Happy Friday! The international break for men`s football is over, and club teams are officially back in action with a series of exciting weekend matches, perfectly timed to lead into next week`s UEFA Champions League. This is Pardeep Cattry with your end-of-week football update.
๐บ Weekend Football Schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
Friday, Sept. 12
- ๐ฉ๐ช Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2
- ๐บ๐ธ NWSL: San Diego Wave vs. Gotham FC, 10 p.m. on Amazon Prime Video
Saturday, Sept. 13
- ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ EPL: Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest, 7:30 a.m. on USA Network
- ๐ช๐ธ LaLiga: Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid, 10:15 a.m. on ESPN+
- ๐ฎ๐น Serie A: Juventus vs. Inter, 12 p.m. on Paramount+
- ๐ฉ๐ช Bundesliga: Bayern Munich vs. Hamburg, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- ๐บ๐ธ NWSL: North Carolina Courage vs. Angel City, 12:30 p.m. on CBS, Paramount+
- ๐บ๐ธ MLS: San Jose Earthquakes vs. LAFC, 8:30 p.m. on MLS Season Pass
- ๐ฒ๐ฝ Liga MX: Club America vs. Guadalajara, 11:15 p.m. on Paramount+
Sunday, Sept. 14
- ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ EPL: Manchester City vs. Manchester United, 11:30 a.m. on Peacock
- ๐ฎ๐น Serie A: AC Milan vs. Bologna, 2:45 p.m. on Paramount+
- ๐ช๐ธ LaLiga: Barcelona vs. Valencia, 3 p.m. on ESPN
- ๐บ๐ธ NWSL: Chicago Stars vs. Portland Thorns, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
โฝ A Tale of Two Manchester Teams
This weekend promises significant footballing drama across Europe`s top leagues, with the Manchester Derby arguably the highlight. Manchester United`s visit to Manchester City will conclude Sunday`s Premier League action.
While City and United pursue different objectives this season, they share surprising commonalities as they head into this derby. Both clubs are navigating a period of transition following substantial summer spending. City`s late transfer window acquisition of Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain is a notable example. Donnarumma is expected to challenge for the starting goalkeeper spot for the derby, although James Trafford, another recent signing, began the season as the first choice. Trafford, who impressed with Burnley, initially edged out Ederson but has shown some early season vulnerability, suggesting he might be better suited as Donnarumma`s understudy. Donnarumma views this internal competition positively:
Donnarumma stated: “I`m happy because competition is beneficial for everyone. I look forward to meeting James and my new teammates. We must be a strong, united group, caring for each other โ that`s the key to success. Together, we can achieve great things. For a player, succeeding in the Premier League is the pinnacle of a career, so I`m thrilled to be here. I`m eager to play for this club, which has shown great effort to sign me, and I hope to repay that trust.”
The goalkeeper position is not the only lineup dilemma for Sunday. Neither Pep Guardiola nor Ruben Amorim has fully settled on the optimal configuration for their revitalized squads. City`s manager, Guardiola, faces further challenges due to injuries to Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush. Rodri`s return to the starting lineup after an ACL injury last year didn`t immediately resolve their issues, as evidenced by their defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur prior to the international break. In these matches, City`s attack lacked potency, struggling to find rhythm and highlighting areas for significant improvement.
A match against United could be an opportune moment for City to address these issues, despite the Red Devils currently being one point ahead. While United is undergoing a rebuilding phase under Amorim`s tactical vision, their results have been mixed. They secured a narrow 3-2 victory over Burnley before the break and, despite some praise for their performance in a 1-0 loss to Arsenal, their attacking approach prioritized quantity of shots over quality. Furthermore, their defense remains a potential weakness. United will also feature a relatively new goalkeeper in Altay Bayindir, who stepped into the role at the start of the season following Andre Onana`s recent loan move to Trabzonspor.
๐ช๐บ Champions League on the Horizon
This weekend`s domestic matches will also serve as a prelude to the UEFA Champions League, with the group stage officially commencing on Tuesday, kicking off a three-day schedule of fixtures.
Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain anticipate a relatively straightforward Ligue 1 encounter against Lens on Sunday. However, their Champions League title defense is far from simple. They will host Atalanta on Matchday 1, followed by a demanding test on Matchday 2 at Barcelona. Subsequent fixtures against Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United could heavily influence their progress in the group stage. Adding to their challenges, PSG will be without Ballon d`Or nominees Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue for several weeks due to injuries, which the club attributes to the France national team.
Meanwhile, Barcelona will face Valencia before starting their Champions League journey against Newcastle. Last season`s semifinalists are entering the European competition as bookmakers` favorites to win the entire tournament, reflecting the significant turnaround achieved by their domestic double-winning side, led by Lamine Yamal. Rivals Real Madrid are also strong contenders as manager Xabi Alonso continues his successful first season, adeptly balancing a talented but previously lopsided squad. They will meet Marseille after their weekend clash with Real Sociedad.
Other leading contenders for the Champions League title, according to oddsmakers, include Liverpool and Arsenal. Liverpool aims to make amends for an early exit last season against PSG. Arsenal, for their part, reached the semifinals for the first time in nearly two decades before also falling to the eventual champions. Liverpool has a favorable weekend match against Burnley before their midweek fixture against Atletico Madrid, currently considered a mid-tier Champions League side. Arsenal will play Nottingham Forest on Saturday before preparing for their Champions League opener against Athletic Bilbao, who reached the Europa League semifinals last season before being eliminated by Manchester United.
๐ Top Football News
- World Cup Ticketing Concerns: New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani launched the “Game Over Greed” campaign, advocating for substantial changes to FIFA`s ticketing policy to improve affordability for fans.
- Chelsea`s Breaches: Chelsea faced 74 charges from the FA regarding agent rules violations between 2009 and 2022, self-reporting their conduct during Roman Abramovich`s ownership.
- World Cup Player Watch: The latest USMNT player assessment shows positive developments for Folarin Balogun but less favorable news for Josh Sargent. Germany and Italy have also raised concerns on the “World Cup panic meter” after recent inconsistent international performances.
- Italian Football Insights: AC Milan`s summer squad overhaul might benefit Christian Pulisic. Meanwhile, Udinese sporting director Gokhan Inler is focused on building a team capable of challenging for the Serie A title.
- NWSL Power Rankings: Gotham FC is on an upward trajectory after welcoming Jaedyn Shaw, but Angel City faces challenges following the loss of Alyssa Thomspon.
- PSG`s UCL Title Defense: Paris Saint-Germain`s impressive run to their first-ever Champions League title positions them well for a strong defense, despite a demanding group stage schedule and recent injuries.
๐ฐ Betting Analysis
Best Bets
Premier League: Arsenal vs. Nottingham Forest, Saturday, 7:30 a.m.
๐ฐ THE PICK: Arsenal to win 1-0 (+650) โ The Premier League weekend kicks off with an intriguing match following Nottingham Forest`s managerial change, with Ange Postecoglou replacing Nuno Espirito Santo. Postecoglou is known for his attacking philosophy, showcased during his tenure at Tottenham Hotspur, but implementing it effectively for his first game, especially against a defensively strong Arsenal, could be challenging. Given Postecoglou`s track record of never beating Arsenal, a routine home victory for the Gunners is anticipated.
๐บ CBS Sports Golazo Network Programming
- Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): This flagship morning show helps fans start their day with highlights, interviews, and major soccer storylines. Also available as a podcast.
- Attacking Third (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday): The leading women`s soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. Covering the USWNT, NWSL, and European domestic season, with Sunday live streams on YouTube after the last NWSL game.
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- Scoreline (Daily): The newest destination for global football news, results, match highlights, and all the day`s essential goals, airing seven days a week.
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