Football

7:57 AM ET Sam Marsden Moises Llorens Barcelona forward Ansu Fati is in line to make his return to action this weekend after over 10 months out with a serious knee injury. Ansu, 18, has not played since injuring the meniscus in his left knee in a 5-2 win over Real Betis last November. Several

4:43 AM ET It’s still too early to talk about title-deciding games, after all it’s not even October, but Saturday’s Premier League clash between Chelsea and Manchester City is significant in terms of who sets the early pace. Chelsea are off to a red-hot start, winning four and drawing once in their first five games,

4:00 AM ET Sid LoweSpain writer The ball dropped out of the night sky to where Karim Benzema had appeared, undetected again, between Martin Valjent and Brian Olivan. As it fell from high, he controlled it, ran to one side and, right-footed, scored his second goal of the evening, the ball taking a deflection on

4:00 AM ET Manchester United are looking for alternatives to Declan Rice next summer — ESPN’s Insider Notebook has the latest. PLUS: Why sheep were not to blame for Cristiano Ronaldo moving house. Jump to: Sheep not to blame for Ronaldo’s move | Messi exit disappoints Barca sponsors | Tuchel’s present for former cleaner |

11:41 AM ET Plenty has changed since the United States men’s national team’s Big Board was last visited in April. Injuries, loss of form and the emergence of new talent has seen considerable movement in the projected 23-player World Cup roster. That can cut both ways as well, with players such as Matt Miazga and

3:51 PM ET ESPN Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email Barcelona will host Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Oct. 24 in what will be the first El Clasico since the departure of rivalry legends Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos. The match is set to kick off at 10:15 am ET (7:15 am PT) and

3:19 PM ET “It’s all about the money.” You’ve probably heard critics of FIFA’s proposed biennial World Cup make that very point, and guess what? It largely is. And, from FIFA’s perspective, there’s nothing wrong with that. Their core mission is literally “develop the game, touch the world, build a better future.” All those things

6:11 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent MANCHESTER, England — “Our strength in depth is plain for everyone to see now,” wrote Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his programme notes ahead of West Ham United‘s visit to Old Trafford in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. The Manchester United manager may need a rethink after

3:51 PM ET The United States Soccer Federation filed its latest response to the appeal of the equal pay lawsuit from players on the U.S. women’s national team on Wednesday. In the filing, the USSF stressed that in a decision made in May of 2020, U.S. District Court Judge R. Gary Klausner was correct in

3:00 AM ET Tor-Kristian Karlsen Robin van Persie won the title with Manchester United after leaving Arsenal. Jasper Juinen/Getty Images The most recent transfer window was unlike any other before it as world-class players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo moved clubs at the same time. But that got us thinking… Drawing inspiration from David Schoenfield’s

4:50 PM ET Jeff Carlisle Close U.S. soccer correspondent Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Eric Gomez Tuesday saw a major announcement in the U.S. soccer world: Major League Soccer and Liga MX announced they will take part in a completely revamped Leagues Cup starting in 2023, one that

11:00 AM ET The United Soccer League (USL) will create a professional Division II women’s league starting in 2023, the USL Super League, it was announced Tuesday. The new professional league will sit under the National Women’s Soccer League, which remains the sole women’s league in the U.S. with the Division One designation from the

4:30 AM ET Barcelona are in a state of crisis, of that there can be no doubt. It is potentially the greatest crisis in the club’s history — even including the four decades spent while Spain was run by a right-wing dictator who disliked Catalan culture, banned the language and imprisoned or “disappeared” many from

11:58 AM ET Kyle Bonagura Close ESPN Staff Writer Covers the Pac-12. Joined ESPN in 2014. Attended Washington State University. Jeff Carlisle Close U.S. soccer correspondent Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. It’s as you were at the top of the order, but second-year side Nashville SC has slipped

11:27 AM ET The European soccer weekend didn’t disappoint (does it ever?) with a string of notable results and eye-catching performances. Chelsea cruised to victory over Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain needed a hero (and it wasn’t Lionel Messi) to beat Lyon, and Bayern Munich were at their ruthless best. Real Madrid (who flattered in victory) and

5:45 PM ET Lionel Messi made his home debut for Paris Saint-Germain, although it was a different Argentine who made the decisive contribution. Elsewhere, Juventus still seek their first Serie A win, while Borussia Dortmund impressed and a legendary figure was mourned in England. Here are Mark Ogden, Tom Hamilton and Sam Marsden to discuss

2:57 PM ET LONDON — Thomas Tuchel is not one of Chelsea’s most expensive signings, but he showed in Sunday’s 3-0 Premier League win at Tottenham that he is rapidly becoming one of the club’s best. The leap in stamina required from Champions League winners to Premier League title contenders requires precisely the sort of

2:30 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Ole Gunnar Solskjaer refused to answer questions about Manchester United‘s title hopes following their victory over West Ham instead joking about the turnaround in mood at Old Trafford following defeat in the Champions League to Young Boys. Solskjaer was on the end of heavy criticism for his role in the