Congrats on making it to another Friday! Mike Goodman here, and we’ve got more soccer than you could possibly know what to do with following the return of Champions League and Europa League action midweek. The Premier League title race seems wide open and the schedule shows no signs of slowing down. Let’s get you set for the weekend.
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📺 Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network games
All times U.S./Eastern.
🇮🇹 Top Serie A games
⚽ Sassuolo vs. Napoli, Friday, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
⚽ Inter vs. Udinese, Saturday, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
⚽ Spezia vs. Juventus, Sunday, 12 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇦🇷 Top games from Argentina
⚽ Tigre vs, River Plate, Saturday, 4 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
⚽ Boca Juniors vs. Club Atletico Platense, Sunday, 5:15 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🏴 Arnold Clark Cup
⚽ England vs. Italy, Sunday, 10:15 a.m. ET ➡️ Paramount+
⚽ Belgium vs. South Korea, Sunday, 1:15 p.m. ET ➡️ Paramount+
📺 Elsewhere …
⚽ EPL: Aston Villa vs. Arsenal, Saturday, 7:30 a.m.
⚽ EPL: Newcastle vs. Liverpool, Saturday,12:30 p.m.
⚽ Ligue 1: PSG vs. Lille, Sunday, 7 a.m.
⚽ SheBelievesCup: USWNT vs. Japan, Sunday, 3:30 p.m.
⚽ SheBelievesCup: Brazil vs. Canada, Sunday, 6:30 p.m.
⚽ The Forward Line
📝 UCL lessons: Chelsea, Milan turning it around
🔵⚪️ Chelsea: They may be mired in midtable in Premier League play, but Chelsea are finally starting to look a little better — not that you’d know it from their results and lack of scoring. Even in the Champions League loss at Borussia Dortmund midweek, there were signs of life from the Blues, specifically their attack is figuring things out as James Benge writes.
- Benge: “Amid the rubble of what may be an early exit from the last competition Chelsea can win, the first green shoots might be emerging. Graham Potter’s side still cannot reliably pass football 101 — kick ball into goal — but they are getting closer to a passing grade. Wednesday’s 1-0 loss at Borussia Dortmund saw them register 2.1 non-penalty expected goals (npxG), their joint-second highest return of the season. Only in a 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb back in November did they have a higher npxG or more total shots than the 21 they took on Gregor Kobel’s goal. Joao Felix’s impact has been immediate and profound; he led his side with eight progressive carries, five completed take ons (almost half of the 11 Chelsea mustered) and his six shot creating actions were only bettered by Hakim Ziyech, who seems more than comfortable in a supporting role. It all looks elegant enough but you cannot help but feel that Potter’s Champions League squad — which did not have room for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — is light that one player with true striker’s instincts, the player who might be on hand when the ball is slaloming round the box after a corner who would be waiting for five rebounds that might never come.”
🔴⚫️ AC Milan: After a disastrous month and a half, Milan are also showing signs of life. If Chelsea’s attack is what might revive them, for Milan, it’s the defense, which was on display in a 1-0 win at the San Siro over Tottenham:
- Benge: “One might simply apply the great Sir Alex Fergusonism to Tuesday’s Champions League match: ‘Lads it’s Tottenham.’ and certainly if any side were coming into the Champions League with as many immediate questions hanging over them as Milan, it was Spurs. But Harry Kane and company are nothing if not adept at exploiting to the maximum every mistake their opponents make. Crucially, the defenders in red and black did not make many and a defense with all the rigidity of a cardboard colander held on for a 1-0 win that puts them in control of the tie. The attack needs sparking into gear, but after their early year struggles Pioli’s first task was to mend the creaking chassis of this side. Milan’s first knockout stage win in the Champions League for nine years was a sign the head coach has done that. He has earned the time to try again.”
Make sure to check out more of what we learned from the week in Europe as we head into this weekend’s domestic action.
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PSG and Neymar’s poker face
Neymar likes poker. His manager Christophe Galtier does not like his star player playing poker. Soon after PSG’s Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, Kylian Mbappe told reporters they need to be “eating well and sleeping well” to have a shot in the second leg. Soon after PSG’s Champions League loss to Bayern, photos surfaced of the Brazilian star playing poker and at a fast food establishment that shall remain nameless.
Galtier had this to say about it: “I spoke with Neymar and I told him what I thought. He has the right to play poker on his day off — he loves it. I told him what I thought of the photo which came out, though. That is absolutely clear.
“What Kylian said in the mixed zone post-game is exactly what he said in the locker room. They were words of great maturity to make sure that everybody stays mobilized. They were welcome. I will not associate Kylian’s words with the picture of Neymar in a fast food chain.”
Never a dull moment in Paris. And now let’s get to some links:
🔗 Thierry Henry addresses the USMNT coaching vacancy, says he wants to ‘have a crack again’ as a head coach
🔗 Man City regained favorite status in the Premier League title race, but lingering left back questions remain.
🔗 The USWNT launched their SheBelieves Cup campaign with an authoritative 2-0 win over Canada.
🔗 Manchester United draw with Barcelona at Camp Nou showed off Marcus Rashford’s terrific form.
🔗 House of Champions: The crew previews all the weekend’s biggest action.
🔗 In Soccer We Trust: Marsch to Southampton is off, and Pulisic to Atletico Madrid rumors are on.
🔗 Juventus had a handball call not go their way in the Europa League; referee Christina Unkel explains the missed call.
🔗 A breathtaking tifo in Turkiye honored the victims of the nation’s tragic earthquake.
🔗 The AFC Champions League is back in action on Sunday — catch all of the West Region knockout rounds on Paramount+.
🔗 And remember, all of your soccer needs — from Champions League to Serie A to NWSL and so much more — are available on Paramount+. You can try one month free by using the code: ADVANCE.
💵 Best bets
All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook and all times U.S./Eastern.
- Premier League: Everton vs. Leeds, Saturday, 10 a.m.
💰 THE PICK: Under 2.5 goals (-135) — Sean Dyche versus the gang that can’t shoot straight. This is a matchup that could in theory go for 300 minutes without finding the back of the net three times. Leeds need teams to take chances so they can exploit opponent’s aggression. Dyche teams don’t take chances. Follow SportsLine’s best soccer bets here. - Premier League: Newcastle vs. Liverpool, Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Newcastle (+150) — By the numbers Newcastle have been the third best team in the Premier League. Doesnt matter which numbers. Fancy numbers, normal numbers, the table, they all agree that Newcastle have been better than Liverpool by a healthy margin. And yet, look at the price you can get. It’s enough to make me doubt myself a bit, but not so much I wouldn’t take it. Follow SportsLine’s picks for this matchup here.