Leagues

Open Extended Reactions It shouldn’t be that difficult. Real Madrid are the world’s most successful club, the reigning LaLiga and European champions. Vinícius Júnior is one of their brightest stars, last year’s Ballon d’Or runner-up and FIFA’s The Best winner. His goals helped Madrid win two of the last three Champions League finals. So why

Open Extended Reactions The path to the 2025 Champions League final is now mapped out following Friday’s draw for the round of 16, and there will be some titanic clashes on the way to the showpiece game in Munich on May 31. Defending champions Real Madrid, Premier League leaders Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal must

Sam MarsdenFeb 21, 2025, 06:20 AM ET Email Print Open Extended Reactions Liverpool have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16, while holders Real Madrid face local rivals Atlético Madrid. Elsewhere in Friday’s draw, there will be an all-German tie as Bayern Munich meet Bayer Leverkusen, while Arsenal will take

Jeff CarlisleFeb 21, 2025, 12:23 AM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions United States women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes said she felt “pride” at Catarina Macario’s return to the USWNT, one that the Chelsea forward celebrated with a goal in a 2-0

Jeff CarlisleFeb 20, 2025, 11:04 PM ET Close Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Open Extended Reactions Since the start of the year, there had been a lot of talk about head coach Emma Hayes’ desire to “bridge the gap” within the U.S. women’s national team. The first tier

Associated Press Feb 20, 2025, 07:17 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer has a broken right thumb ahead of key games in Serie A and the Champions League. Inter said the Swiss ‘keeper’s injury was revealed in tests on Thursday and “necessary therapy will be decided in the coming days.” Thumb

Lizzy Becherano Feb 20, 2025, 10:41 AM ET FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Inter Miami‘s 2024 season came to an abrupt end with elimination in the first round of the MLS playoffs, but the team had reasons to be optimistic about the future. The Herons had just lifted the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, set the league record

Feb 20, 2025, 10:50 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Spanish referee José Luis Munuera Montero has been cleared of any wrongdoing after the country’s football federation (RFEF) looked into a possible conflict of interest between his refereeing and a private sports consultancy company that he co-owns. The RFEF released a statement on Thursday that said

Open Extended Reactions Christian Pulisic has denied there is a rift between himself and AC Milan head coach Sérgio Conceição after reports emerged that he had demanded to leave the club should the Portuguese manager remain next season. Italian media claimed on Thursday that Pulisic and midfielder Youssouf Fofana had irreparably fallen out with Conceição

ESPN News Services Feb 20, 2025, 07:36 AM ET Luis Rubiales has been found guilty of kissing Jenni Hermoso without her consent after the 2023 World Cup final. OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images Former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales was found guilty of sexually assaulting player Jenni Hermoso on Thursday for kissing her without

Feb 20, 2025, 05:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 27.7% purchase of a minority stake in Manchester United — a deal that gave Britain’s richest person control of football operations at the Premier League‘s most successful club — but it has been a turbulent 12 months

Open Extended Reactions Pep Guardiola said Manchester City must now fight to qualify for next season’s Champions League after Kylian Mbappé‘s hat trick for Real Madrid sent the Premier League champions crashing out of the competition before the Round of 16. The elimination at the hands of holders Madrid ensured that former Barcelona and Bayern

Lizzy Becherano Feb 19, 2025, 11:22 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Inter Miami CF head coach Javier Mascherano labeled the conditions as “inhumane” after the team triumphed 1-0 over Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup first round at Children’s Mercy Park in freezing temperatures. “I’m very proud because I

Feb 19, 2025, 06:36 PM ET Open Extended Reactions MADRID, Spain — Kylian Mbappé sealed Real Madrid‘s 6-3 aggregate victory over Manchester City with a hat trick at the Santiago Bernabéu as the reigning European champions booked their place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Real, seeking their sixteenth Champions League title, went

ESPN Feb 19, 2025, 05:41 PM ET Email Print Open Extended Reactions Wednesday marks the second and final day of the knockout phase playoff second legs for the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season. Europe’s premier club competition is now whittling down teams as the round of 16 awaits the winners. Enjoy the play-by-play from all

Open Extended Reactions Pulisic is one of Milan’s best players this season, but in the wake of a midseason coaching change and a UEFA Champions League exit, he’s having to prove himself all over again. ESPN Illustration MILAN, Italy — Once again, Christian Pulisic finds himself with something to prove at AC Milan. Maybe it shouldn’t

Open Extended Reactions Paris FC’s new home will be across the street from Paris Saint-Germain’s Parc des Princes. GERARD JULIEN/AFP Reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain are to have new next-door neighbours as of next season following last week’s announcement that uber-trendy Ligue 2 side Paris FC are moving into the Stade Jean-Bouin, situated almost literally

Open Extended Reactions Jude Bellingham has been handed a two-game ban after his red card in Real Madrid‘s 1-1 LaLiga draw at Osasuna on Saturday was upheld by the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee. Madrid will appeal the decision that sees the England international banned for the LaLiga games against Girona and Real Betis. Referee

Adriana Garcia Feb 19, 2025, 05:09 AM ET Open Extended Reactions AC Milan senior advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic has defended his club’s transfer policy after the Rossoneri‘s disappointing exit from the Champions League on Tuesday. Needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit from their playoff opening leg, 10-man Milan drew 1-1 at home to Feyenoord, meaning they

Feb 18, 2025, 11:30 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said his striker Ademola Lookman is “one of the worst penalty takers he has ever seen” after his miss from the spot hindered a comeback in their home 3-1 defeat to Club Brugge in the Champions League on Tuesday. Lookman pulled