Soccer

12:15 PM ET MLS revealed its plans for resuming its regular season in home markets, with the first game set to take place on Aug. 12, the day after the final of the MLS is Back Tournament. The league also announced its playoff format, with 18 teams qualifying for the postseason, culminating in the MLS

5:24 PM ET Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona to a 3-1 win against Napoli on Saturday to set up a Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich in Lisbon next week. Messi scored a stunning individual goal, had another effort ruled out for handball and won a penalty, which was converted by Luis Suarez, as Barca booked

10:31 AM ET In the end, the MLS is Back Tournament bubble worked. Unfortunately for MLS, as teams return to their home markets, they can’t take the bubble with them. After an initial spate of positive tests for COVID-19 resulted in the withdrawal of FC Dallas and Nashville SC from the tournament, MLS went the

6:55 PM ET Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri has been sacked following the club’s Champions League elimination against Lyon, it was announced on Saturday. The Serie A side suffered a round-of-16 exit to the French club despite a 2-1 win on Friday night, losing on the away goals rule as the tie ended 2-2 on aggregate.

5:54 PM ET MANCHESTER, England — For a club that has endured some agonising luck in the Champions League over the years, Manchester City will feel that they hit the jackpot on the night that Pep Guardiola’s team qualified for the quarterfinals by sending Real Madrid crashing out of the competition with a 2-1 victory.

6:25 PM ET Alex Kirkland Raphael Varane has taken responsibility for Real Madrid‘s Champions League exit after two mistakes from the defender saw them beaten 2-1 by Manchester City on Friday. World Cup winner Varane, 27, was caught out twice by Gabriel Jesus in the round of 16 second leg in Manchester — once in

4:00 AM ET The Champions League rolls back into action this weekend after a five-month hiatus with the remaining round-of-16 matches. But it’s not just the conclusion of this season’s tournament — the quest to crown the European champions for 2020-21 also begins on Saturday. The Toe Poke Daily is here every day to bring

6:00 AM ET There are not too many occasions when Pep Guardiola looks across at his opponent in the technical area and casts an envious glance, but when Manchester City face Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie on Friday, he might just do that with Zinedine Zidane. Here you

8:00 AM ET Manchester United have finally said farewell to Alexis Sanchez, bringing an end to a truly regrettable period in the club’s recent history. It was confirmed on Thursday that Sanchez had completed his permanent move to Inter Milan on a free transfer, an underwhelming final act in one of the worst-ever signings at

4:32 PM ET Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi has been a battle for the ages. It’s European vs. South American; Argentinian against Portuguese; a 6-foot-2 athlete blessed with Terminator-like remorselessness and ruthless technique pitted against a 5-foot-7, instinctive genius of juvenile physique; power, precision and pride vs. impish eruptions of intuitive invention. If you’ve been

5:26 PM ET Rob DawsonCorrespondent MANCHESTER — Manchester United made sure of their place in the quarterfinals of the Europa League with a 2-1 win over LASK Linz at Old Trafford. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side won the tie — separated by nearly five months because of the coronavirus pandemic — 7-1 on aggregate after a

11:11 AM ET Austin LindbergESPN FC Just three matches remain in the MLS is Back Tournament, with the Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Orlando City SC and Minnesota United FC all advancing to the semifinals to be played out on Wednesday and Thursday. – Play Soccer Playoff Pick ‘Em through the MLS knockout rounds– Stream MLS

9:46 AM ET Tor-Kristian Karlsen Editor’s note: Tor-Kristian Karlsen is a Norwegian football scout and executive and is the former chief executive and sporting director at AS Monaco. He will write regularly for ESPN on the business of soccer and the process of scouting. In his latest column, he looks at some of the game’s

7:18 PM ET It took a moment of individual brilliance to decide this 367-day long Championship campaign and book Fulham‘s place back in the Premier League. Of course this game went to extra time — in this never-ending stream of football and intermingling seasons — and after 105 minutes of both teams cancelling each other

5:20 PM ET Joe Bryan scored twice in extra time to lift Fulham past Brentford with a 2-1 win in the Championship playoff final and earn promotion back to the Premier League at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday night. – Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only) With so much at stake, the nerves for

9:23 AM ET Ian DarkeESPN.com writer Close Darke, who called games for the network during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is ESPN lead soccer voice in the United States. He has covered the Barclays Premier League and the Champions League since 1982, and has one of the world’s most recognizable soccer voices.

10:45 AM ET Stefano FusaroESPN KISSIMMEE, Fla. — After 30 days inside the bubble at the MLS is Back Tournament, I promise I have not lost my mind yet! But I did want to provide some perspective on what life has been like not only for myself, but also the players, coaches, team staff, match

3:02 PM ET The English FA Cup has been handed out, the Serie A season is over and the transfer window is heating up. It’s Monday, so Gab Marcotti reacts to the weekend’s biggest moments. Jump to: Aubameyang’s Arsenal future | Conte moaning again at Inter | Chelsea stuck with Kepa? | Praise for Immobile