1 and the stitching in July.
The dugouts were moved across the pitch to the Mold Road Stand, where coaching staff and substitutes will benefit from heated seats in what can be a cold part of the stadium. This has allowed the old dugouts to be converted into fan seating.
Two hundred and 24 seats have been added to the Tech End behind the goal, giving a full extra row at the front of the upper section. The old electronic scoreboard at that end has also gone, so the view of those who stand on the back row will no longer be impeded.
The pitch has been extended in length to allow for rugby matches to be played in the future and also shifted a couple of metres towards the Kop. This meant the new two-level TV gantry had to be situated slightly to the side of its predecessor, to ensure the main camera position remains on halfway.
The new two-level TV gantry (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
A second gantry has also been built on the opposite side of the ground on halfway, meaning Wrexham now comply with UEFA and Championship (and Premier League) standards regarding a reverse angle camera position.
“It’s a bit like building a house, in that the plumber has to come in before the joiner,” says Miller. “As part of the work, we’ve had all the steelwork in the Wrexham Lager Stand painted. This involved someone abseiling, which meant two blocks of seats had to be taken out each time.
Advertisement
“It was the same with taking down the temporary stand. We removed one section (containing 558 seats) after the Stockport game last season (on March 22) to help with the pitch project.
“The fan zone also went at the same time, allowing us to create a pathway for the contractors to bring in mountains of gravel, soil and so on. We wanted these onsite, meaning we could start straight away the moment we got the green light.”
This also explains why the remaining blocks of the temporary stand were not taken down until late June, several weeks after the season had ended.
Miller adds: “We had work to do around the outside of the site, tidying up the drainage, laying tarmac and a few other things. Only then did we have the space to take down the temporary stand. Coordination was key, in terms of what is the priority — which for us was getting the pitch work going.”
The summer revamp is only the start. A new Kop stand will soon start to go up, with the intention to be ready for The Racecourse hosting the UEFA Under-19 Championship in June 2026.
Barriers obscure the building of the new Kop stand (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
It will be the key building block of a stadium masterplan drawn up by Populous, the same firm that designed Arsenal and Tottenham’s new homes, as well as Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, Wembley and The Sphere in Las Vegas.
The initial plan was to house 5,500 fans with the design, then allow another 2,000 to be added. However, a new planning application went in last month for a 7,500 capacity structure and a decision will be made soon by Wrexham Borough Council.
A new electricity substation on University land adjacent to The Racecourse’s main entrance on Crispin Lane has also been constructed.
This will provide power to the three blocks of student flats that sit behind the main stand, replacing the previous substation located towards the back of The Turf pub on the footprint of where the new Kop will stand. As part of this switch, a live power cable running underneath the area was deactivated.
“Until that was done, you couldn’t even start digging,” says Miller. “So, from a big ticket perspective, that’s probably the biggest thing we did this summer.”
As Miller says proudly, this now feels like “a Championship ground”.
Can Wrexham Continue the Climb in the Championship? Starts Saturday
Another Championship season begins this weekend and there are plenty of storylines to keep an eye on. Will Wrexham make it four promotions in a row to give their Hollywood-celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney their Premier League dream? How about Tom Brady and Birmingham City? Can relegated trio Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton bounce back up to the top flight at the first time of asking? Full Championship Previews below including how American’s like this summer’s forwards Patrick Agyemang (Derby County), and Damion Downs (Southampton), along with more experienced US forwards Dike (West Brom), Haji Wright (Conventry City) and of course one of the leading scorers in the league last season Josh Sargent player of the year at Norwich will fare. The Addition of Wrexham should bring some well needed attention to the Championship and the American’s who play there.
Brazil Wins Copa America In Shoot-out over Colombia 5-4
Wow what a game between Brazil and Colombia in the Copa America Final – a 4-4 thriller that went to extra time and then PKs before Brazil pulled off the victory behind who else Marta. Marta scored in Extra time to knot it up and send it to over time. Copa Highlights
US Men vs #17 Japan in Columbus on Tues. Sept 9th – Discount Tix Available
The US men are coming to Columbus, Ohio Lower.com Field on Tuesday night Sept 9th for a 7:30 pm match up with #17 ranked Japan. The Ole Ballcoach is going along with some buddies to the game sitting in section 129 ($50) – close to the American Outlaws who will be in the Nordic Section 127. Visit http://ussoccer.spinzo.com/CarmelFC this special link to get discounted tickets. Let me know if you plan to join – feel free to send on to friends. I for one was sick of seeing US fans outnumbered all summer long in our own stadiums. Let’s prove Columbus and Cincy are the HOME STADIUMS of US Soccer – this is where US Fans will not be outnumbered! Join me in the trek to Columbus to fight for our Red, White and Blue! Reach out to the Ole Ballcoach at shanebestsoccer@gmail.com if you want to coordinate travel plans.
Congrats to all of our Carmel FC and former CFC players and everyone making High School teams this week. Superproud of everyone who tried out. Not easy to make a team with 4500 kids in a school.
LEAGUES CUPfour MLS vs. LIGA MX quarterfinals from August 19-20.
Quarterfinal matchups
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS 1) vs. Club Puebla (LIGA MX 4)
Inter Miami CF (MLS 2) vs. Tigres UANL (LIGA MX 3)
LA Galaxy (MLS 3) vs. CF Pachuca (LIGA MX 2)
Orlando City (MLS 4) vs. Toluca FC (LIGA MX 1)
TV GAME SCHEDULE
Fri Aug 8 2 pm ESPN+ Chelsea vs Bayer Leverkusen 3 pm CBSSN Birmingham City (Tom Brady) vs Ipswich Town 8 pm Golazo, Para+ Houston Dash vs NC Courage NWSL 10 pm Amazon Prime Utah Royals vs KC Current Sat Aug 9 7:30 am CBSSN Coventry City vs Hull City 7:30 am CBS Golazo, Para+ Southampton vs Wrexham 10 am Para+ Norwich City (Stewart) vs Millwall 12 ESPN NY/NJ Gotham vs Washington Spirit NWSL 12:30 pm CBS Golazo Sheffield United vs Bristol City 7 pm ESPN+ Detroit City vs Indy 11 7:30 PM Ion Orlando Pride vs Racing Louisville 7:30 pm Apple Free Montreal vs Atlanta 10 pm Ion San Diego Wave vs Angel City 8:45 pm FS1 Kansas City vs San Diego MLS Sun, Aug 10 10 am ESPN+? Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Liverpool Community Shield 2 pm CBS Chicago Red Stars vs Bay FC NWSL 4 pm CBS Portland Thorns vs Seattle Reign 6 pm Apple Free Cincy vs Charlotte 8 pm Apple Free Orlando vs Inter Miami 10 pm FS1, Apple LA Galaxy vs Seattle Sounders MLS Tues, Aug 12 2 pm Para+ Wrexham vs Hull City 2 pm Para+ Watford vs Norwich City (Sargent) Wed, Aug 13 2:30 pm Para+ PSG vs Tottenham EUFA Super Cup 2:50 pm Para+ Birmingham City (Tom Brady) vs Sheffield United 7:30 pm Para+ Philly vs NY Red Bulls US Open Cup QF Fri, Aug 15 EPL Starts 12 noon ESPN+ Grobaspach vs Bayer Leverkusen German Cup 3 pm USA Liverpool vs Bournemouth (Adams) 8 pm Amazon Prime Washington Spirit (Rodman) vs Racing Louisville NWSL 10 pm CBS Golazo Utah Royals vs Angel City (Thompsons) NWSL Sat, Aug 16 7:20 am Para+ Wrexham vs West Brom 7:30 am USA Aston Villa vs New Castle United 10 am USA Brighton vs Fulham (Robinson) 12:30 pm NBC Wolverhampton vs Man City 1:30 pm ESPN2 Mallorca vs Barcelona 2:30 pm ESPN+ Stuttgart vs Bayern Munich 4 pm CBS KC Current vs Orlando Pride (Marta) NWSL 7 pm ESPN+ Loundon vs Indy 11 7:30 pm ION NC Courage vs Portland Thorns NWSL 8 pm FS1 Minn vs Seattle Sounders 9 pm ESPN2 Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Phoenix Rising 10 pm ION Bay FC vs San Diego Wave NWSL Sun, Aug 17 6:50 am Para+ Ipwich Town vs Southampton 9 am USA Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (Richards) 11:30 am NBC Man United vs Arsenal 3 pm Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Bari Copa Italia 3:30 pm ESPN2 Espanyol vs Athletico Madrid (Cardoso) 4 pm Para+? NY Gothem vs Houston Dash NWSL Mon, Aug, 18 3 pm USA Leeds United vs Everton ?? FS1 Leagues Cup MLS vs Liga MX 10 pm CBSSN Seattle Reign vs Chicago Red Stars NWSL Tues Aug 19 ?? FS1 Leagues Cup MLS vs Liga MX
Sat, Sept 6 ?? 5 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Korea Tues, Sept 9 7:30 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Japan in Columbus, Ohio Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia
=====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Got some Good BarBQ for your Summer Plans ? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Carmel FC Goalkeeping Training Should Kick Back off Next Monday at Shelbourne Fields @ 6 pm with former CHS and College Goalkeeper Erin Baker along with me.
Tim Weah has officially joined Marseille after terms were finally agreed with Juventus. The deal is a €1 million dollar loan for the coming season followed by a €14 million obligation to buy and €3 million in bonuses. There is also a sell-on clause.George Weah has accompanied his son to Marseille for the announcement (Weah’s medical is on Wednesday). The elder Weah made the final stop of his European career at Marseille.Overall, it’s a great move for Weah because Marseille is spending money on him that reflects an intent to play him. Hopefully he returns to the wing, where he is better, but he should be ready to help on several levels.
Minimal movement with Reyna
Gio Reyna is still in limbo as Borussia Dortmund are insisting on €11 million and Parma raised their last offer to €8 million but are reluctant to go higher. Reyna is seen as a nice piece for Parma but is not critical.
Chances are the deal still gets completed but time jeopardizes everything. There is always the risk that Parma moves on and finds another player. The fact that no other offers are knocking suggests that Reyna really needs to get this deal done or else he is in the abyss.
Musah struggling with form amid Napoli rumors
Thus far in Milan’s preseason, Yunus Musah’s form has simply not been good. He’s struggled with bad turnovers and his final product continues to lag. A goal in a 9-0 romp over Perth Glory doesn’t change that. Now there are reports that Napoli is back in play for Musah. Napoli was in the hunt for Musah earlier in the summer but later walked away from the high price tag.Why would Napoli get back into the market if Musah isn’t playing well? The likely reason is that Napoli believes they can get him at a lower price. If Musah appears to be falling out of favor at Milan, Milan can’t ask a lot for him and might simply want to take what they can get and move on. If Musah stays and hardly plays, his value will be very low in January.
There is also interest from Nottingham Forest, but Musah might not be seen as a starter at Forest. He might prefer staying in Italy.
Lund loaned to Koln
Kristoffer Lund, 23, has moved to FC Koln on a season-long loan from Palermo that includes an option to buy. The left back will now join the newly promoted Bundesliga club and finally get his taste of being in a top five league.
Lund is coming off a Serie B season with Palermo where his playing time became more sporadic in the second half of the season. This is a good move because it gets him out of a stagnating situation.For the national team, he’s been out of favor under Pochettino who didn’t even include him on the preliminary roster for the Nations League. At this point, getting into the picture for the World Cup seems unlikely.But it’s a good move. The big question is whether Koln will play in a way that allows him to get forward into the attack. Newly promoted teams can struggle.
2.Bundesliga gets underway
In the 2.Bundesliga opening weekend, the biggest game from an American perspective was Paderborn’s 2-1 win over Holstein Kiel. What was peculiar about this game is that John Tolkin played well at left back in the loss while Santiago Castaneda didn’t play well in the win. lot is on the line for both American players as Tolkin is on the bubble of the USMNT and needs to play well to move inside. Despite the loss, he should thrive in the 2.Bundesliga and be among the best left backs in the league.
Castaneda, 20, is hoping to build off a season where he moved from a fringe player on the border of the professional level to a solid 2.Bundesliga player for a good team. The defensive midfielder from Tampa is still mostly unknown but another good season could put him into a place where he starts to gain a lot attention.
Also in the 2.Bundesliga, Greuther Furth defeated Dynamo Dresden 3-2. Max Dietz went the full 90 minutes in the win while Julan Green was subbed out in the 90th minute. The former USMNT attacker created a number of chances in the win.
Newly promoted Arminia Bielefeld defeated Fortuna Dusseldorf 5-1 after Fortuna was reduced to 10 players in the first half. Arminia’s American captain Mael Corboz assisted on the team’s first goal. New Jersey-born forward Isaiah Young subbed into the game in the 86th minute for Arminia.
Johann Gomez played the last 31 minutes for Eintracht Braunschweig in a 1-0 away win over Magdeburg.
Belgium: Yow & Reynolds stand out
In Belgium, Westerlo defeated Zulte Waregem 3-1 with both right back Bryan Reynolds and right wing Griffin Yow both impressing after an ugly 5-2 loss to Anderlecht in the season opener.
The two combined nicely on the opening goal in the first minute when Reynolds won the initial ball and Yow showed fantastic skill in a direct play forward before scoring. Yow was just 3/10 in passing in his 60 minutes but had three shots and a goal.
Both players are potentially on the move but time is getting short. Westerlo would love to cash in as both players have reached their top value at a small club such as Westerlo.
Eintracht wraps up USA tour
Eintracht Frankfurt wrapped up its preseason tour and the club featured four American players.
Marvin Dills scored in the team’s 5-2 win over Louisville and impressed. But as a 2007-born player, he is still in the youth system but don’t rule out a loan or maybe even a Bundesliga debut later in the year.
Timmy Chandler is wrapping up his career and is on a one-year deal. He almost seems like an player/coach at this point.
Nene Brown dumped cold water on any potential USA call-up in the near future. He is focused on life with Germany’s U-21 team and their full national team after that.
Paxten Aaronson is coming off a great loan from FC Utrecht – who would love to have him back for another year. At one point Dino Toppmöller seemed to indicate Aaronson was in his plans, but the preseason rotation doesn’t make that clear.
Other game notes
James Sands went 90 minutes for St. Pauli in a 2-2 draw with Coventry. He’s a player who has a better chance of making the USMNT World Cup team that many are overlooking. Sands spoke about this after the game.
“The World Cup is a big dream of mine, especially because it’s taking place in the US,” Sands told St. Pauli’s website. “It would be great to be a part of it, but there’s a long way to go. I’m focusing on making a good start to the season. I want to grow as a player, it’s the reason I moved to the Bundesliga. The standard is higher here and I’ll have a better chance of being called up to the national team if I get a lot of playing time. There are lots of good players in the States, but I think I have a good chance.”
Johnny Cardoso made his first appearance for Atletico on Sunday when he played the second half of a 1-0 loss to Porto (with the goal coming at the end of the first half).
The reviews from the local media were very positive for Cardoso who played the pivot very well as he won possession and got the ball into the attack. All of this bodes very well for Cardoso having a starting role at the beginning of the La Liga season.
Tanner Tessmann played 81 minutes for Lyon in a 2-1 preseason loss to Bayern. Now wearing the No. 6 for the club, it was a good shift for Tessmann who looks like a starter heading into the Ligue 1 season.
Rokas Pukstas played the final 11 minutes for Hajduk Split in its 2-1 win over Istra 1961 in the HNL opener. The club as a new coach, but Pukstas is still not playing much and it is a concern for the once highly rated USYNT player.
Cameron Carter-Vickers wore the captain’s armband for Celtic in its Premiership opening 1-0 win over St. Mirren. Nothing too much to take away other than Celtic controlled the game. Auston Trusty, meanwhile, only was subbed into the game in the second half and came in as a left back.
Matthew Hoppe scored for SonderjyskE in a 3-2 win over Nordsjaelland – coming off the bench in the 60th minute and breaking a 1-1 draw in the 69th minute. Ever since his breakout for Schalke as a teenager, his career has been adrift – with unsuccessful stops in Spain, the USA, Middlesbrough – before trying to reboot himself in Denmark with a small Superliga team in SonderjyskE.
For Wrexham to reach Premier League, they must survive tough Championship first
Ryan O’HanlonAug 8, 2025, 04:30 AM ET ESPN
After Wrexham won their third successive promotion — the first-ever team in the history of organized English soccer to do so — their billionaire, superhero co-owner had a message for the haters.
“I remember the first time I did a press conference there,” Ryan Reynolds said, “and one of the media people asked me, ‘How far do you think this dream goes?’ And I said, ‘Well, we’re going to take this team to the Premier League,’ and they laughed and even the players laughed. But they’re not laughing now. We’re in the Championship.”
Ever since the “Deadpool” star paired with Rob Mac — formerly Rob McElhenney of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” — to buy the club in 2021 and turned the experience into a docuseries, they’ve been talking about the Premier League.
“We say this all the time, but we want to be in the Premier League, as crazy as that sounds to some people,” Reynolds told ESPN in 2023. “If it is theoretically possible to go from the fifth tier in professional football to the Premier League, why wouldn’t we do that? Why wouldn’t we use our last drop of blood to get there? We’re in it for the ride. This is a multi-decade project.”
They’re not the only ones talking about it, either. Earlier this year, NPR’s “Morning Edition” ran a segment that not only suggested Wrexham will one day make the Premier League, but that they’ll eventually host Real Madrid for a Champions League match.
Now, I’m guilty, too. Back when they earned promotion from the National League to League Two, I wrote a piece with the following headline: “Could Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham honestly ever reach Premier League?” And, well, they are one season away from promotion to the Premier League, as they will make their Championship debut on Saturday against Southampton. But they’re also one season away from relegation to League One.
While they’ve mostly been able to overpower their lower-league opponents with brute-force spending, the club now face an altogether different kind of challenge in England’s second tier. For the first time since Reynolds and Mac took over, Wrexham are going to be serious underdogs on and off the field.
What happens when you’re promoted to the Championship?
Over the past 12 seasons, 36 clubs have been promoted from League One up to the Championship. Here’s what happened to each one after a season:
If we go off the base rates, then it’s nine times more likely that a promoted club to the Championship gets relegated back down to League One than it gets promoted to the Premier League. Except, if you squint hard enough, you can see some similarities between Wrexham and the only team that made the leap in one season.
Under first-time manager Kieran McKenna, Ipswich Town were promoted from League One in 2022-23 after finishing second with 98 points and a plus-66 goal differential. The following season, they were then promoted from the Championship after finishing second with 96 points and a plus-35 goal differential.
Wrexham, of course, were promoted from League One in 2023-24 after finishing second with 88 points and a plus-37 goal differential. And then this past season, they won promotion again with 92 points and a plus-33 goal differential.
Except, Wrexham don’t want to pull an Ipswich. They said as much to ESPN’s Joey Lynch during their tour of Australia this past month.
“I have no doubt we can arrive at Premier League at some point,” Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson said, “but what I want to make sure is that we’re future-proofing so that when we arrive there, we’re able to stay there and that we don’t just come falling crashing back down like you’ve seen other clubs do.”
In the Premier League this past season, Ipswich won four games, ended the season with a minus-46 goal differential and finished 19th.
Why is the Championship so different?
Since the league itself is relatively popular and one good-to-great season puts you in the Premier League, Championship clubs both have way more money to spend than League One clubs and they spend a higher proportion of their money than any other league in the world.
For the 2023-24 season, per data from Kieron O’Connor’s Swiss Ramble, Premier League clubs made £317.5 million on average, while Championship clubs took in £39.9 million and League One teams reported revenues of £9.4 million. For the same season, Premier League clubs spent £289.5 million on transfer fees and wages, Championship clubs clocked in at £48 million and League One clubs spent £9.8 million.
What that means is that Premier League teams spent 95% of what they made and League One teams were essentially putting all their revenue (101%) back into wages. With a handful of Premier League teams not really at risk of relegation but also not in contention for a title, it makes some financial sense that not everyone is maxing out their competitive spending. In League One, everyone is trying to avoid relegation and eventually get promoted, so a little more money gets poured back into player costs.
Well, in the Championship, spending on wages and transfer fees made up a whopping 121% of revenue. With an average revenue increase of nearly £280 million between the top-flight and second-tier teams, clubs are not trying to make year-on-year profits in the Championship. They’re doing whatever it takes to get promoted, season after season. And the promotion structure — with two clubs automatically going up and the next four in the table fighting it out in a playoff — makes it so more than half of the clubs in the league can convince themselves that they’re just a season away from the Premier League.
On top of all that, the finances in the Championship are way more unequal than they are in League One. Since teams relegated from the Premier League get a succession of parachute payments in the years following their demotion, the teams at the top of the Championship can carry way more expensive rosters than the just-promoted clubs down at the bottom.
In 2023-24, the highest revenue recorded by a Championship club was £127.6 million and the lowest was £16.6 million. In League One, the difference was between £21.3 million and £5.8 million. It’s a similar story with wage spending. In the Championship, the high was £107 million and the low was £12.9 million. In League One, the difference was between £22 million and £4 million.
In the Championship, then, the biggest payroll is more than eight times more expensive than the smallest wage bill. In League One, it’s an increase of about five and a half.
So, what does it mean for Wrexham and the Premier League?
It will be a while until we have access to Wrexham’s true finances for this upcoming season, but multiple studies have found that the crowd-sourced transfer valuations at Transfermarkt serve as a very accurate proxy for a team’s wage bill. And that, in turn, is a rough proxy for a team’s talent level.
So far this summer, Wrexham have signed eight players for fees totaling to an estimated €12.8 million. Among them: former England international Conor Coady, former Premier League striker Kieffer Moore, former Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward and former Premier League midfielder Lewis O’Brien.
Since June 1 — when the transfer window briefly opened for two weeks — the transfer value for Wrexham’s squad has increased by 110.3%, the second-highest mark in the league.
The result of more than doubling the value of their squad in just two months? Wrexham currently have the 21st-most valuable roster in a league with 24 teams.
Their team is worth €28.7 million. The Championship average club has a roster valued at €70.8 million. The most valuable roster, Leicester City, is worth €208.1 million, while the other two clubs just relegated from the Premier League, Southampton and Ipswich Town, have rosters valued at more than €180 million.
The reality is that Wrexham’s roster isn’t close to seriously competing for promotion. Of course, this is soccer, and weird stuff happens every season. It’s a lot easier to bounce up to sixth than first, and once you’re in the promotion playoff, anything can happen. But we just haven’t seen this club outsmart its opponents and be efficient with its spending yet. Wrexham have been one of the richest teams with one of the most expensive rosters in every other league in which they’ve competed.
In fact, the only team we’ve seen them be at a significant financial disadvantage to was Birmingham City in League One this past season. Wrexham finished 19 points and 20 goals behind Birmingham this past season. They were closer to not getting promoted than they were to catching Birmingham and based on Transfermarkt’s estimates, summer spending by Birmingham has increased their roster value by €40 million. Even with that, five other Championship teams still have more valuable squads than Birmingham and two others have similarly valuable rosters.
There’s also just not a ton of room for internal improvement at Wrexham, either. Very few players are likely to get better. The average age of their current roster is 27.7 — almost at the tail end of a soccer player’s peak years from 24 to 28. They currently represent the second-oldest team in the Championship, after Derby County who finished this past season in 19th.
So, what might it all mean for this season?
Based on projections from the consultancy Twenty First Group, its simulations expect Wrexham to score 44.9 goals — 22nd-most in the league, 9.6 fewer than league-average — and concede 53.9 goals, good for 11th-fewest in the league and 0.6 fewer than league-average. That’s what Wrexham’s makeup was this past season, too: only Birmingham conceded fewer goals in League One, but seven sides scored more.
And for now, it probably is the right balance. This is an old team that’s still way-too-reliant on a British and Irish player pool. To maximize its chances in the future and find a way to score more goals, the team are going to have to eventually extend their scouting search beyond a couple islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
As currently constituted, though, Wrexham are way more likely to have a successful season by leaning on the defense, rather than risking being too aggressive and ending up with the deadly combination of a bad attack and a bad defense. The latter could raise their ceiling, but the former will raise their floor.
Eliminating as much downside as possible is what they need to do. According to Twenty First Group, Wrexham have a 3.6% chance of being promoted — and a 19% chance of being relegated.
After three successive promotions since Reynolds and Mac took over, success won’t be continued upward movement. No, a successful season for Wrexham is anything that doesn’t send them back down.
MLS vs LIGA MX – Leagues Cup rolls on
Some people love this tournament, others hate it. I like it. Ultimately, it is good that MLS creates an opportunity for its teams to play opponents from outside its own borders. It doesn’t mean there aren’t drawbacks. Going to the well of the USA vs. Mexico rivalry (apologies to Canadian teams) has its limits – and this pushes it.
Also, the new format is a letdown. It was started because Liga MX teams bombed out of the 2024 edition leaving an all-MLS semifinal and final. The 2023 edition was an all-MLS final. The new format ensures four MLS teams and four Liga MX teams are in the quarterfinals.
That is waste. The best teams from the group stages should qualify, regardless of league. I agree that MLS should be capped at 18 teams to match it with Liga MX’s 18 total teams. But the handicapping of standings to ensure as much Liga MX vs. MLS hurts the overall competitiveness.
Anyway, here are some thoughts about 2025 Leagues Cup
Seattle is the class, so far
The Seattle Sounders have been the best team in the tournament through two games. The almost completely unbelievable 7-0 win over Cruz Azul followed by a 2-1 win over Santos Laguna.By now, you’ve seen the Pedro de la Vega goal against Cruz Azul – but I can’t take the chance you haven’t. It’s one of the greatest ever MLS-related goals ever. Fans want a Puskás Award nomination and they might get their wish.But apart from the brilliant strike, what has been most striking about Seattle has been its variety of scoring. They’ve scored nine goals and only one player, de la Vega, has scored twice. The entire team is playing well and the Sounders have a lot of ways that can beat you. This is the team we were predicting them to be in preseason and they’re now hitting that form – despite no Jordan Morris or Paul Arriola.
The question is whether this will translate over to the regular season.
Messi injured as Miami near advancement
Inter Miami has one regulation – a 2-1 win over Atlas – win and one shootout win – after a 2-2 draw with Necaxa- for a total of five points out of a possible six. That’s pretty good even if their defense has been shaky.
But in the Necaxa draw, Lionel Messi was hurt with what is now listed as a “minor muscle injury in his right leg. His medical clearance will depend on his clinical progress and response to treatment.”
The good news for Inter Miami is that the early returns for Rodrigo De Paul are strong.
Still, Miami have a great chance to advance if they can defeat Pumas in regulation by multiple goals.
Standings: Crew & Toluca: In, Big Liga MX: Out
Tuesday saw a few teams play their third game and right now, Columbus ( 7 points) Seattle (6 points), Portland (6 points), and LAFC (6 points) would advance. But the following teams have one game remaining: Miami (5 points), Minnesota (4 points), LA Galaxy (4 points), New York Red Bulls (4 points), Orlando (4 points), Cincinnati (4 points). Theoretically, Real Salt Lake and Colorado are alive at 3 points, but it is unlikely.
Overall, MLS execs are probably going to like their final four – especially if Miami advances.
The Liga MX standings are seeing a wipeout of top teams. Club America, Monterrey, Cruz Azul, and Chivas are already eliminated. Toluca is through and likely Pachuca as well. Tigres is done playing at 6 points. That makes them vulnerable to Juarez, Pumas, and Necaxa.
Arfsten raising game for Crew
Max Arfsten has been playing very well lately for the Crew and on Tuesday night he scored his second goal of the Leagues Cup tournament in a 1-0 win over Leon. Columbus became the first MLS team to secure a quarterfinal spot.
Arfsten has been the subject of transfer rumors and Middlesbrough and Toulouse have both submitted bids. But Columbus does not want to sell Arfsten midseason. But will teams still be interesting in January?
Moving forward it will be important to observe if Arfsten plays more as a winger or as a left back. He is much more effective as a left winger and it also allows him to not be in as many critical defensive positions.
American youth doing well
We’ve seen a lot young American players in MLS take advantage of opportunities at Leagues Cup – which has been promising to see.
Taha Habroune had two assists for Columbus in the 3-1 win over Puebla. Always considered a top prospect, Habroune is finally getting on the field lately and he is making the most of his opportunities over the past six weeks. He is surging into the U-20 World Cup (if Columbus releases him).
Gerardo Valenzuela continues to be an important player for a Cincinnati team that is among the best in the league. The 20 year old from Florida picked up an assist in the 3-2 win over Monterrey and then started in the 2-2 draw with Juarez (which ended in a shootout loss). He’s never been highly rated nor a U.S. youth international, but he’s increasing his stock with good play.
Benja Cremaschi: it was good to see the U.S. U-20 midfielder wear the captain’s armband in the second half of the 2-2 draw (later a shootout win) over Necaxa. On a team full of veteran stars, he is a respected as a youngster. He’s likely the U.S. U-20 captain.
David Vazquez: While San Diego is eliminated, David Vazquez impressed in his first two games for the club. Specifically in the 2-0 win over Mazatlan on Tuesday where he picked up an assist.
Pedro Soma: Also made his debut for San Diego in the win over Mazatlan and he played the final 28 minutes, completing 37/37 passes.
Alex Freeman: the new USMNT right back might be young and adjusting to his first season as a first-team starter, but his athleticism is impressive an makes people believe in his upside. This was a great run out of the back and into the attack for an assist in a 3-1 win over Atlas.
Muller joins Vancouver
Thomas Müller needs no introduction. A World Cup winner with Germany, Müller has 150 Bundesliga goals in 503 appearances all with Bayern Munich. He’s scored 45 goals for Germany in 130 caps. Müller, 35, has now decided to leave Germany and Europe all together and join Vancouver – after all the nonsense such as having to buy his “discovery rights” from Cincinnati for $400,000 in GAM.
Vancouver has been a good team and will now look a lot different with Müller as well as the looming return of Ryan Gauld. Head coach Jesper Sørensen as a lot of pieces, and it won’t be easy to get them to work tougher.But the potential upside is that Vancouver can win MLS Cup with its talent. The downside is that they could just as easily fall on their face.
LAFC signs Son Heung-min
As has been rumored for a long time, Son Heung-min finally signed with LAFC from Tottenham, where he spent the last 10 years.t is a massive move that makes Son one of the most expensive players in the history of MLS.”I’m incredibly proud to be joining LAFC, a club with big ambitions in one of the most iconic sports cities in the world,” Son said. “Los Angeles has such a rich history of champions, and I am here to help write the next chapter.”I’m excited for this new challenge in MLS. I have come to L.A. to lift trophies and give everything for this club, this city, and its fans. I cannot wait to get started.”At first glance, the move seems well worth the investment. On jersey sales and endorsements alone, LAFC will come out a financial winner.On the field, LAFC should only be expected to continue to dominate even after Steve Cherundolo’s final year as the head coach. LAFC is ambitious and this shows that.Meanwhile, LAFC defeated Tigres 2-1 behind a great game from David Martinez. After a win over Club America in the Club World Cup play-in game, LAFC has posted some big wins over Liga MX. But unfortunately, LAFC needs many Liga MX teams to win tonight in order to advance.
But the introduction of Son is the top story of the day, by far.
Championship season preview: Can Wrexham reach the Premier League? Will relegated clubs bounce back?
By The Athletic UK Staff Aug. 8, 2025 12:12 am EDT
Another Championship season begins this weekend and there are plenty of storylines to keep an eye on. Will Wrexham make it four promotions in a row to give their Hollywood-celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney their Premier League dream? Can relegated trio Leicester City, Ipswich Town, and Southampton bounce back up to the top flight at the first time of asking? Are Sheffield Wednesday already doomed to League One after a summer of chaos off the pitch? And how many managers will Watford get through between now and May?Here, our EFL experts answer all the key questions before the campaign kicks off with Tom Brady’s promoted Birmingham City hosting Ipswich tonight (Friday).
Who will win the Championship title?
Gregg Evans: Ipswich. They look too strong, even with the departure of Liam Delap to Chelsea, and will dominate, most likely from start to finish. Manager Kieran McKenna knows exactly what he’s doing, too.
Richard Sutcliffe: Ipswich have the attacking armoury to bounce straight back up as champions.
Philip Buckingham: I can’t see past Ipswich either. Their ploy of signing the Championship’s best players 12 months ago backfired in the Premier League, but it means they’ve got a squad as strong as any in the second division now. They’ll take some stopping.
Chris Weatherspoon: Ipswich. Last season was pretty much a free hit for them and they’ll bounce back immediately.
Andrew Pigott: Southampton. They have a nice spine to their team, but also the best firepower in the division in Adam Armstrong, Ross Stewart, Ben Brereton Diaz, Cameron Archer and Damion Downs, even if they end up selling Tyler Dibling.
Who will go up automatically in second, and via the play-offs?
Evans: Leicester were dreadful in the Premier League last season but have a squad packed with quality in terms of the second tier. As long as they don’t lose too many more — players or points — they’ll be tough to beat and should go up in second. And I’ve got Wrexham as play-off final winners — they’ve recruited well and will carry momentum from previous seasons into this one. They won’t be strong enough to challenge for automatic promotion, but will be fired up to make a real impact.
Sutcliffe: Birmingham City feel like a good bet to snaffle second place in a division that looks pretty open. As mentioned, Leicester have a possible points deduction hanging over their heads, meaning the play-offs are their most likely route back to the Premier League.
A Birmingham City mural at St Andrew’s featuring minority owner Tom Brady (Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Weatherspoon: Sheffield United became only the third second-division team ever to amass 90 points — even after a two-point deduction — and not go up automatically last season. Ruben Selles is a better manager than he showed at his last two clubs and will guide them to second. I fancy Coventry City as play-offs winners — they have a nice start, fixtures-wise, and pushed on impressively under Frank Lampard in the second half of last season after Mark Robins’ departure.
Advertisement
Buckingham: I’ll go with Southampton in second under new coach Will Still. Coventry get the nod to finally go up through the play-offs if they’re able to replicate the form shown after Lampard came in last November.
Pigott: Ipswich will go up in second — they’ve kept together a good core of the team that won promotion two years ago. I see Birmingham as play-off winners. With momentum on their side, plenty of goals and some big signings, it’s hard not to see them passing straight through the Championship.
Who will be relegated?
Pigott: Things look very bleak for Sheffield Wednesday before a ball has even been kicked. Hull City were fortunate not to go down last year, and despite impressing in their first year up after promotion, Oxford United will find it harder this time around.
Evans: Norwich City, Wednesday, Oxford. It’s a very poor second-tier this season and I reckon as many as 10 teams will be nervously looking over their shoulder at various stages. West Bromwich Albion also look like a club heading for trouble.
Buckingham: It’s sad to say, but it already looks as if Wednesday are doomed after a summer that means they’re turning up for a gunfight armed with a water pistol. I’ve also got concerns for Hull, who narrowly avoided the drop last season, but I’ll go with Oxford and Charlton to complete the three. They have decent managers in Gary Rowett and Nathan Jones, but both have shortcomings.
Weatherspoon: Wednesday’s awful off-field summer speaks volumes. Hull nearly dropped down last season and have little to crow about either. After those two, it’s one from as many as 10. Oxford signing young striker Will Lankshear on loan from Tottenham Hotspur could prove crucial in keeping them up. If they survive again, the end of Preston North End’s dreary 11-year stay in this division looms.
Evans: They’ll make a decent impression and kick on. Conor Coady and Kieffer Moore are good signings and I’ve no doubt their spending won’t stop here. Looking forward to another series of Welcome to Wrexham.
Weatherspoon: Outside the play-offs, but inside the top half. It’s easy (some might say mandatory) to dismiss them as a fairytale never too far from crashing into reality, but beneath the Hollywood glitz, there’s a football club in better health than many they’ll face this season. They have momentum after three promotions in a row, but the big question is whether investing in older heads might finally start to falter — and if Phil Parkinson, who has managed over 1,000 games in his career but only 141 as high as this division, has hit his ceiling.
Could Parkinson hit his ceiling in the Championship? (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
Buckingham: Reality will bite this season. I struggle to see them getting near the top six, given the clubs they’re competing against. This is a very different test from the ones Wrexham have repeatedly aced in the past three years. The top half would be a huge achievement.
How will the relegated clubs do?
Weatherspoon: Parachute payments play a huge part here, but there are some quirks to consider. Southampton have an impressive squad on paper but are carrying the mental scars from that 12-point, two-win Premier League season, while Still is going to have a lot of eyes on him. They’ll be up there, through having a high floor. A long-awaited points deduction for Leicester will likely be hefty, albeit not enough to keep them completely away from the promotion discussion. As I said above, Ipswich will win the title.
Sutcliffe: All three will challenge, albeit Leicester’s possible points deduction hangs over the club like a dark cloud. Ipswich’s attack looks strong, and it will be fascinating to see how Still adapts to managerial life in England after making his name in France’s top flight.
Pigott: This is an incredibly unforgiving league and I have a feeling Leicester will find it the hardest of the three. Play-off push for them.
Pigott: I’ve been impressed with Charlton’s business. A mixture of solid Championship experience — Amari’i Bell, Reece Burke, goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski, Joe Rankin-Costello — plus players who have shown signs they could handle the step up to the second tier — Charlie Kelman, Rob Apter, Harvey Knibbs and Tanto Olaofe. They’ll have enough to remain in the division.
Weatherspoon: Birmingham, buoyed by their money and momentum, should occupy a play-off spot Wrexham will come to covet. Charlton risk being a ‘Best of League One’ side in the wrong division, but the inadequacies of others will see them just about secure safety.
Which manager will attract Premier League interest?
Pigott: John Mousinho continues to do an excellent job at Portsmouth on a tight budget. Premier League clubs will surely be keeping an eye on his progress.
Evans: At this stage, none of them. If Chris Davies keeps Birmingham on an upward trajectory and flying high, his reputation will continue to grow, but which club could convince him to move on when the project is so exciting at St Andrew’s?
Weatherspoon: I agree with Gregg — possibly none of them. Ipswich’s McKenna remains an obvious candidate, while, at a push, Liam Manning has City Football Group experience and an opportunity to impress at Norwich.
Sutcliffe: It’s difficult to say in a division where 19 of the 24 managers have been appointed in the past 12 months. McKenna has his admirers, but last season was a struggle among the elite.
Player of the season
Evans: Birmingham’s Tommy Doyle. An all-action 23-year-old midfielder with Premier League experience for Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers, he should stand out at this level and could become his team’s heartbeat.
Sutcliffe: Louie Barry, 22, could be an inspired loan signing by Sheffield United. The Aston Villa winger was far too good for both Leagues One and Two as a loanee at Stockport County for a season and a half from summer 2023, but injury ruined his short spell at this level with Hull for the second half of last season.
Barry celebrates scoring for Stockport in League One last season (MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Buckingham: Jack Clarke. He is coming off a trying first season with Ipswich in the Premier League, but, boy, was he a star at this level with Sunderland. There were not many better than him in 2023-24, and the 24-year-old is still a winger who can make a fool of most full-backs.
Weatherspoon: Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney, 23, has turned down a move to Ipswich, though wealthier suitors lurk. If Hackney goes, or even if he doesn’t, 21-year-old midfielder Shea Charles will be a huge part of Southampton’s promotion bid after spending last season on loan in this division at Wednesday.
Pigott: Ronnie Edwards at Southampton. Perhaps signed a year ago with this season back in the Championship in mind, the 22-year-old is an excellent defensive prospect with lots of league experience under his belt already after four seasons with Peterborough United.
Leading goalscorer
Pigott: Mihailo Ivanovic’s record in his debut year at Millwall last season (12 goals in 37 league games, 22 of them starts) was impressive. Left-footed efforts, right-footed ones, penalties, headers in the air and headers on the floor. Still only 20, the Serbian looks a real prospect.
Sutcliffe: Southampton’s Archer, 23, should be in the goals, but 22-year-old Jay Stansfield may well be the player who fires Birmingham back to the Premier League after 15 seasons in the second and, briefly, third divisions.
Buckingham: Sammie Szmodics could do no wrong when last in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers (27 league goals in 2023-24), and the 29-year-old ought to get plenty of opportunities in a potent Ipswich attack.
Evans: Ellis Simms at Coventry. If he stays fit, this could be the season the 24-year-old former Everton striker really kicks on.
Weatherspoon: Most teams in the Championship share their goals around — no player scored 20 in the league last season, despite it being a 46-game regular season. United States international Haji Wright, 27, heads a strong-looking Coventry attack and has got to double figures in each of his two years at the club, even while missing three months in the middle of last season with an ankle injury.
Wright of Coventry could be a contender for top scorer (Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)
Breakout star
Evans: Jeremy Monga at Leicester. The 16-year-old made his senior debut last season and has all the attributes to develop into a regular.
Pigott: I’m very interested to see how Watford’s 19-year-old winger Nestory Irankunda does. He’s obviously raw at that age, but quick and powerful. The Tanzania-born Australia international could benefit nicely from the creative talent around him at Vicarage Road.
Sutcliffe: Charles enjoyed an exemplary 2024-25 season on loan at Wednesday and the 21-year-old Northern Ireland midfielder will now be looking to make a big impact back at Southampton.
Buckingham: Provided his recovery from November’s season-ending anterior cruciate ligament knee injury goes to plan, this ought to be the year we see Ollie Arblaster really make a name for himself in senior football with Sheffield United — at 21, he’s a midfielder with huge potential.
Weatherspoon: Barry has been talked about as a prospect for so long, he feels older than 22 (here’s The Athletic labelling him Aston Villa’s breakthrough star at the beginning of the 2020-21 season!). He scored goals aplenty in League One in the first half of last season as Stockport chased promotion and at Sheffield United this time, he’ll similarly enjoy playing in a team battling at the top end of a table.
Game you can’t miss
Evans: Birmingham vs Ipswich tonight! Expect an electric atmosphere at St Andrew’s as the newly promoted home side test themselves against the best team in the division.
Pigott: Southampton vs Portsmouth; Sunday, September 14. It’s nearly six years since these bitter south-coast rivals and near-neighbours last met. That’ll be a quiet night at the library.
Buckingham: The Sheffield derbies might be too one-sided to really pique the interest, so I’ll go Swansea City vs Wrexham — an all-Wales affair — on Friday, December 19. The first time the clubs have met since March 2003.
Weatherspoon:The East Anglian derby is usually fun. If Manning can get Norwich ticking, Ipswich’s mid-April trip to Carrow Road will have a lovely mix of local acrimony and promotion jeopardy.
(Top photos: Wrexham owners Rob McElhenney, left, and Ryan Reynolds show off their latest promotion trophy; and Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga; by Getty Images)
Why are U.S. forwards spying opportunity in the Championship?
At least for USMNT scouting purposes it is a tidy remit: one division, five contenders to fill out the striker spots on the World Cup roster.Expect to see Mauricio Pochettino’s staff glued to videos of games from the English Football League (EFL) Championship in the forthcoming season.The summer transfer window has seen two U.S. international attackers sign for clubs in England’s second tier, joining the three American forwards already there. Damion Downs’ move from Koln in Germany to Southampton, plus Gold Cup star Patrick Agyemang’s switch to Derby County, means they join more experienced USMNT forwards Josh Sargent, Haji Wright and Daryl Dike — whose stint at West Bromwich Albion has been so wrecked by injuries — in the same division.But what is it about the Championship that has attracted the quintet — all of whom, to varying degrees, will still aspire to make Pochettino’s 2026 World Cup squad? And what qualities do they bring that appeal to clubs vying for promotion to the Premier League?What You Should Read NextChampionship season preview: Can Wrexham reach the Premier League? Will relegated clubs bounce back?Our EFL experts make their predictions as English football’s second tier kicks off a new campaign this weekend
The Championship might be second tier, but it is not second rate when it comes to Europe’s most competitive leagues.
Opta’s Power Rankings, published in June and assessing football’s global hierarchy, has the Championship listed sixth in the Top 30 leagues based on their “advanced performance metrics” used to “identify which leagues are home to the highest concentration of elite clubs”.
That is higher than the Dutch, Belgian and Portuguese top flights.
That said, last year The Athletic reported how a data-driven model by Twenty First Group, a sports intelligence firm that advises clubs, leagues and investors, had the Championship ranked 12th.Its World Super League model uses a machine-learning algorithm to generate a single rating for every team in world football. League strength can then be calculated from the average rating of each team.Either way, with its gruelling 46-game season (the Championship has 24 clubs compared with 20 in the Premier League, La Liga and Ligue 1, and 18 in the Bundesliga), it represents a formidable challenge. Add to that two domestic cup competitions and Championship players are pushed to their physical limits.
Danny Higginbotham played for a string of English clubs as a defender and featured in the Premier League with Manchester United, Derby County, Stoke City and Southampton. He also made 100 Championship appearances during a 17-year professional career, but now lives in the U.S. where he worked for Philadelphia Union before becoming a match analyst for Major League Soccer broadcasts.
He sees similarities between MLS and the Championship that may make young players from the former attractive to English clubs.“The speed and physicality of MLS is, to a certain extent, increasingly quite similar to the Championship,” says Higginbotham. “It’s probably fair to say the quality is a bit higher in the Championship but there are key qualities they share now.“Recruitment teams in the Championship are seeing that these guys have all the attributes. They’re asking: are they good enough or with their age, can we make them better?“They see that the players are physically and mentally robust. They’re used to the long travel time in MLS, the flights and time differences. Then there’s the extreme weather these days. Plus they play a lot of games too. Factor all this in and they’re probably not going to be as fazed by a 46-game season.
“I feel they’re well placed to acclimatise quickly to the Championship.”
Downs made the switch from German football to the Championship this summer (Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
For Downs, who broke into the USMNT picture earlier in the summer and has made five appearances under Pochettino, the number of games he faces at St Mary’s under new manager Will Still is a positive.
“For me to be an option for that (the USMNT World Cup squad) as a striker you need to score goals,” he told Jimmy Conrad and Tony Meola in an interview with CBS Sports Golazo America. “Obviously, you don’t play more games anywhere than in England and that’s a big chance for me.”
“There are some good quality players coming out of MLS academies now,” adds Higginbotham. “You only have to look at the Philadelphia Union and Cavan Sullivan.“If they’re good they are also likely to get opportunities when they’re young in MLS so they have experience of first-team football.“I think as well that the younger players (in MLS) have benefited from the big names going there. Guys like Lionel Messi, Emil Forsberg, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and now Son Heung-min and Rodrigo De Paul. That highly professional elite mentality of these guys, how they prepare and conduct themselves, is rubbing off on the younger American players.”All of which makes those developed in MLS attractive to suitors from Europe. Championship clubs can also find value for money with fees for players from MLS.In July, Derby spent an initial £5.8million ($8m) on Agyemang after the 24-year-old, a native of East Hartford, Connecticut, scored 18 goals and provided six assists in 63 career games with Charlotte. That tally included eight, with two assists, this year before the move to Pride Park. Agyemang has also become one of the bright points for the national team, making all 12 of his appearances in 2025, including playing every game of the Gold Cup.By contrast this summer, Norwich City forked out £6.9m ($9.2m) on Denmark international forward Mathias Kvistgaarden, 23, who scored 23 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions for Brondby in 2024-25.
Then Birmingham City signed 30-year-old former Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi for a reported £10m ($13.4m) after he scored 10 goals in the Scottish Premiership for Celtic before a short-lived move to Stade Rennes in France earlier this year.
Agyemang moved to Derby this summer (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Agyemang has yet to make his Derby debut after undergoing hernia surgery that is likely to see him miss the season’s start, but he is backed to make an impact.“At almost $8m — and that could rise — that’s actually a lot of money for an MLS team,” Higginbotham says of the Agyemang fee. “But he has got something. He is raw but he is a player who is quick, strong and knows how to finish.“Now the question is: can he improve? If he can do that, then Derby could get significantly more than what they paid for him down the line.“You’ve got to imagine that Dean Smith (former Aston Villa manager and now Charlotte FC boss) has assessed that he’s good enough to make that step.”Similar logic may have been behind Downs’ move to the south coast, although the German-U.S. dual national was plying his trade at FC Koln in the second-tier 2 Bundesliga last season, where he delivered 10 goals and three assists.“I see it (moving to the Championship) work with a lot of other players, and Southampton has a great resume of players who have taken the next step with their careers here,” said Downs.“I think I have a great switch of coming short and getting the ball to my feet but also running in behind — giving the defence different things to worry about. And I’m pretty versatile as well. I’m a young player with a lot of stuff I can develop on… with all kinds of things to work on to take my game to the next level.”In an interview with BBC Radio Solent he added: “I think English football is the most attractive you can play so it was a no-brainer for me.“Their (Southampton’s) ambition is to get to the Premier League and stay in the Premier League and that’s something I want to do as well.”
Sargent in action for Norwich against Northampton Town in pre-season (Pete Norton/Getty Images)
The two relative ‘elder statesmen’ of the USMNT roster in England, Sargent at Norwich and Wright at Coventry City, have long since proved to be successful MLS exports to the Championship. Sargent also enjoyed a brief stint in the Premier League.
And Higginbotham thinks their impact, along with the growth of MLS’ popularity around the world, means the flow of talent to the English second division is likely to continue. Another 24-year-old American striker, Max Arfsten, has been mooted as a potential new arrival at Middlesbrough from Columbus Crew during this window.
“With the Apple TV deal, there is greater accessibility to the MLS brand and overseas fans watching these players,” adds Higginbotham. “So I don’t think the optics of signing these players are viewed as a risk so much by fans in England, where maybe they once were. They can tune in and see the quality of the league.”
The hope is that Pochettino’s staff, and everyone invested in the U.S. hopes for progress on home soil next year, will be tuned into Paramount Plus’ coverage of the Championship.
DISCOUNT SMALL ENGINE & BIG ENGINE REPAIRS IN CARMEL
Need your Riding Mower, Push Mower or any small engine or Car Engine Work Done by Carmel High Junior Mechanical Wizard for a bargain basement Price? Email my buddy Mark Sultanov at mark.sultanov@gmail.com
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
DISCOUNT SMALL ENGINE & BIG ENGINE REPAIRS IN CARMEL
Need your Riding Mower, Push Mower or any small engine or Car Engine Work Done by Carmel High Junior Mechanical Wizard for a bargain basement Price? Email my buddy Marc Sultanov at marc.sultanov@gmail.com
Women’s Euro Finals England vs Spain Sun 11 am Fox
Just amazing that all the Semifinals went to extra time with England again pulling a rabbit out of the hat to beat a game Italy in Extra time England- Italy highlights . The same for Spain as they found a way past Germany Highlights in extra time. It gives us the dream final — the rematch England vs Spain. At the beginning of the tournament, both teams were ranked first and second favorites to win the competition. England, who have become the third European team to reach the final of three consecutive major tournaments, lost 1-0 to Spain when they met in the Fifa World Cup final in 2023. I like Spain again – 2-1 in Extra time of course.
Still sad for Germany goalkeeper Ann Berger who was inspiring and added the save of year with this Amazing Save. Germany vs France Shootout Even more remarkable is her fight and win against Cancer and her story gets even more inspiring Berger’s Journey from Cancer to Shootout Hero. (in honor of my Bruz Cable who’s birthday would have been in just 5 days and lost his battle with cancer in 2023).
Indy 11 Xmas in July promo Sat night 7 pm @ The Mike
The Boys in Blue host the final round of USL Jägermeister Cup group play with “Christmas in July on Saturday, July 26 at 7 p.m. at Carroll Stadium vs. FC Tulsa. Indy 11 Christmas in July Indy Eleven leads Group 3 with a 2-0-1 record and can clinch a berth in the quarterfinals of the 38-team event with a victory. Single-game tickets for all matches are available via Ticketmaster. Flex Plan, Group, and Hospitality tickets are available here. For questions, call (317) 685-1100 during business hours or email tickets@indyeleven.com.
US Men vs #17 Japan in Columbus on Tues. Sept 9th – Discount Tix Available
The US men are coming to Columbus, Ohio Lower.com Field on Tuesday night Sept 9th for a 7:30 pm match up with #17 ranked Japan. The Ole Ballcoach is going along with some buddies to the game. Visit http://ussoccer.spinzo.com/CarmelFC this special link to get discounted tickets. We plan to sit in section 128 or 129 ($50/each) beside the American Outlaws who will be in the Nordic Section 127. Let me know if you plan to join – feel free to send on to friends. I for one was sick of seeing US fans outnumbered all summer long in our own stadiums. Let’s prove Columbus and Cincy are the HOME STADIUMS of US Soccer – this is where US Fans will not be outnumbered! Join me in the trek to Columbus to fight for our Red, White and Blue! Reach out to the Ole Ballcoach at shanebestsoccer@gmail.com if you want to coordinate travel plans.
MLS All Stars beat Mexico Liga MX – Leagues Cup between the two starts this weekend
So I tuned in to both the Skills Challenge and the MLS vs Liga MX Allstar Game this week — and you what — it wasn’t bad. Austin Texas filled the stadium for both events and it was a pretty good watch on Apple TV. Dissapointing to have no Messi or Jordi Alba on the field for MLS – but honestly the MLS were the better squad in both halves even without them. The Skills Challenge had my favorite MLS Allstar Goalie Wars Were Great & MLS Allstar Game highlights. This week the Leagues cup between Liga MX and MLS will start with games all week and weekend featuring MLS vs Mexican teams on Apple TV and FS1. (see schedule below). Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba suspended by MLS for skipping All-Star Game
Had a great time reffing some high school games with the legendary Tom Baker today. My favorite Canadian!
RIP Mike Sommer
CDC Celebration of Life for Long Time Carmel Dad’s Club Ref Mike Sommer Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025 Time: 9:00AM Location: Conference Room above Badger Field Concession Stand
My Bruz Cable Best – here in JC – best soccer player in the Family. Had a chance to make Clemson while they were top 5 in the US before getting hurt. RIP Bruz!!
TV GAMES SCHEDULE
Coverage starts at 11 game at 12 noon Sunday on Fox
Fri, July 25 8 pm FS2 Brazil vs Colombia Women Copa Sat, July 26 5 pm NBC, Peacock Everton vs Bournemouth (Adams) 7 pm FS1 Inter Miami vs Cincy 7 pm TV 6, ESPN+ Indy 11 vs FC Tulsa Christmas in July 7 pm Peacock Man United vs West Ham 9:30 pm Apple TV Salt Lake vs San Jose 10:30 pm Apple TV Vancouver vs Kansas City 11 pm Univision Necaxa vs America (Zendejas) Sun, July 27 11 am Fox Coverage Women’s Euros 12 noon Fox England vs Spain Euro Finals 2:30 pm Golazo Ajax vs Celtic (CVB, Trusty) Mon, July 28 5 pm FS2 Womens Copa America Knockout 8 pm FS1 Women’s Copa America knockout Tues, July 29 7 pm Apple Toluca vs Columbus Crew Leagues Cup Mex vs MLS 8 pm FS1 Women’s Copa America knockout 10 pm?? FS1 Pachuca vs San Diego Leagues Cup Mex vs MLS Weds, July 30 7 pm Apple Miami (Messi) vs Atlas Leagues Cup 8 pm? FS1 Orlando City vs Pumas UNAM 10 pm FS1 Portland Timbers vs Atletico San Luis Thurs, July 31 7 am Golazo Arsenal vs Tottenham (friendly) 7 pm Apple Monterey vs Cincy 10 pm FS1 Cruz Azul vs Seattle Sounders Fri, Aug 1 8 pm FS2 Women’s Copa America QF 8 pm Prime Racing Louisville vs KC Current NWSL 8 pm Apple? Columbus Crew vs Puebla 10 pm Apple? LAFC vs Pachuca 10 pm FS1? Tigres vs San Diego 10:30 pm Para+ Seattle Reign vs Angel City NWSL Sat, Aug 2 5 pm FS2 Women’s Copa America QF 7:30 pm Ion NC Courage vs San Diego Wave NWSL 8 pm Apple? Columbus Crew vs Puebla 8 pm FS1? America (Zendejas) vs Minn United 10 pm FS1? Portland Timbers vs Queretaro 10 pm ION Bay FC vs Houston Dash NWSL Sun, Aug 3 12:30 pm ABC Washington Spirit vs Portland Thorns NWSL 6 pm Para+ Orlando Pride vs Utah Royals Sat, Sept 6 5 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Korea Tues, Sept 9 7:30 pm TNT, Tele, Max USA Men vs Japan in Columbus, Ohio Fri, Oct 10 8:30 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Ecuador Tues, Oct 14 9 pm TNT, Max USA Men vs Australia
Got some Good BarBQ for your Summer Plans ? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Use promo code PLISSA and save 20% off select matchday tickets courtesy of Indiana Soccer. Get 20% Off Tickets Now!
UEFA reportedly opposes any measures to widen VAR’s powers to intervene in corner kicks and second yellow cards. The International FA Board (Ifab), football’s lawmaking body, is considering extending VAR’s powers (see previous write-up), but Uefa believes this would increase delays, negating any benefit from the extra interventions. It is also opposed to plans that would scrap rebounds on penalties, whereby the ball would be declared “dead” if the goalkeeper saves the penalty or it strikes the post or crossbar.
The European governing body was unhappy that Ifab approved changes to the laws of the game in March without consulting them. The most notable enforced change is that a goalkeeper now concedes a corner instead of an indirect free-kick for holding on to the ball for longer than eight seconds. The rule was applied for the first time at the Club World Cup–watch here.
Uefa is required to take on Ifab’s law changes. Changes approved at Ifab’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will next take place in March 2026, are binding and come into effect globally. While some rules can be subject to interpretation by different bodies, such as the interpretation of handball, the proposed VAR and penalty changes would not allow for that.
Aitana Bonmati’s extra-time strike sent the reigning World Cup champions to the Euros final. (Maja Hitij – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
2023 World Cup champions Spain have clinched their first-ever UEFA Women’s Euro Final berth, taking Wednesday’s semifinal with a narrow 1-0 extra-time victory over eight-time title-winners Germany .
“I’m proud because we deserve it,” winning goal-scorer Aitana Bonmatí told reporters. “We had a tremendous championship. It was the first time we beat Germany, and on top of that, we reached the final.”
How it happened: Germany entered the match shorthanded, with both injuries and suspensions forcing them to start every available defender.
The squad’s famed football mentality prevailed for more than 110 minutes of a 0-0 deadlock, as Spain struggled to break down a committed German defense led by savvy goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.But as the clock ticked down in extra time, Bonmatí’s audacious 113th-minute strike caught Berger off-guard, handing Las Rojas a shot at their second major tournament trophy in three years.
What’s next: The once-improbable 2023 World Cup Final rematch has become a reality, as familiar foes Spain and England gear up for another championship battle.
“I know what they can do,” said Spain and Arsenal midfielder Mariona Caldentey of the defending Euros champs. “It will be a hard game.”
Don’t miss it: The UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Final kicks off on Sunday at 12 PM ET, live on Fox Sports.
Women’s Euro Final Confirmed
England will face Spain in the 2025 Uefa Women’s Euro final on Sunday, July 27, at 17:00 BST (12:00 ET). This comes after Spain’s first win against Germany in the semi-finals, secured by an extra-time goal from Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati—read the full match report here.
Spain are given the edge over England in the final, with Opta’s model projecting a 51.5% chance of victory. At the beginning of the tournament, both teams were ranked first and second favourites to win the competition. England, who have become the third European team to reach the final of three consecutive major tournaments, lost 1-0 to Spain when they met in the Fifa World Cup final in 2023. However, both nations secured a 1-0 win at home, respectively, when they met earlier this year in the Uefa Nations League.
Viewership numbers have been high throughout the tournament. An average of eight million people in the UK watched England’s win against Italy in the semi-final, delivering ITV’s highest viewership of the year. The peak audience reached 10.2 million, compared to 9.3 million in England’s 2022 semi-final victory over Sweden.
>Arsenal made a winning start to their preseason tour of Asia after Bukayo Saka’s 53rd-minute goal earned a 1-0 victory over AC Milan in Singapore (More) | Liverpool have officially signed Hugo Ekitike for £79m, subject to international clearance (More)
>The great-grandson of dictator Benito Mussolini, Romano Floriani Mussolini, has joined Serie A side Cremonese on loan (More)
>Kylian Mbappe will wear Real Madrid’s No. 10 shirt next season; the French forward didn’t ask to wear it, but the club is expecting record sales (More)
> Raheem Sterling is receiving interest from Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen as Chelsea look to offload the 30-year-old (More)
>Crystal Palace have submitted an appeal against their demotion from Europa League with the Court of Arbitration for Sport; decision expected on or before August 11 (More) |
MLS Match Day 24 Recap
Charlotte FC captured 6 points from the week, including a 3-2 road win over Atlanta United. Pep Biel was the orchestrator in this one, scoring once and assisting twice, including one to Wilfried Zaha. That’s Charlotte’s third straight win, and now they get Toronto at home. Save for a collapse, they should absolutely be in the playoffs. As for Atlanta, they’re winless in their last 7 and don’t seem to have any answers. Here’s an example of how clueless the attack has been.
El Trafico went as El Trafico goes; a full 97-minute affair filled with fights and plenty of goals. The Galaxy came back twice, down 2-0 and 3-1, to tie the game with a stoppage-time header from Maya Yoshida. Gabriel Pec and Denis Bouanga both had a brace, and Eddie Segura got a straight red in the 91st minute after a big scrum broke out. Here’s a wild photo of Segura choking Diego Fagundez. We got everything we asked for out of this rivalry.
FC Dallas ended their 5-game winless skid with a 3-0 victory over St. Louis City. Petar Musa had an assist and a brace and now has the most goals (27) in FC Dallas history for a player in his first two seasons. Lucho Acosta missed the game for personal reasons. We don’t know what’s going on there .
The Seattle Sounders beat San Jose 3-2 behind Pedro de la Vega’s best performance in a Seattle jersey. For the first time, Brian Schmetzer lined him up on the left wing, his natural position, and it resulted in a goal and an assist. But Seattle lost Jordan Morris in the first half, and he’ll need surgery on his AC joint. He finally got healthy and now this. So brutal.
MVP Race The MVP race is starting to heat up. We have a couple of usual suspects and a couple of new names leading the ballot. Here’s a breakdown of the four frontrunners. Lionel Messi I was lucky enough to witness Messi’s 6th brace in his last 7 games on Saturday in Harrison, New Jersey. Checking that off the bucket list . With 28 goal contributions in 18 games played, he’s blowing everyone out of the water in contributions per 90’. Every other MVP candidate has played 22 games or more. If this continues, no one will be surprised if he becomes the first player ever to repeat as MVP. Sam Surridge With Saturday’s goal, he became the 10th player in league history to score at least 18 goals in his team’s first 24 games of the season. Against the other top 5 teams in the Eastern Conference, Nashville is 3W-2L-1D, the second best behind Inter Miami’s 4W-1L-1D. Surridge has been a revelation, becoming the first player ever to score in 6 games in a row for Nashville. Evander The best player on the current Supporters Shield leaders. That’s usually enough to win it. But how about out-dueling Messi in last week’s matchup. He controlled the tempo, dictated play, and added a brace for good measure. With 23 goal contributions and counting, Evander has been the engine behind FC Cincinnati’s surge to the top of the Eastern Conference. He scored in 5 straight games, setting the record for most games in a row with a goal in Cincinnati’s history. He’s the second-best player in the league. Anders Dreyer Anders Dreyer’s first MLS season is pushing record-breaking numbers, and he just won June Player of the Month. He leads the league in assists with 15, and is just behind Messi in overall goal contributions with 25 total. He’s easily one of the best DP signings in the last 5 years. Funny enough, in the 2020–21 season at FC Midtjylland in Denmark, Anders Dreyer and Evander combined for 31 goal contributions across all competitions, forming a dynamic duo that powered both domestic success and a Champions League run.
Congrats to the 6 Indiana Soccer Teams Playing this weekend in the USYS National Championships in Orlando July 22-27. B15U – Indy Premier Elite 64 10B B15U – ZYSA 10B Green NL B19U – Alliance Eleven 06/07B G17U – FW United Elite 64 08G G19U – FW United Elite 64 06/07G NWI Lions United 2011G Yellow.
Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba have been suspended for Saturday’s match against FC Cincinnati after skipping Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game.The league announced the sanctions on Friday afternoon.“Inter Miami CF’s Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi will be unavailable for the club’s match against FC Cincinnati on Saturday, July 26, due to their absence at this week’s Major League Soccer All-Star Game,” a statement from the league read. “Per league rules, any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club’s next match.”While Alba took a knock in Miami’s last game, Messi was rested for fatigue issues.In a phone interview with The Athletic, MLS commissioner Don Garber said it was a “very, very difficult decision” to suspend Messi.“The most important thing is I know Leo Messi loves this league, and MLS is an entirely different league because of the years he’s been here helping to show the world what MLS is and what it’s capable of being,” Garber said. “One of the learnings that we have here is clearly MLS is different than other leagues around the world, and we have an approach to building events and building other activities we feel are important to help us grow interest in the league. I think it’s important — and particularly important to me — nobody has done more for Major League Soccer than Lionel Messi. Not just what he’s done off the field, but what he’s done on the field. Every game is a must-see match. I fully understand and respect and admire his commitment to Inter Miami.
“His decision [not to attend the All-Star Game] is not one that I really can argue with whatsoever and I understand it. But unfortunately we have a longstanding policy relating to player participation in the All-Star Game and we had to enforce that policy. It was a very, very difficult decision, but one I hope both [Messi] and everyone else can understand and respect. He has shown up for his club, for his teammates, for our league time and time again and I respect his decision.”Garber said the league would look to adapt the policy for future years.“We are going to take a very hard look at the rule moving forward. It is important to all of our players and all of our fans that we have a policy that reflects and involves the realities of our league and its players going forward. I am committed to working with all of our players and to start working with Leo Messi to adapt this rule so it makes sense going forward.”Prior to the ruling coming down Friday, Miami coach Javier Mascherano offered a suggestion to avoid this dilemma in the future, saying the All-Star Game should be held on a weekend and not played mid-week as a means to build in the requisite rest.He had been under the impression earlier on Friday that both players would be available for Saturday’s game, which pits two of the top teams in the league against one another.
“Well, Messi showed normal fatigue from the number of games and minutes he’s been playing,” Mascherano said. “Look, players always have discomfort, especially when they play every three days. But luckily, he is returning today. Let’s hope he can train alongside the group so we can count on both of them for tomorrow’s game.”Messi has played 90 minutes in every Inter Miami game dating back to April 30. That includes nine games since June 14, four of which came at the FIFA Club World Cup. He last missed a match on April 27, in between legs of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals.MLS has weighed the decision the last few days after learning on Wednesday morning that the two players would not be traveling for the game. Notably, FC Cincinnati’s star players Evander and Miles Robinson both took part in the All-Star festivities, which meant they did not get rest nor were they able to train with their teams.“I don’t know that we necessarily need clarity,” FC Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said in his Friday press conference regarding the lingering uncertainty about Miami’s star duo. “There’s rules. I’m aware of those. We’re under the impression that we’ll prepare for the game without those two available. We just played them a week ago, we know what it looks like with them on the field. But that’s kind of how we approached it.”Noonan added that FCC never considered having Evander or Robinson sit out the exhibition. Evander took part in the Skills Challenge on Tuesday night – Alba had initially been scheduled to as well – before captaining MLS opposite Liga MX’s Sergio Ramos on Wednesday.“There was no thought of holding our guys back,” Noonan said. “That’s never been the case. Our guys have always gone to represent our club and then that won’t change. They did a great job. Miles and Evander represented the club in a really good way and it was nice to see Evander be the captain to go and do well in the skills competition, and for the stretch of the first half that I saw, he did a good job. I’m happy for those two and their performances.”This is not the first time a major star has faced this sanctioning. Former LA Galaxy star forward Zlatan Ibrahimović was also suspended one game for missing the All-Star Game in 2018. Still, suspending one of the most famous players in the world and the reigning league MVP ahead of a showdown against a first-place FC Cincinnati team is a major decision considering the implications for the audience, playoff positioning and commercial benefits. The suspension also comes in the midst of Miami and Messi negotiating a contract extension. Messi’s current deal expires at the end of the 2025 season.Messi is obviously the league’s biggest draw. On Thursday, the league announced the return of a “Player Spotlight” TikTok broadcast of Messi for four of Inter Miami’s matches, beginning on Aug. 2 in the opening round of the Leagues Cup against Liga MX side Necaxa. Last season, the spotlight event on TikTok drew “more than 6.4 million live views” across MLS and Inter Miami’s accounts, per a release from the league, setting the record for the largest live audience for a U.S. sports event on TikTok.Garber reiterated that he hopes Messi understands why the league made its decision.
“I hope he does,” Garber said. “I think it’s important to state that I respect the fact that he made this decision because he’s played more games than almost any other player — 22 of the last 23 matches, including nine in the last 35 days. We don’t have a policy that says those players who have played more games at a particular time therefore they don’t have to show up, play or attend the All-Star Game. That’s the kind of thing we need to look at going forward.
“MLS doesn’t get everything right all the time. We always need to adapt, and really look at this rule going forward. The struggle is that I know 100 percent from everything I’ve heard and everyone involved, he made this decision because he’s playing so much and he wants to focus on his team.”
(Top photo: Jeff Dean/Getty Images)
No Messi, no Alba: What’s next for the MLS All-Star Game?
Cesar HernandezJul 24, 2025, 09:38 AM ET
With a 3-1 win over the Liga MX All-Stars on Wednesday night, MLS stole back regional bragging rights through a victory in the 29th edition of the league’s All-Star Game.
Carried by goals from Sam Surridge, Brian White and match MVP Tai Baribo in front of a packed crowd at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, the evening and encompassing All-Star festivities throughout the week will go down as a well-deserved success for MLS.
All of that said, in a marquee showcase that was filled with many of the best and the brightest from both leagues, there was one noteworthy omission: global superstar Lionel Messi. Earlier on Wednesday, MLS confirmed the absence of the Inter Miami CF player, as well as that of teammate Jordi Alba, despite both being selected for the match. Heading into the All-Star Game, Miami coach Javier Mascherano publicly stated that having his starters in the exhibition wasn’t ideal.
“The players are called up, I would like them to be able to rest but that is not my decision,” Mascherano said. “I know how important the All-Star [Game] is, and as far as I know, there is no decision from the club, everything is as normal.”This isn’t the first time that a high-profile player or club has said no to the event. In 2018, the LA Galaxy‘s Zlatan Ibrahimovic turned down the opportunity, and on the Liga MX side of the competition this year, 2025 didn’t feature selected players such as Leon‘s James Rodríguez or Cruz Azul‘s Erik Lira and Carlos Rotondi. The participation of Monterrey star Sergio Ramos also wasn’t officially confirmed until the night before.
Why is this an issue for the All-Star Game? And with next year’s edition taking place in a World Cup year, when plenty of eyes will be on North America, where does the high-profile exhibition go from here?
Schedule congestion
The packed schedule is the most significant factor in the subdued vibes of the 2025 event. Both MLS and Liga MX will not only have a rapid turnarounds with regular-season matches this weekend, but will then also kickoff their joint Leagues Cup tournament next week. Including Leagues Cup and MLS, Messi & Co. are currently on a nine-game stretch between July 5 and Aug. 6. If they advance in Leagues Cup, up to three additional knockout-round games would then be played next month.
With that in mind, it’s understandable that Mascherano does not want to overtax his players.
“The intensity of the games we’ve played, especially in the last month and a half, has been very, very high,” the Miami coach, who has also had to manage injuries in his roster, added recently.
Not everyone agrees with Mascherano, though. Despite having to travel to the events during his playing days, six-time MLS All-Star Brian Ching viewed his involvement as a moment to relax and connect with other important names across the country.
“I always enjoyed the All-Star Game because it allowed you to meet and play with some of the best players in the league,” he said to ESPN. “These games are a mental break from the season for everyone because the games are fun to play in. None of the players play more than a half so it is like a practice for them.
“Most players enjoyed the opportunity to do something different from their normal week with their teams.”But that still hasn’t been enough to convince all involved. When Ibrahimovic missed out in 2018, the superstar cited fatigue, and was then surprised when he was handed a one-game suspension in accordance to league rules.
“[I] think it is ridiculous, but yeah, no comments,” Ibrahimovic said at the time. “They do whatever they want. I come from a different world; I come from the real world.”
“Miami had a schedule that is unlike any other team,” he said. “Most of our teams had a 10-day break. Miami hasn’t. We had Leo playing 90 minutes in almost all the games. That’s nine games in 35 days.”
It isn’t as if facing off against Liga MX is a unique opportunity either. In the modern era of MLS, there’s been a growing number of matchups between the two leagues that have sought to collaborate as often as possible. Along with Leagues Cup, Campeones Cup and clashes in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the All-Star Game can feel lost in the list of Liga MX-vs.-MLS battles.
STREAM FUTBOL AMERICAS ON ESPN+
Herculez Gomez and Cristina Alexander debate the biggest storylines and break down the best highlights that soccer in the Americas has to offer. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
“You already have Campeones Cup and you already have Leagues Cup,” said ESPN’s Herculez Gomez, who played in both MLS and Liga MX. “How much is too much and then what are we trying to do here? Does a fan really enjoy [the All-Star Game]?”
Supporters of the league, especially those who sported a Messi jersey at Q2 Stadium, might also think twice about the All-Star Game going forward.
“It’s unfortunate because if you wanted to highlight this product or your products to the rest of the league, well, your biggest assets have to be there,” Gomez said.
Changing the competition format
Getting all players on board is something that the league will have to continue to manage in future editions, but what about the format of the competition itself that could perhaps garner more appeal for players and fans?
While the “all-star” concept itself is novel to the traditional hotbeds of the sport in Europe and Latin America, MLS could do more to stand out in an American sports landscape that has no shortage of high-profile exhibitions — let alone stand out in their own series of Liga MX-vs.-MLS events.
Making changes wouldn’t be a stretch when considering how often the league has tinkered with formats that have ranged from games against European club giants, the United States, Liga MX, and intraleague battles such as East vs. West and MLS USA vs. MLS World. And more generally, the league has demonstrated an appetite for experimenting with new rules and innovations for the global game.
The addition of the skills challenge is a step in the right direction during the All-Star week, but if MLS wants to capitalize on a younger demographic, the league could tap into the burgeoning scene of alternative tournaments such as The Soccer Tournament, Kings League and Baller League. Invited teams and celebrities from abroad, viral online moments through new rules, all on a small-sided pitch, the ingredients are there to experiment in a sport that has traditionally pushed back on new ideas that can allow players to show off a different side of their character.
Nicol backs Messi’s MLS All-Star snub
Stevie Nicol backs Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba’s decision to skip the MLS All-star game as the pair face a one-match ban for their absence.
“I [definitely] believe what lacks in normal football now is personality, in terms of players being able to be themselves,” Baller League player Josh Harrop, a former Manchester United midfielder, said to ESPN earlier this year. “I am a big football fan, but I kind of lost interest in watching it as much, because games are just so, so boring and dry.”
The argument, at least from the league’s perspective, could be made that those ideas are already being tested out within the skills challenge that has events such as goalie wars and the crossbar challenge. On Tuesday, guests such as U.S. men’s national team icon Clint Dempsey, U.S. women’s national team captain Lindsey Heaps, Liga MX Femenil star Nicki Hernandez and Liga MX icon Oribe Peralta also took part in the competition.
Ching, who has had a lengthy experience in the All-Star Game, doesn’t want to see too many changes.
“I feel this format keeps it competitive and entertaining for the fans while keeping it interesting and fun for the players,” the three-time MLS Cup champion said. “These games get competitive because of the rivalry between the two countries but both teams get to enjoy the experience of playing with the best of the best.”Either way, MLS still has plenty to ponder before a World Cup year in which lots of attention will be focused on the North American soccer landscape.
“I love the All-Star Game. You know, most leagues probably do, [but] how do you get your players to love the All-Star Game? Your partners to love the All-Star Game, and fans too,” Garber said. “Ninety-plus percent of our Leagues Cup matches are going to be MLS-vs.-Liga MX games, so maybe it is time for us to evolve the format … we’ll see how it plays out.”
England are in a major final again, and once more, their substitutes proved the difference.
Against Sweden, it was Michelle Agyemang who equalised and fellow replacement Chloe Kelly who played a key role in both of England’s goals. Against Italy, Agyemang was the hero who forced extra time again before Kelly scored the 119th-minute winner — which, incidentally, was from a penalty won by Beth Mead, another substitute.England’s strength in depth has been their superpower in Switzerland, allowing them to break down low blocks, stretch tired defences and, ultimately, pull off two great escapes. The question now is whether any of Sarina Wiegman’s so-called ‘finishers’ have earned a start for Sunday’s final in Basel against Spain.Here, The Athletic looks at each of their cases for a place.
Michelle Agyemang
In four senior caps, 19-year-old Agyemang has scored three goals — two of which were late equalisers to make England’s progress through the knockout stages possible. That is all without coming on before the 70th minute. Naturally, that begs the question of what she could do in 90 minutes instead of 20.
The map below shows how Agyemang has made the most of her minutes, taking up dangerous positions while, against Sweden, helping break down opposition attacks early.
Against Spain, those attributes — and particularly her strength in hold-up play, allowing team-mates time to get up the pitch and join a counter-attack — could be a great fit. After seeing her latch on to a long ball and lob Italy goalkeeper Laura Giuliani, only to hit the bar and let out a yell of frustration, the idea of her running in behind to exploit Spain’s high line is tantalising.
Is the time right for her to take the starting spot up top? That would feel harsh on Arsenal team-mate Alessia Russo, who has only scored once but has led the press brilliantly, run tirelessly and been a creative force too, with three assists. Russo is also adept at hold-up play and exploiting a high line (as shown for England’s first goal in the 4-0 win against the Netherlands).
Kelly is the only one of England’s super-subs from Euro 2022 who has kept that role, with Russo and Ella Toone having become starters. Had that apparent standstill been put to her two years ago, she might have been disappointed. Now, though, after the gamble of leaving Manchester City in January in search of more playing time at Arsenal, she will be delighted she has even made it to Switzerland, let alone proven to be so crucial.
Advertisement
She has been as important as Agyemang in England’s progress. Kelly was instrumental in England’s goals against Sweden before hammering home her penalty in the shootout. Against Italy, her dribbling and pace on the right wing were crucial in opening up space in the middle and creating opportunities for herself. She almost scored an iconic winner when she skipped away from four Italian defenders and bent her shot just wide of the top-left corner in extra time. In the furore, it went largely unnoticed that she almost scored directly from a corner. Instead, she would seal victory by turning in her saved penalty.She tracked back tirelessly against Italy, and made a key defensive contribution after substitute Giada Greggi had got the better of Grace Clinton. Again, she finds herself vying for a starting spot in a European final.
The Chelsea forward had a strong build-up to the Euros, planting herself firmly in Wiegman’s thinking with a hat-trick at Wembley against Portugal, but has had limited opportunities in Switzerland. Her standout moment was her first tournament goal, England’s sixth of the match against Wales — a well-taken but admittedly poorly defended header. The 21-year-old came on in the 85th minute against Italy and helped stretch their tired defence throughout extra time, coming close to turning home a couple of crosses but she could not find a way past Giuliani.Spain, her speed and dribbling on the counter-attack could be a weapon, and her adaptability to play across the front three helps provide cover. However, she is less physically imposing than Lauren Hemp (left wing) and Russo (striker), and has far less major tournament experience.Will she start the final? Beever-Jones’ competitors have the edge over her for a starting spot. She is still best used as a ‘finisher’, testing tired defenders.
Grace Clinton
Clinton faces stiff competition for a midfield role from Manchester United team-mate Toone, as well as Georgia Stanway and James. When she has got on to the pitch — which has been for no more than 16 minutes at a time — the 22-year-old has shown relentless energy but has not been at her best. Mostly employed to refresh England’s midfield and rush opponents with box-to-box running, Clinton has helped stop teams from building attacks.At her peak, Clinton balances reading of the game, movement and link-up play with defensive nous; that has not quite happened this tournament. Against Italy, when she came on in the 106th minute for Keira Walsh, she had to help prevent counter-attacks while simultaneously trying to provide a spark from deep. She looked comparatively sluggish when Greggi intercepted Kelly’s loose ball and pulled away into England’s half. Clinton has massive potential, but we have not quite seen it at this tournament.
Will she start the final? England desperately need to exercise some control over the midfield in the final and it does not feel like Clinton has shown more ability to do that than Stanway, Toone or Walsh. She will stay as a substitute.
Beth Mead
Mead’s Euros has not gone how she, or Wiegman, had planned. She started in her favoured right-wing position for England’s opening defeat against France, a performance that prompted a rethink about how England could extract the best from James. The Chelsea attacker was moved to the right, with Toone stepping in behind the forward line and Mead dropping to the bench.
Wiegman still seems to trust the Arsenal forward — she has featured in every game, and was the first port of call when James was forced off with an ankle injury against Italy. She showed versatility in that semi-final, moving into the No 10 role when Kelly was introduced, and looked dangerous in the box, not least when she won England’s penalty.
Mead was fouled for the penalty that led to England’s dramatic extra-time winner against Italy (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
However, that role change arose out of exceptional circumstances as Wiegman was trying to piece together an unusual number of attackers on the pitch, rather than providing any hints at where she could play in the final.
Will she start the final? Right now, the options ahead of her appear stronger. James did not have her best half against Italy but, if fit, would still be first in line to start on the right. Even without James, Kelly’s excellent substitute performances would put her ahead of Mead in the pecking order. Given Mead’s drop-off in minutes, no matter her experience, she is not best placed to start.
Germany 0 Spain 1: Aitana Bonmati’s strike lifts Spain to first Euros final appearance
Aitana Bonmati nearly missed the 2025 European Championship due to a bout with viral meningitis the week before the tournament began. But on Wednesday, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner found a late goal to lift Spain to their first appearance in a Euros final. They will face a familiar opponent in England — the team Spain beat in the 2023 World Cup final.
In a record fourth match that went to extra time this tournament, Spain needed a bit of magic from their star player to get past eight-time tournament winners Germany. The German side nearly ended the game in regular time with a pair of back-to-back shots in the 94th minute, but Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll made two acrobatic saves to keep the score level going into extra time.
Spain also finally broke their drought against Germany, a team they hadn’t beaten in the last eight meetings.
Despite Germany holding Spain scoreless through 90 minutes, something no other team at Euro 2025 could do, they failed to capitalise on multiple chances at the other end. Germany’s first of three shots on target came after the hour mark, despite multiple chances throughout the game.
Cerys Jones and Tamerra Griffin analyse the main talking points, setting up yet another final between Spain and England.
quarter-final
Sweden2
England2*
Norway1
Italy2
France1
Germany1*
Spain2
Switzerland0
semi-final
England2
Italy1
Germany0
Spain1
final
England
Spain
Bonmati to the rescue
Bonmati should not have scored that goal. Given how airtight Germany’s defense has been the whole game; how sharp Ann Katrin-Berger’s coverage of the goal; how underwhelming Spain have been on the attack with lofty crosses and half-hearted shots; how likely this game was to end with yet another set of penalties; and how Bonmati might still be recovering from viral meningitis; it simply did not seem possible by any stretch of the imagination.
But this is why Bonmati is a two-time Ballon d’Or winner. When the pressure is high and the chances slim, she transcends imagination and executes.
Bonmati’s extra time goal lift Spain to the Euros final (Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images)
She had fist-slamming frustrations throughout a game that saw Spain uncharacteristically frustrated over a much longer period than they’re used to against a steely Germany, but still Bonmati decided to do a dummy run that allowed her to slip past Rebecca Knaak before firing a low, driven, near-post shot at such an acute angle, you could hardly blame Berger for assuming she wouldn’t bother exploiting it. The shot was simply avant-garde in its brilliance. We will never know whether it was purposeful or a misdirected cross, but the way Bonmati pointed to her head during her celebrations suggests it just might have been.
Tamerra Griffin
Germany were their own worst enemy, again
Germany reached the final four despite doing their level best to put obstacles in their own path. Against Spain, they again have themselves to blame for their defeat.
Nobody has managed to keep a clean sheet against this Spanish side with their vast reserves of goalscorers and creators. No matter how dogged your defence, they will eventually score by hook or by crook — so opponents’ only real hope is to outscore them by exploiting their high line and being clinical in front of goal.
Germany became the latest side to fail to pull that off. Despite holding Spain scoreless for more than 100 minutes, it was through their own wayward finishing and lack of an incisive final action that they found defeat.
Germany held Spain for more than 100 minutes (Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Most teams have not even got as far as creating the opportunities that Germany carved out against Spain, so they deserve credit for that, but will be bitterly disappointed in their lack of end product.
Giovanna Hoffman had a particularly infuriating few moments in the first half, snatching at Sara Dabritz’s promising cross in the 28th minute and rolling a shot wide from Carlotta Wamser’s sumptuous curled pass in the 30th. She was offside for the latter, which she might well have been relieved by after failing to convert when one-on-one with Cata Coll. Before that, in the eighth minute, Klara Buhl had missed a golden opportunity to put Germany ahead when she fired wide after a perfectly timed run onto Berger’s long free kick. The ending of stoppage time summed it up: they had four shots, two of which were superbly saved by Coll and two of which were comfortably off target.
They followed the blueprint for beating Spain up until the final step. They attacked well on the counter, exploited their high line, created good chances from the wings, and did so with only 33 per cent of possession – but let themselves down in front of goal. They had ample chances to take the lead before Bonmati eventually scored deep into extra time.
Having suffered avoidable and obvious red cards for Carlotta Wamser and Kathrin Hendrich against Sweden and France, they caused their own downfall with attacking rather than defensive errors in the semi-final.
Cerys Jones
Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and Spain forward Esther Gonzalez are teammates at Gotham FC in NWSL (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Familiar foes among two Gotham FC players
Some of the striker-keeper duels between Spanish striker and Euros golden boot leader Esther Gonzalez and German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger could have ended differently had Berger not been so deeply familiar with her goal-hungry opponent.
That’s the kind of edge a keeper needs against a prolific, confident, and in-form striker like Esther, whose threat is at least twofold: she can score with both feet and her head; and her movement off the ball is as cerebral as it is dizzying for a defender to track.
Tamerra Griffin
A rematch waiting in the final
The final against England is Spain’s chance to lay an unequivocal claim to the title of best team in Europe.
They are already familiar with England as opponents on the biggest stage, having beaten them in the final of the 2023 World Cup. Much about England remains the same: familiar faces like Ella Toone, Alessia Russo, Lucy Bronze, and Georgia Stanway were stalwarts of that final, and their attacking identity has stayed similar. However, there are new variables: Spain were not facing England’s likely front three, crucially including an in-form Lauren James, and England did not enter that final as, arguably, underdogs.
From World Cups to Nations Leagues, Spain and England know each other well (Judit Cartiel / Getty Images)
Sarina Wiegman’s team have made life incredibly difficult for themselves at Euro 2025, falling to a concerning opening defeat against France in the group stage and twice needing Michelle Agyemang’s late equalisers to drag them through the knockouts. Several times they have looked beaten, and several times they have bounced back. That puts a different complexion on this final to Spain’s win in Australia in 2023, when it was Spain whose build-up had not gone smoothly and England who were entering on the back of a major tournament win. Those roles are now reversed.
England are beatable. France have done it once this tournament, and Sweden and Italy came remarkably close. But in spite of the noisy buildup, the early defeat, the scrappy knockout performances, here are England in a third consecutive major final. Spain face a side with proven winning credentials, but an underdog mentality – a combination which, if they cannot break England’s spirit early, could be lethal.
It’s the final weekend of play in the European leagues with lots of spots still up for grab for Champions League and European league options – especially in the EPL. Read below for all the breakdowns.
US Men’s Team Roster Set for Gold Cup
So the last major tournament before the World Cup will happen with about 1/3 of the US starters missing due to World Club Cup matches this summer – and of course Pulisic is not coming due to wear and tear this season. (read all about the rosters below)
US Men’s Team Roster
GOALKEEPERS: Matt Freese (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)
DEFENDERS: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), DeJuan Jones (San Jose Earthquakes), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati)
MIDFIELDERS: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew)
FORWARDS: Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Damion Downs (FC Köln), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
TV Games
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: Long weekend, short schedule
Still some things to be wrapped up this holiday weekend. May 23rd – Stars & Stripes
It’s the last weekend of action in Italy, England and Spain, and the Netherlands and Germany have already wrapped up. So it’s a bit of an abbreviated schedule with many places already set, but there is still some action to catch this weekend ahead of the long summer break. Here’s what we’re watching:
Saturday
AC Milan v Monza – 2:45p on Paramount+
Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah also finish their season at home hosting already relegated Monza on Saturday afternoon. Milan will finish no worse than their current ninth place, but can climb no higher than seventh (and would need help for that) so will finish outside of the European spots this season. It’s possible that both Pulisic and Musah could move on from the club this summer, Musah’s playing time has really fallen off down the stretch and Pulisic would reportedly like to learn more about Milan’s plans before committing to a contract extension that would lock him in past next season.
Sunday
Fulham v Manchester City – 11a on Peacock
Antonee Robinson and Fulham sit in tenth place, leading the pack of American’s in the middle of the table. Fulham could hop Brentford for ninth place but will be facing a Manchester City side that need a win to guarantee their Champions League spot for next season. A loss, combined with wins by the trio of teams behind them (Newcastle, Chelsea, and Aston Villa) would push City down to sixth place and the Europa League. Robinson started again last week but has missed alternating matches over the past four matchdays and he was not included in the summer roster that was released on Thursday.
Bournemouth v Leicester – 11a on Peacock
Tyler Adams and Bournemouth sit in eleventh place, one point back of Fulham. Bournemouth’s task is quite a bit easier this weekend as they take on an already relegated Leicester City side. Since his return from injury in mid-October Adams has appeared in nearly every match for Bournemouth, starting most of those. Unfortunately a mid-February through March swoon took Bournemouth out of the running for the top six and they have dropped their last two matches as well but finishing the season with a win against Leicester on Sunday could end things on a more positive note.
Liverpool v Crystal Palace – 11a on NBC
Chris Richards and Crystal Palace are the last of the US trio and are facing Liverpool who will be taking a victory lap for having won the league title. It will be tough work to jump Fulham and Bournemouth into the top ten of the Premier League standings but Crystal Palace already have a Europa League spot for next season thanks to their FA Cup victory which also brought home the first trophy in the clubs 120 year history.
Venezia v Juventus – 2:45p on Paramount+
Venezia’s loss last weekend combined with wins by both Empoli and Lecce dropped Venezia into nineteenth place, needing a win this weekend as well as loss from Lecce and a loss or draw from Empoli this weekend. Unfortunately, Gianluca Busio and Venezia will be facing fourth place Juventus who also need a win to secure a Champions League spot for next season. Weston McKennie started and Tim Weah came on as a substitute last weekend as Juventus defeated Udinese 2-0 to maintain their narrow lead over Roma and Lazio, either of who could pass Juventus this weekend if they fail to defeat Venezia.
Looking for a good warm meal on the way home from practice at River Road or Badger Field? Getting Ready for a Graduation or other Party? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Europe’s top soccer leagues: Titles, cup finals, UCL, relegation
Dale JohnsonMay 23, 2025, 06:42 PM ET
The 2024-25 season has entered the closing stages, with the battles for the major honours, European qualification, relegation and promotion reached their conclusion.
In 2025-26, the Premier League has been allocated 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. Liverpool and Arsenal (71) have booked two of them.
In addition, Tottenham Hotspur won the Europa League, beating Manchester United1-0 in the final, which earns a place in the Champions League. So the Premier League will have six teams in the UCL and nine in Europe.
All of the top seven are guaranteed European football of some description.
Superior goal difference over Villa means Man City only need a point, while Newcastle and Chelsea definitely seal it with a win.
But there’s a big last-day fixture, when Chelsea head to Forest — who need a victory to have any chance.
Newcastle are at home to Everton, Villa go to Man United and Man City are at Fulham.
This is what each team needs for UCL football:
MAN CITY (68, +26) In short: a point seals it Win: Guaranteed UCL Draw: Effectively guaranteed UCL due to superior goal difference over Villa Lose: Get UCL unless Newcastle, Chelsea and Villa all win
NEWCASTLE (66, +22) In short: a win seals it Win: Effectively guaranteed UCL due to superior goal difference over Villa Draw: Get UCL unless there’s both a winner in Forest vs. Chelsea and Villa win Lose: Only get UCL if Villa lose to Man United
CHELSEA (66, +20) In short: a win seals it Win: Effectively guaranteed UCL due to superior goal difference over Villa Draw: Get UCL unless both Newcastle win/draw and Villa win Lose: Only get UCL if Villa lose to Man United and Newcastle lose by a greater margin (than Chelsea) of four goals
ASTON VILLA (66, +9) In short: a draw could do it, but really they must win and hope another result goes their way Win: Get UCL if one of Man City lose, Newcastle lose/draw or Chelsea lose/draw Draw: Get UCL if Newcastle lose Lose: Cannot get UCL
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (65, +12) In short: must win and hope another result goes their way Win: Get UCL if one of Newcastle draw/lose or Aston Villa draw/lose Draw: Cannot get UCL Lose: Cannot get UCL
As it stands, sixth (Aston Villa) will enter the Europa League by league position, and it will go to one of those teams in the Champions League section.
If Chelsea win the Conference League — they are in the final vs. Real Betis on Wednesday — 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.
There is a way for seventh to get a place in the Europa League. This requires:
1) Newcastle to finish in the top five 2) Chelsea to finish sixth 3) Chelsea to win the Conference League
In this scenario, there would be no English club in the Conference League, but three in the Europa League.
How Manchester United can recruit for the rebuild
Mark Ogden talks about Manchester United’s recruitment approach to improve the squad for next season under Ruben Amorim.
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, which is almost certain, to play in the UCL or UEL, the Conference League place goes to seventh.
Eighth can still take the Conference League place, which requires:
1) Chelsea to finish seventh 2) Chelsea to win the Conference League
It’s also possible if Chelsea finish sixth and Newcastle are seventh, but that is now highly improbable.
After Tuesday night’s results, we now know exactly what needs to happen for eighth (and that means 10 Premier League teams) to get into Europe. And it really is possible:
1) Chelsea lose at Nottingham Forest 2) Aston Villa win or draw at Manchester United 3) Chelsea win the Conference League
Brighton need at least a point from their game at Spurs on Sunday to secure eighth place. However, if Brighton lose they can get overtaken by Brentford, who are away at Wolves, as the Bees have the better goal difference.
The tight title race came to a head on Friday when either Napoli(82) or Internazionale(81) could have been crowned champions.
Both won 2-0, with Napoli’s victory over Cagliari ensuring they were crowned champions.
Champions League (4)
CONFIRMED
1. Napoli (38, 82)
2. Inter Milan (38, 81)
3. Atalanta (37, 74)
Napoli and Internazionale have already been joined by Atalanta(74). The fight for the last spot goes to Sunday.
Juventus (67) have fourth place in their own destiny. AS Roma(66) are the closest challengers, while Lazio(65) are outsiders.
Juve must win at relegation-threatened Venezia to be sure of their place in the UCL.
If Juve draw, they can only be overtaken by Roma (because Juve hold the head-to-head record over Lazio), who would have to win at Torino.
If Juve lose, they drop out of the top four with a win for either Roma or Lazio. If Juve and Roma (with a draw) are on 67 points, Juve will be ahead on goal difference — but Lazio could take fourth with a victory.
Lazio are at home to Lecce, another team in relegation danger. Lazio have to win, hope Juve lose and Roma draw/lose.
NB: There is one crazy scenario. If Juve lose 3-0 to Venezia, Roma draw 1-1, and Lazio draw/lose, then Juve and Roma would be level on all tiebreakers. Fourth place would be decided by … a coin toss.
If Inter win the Champions League there will be no impact on the Serie A places.
Europa League (2)
CONFIRMED
8. Bologna (Coppa Italia winners)
Bologna (62)are guaranteed Europa League football after they won the Coppa Italia, beating AC Milan 1-0 in the final.
Fifth place (Roma as it stands) will play in the Europa League by league position, which will also be a battle between Juve, Roma and Lazio.
Conference League (1)
At present this goes to sixth (Lazio), though it will pass to seventh if Bologna finish sixth.
Even so, if Bologna win at home to Genoa on Saturday, and Lazio lose to Lecce on Sunday, then Bologna could be sixth and Lazio seventh — so it would still be Lazio in the Conference League place.
However, if Fiorentina(62, away to Udinese on Sunday), Bologna and Lazio end up level on 65 points, that will be the final order — with Fiorentina in the Conference League spot.
Monza(18) were relegated at the start of this month.
It’s a fierce battle to avoid the last two spots between Venezia(29), Empoli(31) and Lecce(31).
Going into Sunday’s games, Venezia have to win at home to Juve to have any chance, and then hope both Empoli (home to Hellas Verona) and Lecce (away to Lazio) lose to definitely stay up.
If two teams finish level on points for 17th — this can happen if Venezia win and one of the other teams draw — then there will be a one-legged playoff hosted by the team with the best goal difference to stay in Serie A.
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, Cesena and Palermo will take part for the last promotion place. The second leg of the semifinals take place on Sunday.
Barcelona celebrate winning their 28th LaLiga title win with an open-top bus parade through the streets of the city.
Europa League (2)
CONFIRMED
6. Real Betis (37, 59)
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 goes to Real Betis(59), but there’s a close race for seventh.
The games involving these teams will be played on Saturday.
Celta Vigo go to Getafe knowing it’s still in their own hands: win, and they are in the Europa League.
Vallecano are at home to Mallorca, while Osasuna go to Alavés. If Celta Vigo slip up, Vallecano or Osasuna could take advantage. Vallecano hold the head-to-head record over Osasuna, who can therefore only qualify for the UEL with a victory if both Celta and Vallecano fail to win.
Real Betis are in the Conference League final, with the winners of competition earning a spot in the Europa League, but their performance 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 three teams battling it out as noted in the Europa League section. One of the trio will miss out on European football altogether.
Relegation (3)
CONFIRMED
19. Las Palmas (37, 32)
20. Real Valladolid (37, 16)
Real Valladolid(16) and Las Palmas(32) are already down, but the third relegation place is going to be decided on Saturday.
Leganés (37) host rock-bottom Valladolid, so they have a chance.
The only team Leganés can catch is Espanyol(39), who were well clear but have lost their last five matches. The good news for Espanyol? They are at home to Las Palmas, the other relegated team.
Leganés hold the head-to-head record over Espanyol, which means if Leganés get three points they will be safe if Espanyol fail to win.
It’s a very tight race for the two automatic promotion places from LaLiga2 with two games to be played. Levante, Elche, Real Oviedo, Mirandés and Racing Santander are fighting it out. A third team comes up through four-team playoffs.
This time VfB Stuttgartwill play Arminia Bielefeld who, incredibly, are in the third division and have been promoted as champions.
The winners of the Pokal will qualify for the Europa League.
Stuttgart finished ninth on 50 points, so there will be no transfer of the place to the league if they win the cup. If Arminia Bielefeld produce a shock win in the final, they are set to play in the Europa League as a second-division club
Conference League (1)
CONFIRMED
6. Mainz (34, 52)
Mainz(52) drew 2-2 at home to Leverkusen on the final day to finish sixth, though as it turned out they could have lost and still taken the Conference League qualifying round spot.
Relegation (2+1)
Two teams are relegated automatically, while third-bottom takes on third place in the 2.Bundesliga in a playoff.
In 2.Bundesliga, Hamburg and FC Cologneare promoted. SV 07 Elversberg will face Heidenheim in the playoff. The first leg on Thursday finished 2-2, with the return to be played on Monday.
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 (34, 84)
2. Marseille (34, 65)
3. AS Monaco (34, 61)
4. Nice (34, 60)
Marseille(65) and AS Monaco (61) sealed the direct spots with a game to spare.
Nice(60, +25) thrashed Brest 6-0 to secure the place in qualifying on goal difference ahead of Lille (60, +16).
Europa League (2)
CONFIRMED
5. Lille (34, 60)
Lille are sure to be in the Europa League.
If PSG win the Coupe de France final on Saturday, a UEL place will pass to sixth-placed Lyon(57). PSG play Stade de Reims, who are 16th and will not finish in a domestic European place. If Reims win the cup, they will be in the Europa League — possibly as a Ligue 2 club.
Conference League (1)
Strasbourg(57) were certain of being in Europe, until they lost to at home to Le Havre on the final day through a penalty in the 99th-minute. That meant they dropped below Lyon, and the only way Strasbourg can now qualify for Europe is if PSG take the Coupe de France — seventh place will be in the Conference League playoff round.
Relegation for Saint-Etienne (30) was confirmed when they lost at home to Toulouse on the last day. Le Havre AC (34) looked certain to be in the relegation playoff with their game at Strasbourg level in the ninth minute of added time, but the late winner lifted them out of the bottom three and dumped in Stade de Reims (33).
Lorientand Paris FChave secured promotion from Ligue 2, with Metzto play Reims in the relegation/promotion playoff final — the first leg was 1-1 with the second leg on Thursday.
=====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Looking for a good warm meal on the way home from practice at River Road or Badger Field? Getting Ready for a Graduation or other Party? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
What it’s like to watch your son win the FA Cup – by Chris Richards’ parents
Almost a week has passed since Carrie Richards watched her son climb the Wembley steps to be greeted by Prince William, and raise the FA Cup with his victorious Crystal Palace team-mates.
The rush of adrenaline will take some time yet to subside. So, too, will the beaming pride felt by Carrie and her husband, Ken. They flew in from Birmingham, Alabama, to see their son, the 25-year-old USMNT defender Chris Richards, become only the third American to win the FA Cup — as part of the Palace team that defeated Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Advertisement
Matt Turner, the national team’s goalkeeper, also received a winner’s medal, albeit he was an unused substitute on the day.
“Saturday was the most surreal experience of my life,” Carrie grins, speaking on a video call with The Athletic from the family home. “Seeing the fans walking down Wembley Way… I have never seen anything like it. The stadium was electric. My heart was beating. If I had worn my Apple watch, it probably would have told me I needed to go to the emergency room, from the moment we got there to the moment we left.”
The game itself was a nerve-shredding, nail-eviscerating experience.
Palace had never won a major trophy in their history. This was City’s 14th appearance in an FA Cup final and they had won two of the previous six editions of the tournament. For Palace to win demanded extreme commitment, the players stretching every last sinew in red and blue. It needed supreme organisation, a splash of quality and also a little fortune.
Palace scored the game’s only goal via their talismanic attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, but also survived a red card review against their goalkeeper, Dean Henderson. He subsequently saved a penalty.
Henderson saves Omar Marmoush’s penalty as Richards watches on (Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images)
Carrie says: “Even if we’d been two or three ahead, I don’t I think I would have felt any more comfortable! A few weeks back, we were 2-0 up against City and we still lost 5-2 (in the Premier League fixture).”
Even after Palace survived 90 minutes of ordinary time, the fourth official’s board indicated 10 additional minutes for stoppages. Ken and Carrie blow out their cheeks. “We were counting down every last second,” she says. “I remember seeing we were down to three minutes, but there wasn’t a second where I was like, ‘OK, I can breathe now!’ until he blew the final whistle.”
That was the starting pistol for an explosion of joy and abandon. Carrie, who was seated with the families of the Palace players, says: “Everyone was in tears. Everyone was hugging…”
“High-fiving, too,” Ken interjects. “It was crazy. We were just ecstatic, there were lots of balloons going around.”
The couple took in the scene. Multiple generations of families collapsing into each other on the terraces. Some players appeared to enter a trance; some sinking to their knees, others on their backs, exhausted, while more still embraced joyously. Messages from across the pond flooded into Carrie’s inbox. One photograph in particular, of royalty placing the winners’ medal around her son’s neck, kept coming through.
She says: ‘What’s funny is all my friends were more impressed with him being greeted by Prince William. They were like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ Americans are so fascinated with the royal family!”
Prince William, Prince of Wales, presented the cup to Crystal Palace (Eddie Keogh – The FA/Getty Images)
Richards excelled in the Palace defence, muzzling City superstar Erling Haaland. He made four blocks, 12 clearances and won five duels. Not once did an opponent dribble past him.
Before the game, his parents had sent their usual text messages. Ken says: “I tell him good luck. Trust your instincts, trust what you see, go out, play and have fun.”
Carrie’s message was a little more sentimental. “I was telling him how proud I was. The coach Oliver Glasner told him this opportunity was not a burden, but a privilege. We just wanted Chris to stay in the moment, be present, enjoy every minute, because we knew or had been told that it could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Carrie and Ken’s first pleasant surprise came when arriving at Wembley and seeing their son on the front cover of the match-day programme. As for how the Palace fans feel about him?
“People were walking around with Afro wigs on and American flags,” Carrie laughs. “A whole group (of fans) were in the section of the stadium chanting ‘USA!’ That’s priceless.”
Richards at Wembley (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
For the Richards family, this represented a milestone.
Their collective story is one of devotion and sacrifice. Unseen to the ordinary fan is how families share in the emotional rollercoaster of professional soccer; matchday at the highest level can test emotions, but the journey to the summit requires patience, empathy and no little resilience.
Richards was born into a comfortable household. His mum worked in a managerial paralegal-type role in a law firm, while his dad owned a moving transportation company that helped people with house moves. But when the economy crashed in 2009, and far fewer people moved home, the business went under.
“We lost everything,” Carrie says. “We had to start completely over, from doing very well before to having absolutely nothing. We were definitely pinching pennies every week. I can remember one time even Chris getting in from practice and him handing me a letter that said if we didn’t pay his soccer fees, then he wouldn’t get to play that next week.
“I was so embarrassed. We were just robbing Peter to pay Paul every week.”
In the United States, life as a soccer parent can be exorbitantly expensive. Carrie and Ken say that Chris would often have games either out of state, or far enough away to require a hotel stay. He had two younger siblings who also required attention. “We were an average family and we were struggling to pay it,” Carrie says.
Trips out of town would cost at least $500 for a weekend. Carrie or Ken would often volunteer to drive the passenger van for the team, because that was a way to have the cost of a hotel covered.
“There was another player whose parents could never go, so they would split the hotel costs with us and they would stay in our room,” she says. “I don’t think him quitting was ever a question. For us, it was always just, ‘How are we going to do it?’ rather than, ‘Will we do it?’.”
A young Richards takes on his marker (Carrie Richards)
The family lived in Hoover, Alabama, around 10 miles south of Birmingham. A place where football is king — Hoover High School has 13 state titles — and soccer is seen as a curiosity. “Soccer here is probably the fifth most popular sport,” says Carrie. “It is only now (after the final) some people around us are starting to say, ‘Oh, now I understand what Chris achieved because he’s on the news’.
“A few weeks ago, somebody asked me what I was going to London for. I said: ‘Oh, my son plays soccer in England’. And they’re like, ‘Oh he doesn’t want to play in the United States?’. So I think there’s still a lot of people around here just don’t understand the magnitude of playing in the Premier League.
“They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re going all the way to the UK for a game?’. Yes, the FA Cup is the oldest tournament in history! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
On Richards’ arms, he has tattoos of heroes including Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali and Barack Obama, but his first tattoo, written in Roman numerals, is the date he left home shortly after turning 16.
He had not long been cut by FC Dallas when he was offered a place at U.S. Soccer Academy Development club Houston Texans SC. This was a step down to move forwards, playing in a non-MLS academy 10 hours from home.
Chris, his mum admits, was “devastated” when Dallas let him go.
Ken says, “I’m a little old school and I felt like he would do one of two things: he would give up or use it as fuel to push him on. That’s exactly what he did. Sometimes it’s good to have a little disappointment. It built a resilience which helped him as he left home and especially when he later moved to Europe.”
A delighted Richards with team-mate Jean-Philippe Mateta at Wembley (Julian Finney – The FA/Getty Images)
For both parents, letting their eldest boy fly the nest was a wrench. Houston found him a host family, the Eastons, who met Carrie and Ken once before taking in their son. They remain in touch to this day and describe the family as “just amazing”.
“We were thinking that we have two more years to prepare him for life — to learn how to cook, how to make a doctor’s appointment,” says Carrie. “He moved 10 hours away to a family that we’d barely met in a city that we’ve never been to. We were praying for the best.
“But he was saying: ‘We’ve got to do this’. So, OK, I’ve got to get on board. It was heart wrenching.
“I cried every day for God knows how long. Every time we went to see him, I would cry when we left. He didn’t even have his driver’s licence yet. Our other son Christian was two, just a little baby, and he was missing his big brother. It was almost like he’d gone to college two years early. We mentally weren’t ready for that.”
Ken smiles. “And there were so many people, family and friends, in our ears, saying, ‘Are you guys going to let them go? You guys are crazy. This is the worst idea you could have!’,” he says.
Carrie continues, “We were second guessing ourselves, asking: ‘Is this the dumbest thing we’ve ever done?’.”
It turned out to be the opposite.
Richards grew in height and quality while in Houston and his team racked up a string of impressive wins, including against the team who had released him. Dallas then invited him back and, after trials at Borussia Dortmund and Hoffenheim, he was signed by Bayern Munich just as he turned 18.
There were a handful of appearances for Bayern’s first team, as well as loan spells at Hoffenheim, before Palace spent an initial €12million (£10m; $13.5m) on Richards in the summer of 2022. This campaign has been his best yet, starting 28 games in Glasner’s exciting Palace team, particularly coming to the fore in a second half of the season in which Palace have shot up the Premier League table and claimed the FA Cup.
Carrie, Chris and Ken Richards with the FA Cup (Carrie Richards)
“It was very moving at the final to see how much it meant to the people of south London — for him to be a part of something that’s so historic,” says Ken. “He’ll forever be a part of that. Maybe 100 years from now, it’ll be maybe a trivia question: ‘Who’s the American centre-back when we won our first FA Cup?’.”
After the game, there was time for hugs, drinks and photographs at the nearby Boxpark, both with his parents and his girlfriend, who recently gave birth for the first time. His siblings watched from home, with his sister Mackenzie studying at college and younger brother Christian still at school. They sent explanations from across the pond when Carrie and Ken were trying to understand, amid little in-stadium communication, why the game had been delayed for a VAR review of Henderson’s handball outside the penalty area.
Advertisement
But enough about Chris the footballer. What does Chris the person mean to his parents?
Ken pauses, his eyes moistening. “He’s such a good person. Everybody thinks highly of their kids but he really is a great person who cares about other people. He’s very humble, very considerate…”
Carrie jumps in: “He has a really good sense of humor.”
Ken nods: “Yes, he’s funny. There are so many adjectives I can use, but he’s special.”
Carrie says: “He would do anything for either of us, for his siblings. He’s loyal to the friends he grew up with.”
Richards and fellow USMNT player Turner parade the FA Cup around Wembley (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
As parents of an American soccer player, the next year brings excitement, with a home World Cup on the horizon in the summer of 2026.
“He was injured right before the World Cup in Qatar,” Carrie adds. “Since we had already taken off the time to go to the World Cup, we decided to go over and spend that time with him, because he was not in a good place emotionally at all. So we made sure we were there for him.
No Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Yunus Musah or Josh Sargent.
The reasons for those absences from this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup vary. McKennie, Weah and Reyna are playing in the FIFA Club World Cup. Musah asked to be excused due to personal reasons. Sargent was a coach’s choice. Robinson has dealt with numerous injuries this season with Fulham and needed a rest. Pulisic requested to get the summer off after playing another 50-game campaign for AC Milan.
Advertisement
“Many people can say it’s really important for us to be all together for the last time (in a tournament) before the World Cup,” Pochettino said. “But always as a coaching staff we listen to the player and then, of course, we take the decision. We have our own idea in everything, but after the consideration … we decided the best for him, the best for the team, the best for the national team is the decision that we made.”
The larger message from Pochettino, though, was clear — both for the players who were absent and the ones that were going to be in camp.
Christian Pulisic won’t be involved in the USMNT’s Gold Cup quest this summer. (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
“The important thing is to provide to the new players the possibility to challenge,” Pochettino said. “And to challenge the possibility to take a place. My first conversation we are going to have on (June 1) when we are all together is: ‘Listen, guys. You have the possibility to defend your place. When you are now in the national team, it is not because you are here to try to replace people that (are) sure that (they are) going to be here. No, you have the possibility to defend your place. How you are going to defend your place, that is the important thing for us. You need to fight, you need to show attitude, the right attitude, but not only that, perform, and be brave, and follow the rules that we set in the group.’
“I think it is really important for us. And of course they need to know that they … are going to compete in a fair way with different people that maybe are not involved today in this squad.”
In other words: Fight like this is your job to lose, not your job to win. Because no one is guaranteed a spot on this U.S. national team.
The names being brought into this camp seem to be a bid to inject more of that into a group that needs it. There are players like Sebastian Berhalter, the son of ex-U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter, who got released by Columbus and Austin and has earned his call-up with his strong form for the Vancouver Whitecaps; Luna, who has spoken often about constantly feeling like he needed to prove himself; and Alex Freeman, the son of a Super Bowl winner who will get a chance to make his national team debut amid a breakout season in Orlando.
Advertisement
“Obviously those thoughts have crossed my mind,” Freeman said when asked last week by The Athletic about a potential USMNT call-up. “It just gives me more to work for, more to strive for. It would be a dream to play for them.”
The value of this Gold Cup could be finding the right mix of hungry players for the World Cup squad in order to offset a core that has at times been considered a “golden generation.” The utility is in creating the right culture within the group.
Pochettino has made clear that he doesn’t care where players play their club soccer. Asked about a handful of European-based players who were not on the team, Pochettino said they are “at the same level as some of the players that are now involved in the roster.”
“My feeling in all these camps — from October, November, January and March — I think many players, they took the chance and deserve again to come back,” he said. “Because they not only performed and behaved well in the camp, after that they kept performing in their teams.”
Pochettino is hoping for a bounce-back summer for the USMNT, a year out from the World Cup it will cohost. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Imagn Images)
Pochettino continued rolling in his answer, thinking back on a previous question asked. His response spoke plenty about where he thinks this team can improve and the type of players he’s seeking to improve it.
“In a previous question you asked: Is (this squad meant) to punish or say ‘pay attention’ to some players? I think what we want to create in our national team is people desperate to come, but desperate to come to perform,” he said. “To perform means follow the rules, create a good atmosphere, be part of the team. Be able, in every single aspect, (to meet) our (federation) demands … and understand that it’s possible (this could) be the last possibility to be with us. Because (in most windows) we only have time to come to maybe train one, two, three times, then play. One, two recovery sessions and then play. And then go home and maybe wait two months to be all together (again). If you arrive to the camp and you want to spend a nice time, play golf, go for a dinner, visit my family, visit my friend. Is that the culture that we want to create? No, no, no, no, no.
Advertisement
“What we want to do is to go to the national team, arrive and be focused. And spend all my focus and energy on the national team. Because we need to create this culture about winning and we need to chase our aim. If we want to be good in one year’s time, we need to think that today is the most important day, because we need to build from today our way to arrive. It’s not to say, ‘OK, I wait, I wait, I wait. No, the World Cup is in one year. It’s in six months. It’s in one month.’ And then it’s late.
“That is why I think it’s important to have (a) different approach. And for us, I think we learned a lot in the last few camps, for sure in March. And I think it is about maybe using a different way to approach this. These opportunities are amazing. We are so motivated, so excited. That is why I am full of energy. We are full of energy working in trying to create a good group that we can feel proud (of).”
The U.S. will be without several regulars for this summer’s Gold Cup, including stars Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino named a 27-man roster for camp ahead of this summer’s Gold Cup on Thursday. The U.S. will only be able to carry 26 players into the tournament, with Concacaf’s deadline to finalize the squad on June 4. The U.S. will play friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland before group games against Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti.
Advertisement
Pulisic and Robinson have been given the summer off after long seasons with AC Milan and Fulham, respectively. Robinson has been dealing with several injury issues, including tendinopathy, which caused him to miss the Concacaf Nations League finals in March. If Pulisic plays this weekend for AC Milan, it will be his 120th game for club and country in the past two years.
“Christian and his team approached the Federation and the coaching staff about the possibility of stepping back this summer, given the amount of matches he has played in the past two years at both the club and international level with very little break,” U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker said in a statement. “After thoughtful discussions and careful consideration, we made the collective decision that this is the right moment for him to get the rest he needs. The objective is to ensure he’s fully prepared to perform at the highest level next season.”
McKennie and Weah (Juventus) and Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund) will also miss the tournament due to commitments with their club teams, which are competing in this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
Other notable names not on the squad include midfielder Yunus Musah, who had an up-and-down season for Milan, and Josh Sargent, who scored 15 goals for Norwich this season in the English Championship.
The absence of so many notable players means the U.S. will go into the summer’s tournament with a mix of players considered to be first-choice regulars, as well as more than a few players trying to break into the squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup.
Despite all of the omissions, there are some positive developments within this team.
USMNT right back Sergiño Dest is back in the mix ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Sergiño Dest is back after tearing his ACL in April 2024, a welcome return for one of the USMNT’s best players. Several others who missed the Nations League through injury — Johnny Cardoso, Malik Tillman and Folarin Balogun — are also back in the rotation.
World Cup veterans Tyler Adams, Matt Turner, Tim Ream, Luca de la Torre, Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright are also in the team, while veteran center backs Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson and Chris Richards bolster the defensive options.
Advertisement
Among the notable new names in the mix: Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, the son of former U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter; Orlando City right back Alex Freeman, the son of NFL Super Bowl winner Antonio Freeman; Philadelphia Union attacking midfielder Quinn Sullivan; and German-American striker Damion Downs, a 20-year-old who had 10 goals for Koln in the 2. Bundesliga as the club earned promotion to Germany’s top flight.
Interestingly, Pochettino opted for MLS-based strikers Patrick Agyemang and Brian White over Sargent, who started multiple games for the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup. Diego Luna, a standout at the Nations League, will also get another opportunity to make his case for inclusion in the World Cup squad.
The full roster is below:
GOALKEEPERS: Matt Freese (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace)
DEFENDERS: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), DeJuan Jones (San Jose Earthquakes), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati)
MIDFIELDERS: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), Luca de la Torre (San Diego FC), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake), Jack McGlynn (Houston Dynamo), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew)
FORWARDS: Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Damion Downs (FC Köln), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Christian Pulisic missing Gold Cup: Bad look for the player, bad break for USMNT
Christian Pulisic has long been the tone-setting player on this U.S. men’s national team, a leader by example who has been counted on in the program’s biggest moments.
With just more than a year left to prepare for the World Cup, however, the U.S. will have to work its way out of a major slump without its most important player.
Advertisement
Pulisic will not be a part of the U.S.’s Gold Cup roster, sources confirmed to The Athletic on Wednesday night. The news was first reported by Fox Sports. The 26-year-old winger seemingly wants a break after a long season with AC Milan. He has nursed and played through several slight injuries over the course of the Serie A campaign. The hope is that resting Pulisic in the Gold Cup will give him a better chance at being healthy for next season and, by extension, next summer’s World Cup.
All of that may be true and valid. The demand of an increasingly grueling calendar on players is as under the microscope as ever, and we won’t hear the official reasons for Pulisic’s absence until U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino speaks Thursday.
But it is still a bad look for the player and a bad break for this U.S. team that its best player and face of the program is missing this tournament.
The U.S. is in the midst of a major tailspin. It was knocked out in the group stage at the Copa América last summer and then dumped in the semifinals of the Nations League by Panama in March before losing the third-place game to Canada.
Vibes around this group are alarmingly low. The Gold Cup was meant to be a potential salve to the culture within the team, and the faith of the fanbase around it. Ahead of a home World Cup, it took on even more importance.
It is also the first time Pochettino will get more than a short international window with his Europe-based players. That has real value for a new coach trying not just to instill a system, but also heal the internal mindset and attitude. Pulisic himself called on Pochettino to do that last September.
“Hopefully, he’s someone that’s going to come in and really change the culture around here,” Pulisic said at the time.
Now, Pulisic appears to be opting out of that chance at a cultural reset this summer.
Christian Pulisic will be a spectator for this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
The U.S. was already weakened by the FIFA Club World Cup this summer. Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, two regular USMNT starters, will be participating in that tournament with Juventus and won’t be with the U.S. Gio Reyna, once an enticing prospect, is struggling for minutes at the club level, but will be with Borussia Dortmund for the Club World Cup, as well.
Yunus Musah, Pulisic’s Milan teammate, will also miss the tournament, sources told The Athletic, meaning the U.S. will be without five players from its supposed “golden generation” this summer.
That doesn’t mean the group will be entirely decimated. Several key players are still expected to be a part of the squad. Left back Antonee Robinson, right back Sergiño Dest, forward Folarin Balogun and midfielders Johnny Cardoso and Malik Tillman, all of whom missed the Nations League debacle, were on the 60-man preliminary roster and are expected to make the squad.
World Cup captain Tyler Adams should also be there, as well as FA Cup winner Chris Richards.
The absence of those other key figures means opportunities could be opened up for players who are trying to make an impression and whose hunger could help this team. The preliminary list included the likes of Diego Luna, a standout at Nations League, and Brenden Aaronson and Alejandro Zendejas, who missed the previous squad and will want to prove a point. (Though Zendejas would not be available if Club America qualifies for the Club World Cup at the end of the month.)
A wildcard may even be able to slip in there if they get a look.
The positive spin on this situation is that the void left behind by one player opens a window for another. But the reality is that there is no replacement for Pulisic. The 2026 World Cup has been touted for some time as a transformative moment for the sport in this country. Pulisic is undeniably the most famous American on the national team. The responsibility that comes with that fame is enormous. For some fans, Pulisic is the national team.
His absence, particularly at this time, hits differently.
When Pochettino was hired last September, he was supposed to be a stabilizer. His sterling resume and global recognition was meant to calm some of the diehard fans that were turning on the program and blaming former coach Gregg Berhalter for all that was going wrong.
Advertisement
One of the benefits of Pochettino’s hire was that it would turn the pressure back onto the players. That has certainly proved to be true. The Nations League was eye-opening. The team looked disinterested. Fans and alumni started to call out a group they felt was complacent and entitled. At the time, Pochettino preached patience.
“I don’t want the people to feel pessimistic,” he said. “Disappointed? Disappointed, we are all. And the fans need to feel the disappointment that we didn’t win. But I don’t want to allow (them) to feel pessimistic, because we have good players. We are going to find a way to perform.”
Since the 2022 World Cup, Pulisic has been one of the few American players that has taken steps forward in his game. He’s become counted on to deliver week-in and week-out at AC Milan, and has mostly done so. Out of any of the so-called “golden generation,” the winger’s play and desire to produce for the U.S. has been evident.
“This team is everything to me,” Pulisic said on Paramount+ after the Nations League losses. “I care so much for this team, for this country. I hope people know that about me. It’s truly an honor to lead this country.”https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHkElrsM6Km/embed/captioned/?cr=1&v=14&wp=540&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com&rp=%2Fathletic%2F6373974%2F2025%2F05%2F21%2Fchristian-pulisic-out-gold-cup-usmnt-impact-pochettino%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A2312.3000000000466%2C%22ls%22%3A778.8000000000466%2C%22le%22%3A1283.8000000000466%7D
It’s hard to argue that his absence from this tournament a year out from the World Cup doesn’t speak just as loudly, though.
One can’t help but think back to something Pochettino said the day he was introduced as the U.S. coach. Asked about the lack of meaningful competitive games before the World Cup, Pochettino pushed back on that notion.
“When I was a player with Argentina, Copa America, World Cup or friendly, it was the same,” he said. “To show that you are the best and win the game for your country, for your pride and everything. Because that is what it means to be competitive. We are going to be focusing on that.”
This Gold Cup was already going to be a test on that competitiveness and desire. That one of its leaders won’t be there is a rough start to the evaluation.
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
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.
Looking for a good warm meal on the way home from practice at River Road or Badger Field? Getting Ready for a Graduation or other Party? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
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?
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.
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
Team
GW37
GW38
CHELSEA
Man United (H)
Nottm Forest (a)
FOREST
West Ham (a)
Chelsea (H)
NEWCASTLE
Arsenal (a)
Everton (H)
MAN CITY
Bournemouth (H)
Fulham (a)
VILLA
Spurs (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.
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.
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.
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?
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
GP
PTS
1 – Barcelona
36
85
2 – Real Madrid
36
78
3 – Atlético
36
70
4 – Athletic Club
36
67
5 – Villarreal
36
64
6 – Real Betis
36
59
7 – Celta Vigo
36
52
8 – Vallecano
36
48
9 – Osasuna
36
48
10 – Mallorca
36
47
11 – Valencia
36
45
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.
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.
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.
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
GP
PTS
GD
1 – Bayern
33
79
+63
2 – Leverkusen
33
68
+29
3 – Frankfurt
33
57
+20
4 – Freiburg
33
55
-2
5 – Dortmund
33
54
+17
7 – Mainz
33
51
+12
6 – RB Leipzig
33
51
+6
8 – Bremen
33
48
-6
9 – Gladbach
33
45
-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.
This time VfB Stuttgartwill 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lorientand Paris FChave secured promotion from Ligue 2, with Metzplaying third bottom in that relegation/promotion playoff.
Wrexham in swoop for Premier League captain: report
Wrexham are aiming to make it four promotions in a row next season
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 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
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 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 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.
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.
Advertisement
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.”
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).
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
‘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?
FIFA is under additional pressure from the Palestinian FA, which says the body is failing to properly examine whether teams from Israeli settlements in the West Bank are breaching FIFA statutes by competing in Israeli competitions.
News round-up
For the third year running, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-earning sportsperson. Forbes’ annual report estimates that he pulled in $275m (£207m), ahead of the NBA’s Steph Curry ($156m) and boxer Tyson Fury ($146m). Lionel Messi was fifth on $135m.
Jordi Alba has signed a new deal at Inter Miami, through the 2027 MLS season. The full-back will be a ‘designated player’ — one whose wage exceeds MLS’ individual salary cap.
The penultimate fixture of Leicester City’s campaign, at home against Ipswich Town on Sunday, will be Jamie Vardy’s last for them, to ensure he finishes on exactly 500 appearances. He needs one more goal to hit the 200 mark for Leicester. The gods should make it happen.
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.
Again Champions League delivered on Tuesday as Barcelona battled Inter Milan to a instant classic 4-3 win in Extra Time at the San Siro. It was scintillating as Milan scored early in ET – and held on to win a second straight spectacular game after tying 3-3 in Barcelona. Rocky Ray Hudson was on the call – so glad this game was on CBS. If you didn’t you must watch this – Barca vs Inter Highlights. Inter’s GK Yon Sommer stood on his head (saves in GK below). It was honestly one of the best games and certainly the Best Champions League game I have ever watched on TV – Hopefully America Watched! Milan will move into the Champions League final vs PSG who easily handled Arsenal 2-0 at home (Highlights) to win 3-0 in aggregate. Its sets up the Final on May 31 at 3 pm on CBS in Germany. Inter Milan vs. Barcelona:This match on CBS attracted an average of 1.278 million viewers, setting a U.S. record for the most-watched non-final Champions League match in English. Viewership Increase: The complete UEFA Champions League semi-finals averaged a combined 1.25 million viewers, up 50% from last year and 92% from 2017. CBS Sports touted the match as the most-watched UEFA Champions League semifinal in U.S. history.
Inter Milan vs PSG – Champs League Final May 31st Man United Tottenham Europa League Final Chelsea vs Real Bettis (Cordosa)
Congrats to the Carmel FC 2014 Blue Boys for Advancing to the Challenge Cup Finals – other CFC teams to advance below.
– 2013 Girls Blue 1 in Challenge Cup – 2008/2009 Girls Gold in Challenge Cup – 2014 Boys Gold in Presidents Cup – 2014 Boys Blue in Challenge Cup – 2012 Boys Blue in Challenge Cup
Wrapped Up the CYO Regular Season with a Game with Sue Howard at St Luke Catholic-more Ref pics below Super proud of my Son and former Carmel FC & Carmel High Goalkeeper Tyler Best for graduating this weekend from Indiana University with a Double Major in the History (Civil War) & The Classics (Rome & Greece)
TV Games
Wed, May 14
CBS Sports Net, Para+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Bologna Coppa Italian Final
Sat, May 17
ESPN+? Crystal Palace (Richards) vs Man City FA Cup Final Wed, May 21
Paramount Plus Man United vs Tottenham Europa League Final in Balboa, Spain
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 midweek viewing guide: Pulisic, Musah in Coppa Italia final
Plus Haji Wright and Coventry look to rebound in the promotion playoffs to reach the Premier League.
Tuesday
Sunderland vs Coventry, 3p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV: Haji Wright and Coventry lost the first leg 1-2 at home to Sunderland in the Championship promotion playoff semifinal. They’ll have to respond in the away leg to move on to the final at Wembley.
Also in action:
Modena vs Cesena, 2:30p: Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena visit Modena in Serie B.
Palermo vs Carrarese, 2:30p: Kristoffer Lund and Palermo host Carrarese in Serie B.
Wednesday
PSV vs Heracles, 2p on ESPN+ (free trial): Sergiño Dest, Malik Tillman, Richy Ledezma, and PSV host Heracles in the Eredivisie.
AC Milan vs Bologna, 3p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, FuboTV (free trial): Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and Milan could lift a trophy here in the Coppa Italia final.
Also in action:
Utrecht vs Sparta Rotterdam, 2p: Paxten Aaronson and Utrecht host Sparta Rotterdam in the Eredivisie.
Stockport County vs Leyton Orient, 3p on Paramount+: Charlie Kelman scored both of Orient’s goals in the 2-2 first leg draw in this League One promotion semifinal. Kelman and Orient will need to do better in the away leg if they hope to reach the promotion final with a shot at the Championship next season. Kelman is on loan from Championship club QPR, so he theoretically has a shot at the second tier regardless of the result.
Aberdeen vs Celtic, 3p on Paramount+: Scottish champions Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic visit Aberdeen in the league.
CF Montréal vs Columbus Crew, 7:30p: Patrick Schulte and the Crew visit Jalen Neal and Montréal in MLS action,
DC United vs NYCFC, 7:30p: Matt Freese and NYCFC visit DC in MLS play.
Orlando City vs Charlotte FC, 7:30p: Tim Ream, Patrick Agyemang, and Charlotte visit Duncan McGuire, Alex Freeman, and the Lions in MLS.
Philadelphia Union vs LA Galaxy, 7:30p: Quinn Sullivan and the Union host the Galaxy in MLS action.
Toronto FC vs FC Cincinnati, 7:30p: Miles Robinson, Roman Celentano, Matt Miazga, and Cincy visit Toronto in MLS play.
Austin FC vs Atlanta United, 8:30p: Brandon Vázquez, Owen Wolff, and Austin host the Five Stripes in MLS.
Houston Dynamo vs Minnesota United, 8:30p: Jack McGlynn and the Dynamo host Minnesota in MLS action.
Real Salt Lake vs Portland Timbers, 9:30p: Diego Luna and RSL host the Timbers in MLS play.
América de Cali vs Huracán, 10p on beIN Sports Connect USA, FuboTV, Sling TV, Fanatiz: Matko Miljevic and Argentine club Huracán are on top of Group C in Copa Sudamericana with 10 points from 4 games played. Based on group results so far, this away trip to América de Cali will be their toughest test; América are second with 6 points.
San Diego FC vs Colorado Rapids, 10:30p: Zack Steffen, Djordje Mihailovic, Cole Bassett, Reggie Cannon, Sam Vines, and the Rapids pay a visit to Luca de la Torre and San Diego in MLS.
San Jose Earthquakes vs Inter Miami, 10:30p: Benja Cremaschi and the the Herons visit Niko Tsakiris, Noel Buck, and the Quakes in MLS action.
Thursday
Rayo Vallecano vs Real Betis, 1p on ESPN+: Johnny Cardoso and Betis visit Rayo in La Liga.
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Closing in
With a small handful of matches yet to play, things are getting tight.
There is much yet to play for rolling into the last few weeks of the season with Champions League qualification for American’s still to be sorted out in four of the top five leagues and clubs grasping for safety in Italy and Germany. Here is what you should keep an eye on this weekend:
Saturday
Holstein Kiel v Freiburg – 9:30a on ESPN+
John Tolkin and Holstien Kiel have won two straight matches to pull within a point of Heidenheim who currently sit in the relegation playoff spot. However, things will get tougher this weekend as Kiel face fourth place Freiburg who are looking to hold off Dortmund’s late charge for the final Champions League qualification position.
Fulham v Everton – 10a on Peacock
Antonee Robinson was back in the starting lineup last weekend after a rare respite the prior week. Robinson went the full 90’ in Fulham’s 1-0 loss to Aston Villa and he will pass the 3,000 minute mark assuming he starts again this weekend. Fulham are in eleventh place with three matches remaining.
Lazio v Juventus – Noon on Paramount+
Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus drew with Bologna on Sunday and remain in fourth place, tied on points with both Roma and this weekend’s opponent, Lazio. Five points back of third place Atalanta there are four clubs vying for one remaining spot to qualify for Champions League play next season and every point will count over the last three match days.
Bournemouth v Aston Villa – 12:30p on NBC and Peacock
Tyler Adams and Bournemouth defeated Arsenal 2-1 last Saturday for their first ever win at the Emirates. Adams started and went the full 90’ as Bournemouth gave up the opener in the 34th minute but would score two in the second half for the away win. Bournemouth moved into the top ten with the win and now face an Aston Villa side that are one spot, but seven points, ahead of them in the Premier League table.
Bayern Munich v Borussia Monchengladbach – 12:30p on ESPN+
Joe Scally and Borussia Monchengladbach played Hoffenheim to a 4-4 draw in a back and forth affair last weekend. Gladbach haven’t won in their past five matches and now face a Bayern Munich side who are celebrating their league title thanks to Bayer Leverkusen’s draw with Freiburg last weekend.
Monaco v Lyon – 3p on beIN Sports
Folarin Balogun received his first league start this year and scored a goal in Monaco’s 3-1 win over Saint-Etienne last weekend as Monaco maintained their one point lead for third place and Champions League qualification. Balogun and Monaco will face Tanner Tessmann and Lyon this weekend who just a few weeks ago looked as though they also had a shot at Champions League play next season but defeats in two of their past three matches have them in seventh place and outside of European qualification altogether with two matches remaining in the Ligue 1 season.
Sunday
Feyenoord v PSV Eindhoven – 8:30a on ESPN+
Richard Ledezma and Malik Tillman started for PSV last weekend as they defeated Fortuna Sittard 4-1. PSV now face third place Feyenoord as they look to gain ground on league leading Ajax who have left the door open just a crack by failing to win in their past two matches. Ajax still hold a four point lead for the league title with three matches remaining but PSV still have something to play for, at least for the moment. Sergino Dest also made it off the bench last weekend picking up a handful of minutes in his first appearance since March.
Tottenham v Crystal Palace – 9:15a on Peacock
Chris Richards and Crystal Palace drew 1-1 with Nottingham Forest last Monday with Richards starting and going the full 90’ in the draw. Palace will take on a struggling Tottenham side on Sunday before facing Manchester City in the FA Cup final next weekend.
Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia Dortmund – 9:30a on ESPN+
Gio Reyna did not make it off the bench last weekend in Dortmund’s 4-0 defeat of Wolfsburg. The win pulled Dortmund within a point of Freiburg for fourth place and a shot at Champions League play next season. On Sunday Dortmund will face second place Leverkusen who drew 2-2 with the aforementioned Freiburg last weekend.
Real Betis v Osasuna – 3p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis went to extra time on Thursday to draw 2-2 with Fiorentina and advance to the Conference League final by defeating the Italian side 4-3 over the two leg semi-final. Betis are also within a point of fifth place Villarreal with the top five qualifying for Champions League. Betis face ninth place Osasuna who are coming off a 4-2 loss to Villareal.
Monday
Venezia v Fiorentina – 12:30p on Paramount+
Gianluca Busio and Venezia drew 1-1 with Torino last Friday to pull within a point of Lecce for safety. Venezia hold a healthy goal differential advantage over Lecce so would secure safety if they are able to make up the remaining point over the final three weeks of the season. They start by facing Fiorentina on Monday who will have some added rest coming off their grueling defeat to Real Betis in the Conference League semi-final on Thursday.
NWSL Week 8 Preview: Buckle Up for More Chaos
Last weekend delivered peak NWSL chaos—stoppage-time stunners, breakout rookie moments, and a history-making sister-to-sister goal. Topping that energy won’t be easy, but if there’s one thing this league guarantees, it’s that every weekend there’s potential for more fun. Here’s what to expect in Week 8! Saturday, May 10
Chicago held Gotham scoreless last week behind Alyssa Naeher’s brilliance, giving the veteran goalkeeper her 50th career regular season shutout. They’ll be hoping to repeat that performance against the Washington Spirit, one of the most dangerous teams in the league. Washington arrives off a wild loss to Angel City, with Esme Morgan netting a brace, Gift Monday grabbing a goal as well, and Croix Bethune seeing more game time. Expect this one to be tight and physical, with Hatch, Leicy Santos, and Morgan all dangerous in the final third.
Previously winless before Week 6, North Carolina is now coming off back-to-back wins, thanks to game-winners from Ashley Sanchez in both games and a milestone shutout for Casey Murphy in the most recent. With Kaleigh Kurtz’s ironwoman streak still alive, Denise O’Sullivan anchoring the midfield, and Ryan Williams getting involved in the offense, the Courage are starting to hit their stride. Orlando will look to bounce back after their first road loss of the year. Marta and Barbra Banda remain the heartbeat of the Pride’s attack despite not having scored in recent games, and they lead the league in goals after the 75th minute—so don’t turn the game off early .
Three wins in a row have San Diego climbing fast, and rookie Trinity Armstrong’s stoppage-time winner last weekend only added to the momentum. With 11 different goal scorers and Kailen Sheridan in top form, the Wave have all the answers. Portland, fresh off a 1–0 win over the reigning champs, continues to lean on young contributors like Jayden Perry and Reilyn Turner. Jessie Fleming opened her NWSL account via PK the week prior—expect more set-piece danger here in a clash between two of the league’s most balanced rosters.
Despite suffering two straight losses, Kansas City remains atop the table thanks to early-season dominance and the fewest yellow cards in the league. Temwa Chawinga is still searching for her next goal, while Debinha and LaBonta pose constant threats. Bay FC enters with Jordan Silkowitz fresh off a PK save and rookie Taylor Huff quietly logging every minute this season. With both teams among the league leaders in shots and corners, expect end-to-end action—and maybe a goal-of-the-week contender.
Seattle handed Kansas City its first scoreless match of 2025 last week behind Lynn Biyendolo’s first Reign goal and clutch saves from Claudia Dickey and return home this weekend to welcome the Dash. Houston experienced defeat last weekend against Racing and before that, a gutsy win over Utah. They now turn to Jane Campbell—who just hit 40 career clean sheets—and sophomore Avery Patterson to keep things on track. With both sides ambitious to make up for a poor start to the season, this one could be a statement win in the making.
June 16th: 9-4 / June 17th: 8-3 12383 Cyntheanne Rd, Fishers, IN $595 Register
Reffing
Great to ref with Jacob and his daughter Peyton at Grand Park for Challenge Cup Games Sat. Got to Ref with a 1st timer Matthew Nelson (L-R) along with TRay and the OBC – at Challenge Cup @ Grand Park
=====RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Looking for a good warm meal on the way home from practice at River Road or Badger Field? Getting Ready for a Graduation or other Party? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
Save 20% on these Succulent Ribs at Rackz BarBQ when you mention the Ole Ballcoach – Corner of 131 & Hazelldell. – Call 317-688-7290.
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
Champions League final: Inter or PSG? Our experts make their picks
In a strange quirk, it will the first time in history that the two clubs — both European royalty — will face off in a competitive fixture in what promises to be compelling clash of styles.
With all that in mind, ESPN’s team of writers have gazed into their crystal balls to predict which club will be crowned European champions at the Allianz Arena on May 31.
It’s Inter Milan vs. Paris Saint-Germain in the final! How will things play out, and what will be the score?
MARK OGDEN: It’s a really tough call. Two teams chasing a treble, led by experienced, successful coaches in Luis Enrique (PSG) and Simone Inzaghi (Inter), and both sides aiming to overcome recent memories of defeats in the Champions League final — PSG in 2020 and Inter in 2023. It’s also two teams with totally contrasting styles, and they each master their own way of playing.
So what will it be? The irresistible force of PSG or the immovable object of Inter? The football romantic in me says it will be PSG and their free-flowing attacking style, led by Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué, that will come out on top, but my head says that Inter will have a plan to nullify PSG and that their experience will get them over the line.
Francesco Acerbi‘s stoppage-time equalizer against Barcelona in the semifinal second leg in San Siro might just be a sign that this will be Inter’s year. When a 37-year-old center-back breaks forward to score a center-forward’s goal to save his team — it was Acerbi’s first goal in UEFA competition — you can’t help but think that the stars are aligning for Inter. Inter 2-1 PSG.
GAB MARCOTTI: I kinda expect a pretty tactical final, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be a dull game. Both managers can scheme in different ways to get an edge. On paper, PSG will be fresher because they’re a younger side and because, unlike Inter, they have nothing to play for between now and the final. You’d think Luis Enrique would look to exploit that, but whether he does it by coming out of the gates quickly or later in the game — perhaps after their possession game has tired Inter out — is tough to predict.
Inter boss Inzaghi will feel like he has an edge on set pieces and with his 3-5-2 set-up, which many clubs are unaccustomed to facing. A lot will depend on what the Nerazzurri coach can get out of his midfield and how well they stack up against the trio of João Neves, Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz, especially since Hakan Çalhanoglu has been carrying an injury for months.
Beyond that, I imagine this game being decided by X factors such as goalkeeping (we saw Yann Sommer in miracle mode Tuesday night and then on Wednesday, Gianluigi Donnarumma was like “Hold my beer …”) and substitutions. There is so much quality for PSG to call on from the bench — with Warren Zaïre-Emery, whichever forward doesn’t start and, of course, Gonçalo Ramos. But subs are Inzaghi’s thing; few managers in the world spend as much time thinking about them. I can see a low-scoring game. Inter 1-0 PSG.
Leboeuf: PSG deserve to reach the Champions League final
Frank Leboeuf reacts to PSG’s Champions League semifinal victory against Arsenal.
JAMES OLLEY: There was a fearlessness about Inter against Barcelona that will make them dangerous if they can replicate that, especially contrasting with the nervousness PSG showed in the first half of their second leg against Arsenal.
Mark is right in that there are signs this could be Inter’s year, but PSG have the star power to emerge triumphant. Their midfield should prove too strong for Inter to wrestle control of the game away from and PSG have the added benefit of tailoring the next three weeks entirely toward the final, with the Ligue 1 title already wrapped up. I agree with the general consensus here that it will be tight, but I think that man Dembélé will get on the scoresheet and cap a wonderful 2025. Inter 1-2 PSG.
JULIEN LAURENS: Once again, the contrast in style will be huge between the two teams. The youngest team of the competition against the oldest team, the 4-3-3 against the 3-5-2, the intensity against the composure, the 2020 losing finalist against the 2023 losing finalist, the Parisian flair against the Italian tactics: You can’t really do much different than PSG and Inter Milan.
Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to bring you the latest highlights and debate the biggest storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only).
They have points in common, too, though: two managers, Luis Enrique and Inzaghi, who built these teams and squads, implementing a definite style but also the right mentality. They never give up, play the right way, have absolute faith in their own ability.
There won’t be much in between them in the final. Paris have been the best team in Europe in 2025 and have the best midfield and front three. But Inter have the best defense, while the two most in-form goalkeepers in Europe are Donnarumma and Sommer. So, what will make the difference? Individual talent, special quality, a glimpse of genius. In that regard, PSG have more to offer. Inter 1-2 PSG.
TOM HAMILTON: This is a flip-of-a-coin match. Defending against PSG sometimes must feel like trying to hold back the tide. Against Inter, it must be like swimming in a calm sea, only to suddenly get ended by a rogue wave.
Inter have done their best impression of Lazarus in this season’s Champions League and the sight of Acerbi appearing on the edge of Barcelona’s box to slice home the equalizer, just seconds after Lamine Yamal had hit the post at the other end, will be one of those enduring snapshots of this year’s competition. Inter have such a sturdy structure and they are a team far more than the sum of their parts. PSG have this brilliant midfield which can push and pull a match, with their lethal batch of forwards looking to pounce at any moment.
You have this wonderful matchup of youth against experience, flair against pragmatism and contrasting formations, all played under the guidance of a pair of outstanding managers. In short, this will come down to fine margins and focus. Logic suggests this is PSG’s year, with Dembélé the outstanding player in the tournament, but this Champions League hasn’t gone to script. Inter 3-2 PSG after extra time.
BETH LINDOP: Inter helped to deliver one of the most entertaining semifinals in Champions League history but, since the turn of the year, PSG have been the best team in Europe and I expect them to have too much for Inzaghi’s side in the final.
They’re among a select group of teams to have made Premier League champions Liverpool look ordinary this season, and their performance across the two legs against Arsenal was mature and measured.
PSG’s squad is stacked with talent and Dembélé is in incredible form at the moment, so I think he’ll be decisive in Munich, providing he’s fully recovered from his hamstring injury. The most impressive thing about the French champions, though, is their tenacity and relentlessness under Luis Enrique. PSG have always had a sprinkling of star quality but too often, in the decisive moments, their mentality has let them down. They’re now a proper team, with every player fighting for each other. Inter 1-2 PSG.
Klinsmann hails Yann Sommer’s heroics in Inter’s semifinal win
Jurgen Klinsmann names Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer as his man of the match after coming up with some huge saves to deny Barcelona.
ALEX KIRKLAND: I agree that it will be very tight, and I think that actually (sorry) it might be a just little bit dull. These finals tend to be incredibly tense, nervous occasions, with both teams focused on not taking too many risks and giving up chances. That’s especially true when they’re between two good, evenly matched sides, as is the case here with PSG and Inter. Four of the past five UCL finals ended 1-0, and even in last year’s 2-0 win for Real Madrid over Dortmund, both goals came late. We’ve been spoiled for entertainment in this year’s knockout phase, so I guess it’s OK if the final isn’t quite as much fun.
I’ve really enjoyed watching PSG this season — especially that silky midfield — and I’d like to see them win. But it’s worth underlining that even in last night’s 2-1 win over Arsenal, an all-round good performance, they still gave up 2.91 xG to an Arsenal team with literally no striker. They also had a fairly rudimentary attacking plan of getting the ball out wide to their wingers, and then hoping for the best. Donnarumma will need to be at his best again, and even if he is, I’d back Inter to edge the game. Inter 1-0 PSG.
SAM MARSDEN: I will take Gab’s point about PSG being fresher and spin it in Inter’s favor. It can sometimes help to be distracted. Inter’s battle for the Serie A title with Napoli will not only provide them with that, but it will also keep them in a competitive rhythm going into the final. PSG now have two inconsequential games in Ligue 1 to come — although the Coupe de France final against Reims on May 24 may serve as a nice warmup — and that gap in intense games can sometimes do more harm than good.
That said, it really does feel like a balanced final between teams with different setups. Everyone expected Real Madrid to beat Borussia Dortmund last year. Manchester City were big favorites against Inter in 2023. There is no clear pick this year. Inter’s relatively unique (at this end of the Champions League) two-striker system could cause PSG problems, but the French side have tons of verve in attack, a decent crop of midfielders and an incredible work ethic.
It’s the old cliché, isn’t it? It will probably come down to the small details: a mistake here, a great save there, a red card … Inter have already won ties without seeing much of the ball against Barcelona and Bayern Munich — who Inzaghi says are the best two teams in Europe — so why not against PSG, too? Inter 2-1 PSG.
ROB DAWSON: Inter did incredibly well to survive three Barcelona comebacks to book their place in the final. They showed unbelievable resilience to score so late on in stoppage-time and then again in extra-time.
But amid all the excitement, they also looked vulnerable. They gave up goals in quick succession and lost their organization a number of times in key moments. Plenty of that is down to the way Barcelona play, but it will also give Luis Enrique and Paris Saint-Germain a lot of encouragement.
It’s been a long season, and the final in Munich will depend a lot on which team turns up with the most energy. For one of them, it might end up being one step too far. PSG look more stable. They weathered a lot of Arsenal pressure over the two legs of their semifinal and had the attacking players to make the most of opportunities at the other end. It should be a tight game, and PSG have the tools to edge it if it comes down to fine margins. Inter 0-2 PSG.
Could Manchester United or Tottenham become the lowest-placed team ever to win a European trophy?
By Will Jeanes The Athletic May 9, 2025Updated 10:55 am EDT
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will contest the Europa League final on May 21, with the winner — alongside picking up a coveted piece of silverware — qualifying for next season’s Champions League and all the financial rewards that come with it.
This has happened despite both teams enduring miserable seasons in the Premier League, racking up unwanted records and winless runs unbefitting of European finalists.
Advertisement
As things stand, Manchester United are 15th and Tottenham are one place below in 16th. Neither team can come higher than 12th and the possibility of finishing just one spot clear of relegation in 17th remains alive for both sides.
The rule change brought in at the start of this campaign which meant no clubs from the Champions League dropped into the Europa League has certainly played a big part in two such teams reaching the final. However, as we shall see, this is still an unusual situation and the victor in the showpiece in Bilbao will join a select group of clubs to have won continental silverware despite having historically poor domestic seasons.
Here, The Athletic talks you through the five lowest-placed league teams to have won a major European trophy.
West Ham United in 2022-23: Finished 14th in the Premier League and won the Europa Conference League
West Ham have the dubious honour of being the lowest-placed team to ever win a major European trophy.
David Moyes’ side triumphed in the second edition of the Europa Conference League (‘Europa’ was dropped from the competition’s name at the start of this season) in 2022-23, despite coming a lowly 14th in the Premier League.
The London club won 14 of their 15 matches in the continental competition and sealed the trophy following a dramatic 2-1 victory over Italian club Fiorentina in the final in Prague, with Jarrod Bowen scoring a 90th-minute winner.
In contrast, they won just 11 of their 38 Premier League matches in 2022-23 — finishing only six points clear of the relegation zone. Their longest winning streak in the league was two games (achieved once) but in the Europa Conference League it was 10 matches.
Bowen strikes late to win the Europa Conference League for West Ham (Photo by Joe Klamar/AFP via Getty Images)
Moyes’ team won just three away games in the top flight, a figure that they had reached by October 6 in the Europa Conference League. A further juxtaposition was in their overall goal difference in both competitions; it was 26 in the Europa Conference League and -13 in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, their triumph in the Czech capital meant they qualified for the following season’s Europa League. In contrast, Aston Villa, who finished seventh in the Premier League with 21 more points than West Ham, went into the play-off round of the Europa Conference League — UEFA’s tertiary competition.
Advertisement
Should Manchester United or Tottenham finish in their current league positions, then whoever wins the final will replace West Ham as the lowest-placed league team to win a major European trophy.
Inter in 1993-94: Finished 13th in Serie A and won the UEFA Cup
Inter’s 13th-placed finish in Serie A in 1993-94 is the worst in their history and the second-lowest a team has finished domestically while winning a major European trophy.
A topsy-turvy first half of the season resulted in Osvaldo Bagnoli being dismissed as the Italian club’s manager in early February. Inter were sixth in the table at the time of his departure.
Bagnoli was replaced by Gianpiero Marini, who as a player made more than 350 appearances for the club and won the World Cup with Italy in 1982. The new boss oversaw Inter’s win over German club Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals, but the two-legged victory coincided with a collapse in league form that saw Marini’s side lose four Serie A games in a row from March 13 to April 2.
They also lost the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final in this period, going down 3-2 to fellow Italian side Cagliari in Sardinia on March 30.
Inter recovered from this slump to beat Cagliari 3-0 in the second leg on April 12 for a 5-3 aggregate victory, with Dennis Bergkamp, Nicola Berti and Wim Jonk scoring the goals at San Siro that sealed Inter’s place in the final.
Bergkamp’s Inter also beat Ian Crook’s Norwich City on the way to winning the UEFA Cup (Shaun Botterill/ALLSPORT/Getty Images)
The triumph was tempered by the fact that the club had been sucked into a relegation battle in what was a remarkably tight Serie A season.
They got away with it, though. Despite failing to win any of their final three league games, Inter stayed up… by one point. Marini’s side finished 13th out of 18 teams and a sign of how close the season was is that Piacenza, who came 15th and were relegated, were just six points off sixth-placed Napoli who qualified for the UEFA Cup (though it was two points for a win at the time).
Arsenal in 1969-70: Finished 12th in the First Division and won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Since their 12th-place finish in the English top flight in 1969-70, Arsenal have only registered a worse league position twice — 16th in 1974-75 and 17th in 1975-76.
That 1969-70 campaign did, however, see the London club win their first major European trophy. With Bertie Mee — the man second only to Arsene Wenger for the most games as Arsenal manager — in charge, they put the disappointment of third-round exits in both the FA Cup and League Cup behind them to reach the final of the penultimate edition of the Inter-Cites Fairs Cup; defeating Glentoran (Northern Ireland), Sporting CP (Portugal), Rouen (France), Dinamo Bacau (Romania) and Ajax (Netherlands) to get there.
A 10-game winless run in the league from mid-December to late February threatened to derail Arsenal’s season, but a narrow 1-0 aggregate victory over Rouen in the third round of the Fairs Cup (the second leg was on January 13) provided some much-needed mid-winter confidence.
Bob Wilson, Peter Simpson and Frank McLintock savour Arsenal’s Fairs Cup victory (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Mee’s team proceeded to thrash Dinamo Bacau 9-1 over two legs in the quarter-finals before defeating an Ajax team containing a 22-year-old Johan Cruyff 3-1 on aggregate in the last four. The Dutch club would go on to win the European Cup (today’s Champions League) in each of the following three seasons.
The final, also played over two legs, was against Anderlecht in late April. The Belgian club won the first match at home 3-1, with Ray Kennedy scoring what would prove to be a vital 82nd-minute goal for Arsenal. Back at Highbury, goals from Eddie Kelly, John Radford and Jon Sammels secured a 3-0 win for the English club and a 4-3 victory on aggregate.
Schalke in 1996-97: Finished 12th in the Bundesliga and won the UEFA Cup
The lowest-placed German team to ever win a major European trophy, Schalke triumphed over Inter in the last two-legged UEFA Cup final in May 1997 to secure their only piece of continental silverware.
Advertisement
An unimpressive Bundesliga season saw the club from Gelsenkirchen collapse from fifth to 12th after winning just one of their last 12 matches, overall barely averaging a goal per game in the league and finishing with a goal difference of -5.
They were much more dependable in Europe, however, defeating Roda (Netherlands), Trabzonspor (Turkey), Club Brugge (Belgium) and both Valencia and Tenerife of Spain to set up the final with Inter.
Schalke’s Jens Lehmann and Mike Buskens sandwich Inter’s Youri Djorkaeff at San Siro (Ben Radford /Allsport/Getty images)
Both teams won 1-0 at home, with Belgian attacking midfielder Marc Wilmots scoring for Schalke and Ivan Zamorano finding the net in the 84th minute for Inter at San Siro in the second leg to force extra time — the first UEFA Cup final to need an additional 30 minutes since 1988.
Neither side could score a golden goal and Schalke won the penalty shootout 4-1, with Ingo Anderbrugge, Olaf Thon, Martin Max and Wilmots all converting for the German club.
Sevilla in 2022-23: Finished 12th in La Liga and won the Europa League
The lowest-placed Spanish side to ever triumph continentally, Sevilla handed Jose Mourinho his first defeat in a major European final when they beat Italian club Roma 4-1 on penalties following a bad-tempered 1-1 draw in Budapest in 2023.
After coming third in their Champions League group and dropping into the Europa League, Sevilla battled their way to the final of UEFA’s secondary competition by winning three of their four two-legged knockout ties by a single goal — including former Tottenham player Erik Lamela’s extra-time winner against Juventus in the semi-finals.
Sevilla’s players celebrate after winning a seventh Europa League (Ferenc Isza/AFP via Getty Images)
Sevilla failed to win any of their last four La Liga games of the season, all of which came after they had secured their place in the Europa League final. As a result, they dropped down to 12th in the Spanish top flight — at the time their lowest finish since coming 20th and being relegated in 1999-00.
However, they more than made up for that by winning the Europa League for a record-extending seventh time (with all of those from 2006 onwards) and qualifying for the following season’s Champions League.
(Top photo of Sevilla’s parade: Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal missed chances against PSG – but the issues go beyond needing an elite striker
“Nothing is logical in football,” said Luis Enrique, reflecting on how his Paris Saint-Germain side had survived a precarious league phase and an early Arsenal onslaught in a semi-final second leg in Paris to make this season’s Champions League final.
It was a sentiment also expressed by his counterpart Mikel Arteta, who spoke of tears in the away dressing room and his mix of pride, upset and annoyance at the 3-1 aggregate loss.
Advertisement
Arteta believed the probabilities had somehow evaded the natural end-result by progressing the French champions rather than his Premier League team. Luis Enrique disagreed. Just because Arsenal were able to play in the way they wanted, he argued, did not mean they were superior.
But Arsenal created seven big chances (which Opta defines as “a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score”) across the two games against PSG, three while being beaten 1-0 in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium and four in the Parc des Princes return, outperformed PSG on expected goals (xG) in both matches by a margin of 1.7-1.2 and 3.0-1.7 and dominated territory.
“When you analyse both games, who has been the best player? The MVP has been the same player — the goalkeeper (PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma),” Arteta said.
“The Champions League is decided in the boxes and it’s won the game for them because obviously today after 20 minutes, and what happened in London as well, the result should have been very different.”
It is rare for Arteta to accept that Arsenal did not do enough to win a game. Based on the logic of statistics, he sees his team dominate most phases of most matches and believes falling on the wrong side of fine margins is what is keeping them at the gates of major honours.
Luis Enrique may believe nothing is logical in football but it was surely obvious to him that the difference between the two teams was the superior end-product of PSG’s players.
Arsenal lack a killer striker, a lesson they were taught by Newcastle United and their front man Alexander Isak in the Carabao Cup semi-finals earlier this season. But they also lack end-product on the wing and in midfield, too, a lesson they were taught by PSG.
Does Arteta recognise that second lesson? Given he believes no team has been better than his in the 2024-25 Champions League and that this setup and personnel delivered a performance worthy of beating PSG, can he diagnose where they are still lacking when his assessment suggests such limited room for improvement?
Advertisement
In the wake of the limp defeat against Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage last season, there was an acceptance that Arsenal, even with Kai Havertz up front, lacked an edge in attack at the top level.
Yet they did not then purchase a striker, wide player or creative midfielder last summer. Arteta instead chose to spend heavily on a left-back in Riccardo Calafiori and a duelling midfielder in Mikel Merino. Merino and Havertz, who was signed the summer before, were both brought in to solve the left No 8 problem but neither looked like the right fit there once they arrived and only improved after moving to a striking position by sheer happenstance.
They can be seen as a misdiagnosis by Arteta, who now appears to have settled on Declan Rice as that left eight, a player initially brought in as a holding midfielder and then shifted to another role too.
Merino has been used as a makeshift forward (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Recalibrating rather than sticking to a failing plan is positive and a sign of humility, but it is understandable why these final few tweaks and additions are proving to be testing.
Arsenal are a side of few sharp joins, which makes pinpointing fault lines difficult. When a squad of hybrid players has been built to fit hybrid roles, how easy is it to identify the missing piece of the jigsaw? Is there even just one piece missing, or are there two or three?
What should have been the final-build phase of the team last year now rolls into another summer, which becomes a critical juncture for Arsenal.
Arteta cannot allow the impressive European displays, or the harsh red cards and injuries that have dogged their Premier League season, to cover his team’s shortcomings. He must accurately diagnose what is preventing Arsenal from taking the final step.
He has done an exceptional job in reshaping an entire club over the past five years but the danger with being chief architect for so long is the potential to become blind to the flaws in your own engineering, unable to see past the original vision.
Advertisement
When Kieran Tierney leaves this summer, every player in the squad bar Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will have been given their senior Arsenal debut by Arteta. How they defend and attack, and who does it, have been entirely shaped by him.
His default over the last two years has been to reinforce the defence and strengthen in midfield rather than indulge in flair and imagination at the top of the pitch. Perhaps it was a natural overcorrection to how this squad’s first tilt at the Premier League title collapsed two years ago on the run-in, but he must surely recognise Arsenal need more incisive players across several positions.
There is a gap up front, and in other areas of attack, where Arsenal do not stack up compared to rivals such as Liverpool and PSG, but they will not be able to address every flaw or upgrade all areas where there is headroom in one transfer window. Completing this team will be a question of prioritising, and diagnosing issues correctly.
Rice looks rueful as Ben White shakes Donnarumma’s hand after the final whistle in Paris (Thomas Samson/AFP via Getty Images)
The singular conclusion drawn whenever Arsenal are outgunned by another team is that they are missing a striker.
But whether they had a better No 9 or not was not a prescient point in this Champions League elimination.
The opening 25 minutes in Paris, until the sucker-punch of Fabian Ruiz’s deflected goal to make it 2-0 on aggregate, was as perfect a display from Arsenal as Arteta could have hoped for. Bar one or two turnovers and shots left on the shelf, they had PSG in a daze.
Even without a natural striker, Arsenal dominated Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and then created enough big chances to beat PSG. But those opportunities, barring Leandro Trossard’s one-v-one miss in the first leg, did not fall to the player who had been deployed up front.
Some will argue this is an indictment of what they are missing and that a better striker would have provided the movement and link-up play to get on the end of more chances, but the ones Arsenal did produce against PSG should have been enough. It was the individual execution of their supporting cast — plus an inspired Donnarumma — that has stopped them making the final against Inter on May 31.
In the second half, Saka had a curling shot destined for the top corner tipped over and, after scoring to give Arsenal hope of a comeback, he was unable to convert a golden chance when Calafiori’s cross flashed into his path, although Donnarumma’s dive made it a much harder task to keep the ball down.
There will be many who believe that if Arsenal swallow the magic-striker pill, they will automatically become trophy winners again. No doubt, an elite player up front would elevate the team, but football is not as binary as that and the issues with creation and conversion that have arisen over the past two seasons stretch beyond just one position.
Additional firepower is clearly needed but how Arteta diagnoses and treats that requirement will be an interesting sub-plot to the arrival of new sporting director Andrea Berta, who will have developed his own thoughts on the make-up of the squad in recent months.
Perhaps it’s part psychological, though, and now is the time for the signing of a couple of elite specialists in attacking positions to convince the rest of the dressing room that goals are inevitable.
(Top photo: Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Even in defeat, Lamine Yamal proved he has become Barcelona’s main man
Barcelona’s heartbreaking 4-3 loss against Inter Milan on Tuesday night, which sunk them to a 7-6 aggregate defeat, was a crushing way for their European campaign to end.
Amid the chaos in Milan, 17-year-old Lamine Yamal put on another breathtaking performance, just as he did in the first leg, further solidifying his status as the most exciting prospect in world football.
Advertisement
On Wednesday’s episode of The Athletic FC Podcast, Ayo Akinwolere was joined by The Athletic’s Barcelona correspondent Pol Ballus and Italian football broadcaster Max Callegari to break down what makes Yamal such a special talent. Watch the episode below.
A partial transcript has been edited for clarity and length. The full episode is available on YouTube below or on The Athletic FC Podcast feed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
He already feels like one of the leaders in this team but something I got from that piece was that he doesn’t just dribble for the sake of dribbling, there is already an end product.
Pol: When things were tough against Inter, he was like, ‘Pass me the ball, just pass the ball to me because I know what I have to do’. All the Barca players know that this is how they should approach the game. They know that the chosen one is him. That comes from Pedri, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Dani Olmo and everyone else, and these are all world-class players. But they know that there’s no one in that team like Yamal.
That’s what speaks for itself, and that’s what makes him different.
The big stage is what suits him, this tie confirmed it. He likes to be in the spotlight with everyone looking at him, and with San Siro fans booing him. When he came onto the pitch just before the game, his name was chanted and all the fans in San Sirio were shouting, “Boo!” But he just smiled and was like, ‘Yes, get in! Bring it on’.
At this point, it’s impossible to say what he will become because football, as an industry, is so difficult to deal with. It’s going to be down to him and how he handles it, but also how Barcelona handle his career.
Advertisement
He is surrounded by team-mates who understand him and a club willing to make him the star. His impact and progress has even taught the veteran players in the squad, such as Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, and made them understand that the kid is the one. The players in the team know you don’t have to cross the ball to Lewandowski, you have to pass the ball to Yamal now — that’s the changing of the guard.
Max: What was also very good to see at the end of the game was the admiration of the Inter players for Yamal. Marcus Thuram, Federico Dimarco and others went to console him, showing him how they admired his style of play and his incredible personality.
Ayo: What was it like watching Yamal through an Italian lens, Max? Italy doesn’t produce those kinds of players and Yamal at 17 is quite phenomenal. I’d hate to be Dimarco marking him because at half-time, Dimarco looked like he was out of steam. It must be magical to see, especially on a big stage like that.
Max: It is magical. I couldn’t imagine seeing a player like him just a few years after the era of Lionel Messi. I thought we’d need to wait much longer to see another player who could give us the feeling Yamal is giving us now. This is the magic of Yamal, of football. As Pol says, we don’t know where he will arrive, it’s up to him. But we know that he is better than Messi was at the same age and the same stage.
You can listen to full episodes of The Athletic FC Podcast free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch on YouTube.
(Top photo: Fabrizio Carabelli/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Bill ConnellySep 19, 2025, 07:00 AM ET ESPNFC 
Borussia Dortmund go 4-2 up in the 86th minute. Job done, surely… (Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Ticket limits have become commonplace at major sporting events. (Carl De Souza / Getty Images)
Top MEN’S WORLD CUP Stories
Mauricio Pochettino’s changes paid off vs. Japan (Koji Watanabe / Getty Images)
USMNT center backs Chris Richards (3) and Tim Ream (13) with goal-scoring winger Alex Zendejas (Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
USMNT had plenty to celebrate during its performance vs. Japan (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY Network / Imagn Images)
Mauricio Pochettino and Folarin Balogun share a hug after a successful showing vs. Japan (Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
USMNT core figures Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams during Tuesday’s win over Japan (Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA Today Network / Imagn Images)
Malik Tillman and Diego Luna helped guide the USMNT to the Gold Cup final (Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images)
Mauricio Pochettino enjoyed a win over Japan, but successes haven’t been frequent in his time as U.S. manager (Koji Watanabe / Getty Images)
USMNT fans hope Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun can form a powerful combination. (Stephen Nadler / ISI Photos / ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Jeff CarlisleSep 4, 2025, 09:56 AM ET
Mauricio Pochettino ha expressed his wish for packed home crowds – full of USMNT fans. (Robbie Jay Barratt / AMA/ Getty Images)
The USMNT takes on Japan, and Yuto Nagatomo, next week. (Koji Watanabe / Getty Images)
Austin’s Q2 Stadium has become a popular site for the USMNT. (David Buono / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Tim Weah, left, trains with USMNT teammate Folarin Balogun. (John Dorton / ISI Photos / USSF / Getty Images)
USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino doesn’t have many options behind Antonee Robinson at left back (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
Can Flick’s Barca build further on last season’s success? (Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)
Alonso was appointed as Madrid coach back in May (Sara Gordon/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Jauregizar, pictured in pre-season for Athletic (Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
United States international Cardoso in action for Atletico in pre-season against Newcastle (Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)
Bryan Mbeumo (left), Benjamin Sesko (middle) and Matheus Cunha (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Alexander Isak during pre-season training in July (Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah celebrate against Germany in 2023 (Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
TNT Sports
ITV Sport
X / @sportsru
Teams will be awarded a corner if the opposition goalkeeper holds onto the ball for too long (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez was involved in a double-touch penalty in last season’s Champions League (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
(Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
(Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
(Stu Forster/Getty Images)
(Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Wrexham’s new pitch, as seen before their first home match of the season (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
The newly-installed cameras (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
The new two-level TV gantry (Richard Sutcliffe/The Athletic)
Barriers obscure the building of the new Kop stand (Robbie Jay Barratt/Getty Images)
Ryan O’HanlonAug 8, 2025, 04:30 AM ET ESPN
A Birmingham City mural at St Andrew’s featuring minority owner Tom Brady (Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Could Parkinson hit his ceiling in the Championship? (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
Barry celebrates scoring for Stockport in League One last season (MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Wright of Coventry could be a contender for top scorer (Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)
Downs made the switch from German football to the Championship this summer (Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Agyemang moved to Derby this summer (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Sargent in action for Norwich against Northampton Town in pre-season (Pete Norton/Getty Images)
.
. With 28 goal contributions in 18 games played, he’s blowing everyone out of the water in contributions per 90’. Every other MVP candidate has played 22 games or more. If this continues, no one will be surprised if he becomes the first player ever to repeat as MVP.
Cesar HernandezJul 24, 2025, 09:38 AM ET
Mead was fouled for the penalty that led to England’s dramatic extra-time winner against Italy (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Sweden2
England2*
Norway1
Italy2
France1
Germany1*
Spain2
Switzerland0
Bonmati’s extra time goal lift Spain to the Euros final (Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images)
Germany held Spain for more than 100 minutes (Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and Spain forward Esther Gonzalez are teammates at Gotham FC in NWSL (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
From World Cups to Nations Leagues, Spain and England know each other well (Judit Cartiel / Getty Images)
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74098848/2215955739.0.jpg)
Henderson saves Omar Marmoush’s penalty as Richards watches on (Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images)
Prince William, Prince of Wales, presented the cup to Crystal Palace (Eddie Keogh – The FA/Getty Images)
Richards at Wembley (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
A young Richards takes on his marker (Carrie Richards)
A delighted Richards with team-mate Jean-Philippe Mateta at Wembley (Julian Finney – The FA/Getty Images)
Carrie, Chris and Ken Richards with the FA Cup (Carrie Richards)
Richards and fellow USMNT player Turner parade the FA Cup around Wembley (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
Christian Pulisic won’t be involved in the USMNT’s Gold Cup quest this summer. (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
Pochettino is hoping for a bounce-back summer for the USMNT, a year out from the World Cup it will cohost. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Imagn Images)
USMNT right back Sergiño Dest is back in the mix ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74086467/2213984210.0.jpg)
Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards and Matt Turner are hoping to win the FA Cup. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Tim 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)
(Daniel Duarte/AFP via Getty Images)
(Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Premier Sports
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/74074210/2213250297.0.jpg)
It’s Inter Milan vs. Paris Saint-Germain in the final! How will things play out, and what will be the score?
Bowen strikes late to win the Europa Conference League for West Ham (Photo by Joe Klamar/AFP via Getty Images)
Bergkamp’s Inter also beat Ian Crook’s Norwich City on the way to winning the UEFA Cup (Shaun Botterill/ALLSPORT/Getty Images)
Bob Wilson, Peter Simpson and Frank McLintock savour Arsenal’s Fairs Cup victory (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Schalke’s Jens Lehmann and Mike Buskens sandwich Inter’s Youri Djorkaeff at San Siro (Ben Radford /Allsport/Getty images)
Sevilla’s players celebrate after winning a seventh Europa League (Ferenc Isza/AFP via Getty Images)
Merino has been used as a makeshift forward (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Rice looks rueful as Ben White shakes Donnarumma’s hand after the final whistle in Paris (Thomas Samson/AFP via Getty Images)
The Ole BallCoach 
