#House of Champions

Everything has come up in Arsenal's favor this weekend but can they avoid a banana peel in an away trip to face rivals Tottenham in the North London Derby on Sunday? Arsenal's season really took off after a 3-1 victory over Spurs in October and so far, even losing Gabriel Jesus to injury hasn't slowed them down. Spurs are coming off of a 4-0…

Paris Saint-Germain are away at Stade Rennais on Sunday aiming to avoid consecutive away defeats in Ligue 1 after a 3-1 loss to RC Lens last time out. Les Parisiens beat Angers SCO 2-0 in midweek with Lionel Messi back in action and scoring while Kylian Mbappe sat out. The French superstar will be back in Brittany as Christophe Galtier's men look…

Argentina, one of the pre-tournament favorites to win the World Cup, will look to get their campaign back on track when they face familiar foe Mexico Saturday. Lionel Messi and company are coming off of a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia and now have no more margin for error as they look to position themselves in the top two of Group C ahead of…

Serie A leaders Napoli are set to host runners up Juventus on Friday at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona for what might become a crucial match for the title race of the 2022-23 season. Napoli lost their first match of the season last week against Inter Milan at San Siro but immediately got back on track and won away against Sampdoria on Sunday.…

After losing their last match against Brentford, Liverpool will face Brighton on Saturday and need to get back to scoring the full three points to stay close to the top four of the table. As things stand, Jurgen Klopp's team is seven points behind Manchester United, currently fourth with 35 points after 17 games. Brighton, on the other hand, had…

A massive weekend of soccer awaits. I'm Mike Goodman, and this is the Golazo Starting XI newsletter, and we're here to walk you through the weekend's biggest matches. From today's matchup at the top of the Serie A table, to derby weekend in the Premier League, to El Clasico in the Spanish Super Cup, the next few days have it all. So, let's get to…

The Premier League is back in action on Thursday. Chelsea @ Fulham Current Records: Chelsea 7-6-4; Fulham 8-6-4 Chelsea will square off against Fulham at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday at Craven Cottage. Fulham will be strutting in after a win while Chelsea will be stumbling in from a loss. Chelsea had lost two consecutive heartbreakers to Manchester City,…

The Scudetto race is entering a key week in Italy ahead of the big match that will take place on Friday between Napoli and Juventus at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Napoli are still at the top of the table with 44 points from 17 matches, while AC Milan and Juventus follow them with 37 points. Inter Milan complete the top four with 34 points…

La Liga leaders Barcelona will have Robert Lewandowski available for Saturday's clash with local rivals RCD Espanyol after his three match suspension was at least temporarily lifted. The Poland international saw red against Osasuna before the FIFA World Cup break and was due to miss this one but Barca's appeal means that Xavi can now count on the…

Serie A is back in full gear after resuming play on Wednesday. We're on tap for some interesting games over the weekend, but the main show is once again at San Siro as Serie A title holders AC Milan face Jose Mourinho's AS Roma. The Rossoneri are coming from an away win at Salernitana (2-1) while AS Roma defeated Bologna (1-0) at the Stadio…

Atletico Madrid welcome Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday in a clash which could see Xavi's men retain top spot or potentially lose it with Diego Simeone's men looking to get back into the top three. Atleti have won all three of their games since returning to domestic action post-FIFA World Cup while Barca drew with Espanyol in the league and needed…

Corner Picks is back for the first time in nearly two months. Has anything happened in the world of soccer since we left? Perhaps the debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo might finally have been settled once and for all? You know, did one of them win the World Cup, while the other one didn't even start for his team in the World Cup,…

Cristiano Ronaldo has been the story for Portugal despite their good performances at the World Cup due to his antics and possible pending move to Saudi Arabia, and all of it has led to the superstar being benched for Tuesday's matchup against Switzerland in the round of 16. His future -- which possibly would see him join Al Nassr -- will be decided…

After almost two months of break, the Serie A will be back Wednesday with a huge clash at the San Siro as Inter Milan will face Serie A leaders Napoli in what might become a key match for the Scudetto race. As things stand, Napoli are at the top of the league with 41 points while Inter Milan are fifth with 30 points. Losing against Napoli will…

Japan and Croatia face each other on Monday in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup. Japan qualified for the round of 16 after winning Group E. They took six points from three games -- beating Germany (2-1) and Spain (2-1) to finish in first place despite losing to Costa Rica (1-0). Croatia qualified for the round of 16 after finishing second in…

After picking up only one point in the first two matches of the competition, Germany are now desperately looking for their first win of the 2022 World Cup. Hansi Flick's team need to win and also they need Spain to win against Japan, or if Spain will draw they have to win by at least two goals. Here's our storylines, how you can watch the match and…

The 2022 FIFA World Cup rolls on as Canada and Morocco face off in the final round of play for Group F at Al Thumama Stadium in Qatar on Thursday. Canada are officially eliminated from contention while Morocco have an opportunity to advance into the round of 16. The North African nation control their destiny and can advance with either a win or…

The Premier League is back in action on Sunday. Chelsea @ Nottingham Forest Current Records: Chelsea 7-5-3; Nottingham Forest 3-9-4 Nottingham Forest needs to shore up a defense that is allowing 2.06 goals per contest before their game on Sunday. They will take on Chelsea at 11:30 a.m. ET at The City Ground. Chelsea will be strutting in after a…

The Premier League is back in action on Sunday. Aston Villa @ Tottenham Hotspur Current Records: Aston Villa 5-8-3; Tottenham Hotspur 9-4-3 Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur are meeting up for their first leg of the season at 9 a.m. ET on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Villa will be seeking to avenge the 4-0 loss they suffered the last time…

World Cup's Group C comes to a close Wednesday, and the day sees Poland face Argentina with nothing yet decided. The Polish are in first place with four points while Argentina are second with three. Saudi Arabia are third with a worse goal differential, and Mexico are in last place with one. A Poland win or draw is enough to see them through to the…

The Premier League is back in action on Saturday. Crystal Palace @ Bournemouth Current Records: Crystal Palace 5-6-4; Bournemouth 4-8-4 Bournemouth needs to shore up a defense that is allowing 2.13 goals per matchup before their contest on Saturday. They and Crystal Palace will round out the year against one another at 10 a.m. ET at Vitality…

Matchday 3 of Group D in the 2022 FIFA World Cup will tell us who is going to get through to the next phase after France have already qualified last Saturday with a win against Denmark. Australia are currently second in the group with three points, while Denmark and Tunisia only have one. Here's our storylines, how you can watch the match and…

France take on Tunisia in Al Rayyan on Wednesday with the chance to top Group D with a perfect three wins from three games. Les Bleus have beaten Australia and Denmark with only the Eagles of Carthage left to face and a place in the knockout phase already confirmed. Didier Deschamps is likely to ring the changes but it is unlikely to be enough to…

The Premier League is back in action on Saturday. Everton @ Manchester City Current Records: Everton 3-8-5; Manchester City 11-2-2 Manchester City is 9-1-2 against Everton since October of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. They are meeting up for their first leg of the season at 10 a.m. ET at Etihad Stadium. Man…

Group B ends with what we must legally refer to on at least one occasion as a Battle for Britain with Wales out to spoil the day against England in what is almost certain to be their final match of the World Cup. Rob Page's side need to not only beat their neighbors but also hope that the USA and Iran split their points if they are to sneak in, an…

The Netherlands take on Qatar at Al Bayt Stadium on Tuesday in what will be the hosts' final match at their 2022 FIFA World Cup. Oranje have already taken four points from a possible six and can win Group A with a victory while the Qataris are only playing for pride at this point. Louis van Gaal has talked up his team's chances of winning the…

Matchday 3 of Group A kicks off with Ecuador and Senegal facing each other, while Netherlands will play at the same time against 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar. Ecuador need only to avoid defeat to Senegal in order to secure passage to the round of 16. If they can better the Netherlands' result they'll do so as group winners. Here's our storylines, how…

As the festive period rolls on, Liverpool are looking to keep their good form going when they face Leicester City on Friday while the Foxes are picking up the pieces following a 3-0 loss to Newcastle United. The Reds are charging forward as they chase a Champions League spot and will soon have Dutch forward Cody Gakpo to add to their attack when…

After losing the opening matches against Brazil and Switzerland, both Cameroon and Serbia are desperate to get the full three points ahead of the final Matchday as the two meet on Monday. Serbia lost 2-0 against Brazil on Thursday, while the same day Cameroon lost 1-0 against Switzerland. The loser here is likely out of the tournament, while the…

FIFA World Cup 2022 continues with Group H action as South Korea and Ghana square off on Monday at Education City Stadium in Qatar. The two teams are meeting for the first time since 2014 when Ghana defeated South Korea 4-0 with a hat-trick from Jordan Ayew. It's now a battle for position in the group after Ghana lost their World Cup opener 3-2…

The two teams who started Group G off with a victory will be fighting it out for top spot on Monday with Brazil and Switzerland meeting at Stadium 974. The presumptive favorites in yellow began their tournament in gritty but effective fashion, eventually grinding down a robust Serbia side with two goals from Richarlison in the second half, with the…

This is usually the time of the tournament where the picture becomes clearer and the wheat gets separated from the chaff. Not so much this time around. We're on Day 8 of the World Cup and the French are only ones to win the first two games and qualify for the knockout stage. I'm Mike Goodman and in today's Golazo Starting XI, we'll take a look at…

The year is winding down and the transfer rumor mill is picking up. Liverpool are acquiring Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven in a transfer swoop that shocked everybody, especially Manchester United, the club long rumored to be interested in Gakpo's services. I'm Mike Goodman, and we'll break down the first major move of the transfer window in today's…

After the incredible 2-1 win against Germany, Japan will face Costa Rica on Sunday for a crucial match for Matchday 2. If Japan can beat Costa Rica, they'll confirm their place in the round of 16 provided that Germany fail to beat Spain. Otherwise, it will be taken to the final game of the group phase. Here's our storylines, how you can watch the…

Canada impressed against Belgium in their 1-0 loss but learned how slight margins are in their first World Cup appearance since 1986. It was a heartbreaking loss but despite taking 22 shots, the Canucks were unable to beat Thibaut Courtois despite drawing a penalty. They'll likely have a new taker after Alphonso Davies' miss but will that be enough…

FIFA World Cup 2022 rolls on for Group C as Poland take on group leaders Saudi Arabia on Saturday at Education City Stadium in Qatar. The two teams are meeting for the first time in the World Cup but have played each other four times prior in international friendlies, with Poland winning all the previous meetings. Saudi Arabia opened their group…

After losing 4-1 in the opening match of Group D against France, Australia need to rebound against Tunisia in their second World Cup game on Saturday. The African team drew against Denmark in their opening game and have all of the momentum. This clash will tell us a lot about who has more chances to go to the next round considering that France will…

Manchester United host Nottingham Forest the day after Boxing Day to keep you well fed for festive soccer action. The Red Devils returned to club action with a 2-0 win over Burnley in the EFL Cup and will be looking to make a winning return to Premier League action too. Forest also advanced in the cup with a 4-1 win away at Blackburn Rovers so both…

Defending champions France get their second FIFA World Cup outing against Denmark in Doha Saturday. Didier Deschamps' men were shaky at first before easing past Australia, 4-1. The Danes labored to a goalless draw with Tunisia but have a decent record against the French of late. Lucas Hernandez had to drop out of the tournament after his injury…

Happy Boxing Day. Is it a real holiday? Depends what country you're reading this from. But one thing it means, no matter where in the world you are, is plenty of soccer. The club game is well and truly back with the weird midseason World Cup in the rearview mirror as England launch into a full slate of Premier League games. I'm Mike Goodman, and…

The chase is on for Jurgen Klopp's side to achieve a top four finish (and perhaps even more) as the Premier League resumes. A disappointing first 14 games has Liverpool on just 22 points, nearer to Wolves at the bottom of the table than Arsenal at its summit. Indeed, if they were to lose against Aston Villa they would find the Midlands' side just a…

After losing 2-0 the opening match against Ecuador, Qatar will face Senegal on Friday in the teams second match of Group A at the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha. The African side lost as well, falling 2-0 against a strong Netherlands side but proved the be a resilient team and until Cody Gakpo's opener they actually looked likely to be competitive in…

If you're bummed about USMNT's draw to Wales yesterday, fret not. It could be worse. You could be from Argentina, who suffered an upset for the ages. I'm Mike Goodman, and this is the Golazo Starting XI newsletter. While you were waking up still processing what happened to the United States men's national team, you missed the upset of the…

Can the Premier League leaders stay atop the table in the second period of the season? We could find out more over the coming weeks as Arsenal resume their title challenge without Gabriel Jesus, the transformative No.9 who brought the best out of them as they surged up the standings. West Ham have found it tough on their travels to northern London,…

Tottenham and Brentford bring the curtain up on the Premier League's annual Boxing Day festivities on Monday, their match also serving as the resumption of the English top flight after the break to accommodate the World Cup. Spurs departed for Qatar in high spirits and now have another world champion on their roster after Cristian Romero was part…

England meet Senegal in the World Cup round of 16 as the Three Lions try to fend off the talented African team and advance to the quarterfinals. Senegal might be the champions of Africa but England are the tournament's joint-highest scorers with nine goals from three games, go into the tie as strong favorites to advance. Gareth Southgate has…

The Premier League is back in action on Saturday. Aston Villa @ Newcastle United Current Records: Aston Villa 3-6-3; Newcastle United 5-1-6 Aston Villa and Newcastle United are meeting up for their first leg of the season at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday at St. James' Park. The teams split their matchups last year, with Villa winning the first 2-0 at home…

The 2022 FIFA World Cup officially kicks off Sunday with the opening match as hosts Qatar face Ecuador in Group A. The Qataris are playing in their first-ever World Cup but have earned some experience over the last several years, playing in the Copa America and the Gold Cup. Ecuador are the surprise of South America with their fourth-place finish,…

What. A. Match. It's not great when you have a newsletter to write and all you want to say is "there are no words to describe that match." I'm Mike Goodman, this is the Golazo Starting XI, and we're going to try to wrap our brains around Lionel Messi finally winning the World Cup in perhaps the greatest World Cup final in history. New to this…

The World Cup final is set, and the storylines are rich. Kylian Mbappe of France and Lionel Messi of Argentina -- teammates at Paris Saint-Germain -- will look to make history on Sunday. We're only three sleeps away from a heavyweight showdown. I'm Igor Mello, and welcome to Thursday's Golazo Starting XI. Notable club games to watch: Rangers vs.…