Football

8:04 AM ET The final international break of the 2021-22 European soccer season — the most consequential one in years — is officially in the rearview mirror, and it’s once again time to focus on the homestretch of the club season. In terms of title races, relegations, future Champions League spots or the current Champions

Saves 1 Shots 0 0 Shots on Target Fouls Committed 0 0 Fouls Against Assists 0 Discipline 0 Yellow 0 Red Goals 0 Shots 0 0 Shots on Target Fouls Committed 0 0 Fouls Against Assists 0 Offsides 0 Discipline 0 Yellow 0 Red Goals 0 Shots 0 0 Shots on Target Fouls Committed 0

6:00 AM ET The first legs of the Champions League quarterfinals featured contrasting fortunes for the Madrid clubs, wins for Premier League title chasers Manchester City and Liverpool, a chastening loss for defending champions Chelsea and a shock for Bayern Munich. Rob Dawson, Bill Connelly and Derek Rae give their views on the big questions

6:59 PM ET LONDON — At least Stamford Bridge got to see a top striker settle a big game at last. The awkward truth for Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel is that it was Karim Benzema, a 34-year-old somehow improving with age, turning this Champions League quarterfinal tie perhaps irrevocably in Real Madrid‘s favour in Wednesday’s

12:11 PM ET Mark Ogden Rob Dawson Manchester United are set to finalise the appointment of Erik ten Hag as the club’s next manager, sources have told ESPN. The 52-year-old, who was interviewed by United last month, had been on a four-man shortlist alongside Paris Saint-Germain‘s Mauricio Pochettino, Spain coach Luis Enrique and Sevilla‘s Julen

7:10 PM ET Longtime anthem singer for the Portland Timbers and Thorns, Madison Shanley wore a t-shirt that read ‘You knew’ before Sunday’s game against the Galaxy. Kayla Plummer Madison Shanley has been singing the national anthem at Portland Timbers games since 2009. She’s done the same for the Portland Thorns since the team’s inaugural season

5:50 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent MANCHESTER, England — For nearly 70 minutes, Atletico Madrid put on a Diego Simeone masterclass at the Etihad Stadium. And then Phil Foden came on. The 21-year-old England midfielder was introduced in the 68th minute and less than 90 seconds later Manchester City were 1-0 in front and on their

4:30 AM ET It says something remarkable that despite Pedri scoring an outrageously luscious winner against Sevilla and his coach, Xavi Hernandez, drenching the 19-year-old with adoring superlatives after the final whistle, Ousmane Dembele was, by a huge distance, Barcelona‘s man of the match on Sunday night. Bluntly put, the controversial, often difficult to comprehend

1:43 PM ET Fresh off a World Cup draw, the European club season resumed this weekend and provided plenty to talk about. From Juventus and Inter‘s fiery Serie A clash to more woe for Man United, it was a packed schedule. Elsewhere, Pedri was a superstar when Barcelona needed one, Real Madrid got some (lucky)

4:19 PM ET At the top of the charts, LAFC and the Philadelphia Union just keep rolling. Further down the order, though, there’s chaos. After setting an MLS record in 2021 for most points in a season, the New England Revolution have followed up their Supporters’ Shield-winning campaign by stumbling out of the gates to

7:00 AM ET If Marcus Rashford ever needed his deteriorating situation with Manchester United and England to be put into sharp focus, he surely got that in the space of 24 hours this weekend. On Friday, the 24-year-old saw England’s route to World Cup glory in Qatar mapped out following the draw which gave Gareth

7:08 PM ET Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez scored twice as the LA Galaxy defeated the host Portland Timbers 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in a match in which both teams finished with 10 men. Goalkeeper Jonathan Bond made three saves for the Galaxy (3-2-0, nine points), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Bill Tuiloma scored for the

6:08 PM ET What a weekend! With Premier League title chasers Liverpool and Man City winning, Man United were again left frustrated in their chase for fourth place. Elsewhere, Real Madrid rebounded from their Clasico defeat to stay in charge of LaLiga’s title race, though Pedri‘s brilliant goal pushed Barcelona into second. There was also

Saves 0 Shots 0 0 Shots on Target Fouls Committed 0 0 Fouls Against Assists 0 Discipline 0 Yellow 0 Red Goals 0 Shots 0 0 Shots on Target Fouls Committed 0 0 Fouls Against Assists 0 Offsides 0 Discipline 0 Yellow 0 Red Goals 0 Shots 0 0 Shots on Target Fouls Committed 0

12:55 PM ET LONDON, England — In the space of 10 minutes, Chelsea went from being in the familiar position of a goal to the good at home, to wondering if their season is going to unravel. Antonio Rudiger‘s wondergoal at the start of the second half brought relief at Stamford Bridge, but it was

3:55 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent MANCHESTER, England — If Erik ten Hag or Mauricio Pochettino want to know how big a job it will be to turn Manchester United around, they need only watch a replay of the 1-1 draw with Leicester City. For the Old Trafford club, this has become a season drifting towards

11:53 AM ET Manchester City responded to momentarily losing top spot in the Premier League by returning to the summit courtesy of a 2-0 win at Burnley. Liverpool cranked up the pressure on City with a 2-0 win over Watford in Saturday’s early kickoff but City took just five minutes to find their stride at

3:44 PM ET Gabriele Marcotti Mark Ogden Get ready for some heavyweight clashes, a renewal of old rivalries and the chance for some teams to avenge bitter defeats after the draw for Qatar 2022 offered some box office match-ups in the group stage of this year’s World Cup. The leading nations can now plot their