Soccer

6:00 AM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani has submitted an improved bid to buy Manchester United, sources have told ESPN. The Qatari banker was due to make his second offer ahead of Raine Group’s 9 p.m. UK deadline on Wednesday before all bidders were given additional time. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga,

10:00 AM ET Qualify for 2022, make a run in 2026. I feel like I wrote that many times regarding the United States men’s national team during the previous World Cup qualification process. With more major-club talent and more youth than ever, the U.S. seemed in a position to maintain the same roster core over

6:00 AM ET Sid LoweSpain writer Luis de la Fuente took over from Luis Enrique as Spain manager in December. Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images “I don’t drink, so I was perfectly sober,” Spain boss Luis de la Fuente insisted, and everybody laughed. It was a pretty funny thing for an international coach to say;

5:54 PM ET Bayern Munich have sacked manager Julian Nagelsmann, according to multiple reports. The news was first reported by Fabrizio Romano, who added that Bayern are set to bring in former Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel as his replacement. The Bundesliga giants hired Nagelsmann away from RB Leipzig in April of 2021 to replace the

6:33 PM ET Striker Folarin Balogun is in Florida this week amid a serious push from U.S. Soccer for him to switch his international allegiance from England to the United States, sources told ESPN. Sources added that Balogun has met with the USMNT, who had been training in Florida preparing for Nations League matches at

5:30 AM ET New France captain Kylian Mbappe is eager to take advantage of this huge opportunity. FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images The contrast between the facial expressions and body language of France teammates Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann over the past two days could not have been bigger. Mbappe, who was named the new France

7:16 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Bidders for Manchester United have been given extra time to make their offers, sources have told ESPN. The Raine Group, the merchant bank handling the process for current owners the Glazer family, initially set a deadline of 9 p.m. UK time Wednesday for second bids. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga,

4:24 PM ET Barcelona are cruising to victory in LaLiga, but have very good reasons to feel pessimistic about the future. They’re not alone, either. Alex Caparros/Getty Images It’s one of the odd things at the top of European football this year: very few clubs (or their fan bases) can look at their current situation, conclude

4:30 AM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent There’s a simple explanation for Raheem Sterling’s absence with England: he’s not fit. Julian Finney/Getty Images Raheem Sterling hasn’t been selected for the latest England squad for games against Italy and Ukraine, but only because Gareth Southgate didn’t have a choice. “Raheem is not fit,” said the England manager ahead of

6:00 AM ET The 2022 World Cup is now in the rear-view mirror, with national teams using this week’s international fixtures to focus on the challenges ahead, including continental qualifiers and the long build-up to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) For

5:45 PM ET Jon Arnold Bazan tends to the coals at an Orlando City SC preseason asado. Courtesy of Orlando City SC There is magic in the smoked meat. At least, that’s what Josema Bazan believes. Get a team of soccer players together at any point during the week and you can bet they’ll talk shop,

7:33 AM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent A consortium led by Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani will make an improved bid to buy Manchester United on Wednesday, sources have told ESPN. The offer, which follows a 10-hour meeting held with the club last Thursday, will be submitted to Raine Group before the 9 p.m. UK

5:00 AM ET Barcelona‘s 2-1 win in El Clasico confirmed that Real Madrid have a host of serious problems over and above the 12-point gap which has now opened at the top of LaLiga. The reigning champions’ defeat at Camp Nou, even though it was only the length of an eyebrow which ruled Marco Asensio‘s

6:07 PM ET Ryan Rosenblatt Thiago Almada scored a goal of the season candidate with a sensational free kick from 30-plus yards out on Saturday against Portland. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports Are we finally getting an idea for how the field of MLS teams stack up? It sure feels like it as sides find their footing,

7:00 AM ET If Tottenham Hotspur are serious about challenging for trophies and ridding the club, once and for all, of its reputation for promising much but delivering nothing, chairman Daniel Levy should respond to manager Antonio Conte’s remarkable postmatch rant at Southampton by offering him a new long-term contract. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga,

9:22 PM ET Another weekend of European football is in the books and, once again, there was drama across the board. Fulham turned a one-goal lead into a red-tinted calamity at Manchester United in the FA Cup, while Bayern Munich slipped up to let Borussia Dortmund take the lead in the Bundesliga title race. Elsewhere,

6:45 PM ET Franck Kessie scored a stoppage-time winner as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-1 at Camp Nou on Sunday to edge closer to a first LaLiga title since 2019. Kessie turned home at the far post after good work from Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Balde to allow Barca to open up a 12-point lead

12:23 PM ET Man City thrashed Burnley on Saturday while Man United must beat Fulham to reach the FA Cup semifinals. Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images Manchester United could face Manchester City in the FA Cup final after the rival clubs avoided each other in the semifinal draw on Sunday. United face Fulham in