It’s the international break, and thank the football deities for that. They’ve cursed me otherwise, and after another Arsenal cup final defeat I’m ready for two weeks off from the club game. It’s a chance to take a deep breath before the run-in and the massive summer of World Cup 2026, and a good time to take stock of the international game, its governance, and the social context in which the United States will host the tournament. Or should you just go to Mexico?

That’s what David Goldblatt and I wonder in this week’s episode as the podcast returns with a vengeance. The English sports writer, broadcaster, sociologist, and journalist is the author of many books, including The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football and Injury Time: Football in a State of Emergency. He’s also teaching some masterclasses ahead of the tournament this summer in partnership with Equator magazine. Find out more about his seminar here.

We also got into FIFA, Brazil and England’s designs on the trophy, the suppression of a different side of America that could have shone on the world stage at this tournament, and whether the U.S. will be the first host nation to be at war with one of its World Cup guests:

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The Football Weekend is on tour this week with a first stop in Paris, France after a harrowing red-eye flight sat in front of the most formidable snorer in human history. More on that in this week’s episode — a quick one for a number of reasons, not least your host’s fitness levels.

I initially asked ESPN and NBC commentator Jon Champion if he had a few minutes to chat about one of the stadiums I’ll be covering on the ground next week for the latest edition of our CATHEDRALS series on the world’s great football stadiums. Look out for more on that soon, and check out more of Jon’s stadium expertise in our Goodison Park feature from last year.

But it also seemed like a fine time to check in with him about his work calling FA Cup matches for ESPN — our U.S. listeners can catch every game on ESPN and ESPN+ this season — because it’s already an extraordinary edition of the world’s oldest knockout competition. Macclesfield, yes, but Wrexham, too, and Jon was at the Racecourse Ground to call that one last weekend. Plus, we got into a bit of a Manchester derby preview:

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

On Friday, there’s a Ligue 1 clash with title implications: PSG vs LILLE. For once, the Parisians are not top of the table in January. That’s Lens, a remarkable story, and the defending French and European champions must see off fourth-place Lille to keep pace with their new challengers.

On Saturday, there’s a lively start to the slate with that aforementioned derby, MANCHESTER UNITED vs MANCHESTER CITY. More on that in the episode above. Shortly after that, there’s REAL MADRID vs LEVANTE if you want to see how new Merengues coach Álvaro Arbeloa gets on after that disastrous Copa del Rey exit to second-tier Albacete on Wednesday. And they were so eager to rid themselves of Xabi Alonso…

Then you can settle in for CHELSEA vs BRENTFORD, another interesting test for new Blues boss Liam Rosenior after a semifinal first-leg defeat to Arsenal in midweek. Shortly after that, there’s EGYPT vs NIGERIA in the AFCON third-place game. Mo Salah’s last game for his country? Finally, those Gunners will travel up to the Midlands for NOTTINGHAM FOREST vs ARSENAL. The title-chasers will be hoping they don’t get Dyched.

And on Sunday, there’s the main event: SENEGAL vs MOROCCO in the Africa Cup of Nations final. Sadio Mané saw off Salah, his old Liverpool frenemy, with a single goal that proved enough for Senegal to get past Egypt in one semifinal. In the other, pre-tournament favorites Morocco required penalties to dispatch the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The Moroccans are seeking their first AFCON title in 50 years with their first appearance in the final since 2004 — proof they’ve got a true golden generation of players on their hands. The Senegalese were champions just five years ago, when Mané once again got the better of Salah in the final. Can he get the better of the hosts this time?

We all spend a lot of time lamenting the cynical side of the modern game, but if there’s an antidote, it’s the weekend ahead of us. The FA Cup Third Round Proper is one for the romantics: the smallest clubs in the land can share a pitch with the biggest, and both sides can live a different football life for a day.

Moss Rose was built in 1891 for Macclesfield Town, which was wound up in 2020 amid financial troubles. A phoenix club was born in the ashes and has risen from the ninth tier of the English football pyramid (the North West Counties Football League) to the sixth (the National League North) in next-to-no time. Now they’ve got their biggest match of the year on Saturday, as FA Cup holders and Premier League stalwarts Crystal Palace will come to a small ground south of Manchester to battle the Silkmen.

In fact, says this week’s guest, it’s one of the biggest days in the combined history of Macclesfield Town and Macclesfield F.C. That guest is James Walker of The Silkmen News, a podcast and newsletter. He explained how new owner Robert Smethurst righted the ship with the help of his friend Robbie Savage after buying up the assets in an online liquidation sale.

We also touched on how Wayne Rooney’s brother, John, is doing this season having replaced Savage as manager, how non-league football is thriving these days, and how Macclesfield got their nickname:

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

On Friday, you’ve got WREXHAM vs NOTTINGHAM FOREST (2:30pm ET, 7:30pm UK) in a fun little test for Hollywood A.F.C. They’re starting to find their footing in the Championship, but can they handle a Premier League outfit? There’s also PORT VALE vs FLEETWOOD TOWN at the same time. Just got a feeling about that one.

30 minutes earlier, there’s a very strong AFCON matchup between CAMEROON and MOROCCO (2pm ET, 7pm UK). The Moroccan hosts were pre-tournament favorites, while Cameroon crashed out of World Cup qualifying amid a federation feud featuring Samuel Eto’o, but the Indomitable Lions have pieced it back together for this tournament.

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On Saturday, you can lead off with MACCLESFIELD vs CRYSTAL PALACE (7:15am ET, 12:15pm UK), then I’d go for BOREHAM WOOD vs BURTON ALBION (10am ET, 3pm UK) as a National League side hosts Burton in League One. There’s also SALFORD CITY vs SWINDON TOWN in the same window, a meeting of two sides pushing for promotion in League Two.

Then there’s another peach of a cup tie in GRIMSBY TOWN vs WESTON-SUPER-MARE. Ruben Amorim’s dismissal this week reminds us that Grimsby felled his Manchester United in the League Cup back at the start of the season. They’ll host Weston-super-Mare A.F.C., who are in the sixth tier of the English football pyramid in the National League South. That puts them even with Macclesfield as the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition.

Finally, you can round out your Saturday with CHARLTON ATHLETIC vs CHELSEA (3pm ET, 8pm UK). The Blues will travel across London to The Valley to face one of the Championship’s poorer sides, and yet you still feel it’s an early test for new boss Liam Rosenior.

If you’d rather go for AFCON on Saturday, the quarterfinals continue with ALGERIA vs NIGERIA (11am ET, 4pm UK), two teams that went unbeaten in the group stage. So were both contestants in EGYPT vs IVORY COAST (2pm ET, 7pm UK), though the former required extra time to get past Benin. Check out Mo Salah’s control and run after 117 and a half minutes to carry the ball up the field for his team. He followed that up by stroking the ball past the keeper on the break to make it 3-1, game over.

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On Sunday, you’ve got a Premier League encounter from yesteryear as PORTSMOUTH host ARSENAL (9am ET, 2pm UK). The team at the very top of the English pyramid will travel down to the South Coast to do battle in one of the great historic venues across the land, Fratton Park. It’s noisy, boisterous, and contains one of the few works of Archibald Leitch still standing.

We’ll round out our weekend by deviating from the FA Cup-slash-AFCON script. There’s some cup final fare out of Spain with BARCELONA vs REAL MADRID (2pm ET, 7pm UK) in the Supercopa de España, and then a Serie A title bout kicks off 45 minutes later with INTER vs NAPOLI (2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK).

New year, new weekend, and we’re off in an unconventional direction. The big match of the coming days for our purposes is in Paris, but it ain’t PSG. RED STAR PARIS travel to face TROYES on Saturday for a meeting of second against first in France’s Ligue 2.

It’s a perfect opportunity to have a look at one of the world’s more storied — if off-beat — football clubs. Red Star was founded way back in 1897 by Jules Rimet, eventual inventor of the FIFA World Cup, and in the time since it’s acquired layer upon layer of identity. It’s the French capital’s rebel club, a vessel of alt-Paris, a different kind of chic from the glitz of the European champions at the Parc des Princes.

Simon Binns is a veteran journalist who wrote a book on Red Star — and fell in love with the club along the way. Red Star Paris: Punks, Politics and Power Struggles in the Fight for the Coolest Club on Earth is a history, a social study, and a love letter, though Binns also made use of his background as a financial journo to tackle the issue of Red Star’s new owners: 777 Partners, most famous for a failed takeover attempt of Everton Football Club.

Simon joins the show this week to talk all of the above and ruminate a bit on the swirling contradictions of modern football:

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A smug Chelsea hater’s interlude

Enzo Maresca’s time in West London was pretty much finished last month when he went public about his “worst 48 hours” as Chelsea manager, but perhaps he was doomed before that.

From what I’ve seen, the club’s supporters have come around to the idea that the people running the institution are more interested in their player-trading model than in winning the biggest trophies. (Though The Guardian reported this week that the Italian’s departure was at least in part linked to a dalliance with Manchester City, his former employer quietly seeking a replacement for Pep Guardiola should he leave this summer.) It does appear that Chelsea’s decision-makers have rejected the notion of adding experienced, physically dominant players to the squad — the kind that won so many trophies during the reign of Roman Abramovich. Add in the refusal to sign a top goalkeeper, a top center back, and a top center forward, and you’ve got a toxic stew.

Some of us were banging this drum when Chelseaworld nearly drowned itself in smugitude after winning the Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup last year. The truth is that Chelsea were poor for much of calendar year 2025 and registered few victories over top sides, that battering of Barcelona this fall notwithstanding. The “Champions of the World” are nowhere close to the best team in the world, and once the league results reverted to the quality of the first half of 2025, Maresca was always likely to get pushed out the door.

Since Abramovich’s departure, the club has moved from competently ruthless to ruthlessly incompetent while achieving a few results — just enough — to allow everybody involved to slide into delusions of grandeur. Now they need a manager.

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

ON SATURDAY, you can kick off with ASTON VILLA vs NOTTINGHAM FOREST (7:30am ET, 12:30pm UK) as the Villans attempt to shake off their shellacking by Arsenal in midweek and avoid getting Dyched.

Then it’s SENEGAL vs SUDAN (11am ET, 4pm UK) in the Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16. The Sudanese are into the knockout rounds amid a civil war at home, while Senegal have a whole crew of top players capable of pushing them deep into this tournament.

Finally, you’ve got ESPANYOL vs BARCELONA (3pm ET, 8pm UK) in the Derbi Barceloní, as La Liga leaders Barça travel across town to confront their neighbors.

ON SUNDAY, there’s a rekindling of one of England’s great modern rivalries with LEEDS UNITED vs MANCHESTER UNITED (7:30am ET, 12:30pm UK). These ain’t exactly the days of Eric Cantona or Rio Ferdinand for either one of these sides, but newly promoted Leeds are on pace to stay up while Man United — despite their rankling inconsistency — are in the Top Four chase.

Then it’s TOTTENHAM vs SUNDERLAND (10am ET, 3pm UK) in what’s surely a massive match for Thomas Frank. The Spurs manager will be in massive trouble if they lose again at home, especially considering that Sunderland have slid into some indifferent form after their sparkling start. The Black Cats did grind out that point against Man City on New Year’s Day, though that was at home at the Stadium of Light.

Next up is MANCHESTER CITY vs CHELSEA (12:30pm ET, 5:30pm UK) for another edition of MONEY WARS. Despite that setback against Sunderland, Man City are firmly in the title race that Chelsea fans thought they’d be in. Instead, they’re sliding into a Top Four scrap with just one win in their last seven league matches.

Then it’s SOUTH AFRICA vs CAMEROON (2pm ET, 7pm UK) in another AFCON Round of 16 match as Sunday begins to wind down, and it’s a real beauty. Both these sides are dangerous as we enter the knockout stage, though there’s also a little derby out of the French capital kicking off 45 minutes later with PSG vs PARIS FC (2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK). Obviously, we’ll be supporting Red Star …

This week on the podcast, our guest is journalist David Novo from Portugal’s Record newspaper. He joins to help us preview the Dérbi de Lisboa, as Benfica host Sporting CP in a battle for bragging rights in the Portuguese capital. Together with Porto — from the town of the same name that’s further north along the Atlantic coast — they make up the Big Three clubs in this nation of under 11 million people that punches far above its weight on the global football stage.

In this episode, we got into how exactly Portugal (and these clubs in particular) produce so many fantastic players. We traced some of the history of this rivalry, including the crucial intervention of the legendary Eusébio, who turned the tide after years of Sporting dominance to deliver Benfica into a new era in the 1960s. We also talked over the return of José Mourinho to Portuguese football, with the Special One now coaching Benfica after all his years of massive success with Porto and across Europe.

Finally, David offered some intel on where to eat and drink if you’re going to the Estádio da Luz — where this one will be played on Friday — or the nearby Estádio José Alvalade, Sporting’s home base:

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

The 2026 World Cup Draw

Fri @ 12pm ET, 5pm UK

You’ll have to put up with some unsavory scenes, no doubt about it, but we all wanna know who’s playing whom next summer.

ASTON VILLA vs ARSENAL

Sat @ 7:30am ET, 12:30pm UK

Two teams in fine form, and with a whole lot of recent history.

Villa brushed off a couple of sketchy Brighton goals and stormed back to win 4-3 in midweek. Now they’re third in the league. They’ve also got a decent record against Arsenal over the last couple of years, taking seven of the last 12 points available in these head-to-heads. You know that Unai Emery enjoyed beating his successor as Arsenal manager twice in the 2023/24 season, which was enough to deny Mikel Arteta’s side the title at the end of that campaign.

The top-of-the-table Gunners will travel to Villa Park knowing a serious test is in store. Plus, Ollie Watkins — heavily linked to Arsenal last season — just crackled back to life with two goals in midweek after a miserable barren spell. The injuries are biting the visitors, with a crisis developing at center back, so the Arsenal will need to dig deep here in what should be a formidable atmosphere.

TOTTENHAM vs BRENTFORD

Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

It’s the Thomas Frank derby, though many Tottenham fans seem increasingly eager to give the man back. Spurs have not won a football match since November 4, and they’ve still won just once at home all season in the league. Brentford have been up and down, but they gave Tottenham’s arch rivals Arsenal a decent game in midweek. They might just smell their ex-manager’s blood in the water here.

Or, in the same window, you can watch SUNDERLAND continue a difficult extended roadtrip as they travel to MANCHESTER CITY after a strong showing against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday.

LEEDS UNITED vs LIVERPOOL

Sat @ 12:30pm ET, 5:30pm UK

Having dismantled Chelsea in midweek at Elland Road, Leeds now welcome Liverpool with reasonable belief they can stage a repeat. The visitors are the walking wounded at the moment, scrounging out a draw with Sunderland on Wednesday after another poor performance that easily could have earned them a third-straight defeat at Anfield in all competitions. Arne Slot has his work cut out for him here.

Alternately, INTER vs COMO is an intriguing clash of third and fifth in Serie A that kicks off half an hour earlier. The visitors are looking like proper upstarts under manager Cesc Fàbregas, running with the big dogs. There’s also REAL BETIS vs BARCELONA at the very same time as Leeds-Liverpool. That’s first against fifth in La Liga.

MESSI vs MÜLLER IN THE MLS CUP FINAL

Sat @ 2:30pm ET, 7:30pm UK

It’s like the 2014 World Cup final, except a whole lot bigger. INTER MIAMI face VANCOUVER in Major League Soccer’s showpiece match, and each side will contain literal legends of the world’s game. Luis Suárez has been missing for Miami, and many will tell you they’ve been better without him as some guy named Lionel Messi has taken up a central role. Suárez should be back for this one, even if he won’t start, and certainly Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba and Rodrigo De Paul will be involved.

And then there’s Thomas Müller on the other side, the 13-time German champion, two-time Champions League winner, and defeater of Messi and Argentina in that 2014 World Cup finale. All these big shots might be deep into their 30s at this point, but you’ve got to say this is MLS at its best.

FULHAM vs CRYSTAL PALACE

Sun @ 11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK

It’s a London derby at Craven Cottage, just one of those games you get a feeling about.

Fulham started the season extremely poorly but have started to put a thing or two together. They put four past Manchester City on Wednesday and that wasn’t enough to win, a decent signal that there could be goals here even if Palace’s defensive record is outstanding: with just 11 goals conceded in 14 matches, they’re behind only Arsenal as the league’s best without the ball.

NAPOLI vs JUVENTUS

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

It’s not been a vintage season for Juventus thus far, as the Old Lady have sunk to seventh after a couple of defeats in October and some draws in November. Still, they’re just five points back from joint league-leaders AC Milan and Napoli, the latter of whom will host them at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona this weekend. The defending champions have had some tumultuous moments already this season under the Vesuvius-adjacent Antonio Conte, but they’re pretty much on-track to retain their crown, and days like this will be crucial to that.

When I first started watching the Premier League back in 2006 and 2007, there were only a handful of Americans plying their trade in England’s first division: Brian McBride at Fulham, Claudio Reyna at Manchester City … and then there was Brad Friedel.

An Ohio native, he played his college ball at UCLA before heading over to Europe. He eventually joined Liverpool for a stint, then embarked on a career-defining spell at Blackburn Rovers. He also stopped shots for Aston Villa and for Tottenham Hotspur, where in his final season he ran into a guy named Mauricio Pochettino. Friedel, who was capped 82 times for the U.S. Men’s National Team, got a front row seat to the Argentine’s methods when he came in and transformed Spurs, and Friedel’s faith has never wavered that Pochettino will deliver now as head coach of the USMNT.

We talked about all that when Friedel joined the show this Thanksgiving week, but we also got into a fascinating early chapter of his career. In 1995, he went off to Istanbul to play for Graeme Souness at Galatasaray. Along the way, he got a taste of one of the world’s most combustible football derbies: Galatasaray against Fenerbahçe, the battle of Istanbul.

Ahead of the latest edition this coming Monday, Friedel explained how failure to win this match could get you banned from a local restaurant. He also told some stories from his times with Brian Clough and Kevin Keegan:

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

SUNDERLAND vs BOURNEMOUTH

Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

This is an unlikely meeting of seventh and eighth in the Premier League after 12 matches. Well, Bournemouth have pretty much established themselves in these lofty precincts, but Sunderland started the season shot out of a cannon and may just be coming back down to earth.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN vs BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Sat @ 12:30pm ET, 5:30pm UK

Third against fourth in the Bundesliga, with Leverkusen coming off an away-day demolition of Manchester City in the Champions League this week while Dortmund dismantled 10-man Villareal. These two are well off Bayern Munich’s frenetic pace at the top of the table, but are they beginning to click into some form?

TOTTENHAM vs FULHAM

Sat @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK

When there’s a Premier League late game on a Saturday, we recommend it. For North American viewers especially, a 3pm slot is top. Plus, it’s a London derby, and Tottenham’s home record has been poor so far under Thomas Frank: They haven’t won on their own patch in the league since Matchweek 1. There might be opportunity here for Fulham.

PALMEIRAS vs FLAMENGO

Sat @ 4pm ET, 9pm UK

It’s the Copa Libertadores final, as teams from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro face off in Lima, Peru to determine who will be champions of South America. Incredibly, five of the last seven finals have been all-Brazilian affairs.

Both of these clubs have won this tournament three times — Palmeiras have won two of the last four, an emerging dynasty — and they occupy the top two spots in the Brazilian Serie A table. Flamengo, currently five points clear domestically, are on the cusp of a league-and-continental double.

INTER MIAMI vs NYCFC

Sat @ 6pm ET, 11pm UK

It’s Lionel Messi and Co. in the Eastern Conference finals. The MLS Cup may not be the most prestigious trophy they’ll have added to their cabinets — between them, Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luís Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Rodrigo De Paul have nine Champions League medals and three World Cup golds — but they’ll want to stamp their authority on this competition. Plus, this would be Busquets’ last-ever game if they lose.

This is shaping up to be attack vs. defense, with Miami smacking in 12 goals in four games during these MLS playoffs. NYC have conceded just once so far.

WEST HAM vs LIVERPOOL

Sun @ 9:05am ET, 2:05pm UK

Liverpool are going through it, no doubt about it. They’ve lost three in a row across the league and Champions League and shipped 10 goals along the way. The last seven of those were at Anfield!

Arne Slot must find a way to stop the bleeding, or he could be party to one of the more improbable managerial sackings of all time. Six months ago he was a title-winning hero, but defeat to lowly West Ham could legitimately do him in.

CHELSEA vs ARSENAL

Sun @ 11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK

It’s another London derby for Arsenal in the space of eight days after they brushed aside Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday. This one is just as bitter — I’m one of those Arsenal fans who hates Chelsea just as much or more than Spurs — and it has the added table stakes of a title contest.

The hosts have snuck up into second with Manchester City and Liverpool drifting, and at Stamford Bridge, Enzo Maresca will believe he can strike a telling blow against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal. Both of these teams enjoyed statement victories over premier continental opposition in midweek, trouncing Barcelona and Bayern Munich respectively in the Champions League, so this one’s shaping up as a truly top-shelf affair.

ROMA vs NAPOLI

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

Good Lord, there are a lot of good matches this week. We round out our highly watchable slate with a title clash down in Italy, where Roma are top of the table under Gian Piero Gasperini. The capital side have not been blowing teams away, but they’ve been grinding out those results, keeping clean sheets and getting a second goal when the opposition gets one.

Time will tell if that’s sustainable across the season, and this one ought to be a decent barometer. The defending champions are coming to town, but Antonio Conte’s team are third after tasting defeat at Bologna’s Stadio Renato dall’Ara earlier this month. It’s a mob scene at the top of Serie A right now, with five teams within three points of each other, but it could all shift mightily with a single result — like whatever we get here.

The World Cup is a sporting competition between national football teams to determine the best of them. But it’s always been a vessel for so much more, not least the ambitions of political leaders ranging from the mildly ethical to the downright evil. Host countries want to tell a story about themselves on the global stage, the winners make the case for their own national greatness, and then there are the millions more sagas that nobody planned for.

A new book from — columnist for The Guardian, co-host of the Libero podcast, and local Substacker — seeks to tell the very best tales from nearly 100 years of World Cup football. The Power and the Glory: The History of the World Cup is a delightful read, full of sharp insight and laugh-out-loud moments. From Benito Mussolini’s bonus trophy for the 1934 winners — the Coppa del Duce — to Diego Maradona’s supernova in 1986 to the insidious inner workings of FIFA in the modern era, it’s all there.

Wilson joins the show this week to talk a little Premier League title race before we get into his book, why Gianni Infantino’s reign as FIFA chief makes us pine for the days of Sepp Blatter, and a whole lot more.

Go get your copy of The Power and the Glory once you’ve had a listen here!

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A few matches worth your time this weekend…

ITALY vs NORWAY

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

The Italians simply hate qualifying for World Cups — they’ve missed the last two, a disaster for the four-time champions — and now they’re second in Group I heading into the final matchday of this first qualifying phase.

They’re behind Norway, who’ve scored an astonishing 33 goals in seven games. It helps to have Erling Haaland, who scored twice in their victory over Estonia on Thursday, but Alexander Sørloth also grabbed a brace there to advertise the Norwegians’ multi-pronged attacking might.

Technically, Italy could still secure automatic qualification here. They just need to win 9-0, because Norway have only conceded four goals total so far — a +29 goal difference. Regardless, it should be a quality match.

African playoff final: NIGERIA vs DR CONGO

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

The winner here will represent CAF in the intercontinental playoffs, and success there will mean a ticket to the World Cup. Nigeria saw off a Gabon side led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Bouanga in the first semifinal on Thursday, while DR Congo pulled off a slight upset a few hours later to send Cameroon packing.

That’s not to say the Democratic Republic lacks quality players, but this may be an uphill climb against Nigeria’s powerful squad. Victor Osimhen scored twice in extra time against Gabon and leads a potent front line featuring Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman. They’re backed by Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Calvin Bassey and more.

We got the full rundown on African qualifying during the last international break courtesy of Maher Mezahi:

GERMANY vs SLOVAKIA

Mon @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

Depending on how their games go later today against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland respectively, these two could be joint-top of Group A coming into this one. That would make this a straight playoff for automatic World Cup qualification, while whoever finishes second will have to go into the second round of qualifying. More playoffs!

SCOTLAND vs DENMARK

Tue @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

These two are also tied at the top of their pile at present, each of them on 10 points at the summit of Group C. They play Greece and Belarus respectively on Saturday, but all going as expected, this will also be a straight playoff for qualification.

These are two fun squads, too. Don’t let Scott McTominay loose in Glasgow!

JAMAICA vs CURAÇAO

Tue @ 8pm ET

The hosts were top of CONCACAF Group B heading into Thursday night, but they dropped two points away at Trinidad & Tobago. Their guests here seized that opportunity.

Little Curaçao — population 156,000 — zipped up to the top of CONCACAF Group B with a 7-0 thrashing of Bermuda the same night, and now the Blue Wave can book their ticket to a first-ever World Cup for their nation with a draw at Independence Park, known as “The Office” when the Jamaican national football team is in residence.

There’s a big game down in Italy on Saturday, but there’s only one headliner for this weekend. It’s El Clásico, Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu, the biggest game in club football outside the late stages of the Champions League.

This one is box office each and every time, even if we’ve descended somewhat from the interstellar days of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. We’ll make do with Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Jude Bellingham, and whoever wins out here will take pole position in the Spanish title race. With Atlético Madrid fading somewhat, this is a campaign that could well end with both these teams taking 90+ points — or, as this week’s guest suggests, perhaps they both have more weaknesses than you might think.

Here to help us get our bearings ahead of kickoff on Sunday (11:15am ET / 3:15pm UK) is Dan Hilton of The Barcelona Podcast:

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Or have a listen on Apple Podcasts ↗️

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

INTER MIAMI vs NASHVILLE SC

Fri @ 8pm ET

It’s time for Lionel Messi and his traveling troupe of La Liga legends to kick off the MLS playoffs. The Herons of Inter Miami are at home for the first of this three-game set against “The Boys in Gold.” Yes, I googled this.

Nashville finished sixth in the Eastern Conference after they caught a 5-2 hiding from this same opposition on the final matchday of the regular season, but they do have the league’s joint-second-top scorer in Englishman Sam Surridge. The Slough-born striker started his career at Bournemouth and scored 24 in 34 matches this season — five fewer than some guy from Argentina.

CHELSEA vs SUNDERLAND

Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

These two teams are even on 14 points after eight matches, not something you’d likely have predicted in August. Sunderland are making a real fist of it in this Premier League, but they haven’t faced too many top sides so far.

Chelsea want to be one of those, and they will be strong favorites at Stamford Bridge. But you just sense that Enzo Maresca’s side still have something to prove, even after that big win over Liverpool heading into the international break.

NAPOLI vs INTER

Sat @ 12 pm ET, 5pm UK

This is a true title clash in Serie A, first against second last season.

Napoli followed up their Scudetto triumph with a busy summer transfer window and are looking to shore up their position as the greatest team on The Boot. Inter have yet to truly click into form after the massive disappointment that was their spring season, when they went from treble-seekers to empty-handed in no time.

The blue-and-blacks still find themselves second in the league, though. Napoli are third, because they’re both behind a resurgent AC Milan.

VALENCIA vs VILLAREAL

Sat @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK

It’s the Derbi de la Comunitat, the big beef in this beautiful bit of country on the Mediterranean coast. These two were pretty friendly until 1997, when billionaire ceramics-slash-supermarket magnate Fernando Roig was spurned in his attempt to take charge of Valencia. So, he went 35 miles down the road and bought a small, largely unspectacular club called Villareal.

Now the Yellow Submarine has upstaged the Murciélagos of Valencia, playing Champions League football while the latter toil in La Liga’s bottom half. But on any given derby day…

ASTON VILLA vs MAN CITY

Sun @ 10am ET, 2pm UK

Kickoff times here are tricky, as the U.K. ditches daylight savings earlier in the fall than the United States does. This one’s intriguing because City haven’t gone to Villa Park and taken three points since 2021. In fact, Pep Guardiola has lost his last two bouts with Unai Emery in Birmingham.

The Sky Blues will need to get over that hump if they want to restate their credentials as title challengers after last year’s poor campaign. With Liverpool struggling, they’ve scooted up to second in the table behind Arsenal. Villa, meanwhile, had left their terrible start to 2025/26 behind with five straight wins in all competitions before Thursday’s shock Europa League defeat to Go Ahead Eagles.

Club football is back and so is Germany’s biggest game. It’s BAYERN MUNICH vs BORUSSIA DORTMUND in Der Klassiker.

The Bavarian hosts have returned to their formidable best with 11 wins from 11 matches across all competitions this season. Bayern have scored 25 goals in six Bundesliga matches, with Harry Kane, Luis Díaz, and Michael Olisé firing on all cylinders. They are once again among the favorites to win the Champions League.

On the other side, the last couple of years weren’t up to Dortmund’s standards domestically as they fell away from what they’ll feel is their rightful place as Bayern’s main challengers. But they now look to have reclaimed that spot from Bayer Leverkusen and are unbeaten in the league, though they’ve relied more on stout defense than explosive attack.

This one’s shaping up well, and joining us to preview the match is the commentary team who will deliver it to American viewers on ESPN at 12:30pm ET on Saturday: Derek Rae and Stewart Robson, who also happen to be the in-game commentators for EA Sports FC 26 — and many previous iterations of the famous franchise formerly known as FIFA!

We got into how they record play-by-play for video-game matches that haven’t happened yet, their travels together across Germany (and shared taste for bratwurst), and much more:

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And a few more matches worth your time this weekend…

NOTTINGHAM FOREST vs CHELSEA

Sat @ 7:30am ET, 12:30pm UK

Honestly, this one could just bring out the popcorn. Forest were the darlings of England last season under Nuno Espirito Santo as they punched above their weight and came very close to Champions League qualification. In the end, they fell away just a bit, and that kicked off a spectacular spin-out.

Now Nuno is gone and Forest are 17th. New manager Ange Postecoglou has yet to win a match. He, too, may be on the chopping block soon enough, so the last thing the Aussie will want to see is Chelsea coming to town. The Blues have hardly been perfect this season, but they did just beat Liverpool and are looking to establish themselves as legitimate title contenders.

CRYSTAL PALACE vs BOURNEMOUTH

Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

A couple of proper Premier League upstarts here, with sixth in the table hosting fourth. Palace were on a 19-game unbeaten run up until they dropped one to Everton going into the international break. The rosy patch culminated with a thrilling last-gasp victory over Liverpool the weekend prior to that.

The Eagles run into another very good team here in Bournemouth, who’ve found a top coach in Andoni Iraola and managed their transfer dealings exceedingly well. Somewhat like Forest last season, the Cherries have maximized what they’ve got with a ferocious, direct style that’s purpose-built for today’s Premier League.

ROMA vs INTER

Sat @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

The capital hosts are the surprise package of the season. Roma are tied with Napoli at the top of Serie A thanks in large part to a sterling defensive record. Two goals conceded in six games is a fine start under Gian Piero Gasperini, who came down from Atalanta to prove he’s among Italy’s best managers no matter where he plies his trade.

For their guests, things are less bright and sunny, though Inter are still just three points behind the joint leaders despite losing twice in their opening half-dozen games. With Napoli on the horizon next weekend, the Nerazzuri could really use three points to take home from their trip to the Stadio Olimpico.

TOTTENHAM vs ASTON VILLA

Sun @ 9am ET, 2pm UK

This feels like a fun one. Tottenham have snuck up into third as Thomas Frank’s move across London bears immediate fruit. The Dane is looking to prove he can do it at Champions League level after many fine years at Brentford, and he’s on something like the opposite trajectory of his opponent here.

Unai Emery brought Villa to that UCL promised land, but now they’re struggling with a negative goal difference after seven matches. At least they’ve started scoring a few — a real problem over the first few games — and a win here for the Villans could change everything.

LIVERPOOL vs MANCHESTER UNITED

Sun @ 11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK

England’s grand old rivalry has a different complexion these days with United in disastertown. Ruben Amorim is the latest Red Devil manager swaying in the harsh wind, clinging to his (in)famous 3-4-3 formation as his team plod through this young season. They’re mid-table, to be fair, and a few wins in a row could have them feeling like Tottenham or something.

Are they likely to start the streak at Anfield? Probably not, though Liverpool have been reeling just a bit themselves in recent weeks. Three straight defeats heading into the international break are not what Dr. Arne Slot ordered, and all of a sudden, his team’s dramatic late shows to take all those points early in the season start to look more desperate than dominant. No better way to put all that nastiness in the rearview, though, than beating up on the old enemy.

It’s the second international break of the young club season, so we’re continuing our tour around the continents to see who’s doing what in World Cup qualifying. This week we head over to the Confederation of African Football to see who’s on their way to North America next summer. Plus:

• How the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams rights a historical wrong with respect to how many tickets the African nations get every four years.

• The wonderful story of Cape Verde — population half a million — who are on the verge of qualifying for their first World Cup.

• Why some of the continent’s traditional powers, like Nigeria and Cameroon, are struggling to qualify.

• Why the power base of the continent is moving north to Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, and even Tunisia, thanks in part to FIFA rules changes and the North African diaspora in Europe.

• The controversy around South Africa’s qualifying campaign and why they are the most rapidly improving team on the continent.

Here to break it all down is Maher Mezahi, an African football journalist based in Algiers who hosts the African Five-a-Side podcast:

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And a niche curiosity for your consideration…

CURAÇAO vs JAMAICA

Fri @ 7pm ET

The hosts here could be the big story out of CONCACAF’s downsized qualifying process. Coached by Dick Advocaat, this team representing a nation of 156,000 people — which only became a truly autonomous nation in 2010 after the Netherlands Antilles concept was dissolved — have taken four points from their first two matches. They’ve benefited from some of the same eligibility rule changes as African nations have (hear more in the pod above!) and some players born in the Netherlands have boosted the squad.

The Blue Wave are in decent shape to at least get into the inter-confederation playoffs, but now they run into Group B leaders Jamaica. The Reggae Boyz could just about book their ticket to the big show with a win at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad.

Chelsea and Liverpool will duke it out this weekend, and so will Juventus and AC Milan. But why not dive into the scenic depths of a niche French derby on the beautiful Côte D’Azur? Just last year, this match helped determine who would represent Ligue 1 in the Champions League.

Monaco and Nice are not the biggest clubs in the South of France — that’s Marseille — but they maintain a testy feud that’s fueled in part by cultural differences between the two towns. The Principality of Monaco is fiercely independent from France but plays in Ligue 1 alongside Nice, a gorgeous but (somewhat) less glitzy destination than the champagne-and-caviar precincts of the Monégasques.

AS Monaco has a rich footballing tradition across recent decades, from the Arsène Wenger days (and those of Thierry Henry and George Weah) to more recent times, when the club has been a kind of finishing school for elite talent like Kylian Mbappé and Bernardo Silva. OGC Nice has not enjoyed the same success recently, and yet it engenders fierce support rooted in deep tradition that Monaco can’t always match: The Stade Louis II, where this weekend’s match will be played, has inconsistent attendance in a town where football isn’t always paramount.

Meanwhile, despite finishing third and fourth in France last season, both clubs are experiencing varying levels of fan revolt over poor results and misgivings about how they’re run. That’s particularly true for Nice, where fans are even more disenchanted with Sir Jim Ratcliffe than Manchester United supporters have become. That, combined with a rebellion against French footballing authorities, has spurred a boycott among Nice ultras, who will not be attending this match or enjoying their traditional mass scooter procession across the 20-or-so picturesque kilometers from Nice to Monaco.

Joining us to break it all down is Jonathan Johnson, a Paris-based French football expert:

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

WREXHAM vs BIRMINGHAM CITY

Fri @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK

The Yank Derby. The Jawline Clásico. This is Ryan Reynolds vs Tom Brady in a battle of two very well-funded Championship sides. That hasn’t yet translated to results, however: the hosts are 15th coming into this one with just nine points from eight games. Birmingham are three points better off in 11th.

For the Premier League heads, there’s a good one in the same window: BOURNEMOUTH vs FULHAM.

MAN UNITED vs SUNDERLAND

Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

This one’s for the hate-watchers — and the Mackems. Sunderland are off to a flying start in their return to the Premier League, as head coach Régis Le Bris has followed up victory in the Championship playoff final in May with 11 points from six matches in England’s top division.

The Black Cats are eight places higher in the table than once-mighty Manchester United, who are in a now-increasingly-familiar 14th place. Head coach Ruben Amorim is under serious pressure, and defeat at home to a newly promoted side might just spell the end of yet another post-Ferguson era at Old Trafford.

CHELSEA vs LIVERPOOL

Sat @ 12:30pm ET, 5:30pm UK

This is a proper Barclays bout from yesteryear, the days when José Mourinho and Rafa Benitez would go toe-to-toe on the sideline while Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard went at it on the pitch.

These are very different times. Chelsea have failed to compete for the top honors for years now, but the Blues want to prove they’re ready to do so with a victory over the defending champions and title favorites. Liverpool are looking just a bit vulnerable as they prepare to travel to Stamford Bridge after defeat in the league last weekend and the Champions League in midweek.

REAL MADRID vs VILLAREAL

Sat @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK

This is second hosting third in La Liga, with just two points between them. Madrid fell to crosstown rivals Atlético in the derby last weekend, one in which they were dominated on high balls into the box. The Yellow Submarine also lost to Atléti earlier in the season, but they’ll cruise into the Santiago Bernabéu in decent form, grinding out results domestically while settling for a draw with Juventus in the Champions League this week.

JUVENTUS vs MILAN

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

These two Italian giants are looking to regain their gianthood this season, and they’ve made a decent start of it. Juventus scored a serious victory over Inter in the Derby d’Italia a few weeks back, though a couple of draws since leave them fourth in Serie A after five matches. On the other side, AC Milan are really on the come-up after a highly disappointing 2024/25. With a possibly season-defining win over champions Napoli last weekend, the Rossoneri are top of the league.

Oh, and Lionel Messi scored two and assisted another.

It was my fourth time seeing the little master at work in person, and he has never once disappointed. (I forgot last summer’s Copa América in the intro to this week’s episode when I said this was the third time!) I’ll have a full report on that evening at Citi Field soon enough, but first: this week’s show.

It’s a capital derby this Saturday, Atlético hosting Real Madrid at the Metropolitano, and ahead of the big game we’re getting into some La Liga history. There’s the thrilling story of how two Racing Santander players defied Generalissimo Franco’s fascist regime. There’s a look at Santiago Bernabéu’s right-hand man who did so much to make Real Madrid what it is today, and there’s the tale of how a spectacularly pacy Atléti winger became a Nazi spy.

Each of those is a chapter in Once Upon a Time in La Liga, a new book out this month. Author Brendan Madden joins the show to share that history, talk about his path from data journalist to football storyteller, and of course talk about how the current versions of Atléti and Los Blancos are shaping up coming into this weekend’s marquee fixture.

Get yourself a copy and have a listen here before it all kicks off at 10:15am ET / 3:15pm UK on Saturday:

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

CHELSEA vs BRIGHTON

Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

The Madrid derby kicks off 15 minutes later, but the Premier League fanatics out there may choose to stick with what they know. This should be a good one between two teams with designs on the European places, one of which has become a very well-compensated feeder club for the other.

There’s also CRYSTAL PALACE hosting LIVERPOOL in this window in what might be a tough test for the reigning champions. Will they have to pull another rabbit out of the hat after 80+ minutes? It’s worked alright for them so far…

JUVENTUS vs ATALANTA

Sat @ 12pm ET, 5pm UK

Is the Old Lady back for good? Are Atalanta still the real deal after ex-manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s departure? There’s only one way to find out: Watch this game.

ASTON VILLA vs FULHAM

Sun @ 9am ET, 2pm UK

The Villans have been poor — very poor. Unai Emery’s side are mired in the relegation zone with just one goal scored in five matches, and they’ll feel fortunate to even have that one. (It was a bit of a gift from Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs.) Fulham have been scoring and conceding freely, though, so this could get lively at Villa Park.

NEWCASTLE vs ARSENAL

Sun @ 11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK

This is the runner-up for game-of-the-weekend, because these two don’t like each other at all. There’s no love lost between managers Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta, or between the two sets of players — Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton vs Arsenal’s midfielders is always fireworks — or between the two sets of fans. It’s become a sort of cultural derby that can get quite nasty.

MILAN vs NAPOLI

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

Here’s another pulse-check in Serie A. Following a poor season last term, A.C. Milan have taken nine points from 12 to start this campaign and find themselves in an early third place. They host the defending champs, who’ve started off perfectly. Napoli have popped in nine goals already, while Christian Pulisic has three on his own for Milan to co-lead the league. If he can continue his fine form here, it could make for a major statement from the Rossoneri.

The big one is ARSENAL vs MANCHESTER CITY at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, and it could tell us a lot about whether the Premier League is about to see a two-horse title race, a three-way, or even a foursome if Chelsea get involved. It will certainly have a different feel from those recent seasons where Pep Guardiola got the better of his ex-pupil Mikel Arteta, however, because Arsenal come into this one as firm favorites.

Beyond all that, Warnock also talks about a couple of his more idiosyncratic managers back in his playing days, Big Sam Allardyce and Neil Warnock. He also remembers sharing a flank with streets-won't-forget Barclaysman Morten Gamst Pedersen, and these are the kind of behind-the-scenes stories you'll find — along with some expert insight into the fitness and recovery side of things — on his new podcast, Strain on the Game.

Be sure to check it out, but first, have a listen here:

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

LIVERPOOL vs EVERTON

Sat @ 7:45am ET, 12:45pm UK

The Merseyside derby needs no introduction, though we do our best in the episode above! And if that piqued your interest, why not enjoy deeply reported stories from on the ground at Anfield and Goodison Park?

BRIGHTON vs TOTTENHAM

Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

Here’s a clash in the (possible) Top Six race between two teams that have each beaten Man City already in this young season. Spurs are reborn under Thomas Frank, while Brighton have a bit more to prove. Still, the Seagulls just keep regenerating despite losing their best players for dozens of millions of pounds each summer.

MAN UNITED vs CHELSEA

Sat @ 12:30pm ET, 5:30pm UK

This one was once a title clash. Now it’s a club fit for a straitjacket hosting one where they’re really starting to think a lot of themselves. Chelsea may well be a top European side, but they’ve yet to prove it. These are the matches they need to go and win with authority if they want to feature in the title race.

LAZIO vs ROMA

Sun @ 6:30am ET, 11:30am UK

The Derby della Capitale. One of the more explosive encounters across world football, this one has some twisted roots tracing back to Mussolini’s era.

BOURNEMOUTH vs NEWCASTLE

Sun @ 9am ET, 2pm UK

Another top-half clash between two very physical, explosive teams. Expect high pressing, powerful running, and an end-to-end encounter that’s a real advertisement for today’s Premier League. It could be the most entertaining match of the weekend.

LE CLASSIQUE

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

This is France’s biggest match, the giants of the South — Marseille — against the capital power players of PSG. The visitors are the favorites in every match they play (they are, after all, the European champions), but this is about as stiff a test as they will get domestically.

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BONUS COVERAGE: RASHFORD’S MASTERCLASS SHAMES UNITED

It was genuinely electrifying to watch Marcus Rashford return to England with an FC Barcelona crest on his chest and go supernova. The man came barnstorming onto Tyneside, looking fit and strong and highly dangerous, particularly in that second half. The goals he scored won the match for Europe’s second-most-formidable team in the bear pit of St. James’ Park, and the second in particular was a stroke of lethal genius. He took his time at the top of the box without lingering on the ball, shifted it until he made a tight window of space and smashed a looping missile in off the crossbar.

Manchester United and head coach Ruben Amorim must have looked on with despair. Rashford was exiled from the club where he grew up, first to Aston Villa for the second half of last season and now to — again — one of the very best teams in the world. United are nothing close to that description. They’re in the abyss, drowning in some bog in Middle Earth. The complete mismanagement of one of the world’s largest and most important footballing institutions is gobsmacking — and ongoing.

The 2026 World Cup in North America is less than a year away, and while the club season has now kicked off in earnest, we'll have a number of international breaks before the big show. Each one is an opportunity to take stock of the various national teams across (nearly) every continent and see who’s on their way to the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer.

We’ll take those opportunities with a series of shows in those windows where club football is on hiatus, and joining up for the inaugural edition is Felipe Cárdenas, senior writer for The Athletic covering national teams across North and South America.

We got into the U.S. Men’s National Team, Mauricio Pochettino’s performance, and the controversy around this summer’s Gold Cup; Lionel Messi’s last ride with Argentina and his chance to add a line to his resumé that could really settle all debates; Carlo Ancelotti’s bid to put the icing on his own cake with Brazil; Chile and Colombia’s struggles; Bolivia’s 13,000-foot home field advantage; and how Mexico and Canada are setting up as hosts:

(And to come clean: I mispronounced Felipe’s last name in the intro! Ignore my “ñ.” We learn.)

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A few matches worth your time this weekend…

DENMARK vs SCOTLAND

Fri @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

If you’re seeking The Early Weekend, this one could be a decent scrap in World Cup qualifying. Both these squads have some very good players, even if they’re lacking genuine world-class quality. (To be fair, Scott McTominay was named Serie A player of the year in May!)

For storylines with juice in this same match window, check SLOVENIA vs SWEDEN (a Premier League-transfer-saga-strike-partnership in Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres?) or ITALY vs ESTONIA (the four-time world-champion hosts are at risk of missing out on a third straight World Cup and have hired Gennaro Gattuso to save their pancetta).

TÜRKIYE vs SPAIN

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

These are two of the most entertaining teams around. Spain are the best around, of course, but Türkiye were the greatest show on Earth at EURO 2024 and have bags of talent where it matters. There will be goals.

ECUADOR vs ARGENTINA

Tues @ 7pm ET

Felipe and I got into it in this week’s show, but Ecuador are a very good side, among the best prepared among the South American nations to give the mighty Argentines a game. The visitors may be in rotation mode with everything locked up already, but this could be fun.

Half an hour later, there’s that BOLIVIA vs BRAZIL match that we also discussed on the show, where Carlo Ancelotti will have to lead his star-studded squad into battle at 13,000 feet. And half an hour after that, at 8pm Eastern, JAMAICA vs TRINIDAD & TOBAGO is a potentially crucial match to see who will represent the Caribbean at the World Cup next summer.

We’re back with a Friday podcast this week after that wide-ranging chat with Clive Tyldesley last Thursday. There was a bit of a Big Match Preview in that one as we looked ahead to Liverpool’s trip to St. James’ Park, and that turned out to be just as wild a match as anticipated. But this time around, we’re back to a proper BMP, and there’s another special guest on board to help us do it.

Andrew Mangan is the proprietor at Arseblog, the preeminent fan chronicle of Arsenal Football Club, and he joins us to look at the true doozy ahead this weekend: The Gunners will head north to Anfield on Sunday to face Liverpool in the first proper title clash of the Premier League season.

It comes on the back of a very active transfer window for both sides, and we got into that along with the rich history between the two clubs and why they differ in some fundamental way — as far as heritage and culture — from big-money upstarts Chelsea and Manchester City. Plus, Andrew offers his view as an Irishman on the Irish thread that runs through both of these clubs.

Fair warning that this is a meeting of two devout Arsenal partisans, but there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy along the way:

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More matches worth your time this weekend…

HAMBURGER SV vs ST. PAULI

Fri @ 2:30pm ET, 7:30pm UK

The return of the Hamburg derby to the Bundesliga. has a story this week on why Germany’s top division needs this match, a crosstown battle in a rebellious, punky city.

CHELSEA vs FULHAM

Sat @ 7:30am ET, 12:30pm UK

A West London derby, and it should be competitive. Fulham have drawn their two opening matches but they’ve looked lively. Chelsea battered a sorry West Ham side last time out, but the “world champions” are still taking shape.

CELTIC vs RANGERS

Sun @ 7am ET, 12pm UK

The Old Firm. Enough said. But if you’d like more to be said, check the Classic clip we dropped yesterday with Chris McLaughlin, native Glaswegian and correspondent for the BBC Scotland:

But this one has a different kind of electrical charge, because the defending champion Reds are trying to pry Newcastle’s star striker, Alexander Isak, out of a black-and-white jersey. The forward is agitating for the move, and the Magpie faithful are not happy about any of it. The Swede isn’t likely to feature, but he’ll be looming over it all, and it’s sure to be a tumultuous atmosphere on Tyneside.

That’s just a small part of what we got into with this week’s guest: , the legendary commentator for CBS Sports and Paramount+ who’s been calling the biggest games in European football for decades. Along the way, he’s seen a whole lot, and his vast experience and the wisdom thereof is now pouring into a new project: his blog here on Substack, where he weighs in on football’s current affairs with wit and insight.

He joins the show to talk Isak, Liverpool, the Club World Cup, why Sergio Busquets is the greatest walking footballer ever, and the state of the game he loves. Get more from Clive in your inbox each week:

Clive’s Substack

My personal Substack

By Clive Tyldesley

IN THIS ISSUE:

PSG vs INTER / SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION / WATCH THE FINAL WITH DAVID BECKHAM AND … TOM CRUISE? / AN EVEN BIGGER FINAL, KIND OF / WATCH PARTY GEAR

The Champions League final is upon us, the thrilling crescendo of the club football season. With no major tournament on the horizon this summer — and no, the Club World Cup does not count — this is the last big match for a while. There’s an announcement along those lines towards the end of this week’s show, but more importantly, we’ve got Rob Green on.

The former England national team goalkeeper will call this game for CBS and Paramount+ at 3pm ET on Saturday alongside Clive Tyldesley, who was kind enough to join us before last year’s edition of this marquee fixture. Now Rob stops by to trace how INTER MILAN got here having survived a spectacular FC Barcelona side in the semifinal and major disappointments on multiple fronts as the club chased a treble. Then there’s PSG, the club reborn as a young and hungry force of nature.

And of course, we get Mr. Green’s thoughts on the two unbelievable goalkeepers on show here in what could be a major moment for his tribe:

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LONG READS

⚽︎ In the interest of tooting our own horn, we’ve got the latest edition of our CATHEDRALS series up this week on Bologna’s Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. There are so many layers to this one, and it’s a far different tale from its predecessors that tackled Anfield and Goodison Park.

⚽︎ Barney Ronay weighs in for The Guardian on Saturday’s showpiece, exploring how PSG’s Qatari owners could accomplish their ultimate goal with a team that people actually like.

⚽︎ And if you’re one for the tactical side, Michael Cox digs into the Champions League final Xs and Os for The Athletic.

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MORE MATCHES

GALATASARAY vs ISTANBUL BASAKSEHIR

Fri @ 1pm ET, 6pm UK

There’s not a whole lot riding on this one for Galatasaray, who wrapped up the league title a week ago, but this is a derby in Türkiye’s capital city of Istanbul and Başakşehir need the points to seal up a European place. Plus, it’s a face-off between the league’s two top scorers: Victor Osimhen for Gala, who’s on 25, and Krzysztof Piątek for the visitors, who’s on 21.

UCL FINAL WITH BECKHAM

Sat @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK

If you’re looking for an alternate Champions League final experience, David Beckham’s hosting a watch party with…Tom Cruise?

INTER MIAMI vs COLUMBUS CREW

Sat @ 7:30pm ET, 12:30am UK

This feels like the dog days of summer already, but why not see if Lionel Messi trots out there for Miami against a team two points clear of them in the MLS Eastern Conference?

OLDHAM ATHLETIC vs SOUTHEND UNITED

Sun @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

Here we go, the good stuff. Forget all that business the day before, that’s small potatoes. This is the National League playoff final, and the winner gets a ticket to League Two next season. That’ll put one of these teams on the Wrexham path, except they don’t have Hollywood money and a TV show. What they do have is history: Oldham were founded in 1895, Southend in 1906, and the latter also have a phenomenal nickname: The Shrimpers!

SPEZIA vs CREMONESE

Sun @ 2:30pm ET, 7:30pm UK

Here’s another promotion playoff, this time for a place in Serie A. Cremonese lost this fixture in a heartbreaker last May, a 1-0 defeat to Venezia across two legs, and they’ll hope to exorcise those demons here. The similarities are eerie, though, as the first leg in this tie also finished 0-0 despite Cremonese’s domination of the ball. They had 69% possession and 449 passes to Spezia’s 203, though of their 13 shots, only one was on target. Spezia had just one shot total, but it’s honors even going back to their home ground, the Stadio Alberto Pico.

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GEAR

👕 Look, not everybody has $319 laying around for a football kit, but this Wesley Sneijder Inter away from 2011-12 is just insane. Don’t sleep on the home shirts that year, either, and Classic Football Shirts has Diego Milito for those as well.

👕 While we’re at it with the finalists, can you do better than a Jay-Jay Okocha at PSG? You cannot, though this one will also run you $319. What’s the price of looking good at the watch party, though?⚽︎

IN THIS ISSUE:

EUROPA LEAGUE AUTOPSIES / SERIE A TITLE DECIDERS / WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL / ENGLAND’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RACE / THE SERIE A FRENZY CONTINUES / 2025-26 KIT DROPS

If you watched the Netflix docuseries Sunderland ‘Til I Die, you saw a famous old English club that looked like dying. Two straight relegations for the Black Cats put these giants of the Northeast in a precarious position, and the man often tasked with guiding the viewer through all this tumult and heartbreak was Nick Barnes. As the Sunderland commentator for BBC Newcastle, he calls every game for radio, but he’s also covered this club through thick and thin, many managers and even many owners. He’s seen it all.

And he’ll see one more thing this Saturday, when Sunderland travel to Wembley to face Sheffield United in the Championship playoff final — the $200 million game. Whoever wins will play Premier League football next season and travel to Anfield, Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, the Emirates Stadium. Whoever loses will be back in the Championship, going to Swansea.

Either way, Barnes will be along for the ride. But first he joins The Football Weekend to trace Sunderland’s path to this moment:

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Or check it out on APPLE PODCASTS🍎

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LONG READS

⚽︎ After the glory of Tottenham’s night in Bilbao, The Guardian’s David Hytner reports that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy “faces Postecoglou crunch time.”

⚽︎ As a natural Europa coda, Mark Critchley and Laurie Whitwell take stock of Manchester United for The Athletic.

⚽︎ Also in The Athletic, Nick Miller explores the history of Rory Delap’s (in)famous throw-ins for Stoke City. Prime Barclays.

⚽︎ Crystal Palace are undoubtedly still on cloud nine following FA Cup triumph last weekend, but on Substack in the aftermath, Henry Winter flagged what he considers a disastrous refereeing decision that helped them along the way.

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SERIE A TITLE DECIDERS

Fri @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

Italy has had the common decency to serve up a legit title race when England, Spain, France, and Germany all failed in that endeavor. Much of it has come down to Napoli and Inter dropping a lot of unexpected points, but it’s brought us to a final matchday where the Neapolitans are just one point clear of the Nerazzuri.

They’ll both kick off simultaneously, with NAPOLI vs CAGLIARI and COMO vs INTER, and the signs point to a serious advantage for Antonio Conte’s league leaders.

Not only do they just have to equal Inter’s result, they’re at home against a Cagliari side with very little to play for. Meanwhile, Inter must travel to Como, one of the form teams in the division. (Cesc Fabregas’s outfit are unbeaten in eight matches, and they won six of them.) In the event that Napoli lose and Inter draw, they’ll go to a playoff for the Scudetto, to be played at the San Siro thanks to Inter’s far superior goal difference. Now that would be cinema, as Inter would essentially be playing a second cup final in the space of a few days before they meet PSG in the Champions League final.

ARSENAL WOMEN vs BARCELONA FEMINÍ

Sat @ 12pm ET, 5pm UK

It’s the UEFA Women’s Champions League final, and a taste of what might have been had the men’s semis gone the other way.

Barça Feminí are the powers of Europe, winners of the last two European crowns. They were runners-up the year before, and winners again the year before that. Arsenal are historically the best women’s side in England — though Chelsea have come to the fore in recent years — but they haven’t won this competition since 2007. After finishing second domestically, they won’t want another silver medal here.

ARMINIA BIELEFELD vs STUTTGART

Sat @ 2pm ET, 7pm UK

Here’s an off-beat German Cup final with a rare absence of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen. But it’s not just that: Arminia Bielefield currently play their football in 3. Liga, Germany’s third division. It’s like a League One club making the FA Cup final. Granted, they just won promotion to the 2. Bundesliga by topping the table, but Die Arminen have played teams like SV Waldhof and SpVgg Unterhaching in recent weeks.

That makes Stuttgart firm favorites to take the DFB-Pokal despite a lukewarm season in the Bundesliga. They finished ninth, but they were playing Champions League football just this past fall.

NOTTINGHAM FOREST vs CHELSEA

Sun @ 11am ET, 4pm UK

The Premier League season wraps up with the customary all-at-once final matchday, where every team in the division kicks off simultaneously. This one’s the pick of the bunch, though, because both of these teams are still in with a shot of playing in the Champions League next season. They’re in that scrum of five different sides who still haven’t secured a seat at Europe’s top table, and these two are separated by just one point.

This one is almost impossible to call, because Forest’s home form has been bad (eight points from the last 18 available) and Chelsea’s away form has been worse (four from the last 18). The Blues have been grinding out results recently despite losing their way in this final third of the season, while Forest looked solid for a Champions League place until going off a cliff in the last month.

They’ll be scrapping it out for sure since a point isn’t enough for either one of them, but you might also want to have a look at FULHAM vs MAN CITY or NEWCASTLE vs EVERTON to see how the other Champions League contenders fare. ASTON VILLA are in the mix, too, but they’ve got a relatively easy assignment in a MAN UNITED side who seem completely broken.

THE SERIE A FRENZY CONTINUES

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

Italy really is the gift that keeps on giving, because there are legit Top Four and relegation scraps to go with that title race they’re serving up on the peninsula. Both the capital clubs are still in the mix for the fourth and final Champions League place, and TORINO vs ROMA or LAZIO vs LECCE could well determine how that shakes out. Lecce are also in the relegation mix, only clear of the drop zone on goal difference, so that should be a very spicy affair.

The same goes for VENEZIA vs JUVENTUS, though, where the home side are two points from safety and the visitors are trying to hold onto that last Champions League place. Juve have not always been the most exciting side to watch this season, but it’s a results business.

ATHLETIC CLUB vs BARCELONA

Sun @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK

The stakes are relatively minimal here, as Barcelona have long since wrapped up the league and Athletic Club will be playing Champions League football next season. But this is still first against fourth in La Liga, and it’s one last opportunity to have a look at what this writer humbly submits is the best team in Europe. Barcelona have been scintillating this season, an absolute joy to watch, so if you somehow get bored of the Serie A madness above, this isn’t a bad way to go.

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GEAR

👕 Far be it for me to sing Chelsea’s praises, but this 2025-26 release is a big step up from the chlorinated pool kit that they wore this season.

👕 A Red Star Paris training top by Kappa? Who knew we needed it — but for $39?⚽︎

IN THIS ISSUE:

SEVILLA DOWNFALL / PREMIER LEAGUE FRIDAYS / THE LAST MATCH AT GOODISON PARK / FREIBURG vs FRANKFURT / INTER vs LAZIO / ARSENAL vs NEWCASTLE / 2025-26 KIT DROPS

The FA Cup final is no longer the capstone to the English football season, the last match on the calendar with a weekend all its own. This one will have to share real estate with the Premier League, the promotion playoffs in the Football League, and of course everything going on beyond the shores of Great Britain.

But this remains a showpiece match nonetheless, and this edition has its narratives. There’s MANCHESTER CITY in their third-straight final, looking to salvage something from a season that’s been almost unbelievably poor by Pep Guardiola’s high standards. And then there’s CRYSTAL PALACE, a club without a trophy in its history besides the hardly major Full Members’ Cup. Twice the South Londoners have appeared in this final, and both times the Eagles took the lead. Both times, they ultimately lost to Manchester United.

Now they’ve got a chance at redemption against the other Manchester side, and here to preview it all ahead of kickoff on Saturday (11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK) is Jon Champion, who will be calling the game for ESPN in the United States:

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Or check it out on APPLE PODCASTS🍎

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LONG READS

⚽︎ On Substack, digs into Brighton’s highly successful transfer strategy — and whether it is truly sustainable.

⚽︎ Over in The Athletic, Dermot Corrigan and Guillermo Rai have an astonishing look at the downfall of Sevilla, who sunk from mid-table to near-relegation from La Liga, creating an atmosphere of “fear and terror” around the club.

⚽︎ And in The Guardian, Leander Schaerlaeckens explores how Wrexham’s success proves “that content is now truly king in football.”

⚽︎ More on it below, but Everton (men) will play their last match at Goodison Park this weekend. If you haven’t already, check out The Football Weekend’s feature on this grand old ground!

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PREMIER LEAGUE FRIDAYS

Fri @ 2:30pm ET, 7:30pm UK

There are two juicy matches kicking off Friday that pit contenders for the Champions League places against the two Spiritually Relegated sides. First, it’s ASTON VILLA vs TOTTENHAM, and CHELSEA vs MANCHESTER UNITED kicks off 45 minutes later.

In the first, Villa simply must win to try to leapfrog Chelsea or Man City and get themselves into the Top Five. Spurs will just try to avoid their 21st league defeat of the season, though they’ll have one eye on the Europa League final next Wednesday.

The second is an erstwhile title clash in the Premier League context. United and Chelsea spent most of my football-watching life duking it out for silverware, but now the Blues are just trying to get back to Europe’s top table and the Red Devils are just trying to win a league football match. They’ve taken two points from their last seven matches, losing five of them, but they may have the Europa League on their minds just like Spurs.

WIMBLEDON vs NOTTS COUNTY

Sat @ 7:30am ET, 12:30pm UK

It’s the League Two playoff semifinal second leg between two teams looking to ride a wave of Narrative into League One. We covered all that last week ahead of the first leg, which Wimbledon won 1-0 away at Meadow Lane. Now they’ll welcome the Magpies to Plough Lane — currently d.b.a. Cherry Red Records Stadium — to sort out who’s going to meet the winner of WALSALL vs CHESTERFIELD in the playoff final.

FREIBURG vs EINTRACHT FRANKFURT

Sat @ 9:30am ET, 2:30pm UK

This is fourth hosting third in the Bundesliga, and the home side need a result to secure Champions League football next season. It’s an unlikely state of affairs for Freiburg, who said goodbye to manager Christian Streich last summer after an astonishing 12 year reign. He was a cult figure, a significant force in German football culture, but Julian Schuster has come in to replace him and done the business. If they can equal whatever result Borussia Dortmund get on this, the Bundesliga’s final matchday, they’ll be in the big time next season. If they lose here and Dortmund draw, they’ll be out.

EVERTON vs SOUTHAMPTON

Sun @ 7am ET, 12pm UK

Americans will have to be up early for Everton’s last-ever match at Goodison Park, but it will be well worth it. This is "the last of the great signature old stadiums,” Jon Champion said the last time he joined the podcast, a football cathedral that’s seen everything and traveled through all the eras of the game without losing an ounce of its character. In fact, it’s one of the only stadiums left that’s built in that piecemeal fashion that tells the story of how all those eras unfolded. (You should read our story on Goodison!)

We learned this week that Everton women will continue to use the ground from next season, but the men giving up their home since 1892 is still a major occasion. The only shame is that there isn’t a better opponent for this final day at the Old Lady, though Southampton did battle Manchester City to a draw last week. The Saints celebrated the point like a league title.

AJAX vs TWENTE

Sun @ 8:30am ET, 1:30pm UK

It’s an incredible situation in the Netherlands, where Ajax are hard at work botching the Eredivisie. They were nine points clear at the top, but a string of poor results have allowed PSV back into the title race. Two dropped points in midweek against Gronigen saw Ajax slip a point behind their rivals heading into this final matchday, when the Amsterdam outfit will need a better result against fifth-place Twente than PSV get against Sparta Rotterdam if they’re to rescue their dignity here. The signs on Wednesday were not good: Gronigen snatched an equalizer in the 99th minute as Ajax crumbled.

INTER vs LAZIO

Sun @ 9am ET, 2pm UK

It was a treble campaign for Inter, then it looked like a trophyless one, and now they’re once again trundling towards two trophies. The strain on the Nerazzuri squad has shown over the last month, but they survived Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals and they’ve just about stuck around in the Serie A title race. They’re one point short of Napoli at the top of the table with two matches to go, and the first is against a team with everything of their own to play for.

Lazio are even on points with Juventus, who are still holding onto the fourth and final Champions League spot in Italy. Their goal difference is seven worse, so they’ll likely need to beat Juve out on points. They need to go to the San Siro and get something, which could mean there are plenty of goals in this one.

ARSENAL vs NEWCASTLE

Sun @ 11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK

This has quietly developed into one of England’s more bitter encounters. There’s some sort of cultural rivalry here, a genuine resentment between the cosmopolitans of North London and the traditionalists of the Northeast. That’s simplistic, maybe, but here’s something simpler: Arsenal and Newcastle do not like each other, and now they’re second and third in the Premier League with two matches to go.

Having at one point flirted with a title race, the hosts here are on 68 points, just two clear of Newcastle. The Magpies would relish the chance to hop over the Arsenal into second, and they proved in the League Cup semifinal that they’re more than capable of punishing the Gunners when they’re not at it. Alexander Isak is a particular threat here: his movement bewitched the Arsenal centerbacks in that semifinal. Now Gabriel is now out for the season, and William Saliba has not been in his best form over the last few weeks. I will be triple-captaining Isak in Fantasy Premier League as an emotional hedge.

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GEAR

👕 Is this Juventus 2025-26 home kit sacrilege? Adidas and the Torino outfit have been experimenting with the famous black-and-white stripes for some time now. Is this a welcome innovation? You can vote with your wallet. And how about those Adidas Arsenal kits for next year that dropped Thursday?

👕 When the sponsor makes the shirt. To be fair, there’s a lot to like about this 2023-24 Chiangrai United home kit, not least that you’re probably the only one you know who will have it. Also, $22.99 ain’t half bad! But if you’re looking for a more low-key off-beat kit deal, try this one from Club Brugge or that one from Dinamo Zagreb.⚽︎

IN THIS ISSUE:

KDB TO LIVERPOOL? / CHAMPIONSHIP PROMOTION PLAYOFFS / CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIERS IN ITALY, GERMANY & ENGLAND / LIVERPOOL vs ARSENAL / AN ASTON VILLA KIT FOR THE AGES

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It’s a game that needs no introduction, but there’s plenty of narrative coming into this one. BARCELONA just lost the greatest cup tie of all time to Inter Milan in a Champions League semifinal. REAL MADRID are enduring a horror season by their standards, culminating with a Copa del Rey final defeat to their Catalan enemies that had them going ballistic on the referee.

That makes the two contestants in El Clásico a pair of wounded animals, though Barcelona have the consolation of that cup final victory and a very good chance to wrap up La Liga with a win here. Madrid have no such comfort, and all they can do is beat their greatest rivals to keep the title race alive. Which of these two can shake off the emotional baggage in time to win the biggest match in club football?

Here to help us answer that question ahead of kickoff on Sunday (10:15am ET, 3:15pm UK) is Dan Hilton of The Barcelona Podcast:

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Or check it out on APPLE PODCASTS🍎

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LONG READS

⚽︎ The Athletic’s Andy Mitten has a new interview with Xavi Hernández ticking through his phenomenal playing career and (perhaps) his future.

⚽︎ On Substack, Paul Tomkins has a (somewhat audacious) meditation on how Liverpool could sign soon-to-be-free agent Kevin De Bruyne.

⚽︎ The one and only has a video reaction to Barcelona’s defeat in Milan here on Substack, talking Spanish football as only he can.

⚽︎ It’s obvious that the Club World Cup will be a disaster for player welfare, but The Athletic’s Philip Buckingham and Eduardo Tansley take a more thorough look at the details.

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COVENTRY CITY vs SUNDERLAND

Fri @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK

The Championship playoffs have arrived, and this is the pick of the two semifinals. Neither of these two have played a Premier League match in quite some time, though Coventry did get close when they made the playoff final two years ago.

The Sky Blues have been out of the first division since 2001, and just getting to this point this season constitutes a remarkable turnaround for the West Midlands outfit. They were 17th and two points above the relegation zone when Frank Lampard was appointed in November, and it’s a redemption story for the Chelsea legend, too. His time in management before this was hardly stellar. If he can engineer promotion for a modest club first formed as Singers F.C. in 1883, it could change the whole face of his post-playing career.

For Sunderland, it’s a slightly different story. This is a massive club, one of the powers of the Northeast with a 49,000-seat stadium, but they’ve been laid unacceptably low in recent years by poor management from the board level down. Back-to-back relegations that sent them from the Premier League to League One made for a great television series, but it was not a good time for their incredibly devoted fans. Can manager Régis Le Bris bring them back to the promised land? They’ll first have to shake off their recent form: five straight defeats.

LAZIO vs JUVENTUS

Sat @ 12pm ET, 5pm UK

It’s a bit of a rough Saturday as far as enthralling fixtures, but this one is a doozy. These two teams are in the heat of battle for a Champions League spot — with Roma and Bologna also in the mix — and there are only two matches left in Serie A after this weekend. Juventus battled to a draw in Bologna last week to keep hold of the fourth and final UCL spot, and they might just settle for the same result here considering that Roma must travel to Atalanta this weekend and Bologna go to Milan. But it’s a risk, and Lazio will be gunning for it all here. They could deal Juve a decisive blow with home victory at the Stadio Olimpico.

NOTTS COUNTY vs AFC WIMBLEDON

Sat @ 3pm ET, 8pm UK

Did we say it’s a rough Saturday? Because League Two is riding to the rescue. This is another promotion semifinal, and the stories around it are tasty.

Notts County is the oldest professional football club in the world, the team that gave Juventus their black-and-white stripes, but they’ve been mired in the lower leagues since relegation from the old First Division in 1992 — just in time to miss out on the newly formed Premier League. Six years ago, they lost their place in the Football League altogether. They won it back in 2023, winning promotion and coming up with Wrexham, another ancient club, and they’ve since had to watch the Red Dragons climb up the divisions and leave them in the dust. Here’s an opportunity to join them on the ladder.

For Wimbledon, it’s a freighted opportunity for different reasons. This club was formed in 2002 after the original Wimbledon F.C. was spirited away to Milton Keynes by new ownership, a landmark betrayal in the eyes of many football fans across England. Both clubs are in League Two now, though M.K. Dons — the rebranded Wimbledon — had a poor season down in 19th place, just barely avoiding relegation from the Football League. This is a chance for the True Dons to leave what they view as the imposters behind and start climbing up the English pyramid.

NEWCASTLE vs CHELSEA

Sun @ 7am ET, 12pm UK

Through some sort of British broadcasting caper, this one kicks off quite early on Sunday, but it’s not one to miss. It’s a playoff for a Champions League place, fourth against fifth in the Premier League, as two of the five teams in the mix for a spot at Europe’s top table next season lock horns. Victory for either side will get them to the brink of qualification, while defeat could send them spinning towards the Europa League — or worse — if Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa get results this weekend.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN vs BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Sun @ 9:30am ET, 2:30pm UK

There’s not a whole lot riding on this one for Leverkusen, who’ve been well-beaten to the Bundesliga title by Bayern Munich this season. For Dortmund, though, everything is on the line. After a very poor campaign by very high black-and-yellow standards, they’re still in with a shot of qualifying for next year’s Champions League if they can take one more point than Freiburg across the final two matches of the season. This will be the big test, but Dortmund are all of a sudden the form team in Germany, taking 16 of the last 18 points available. It would be a Great Escape of sorts for Niko Kovač and his team.

LIVERPOOL vs ARSENAL

Sun @ 11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK

You may have noticed that a lot of the good matches are packed into a few hours Sunday morning, what with the Clásico kicking off an hour and change before this one. The stakes here are considerably lower, what with Arsenal having more or less folded in the league a couple of months ago, but this is still first against second and the visitors actually need a win. The North London side’s form in the Premier League has been diabolical recently, so much so that Man City have snuck up to within three points of them. Mikel Arteta will not want to relinquish second place and create an even crueler summer to come.

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GEAR

👕 When Cult Kits posted this one on Thursday, I knew what had to be done. £175 is no joke, and yet: could anyone — Aston Villa fan or not — resist this 1993-95 beauty?

👕 In the spirit of balance, we’ll put this Eibar 2024-25 warmup top in with the pricy-ish option above. For $23, you can land a one-of-a-kind design featuring a tiny Basque town’s skyline.⚽︎