England, Spain renew rivalry in Sunday's Women's Euro final; Preseason underway for Liverpool, Arsenal, Milan
Happy Friday! Between the Women's Euro final in Switzerland and a batch of European clubs journeying out to the U.S. and Asia for preseason preparation, a jam-packed weekend awaits. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a primer on what's on the schedule over the next few days.
📺 Footy fixAll times U.S./Eastern
Friday, July 25🌍 WAFCON third place: Ghana vs. South Africa, 3 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports🇺🇸 MLS: Columbus Crew vs. Orlando City, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ MLS Season Pass🌎 Copa America Femenina: Brazil vs. Colombia, 8 p.m. ➡️ FS2🌎 Copa America Femenina: Paraguay vs. Venezuela, 8 p.m. ➡️ Fox Soccer Plus
Saturday, July 26🌍 Friendly: Liverpool vs. AC Milan, 7:30 a.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network🏆 WAFCON final: Morocco vs. Nigeria, 4 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports🌍 Friendly: Manchester United vs. West Ham, 7 p.m. ➡️ Peacock🇺🇸 MLS: Inter Miami vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:15 p.m. ➡️ FS1
Sunday, July 27🌍 Friendly: Arsenal vs. Newcastle United, 7:30 a.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Network, Paramount+🏆 Women's Euro final: England vs. Spain, 12 p.m. ➡️ Fox
⚽ The Forward Line🏆 England, Spain meet again for Women's Euro titleNearly two years after facing off in the Women's World Cup final, England and Spain will meet in the final of the Women's Euro, each side with a point to prove after a dramatic semifinal round.
Much as they were in 2023, Spain are the favorites to take the title on Sunday and win their first European championship. La Roja had mostly cruised through the tournament until Wednesday's semifinal, outscoring the opposition 16 to three in the first four games, each of those matches a showcase for Spain's passing-oriented, attack-minded style of play. The World Cup winners finally hit a stumbling block in Wednesday's 1-0 win over Germany in the semifinals, stifled by a defensively organized opponent that rallied for 120 minutes despite missing key players through injury and suspension. Spain had no real answer against that strategy but in the 113th minute, a moment of individual brilliance came from Aitana Bonmati with a shot from an angle, catching the otherwise stellar Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger off guard.
- Bonmati: "The truth is that we had studied it. Well, Marisa, the goalkeeper coach, had told me that [Berger] made certain movements and that sometimes she left the near post clear and that's how it was. I didn't think about [taking that shot] twice because I didn't want it to reach penalties. Scoring in a game like this one is super special and if I can help the team writing history, it's very special. For the first time we have beaten Germany with the women's national team, and for the first time we are in the final of the Euros. We have written history."
Spain are unlikely to face a defensive stalwart on Sunday, with England reaching the final despite vulnerabilities at the back. They have conceded six goals in five games and battled from behind in three matches along the way, a scenario that has been equally revealing of their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Head coach Sarina Wiegman has had incredible success with her substitutes, most recently 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang and 2022 Euro final goalscorer Chloe Kelly. It is a testament to England's inherent abilities in attack, allowing them to survive defensive setbacks, as well as the belief that a match is not over until the final whistle blows.
- Wiegman: "[The substitutes are] just ready to go, and they want to have a contribution. And I think everyone accepts her role, whatever role she's given. I think what we try to do is give as much clarity about that, but also the task on the pitch when you come in and when we make a change, or when we make a shape change, and there's just so much energy."
The eventual winner will likely stake their claim as a contender, if not the outright favorite, to win the Women's World Cup in Brazil in two years' time but there's plenty to consider even in the short term. England chase back-to-back European championships, while Spain target their first one and the chance to build a dynastic legacy two years after winning the World Cup.
Streaming nowA handful of Europe's top clubs have made their way to the U.S. and Asia to start their preseason tours this weekend, offering an opening glimpse at their plans for next season.
Liverpool will kick off their Asian tour on Saturday against AC Milan, a few short days removed from completing a deal for forward Hugo Ekitike that could be worth upwards of $100 million if all the conditions are met. The 23-year-old may not be ready in time for a meaningful impact in Saturday's friendly in Hong Kong, but the Reds will still have a batch of newcomers to work with, most notable among them Florian Wirtz. Milan, meanwhile, are fresh off a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in Singapore that gave early indications of what new manager Massimiliano Allegri has planned for the team, which Francesco Porzio notes could include a new role for Christian Pulisic. The U.S. men's national team standout played as a forward alongside Rafael Leao in a 3-5-2, Allegri's solution as Milan's front office look for someone to fill the vacancy up top.
- Porzio: "Pulisic played on the left side of the attack, and most of his 34 touches in the first half arrived on that portion of the field, where his natural role is, even if at AC Milan, he mostly played as a right winger in the 4-3-3 over the last two years. This role can also help Portuguese winger Leao to be free to move around the attack with no defensive responsibilities. This could all change if AC Milan sign a new striker or when Gimenez returns, but Leao looked definitely comfortable playing in this role and maybe playing with a proper number nine next to him can improve his performances even more."
The Gunners, meanwhile, return to play in Singapore on Sunday when they take on fellow Premier League side Newcastle United, who may have a surprise new look of their own. Star striker Alexander Isak has not made the trip amid reports that he wants out, Liverpool a potential suitor even though they just signed Ekitike this week. As Chuck Booth writes, it leaves the Magpies understaffed at a crucial point of their preseason and in a very different position than the team would like to be – higher-ups once reportedly envisioned a team that would include both Isak and Ekitike, though they might be without both by summer's end.
- Booth: "[Newcastle have] done good business, adding Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, but the number nine has no true depth behind Isak. William Osula is the only true striker left on the roster with Callum Wilson's departure. At 21, Osula has talent, but he has only scored one Premier League goal in his career despite making 35 appearances. Even looking at his entire career between Sheffield United, Derby County, and Newcastle, Osula only has 10 goals and three assists in all professional competitions that he has been involved in."
Meanwhile in New Jersey, Manchester United will prepare for their first full season with manager Ruben Amorim with a friendly against West Ham United, an important measuring stick for the Red Devils after a brutal 2024-25 campaign. United have refreshed with new signings like Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeuemo, who could begin answering questions about how quickly they will settle into the team as they begin yet another course correcting project.
🔗 Top Stories🏆 Women's Euro final preview: With Spain entering Sunday's final as the favorites, here's what England need to do to have a shot at collecting a second consecutive European title..
🆕 Ekitike to Liverpool: Here's a look at why Hugo Ekitike is a natural fit for Liverpool, who aim to be an attacking juggernaut in Arne Slot's second season in charge.
🔴 Arsenal's missing piece?: Arsenal's attacking woes were on display again in their preseason win over AC Milan, offering a reminder of why Viktor Gyokeres might be the missing piece for the Gunners.
❌ Messi skips All-Star Game: Inter Miami's Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba did not take part in the MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday, potentially risking a one match suspension for Saturday's game against FC Cincinnati in the process.
🇭🇷 Suker on Morning Footy: Former Croatia international Davor Suker joined Morning Footy to share the best players he's played with and the changes that need to be made to accelerate soccer's growth in the U.S.
💰 The Back Line💵 Best bets- Women's Euro final: England vs. Spain, Sunday, 12 p.m.💰 THE PICK: Esther Gonzalez to score (+135) – For both England and Spain, their strengths lie in attack, which could set up for a fascinating final. If one team has the edge in these circumstances, though, it is La Roja – the Lionesses' defense has been shaky during the entirety of their run at the Women's Euro, conceding six goals in five games so far and falling behind in three games along the way. If that pattern continues, expect Spain to take full advantage. They boast a collection of some of the world's top attackers including Ballon d'Or winners Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati but Esther Gonzalez has been their most consistent goalscorer in Switzerland this summer, bagging four goals so far. The forward is in very impressive form, especially so when considering the fact that she is currently the NWSL's leading goalscorer this season with 10 goals in 13 games. Sunday offers Gonzalez a chance to steal the show and play a crucial role as Spain go for their first-ever European championship.
For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.
📺 New episode with Thomas MuellerAs the new men's season nears in Europe don't miss all the preseason action across CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network throughout July and August. This week it's major matchups from AC Milan, Arsenal, Liverpool and more.
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Sunday, July 27, 2025
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