It’s been almost a full year since we saw a USMNT with European-based talent defeat Cuba 4-0 to advance to the Nations League Final Round — although a largely domestic-based squad defeated Costa Rica back in February — but the U.S. is finally able to welcome its Yanks Abroad back into the fold for a pair of November friendlies against Wales in Swansea and Panama in Austria.
In all honesty, we’ve only just begun to see the torrential number of ways in which COVID-19 can disrupt football in a purely sporting sense.
Major League Soccer’s regular season has been severely disrupted by the pandemic with a logjam of postponed matches that can no longer be completed before the start of the playoffs, forcing qualification to be determined on a points-per-game basis rather than the final standings.
Julian Nagelsmann and first-place RB Leipzig will head to North Rhine-Westphalia to take on Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday.
The UEFA Champions League (UCL) brings out a variety of emotions when you’re a spectator or player, varying from anger, frustration, anxiety and excitement for 90 minutes. The last Champions League was one that will be forever historic in the hearts of football fans.
Every year there is that one team that captures the hearts of the football world. Everyone truly loves an underdog story. Let's take a look at some considered to be dark horses that could possibly make some major noise.
The FA Cup just finished the final round of qualifying over the weekend, and we now know which 32 non-league sides will be joining the 92 Football League clubs to compete in the 140th iteration of football's most storied competition.
The cup was first contested in 1871-72 with Wanderers defeating Royal Engineers in the final. The competition now encompasses the top 10 divisions of English football with the final played in the 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in London.
Juventus should not require a slap to wake up even if the atmosphere at grounds is soporific, coach Andrea Pirlo said after the Serie A champions stumbled to a 1-1 draw against Verona on Sunday.
Pirlo said he could understand players might be influenced by appearing in near-empty stadiums during the COVID-19 pandemic but added that it was something they would have to adapt to.
The first Clásico of the 2020-21 season comes thundering into our living rooms on Saturday as Lionel Messi — perhaps for the final time — welcomes Real Madrid to the Camp Nou at 10 a.m. ET on beIN SPORTS. So how about an El Clásico prediction before then?
Honestly, I’d rather not.
Edinson Cavani's hopes of making his Manchester United debut against former club Paris St Germain in the Champions League were dashed after the Uruguayan striker was left out of the traveling squad on Monday.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed Cavani as well as captain Harry Maguire, Mason Greenwood, Eric Bailly and Jesse Lingard have missed the trip to the French capital for Tuesday's opening group stage match. Solskjaer confirmed Cavani still needs to work on his fitness levels, while Maguire has sustained a minor knock.
Inter Milan are facing a difficult build up to their Serie A meeting against neighbors AC Milan on Saturday with six players sidelined through COVID-19 and others returning from a hectic seven days of international football.
Both teams are unbeaten so far and have suggested that they are ready to challenge Juventus for the title. Milan, in particular, have looked impressive, winning all three games without conceding a goal and stretching their unbeaten run to 19 matches in all competitions.
I don't care how sophisticated of a model you have, nothing could've predicted some of the events that unfolded in Week 4 of the Premier League. And honestly that's a big part of what makes sports, and soccer in particular, so much fun. A huge part of the game is due to luck and random chance — two things any statistical or machine learning model (or human gut feelings for that matter) can never account for.