Soccer

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

10:16 AM ET Alex Kirkland Sam Marsden Barcelona emerged victorious two weeks ago when the Catalans met Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinals. Ruben Albarran/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images We’re little more than 24 hours away from a Clasico that stands to have considerable implications on this season’s LaLiga title race. Barcelona lead Real

4:00 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Erling Haaland scored another hat trick as Manchester City thrashed Burnley 6-0 in the FA Cup, booking a spot in the competition’s semifinals for the fifth-straight season. Pep Guardiola’s Man City team made it 13 goals in two games after their 7-0 demolition of RB Leipzig in the Champions League

10:12 AM ET Sid LoweSpain writer Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are on the wrong side of 30, yet their impressive play is keeping expensive young midfielders out of Real Madrid’s starting XI. Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images Two old guys sit on a bench and quietly watch the world go by. They’re tired, their bodies

12:32 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent Erik ten Hag has confirmed he met potential Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe on Friday during the British billionaire’s talks to buy the club. Ratcliffe and other members of his consortium met United CEO Richard Arnold at Old Trafford on Friday morning before touring the Carrington training base. –

7:26 AM ET Holders Real Madrid have been drawn to face Chelsea in the Champions League quarterfinals, while Manchester City will play Bayern Munich. The winner of those two ties will face each other in the semifinals, which were also drawn on Friday in Nyon, Switzerland. – Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)– Manchester

9:00 AM ET LONDON — Christian Pulisic is as committed and passionate about the U.S. men’s team immediately focusing on winning the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico and Canada, as he was determined to drive the rebuild after Bruce Arena’s squad failed to qualify for Russia 2018. It was a promise on which Pulisic

6:51 PM ET Sporting CP beat Arsenal in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw at the Emirates on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League round-of-16 tie to advance to the quarterfinals. The tie was level on aggregate after this past Thursday’s 2-2 draw in Lisbon and Granit Xhaka struck in the