Congratulations, you made it to Friday! This weekend is an absolutely loaded slate with top clashes across Europe and beyond with a number of soccer's fiercest rivalries playing out. I am Jonathan Johnson with your latest prescription for all of your soccer needs.
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📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Friday, Sept. 22
🏆 Women's Olympic qualifiers: Jamaica vs. Canada, 8 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
Saturday, Sept. 23
🏴 EPL: Manchester City vs. Nottingham Forest, 10 a.m. ➡️ Peacock
🇮🇹 Serie A: Sassuolo vs. Juventus, 12 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
Sunday, Sept. 24
🏴 EPL: Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 9 a.m. ➡️ USA Network
🇫🇷 Ligue 1: PSG vs. Marseille, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports USA
🇪🇸 La Liga: Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid, 3 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
🇺🇸 Rapinoe farewell friendly: USWNT vs. South Africa, 5:30 p.m. ➡️ TNT
🇺🇸 MLS: Orlando City vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m.➡️ FS1
📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 7-9 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.
📦 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+.
3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday and Friday, 4-5 p.m.): The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. Watch Monday and Friday this week at 4 p.m. ET as our analysts break down the best highlights and analysis and share insider information for all things women's soccer.
👟 Kickin' It (Wednesdays): CBS Sports Golazo Network's new unfiltered show debuted Wednesday, with the second instalmment coming your way Wednesday at 11:30 p.m. Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, tune in as they chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch.
🥅 Scoreline: Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting, airing after the games are over, seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
⚽ The Forward Line
🇺🇸 Rapinoe's USWNT farewell
This week is a big week in women's international soccer with the departures of both Julie Ertz and Megan Rapinoe from the USWNT scene after years of service. It was Ertz's turn to sign off with the Stars and Stripes on Thursday with a 3-0 win over South Africa in Cincinnati, the final result for the two-time World Cup winner and Olympic medallist. The 31-year-old is an NWSL legend given her career spent exclusively in the U.S. club scene, starting with Chicago Red Stars and then Angel City FC. Sandra Herrera looked back at the exceptional career Ertz had.
- Herrera: "Her reputation as a fierce competitor might be missed the most. Throughout her career, and in the lead-up to her farewell game, her teammates have credited her as someone whose play elevated the performance of those around her. A player who often demanded more on the pitch, others made sure to rise to her level. But there are those who also have made note of her humility over the course of her career. Interim head coach Twila Kilgore was able to coach Ertz as she returned to play earlier this year. A moment she didn't think would come with Ertz's extended absence, but now can say she coached her in her final game."
Next up for the USWNT will be South Africa again on Sunday for Rapinoe's final game which is expected to be more of a show given the 38-year-old's legendary reputation. One of the greatest to ever play the game for the U.S. will depart with two World Cup titles, an Olympic gold medal, three NWSL shields and also a D1 Feminine title to her name from a storied career both domestically and abroad. Rapinoe also boasts the Presidential Medal of Freedom as part of the legacy that she will leave away from the field once she leaves the scene at Soldier Field in Chicago. And while we won't spoil the number one, here's Herrera remembering the cross heard round the world at the 2011 World Cup.
- Herrera: "Before the 2015 and 2019 World Cup titles, the 2011 squad got the USWNT back to a World Cup final for the first time since 1999. The two cycles previous cycles the U.S. settled for third-place matches, and the pressure was mounting for a program on the hunt for another title. First, the team had to get through Brazil in the quarterfinal, and as the team was trailing 2-1 in the second overtime, Rapinoe delivered the cross heard across social media.
"Her long ball into the box connected with Abby Wambach for an equalizer and the team advanced on penalties. The moment was one of the most viral in the social media era and was a launch pad for the team's popularity in a new generation."
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
🔥 Rivalry weekend
This weekend sees a mega slate of derbies and grudge games with the North London Derby taking center stage on Sunday when Arsenal host Tottenham Hotspur. Things kick-off on Friday with AS Monaco vs. OGC Nice as USMNT star Folarin Balogun gets the sample the Derby de la Cote d'Azur for the first time, but Sunday has the bulk of the action with no fewer than five blockbuster European matchups from Ajax vs. Feyenoord in De Klassieker to El Derbi Madrileno between Atletico Madrid and bitter rivals Real.
Adding to a grandstand Sunday of action alongside Le Classique featuring Paris Saint-Germain as well as Anderlecht vs. Club Brugge in the Topper will be Lionel Messi's Inter Miami going to neighbors Orlando SC in Major League Soccer. The legendary Argentine will not feature after picking up an injury earlier in the week but Tata Martino's men will continue their push for a playoff berth which was boosted by a 4-0 midweek win over Toronto.
Martino on Messi and also Jordi Alba after the Toronto victory: "They trained normally and we felt like they were ready to play. I don't believe it's anything new or anything worse than what they have. It's fatigue. I don't think it's a muscular injury. I know we have a final to play but they won't go near the pitch if they can't play."
🔗 Top Stories
🏴 England's players and FA have reach an agreement on Women's World Cup bonuses after the Lionesses' dramatic final run.
🏆 Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp learned the pitfalls of Europa League life despite coming back to beat LASK on Thursday.
🔥 Our guide to this jam-packed weekend of derbies, rivalries and grudge games across the European soccer scene.
🇪🇺 Manchester United's Andre Onana took the blame for the Champions League loss to Bayern Munich and said: 'We lost this game because of me.'
🛑 Erik ten Hag now cannot afford a fifth defeat of the season against Burnley in the Premier League this weekend with pressure growing on the Dutch tactician after a poor start to the season continued in Munich.
🧤 David Raya's Arsenal career is off to an ideal start as Mikel Arteta's goalkeeping depth has given the Gunners greater options for the role.
🇪🇺 Bayer Leverkusen shone while Brighton and Hove Albion stumbled and Liverpool fought back to win in the Europa League on Thursday.
🇩🇪 Julian Nagelsmann has been appointed as Germany's new head coach and will lead the hosts for Euro 2024 next summer.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- Premier League: Arsenal vs. Tottenham, Sunday, 9 a.m.
💰 THE PICK: Draw (+340) -- Always a crowd pleaser, this North London Derby has the makings of being one of the games of the season so far with Ange Postecoglou's impact turnaround more immediate than expected. This is an acid test of Spurs' ambitions and a good test for Mikel Arteta's side so it promises to be unmissable and could well end level given current form. - Ligue 1: PSG vs. Marseille, Sunday, 2:45 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: PSG win and both to score (+190) -- Le Classique is rarely dull and this Sunday's edition promises to be no exception with OM in crisis after Marcelino's departure but still unbeaten. PSG started their Champions League campaign in ideal fashion against Borussia Dortmund despite losing to OGC Nice last week and have a chance to overtake their bitter rivals in the Championnat table.
