Aston Villa plays Derby County on Monday for a spot in the Premier League. They meet at Wembley Stadium in a game worth many millions no matter how you run the numbers. The winner gets the economic rewards of England's topflight. Broadcast money domestic and international is the prime mover for why the Premier League can offer so much to its teams. That doesn't exist at anywhere near the same . . .
FIFA opts against 2022 World Cup expansion
We start the soccer news with FIFA not bringing their proposed World Cup expansion for 2022 to a vote. Amid several questions about how expansion would work with the limited number of stadiums in Qatar and their relationship with other Gulf countries, FIFA had expansion on the agenda for the June 5 Congress in Paris. That is now off, with FIFA opting against trying to start expansion a cycle . . .
Pulisic makes his Chelsea move
The soccer news starts with Christian Pulisic at Chelsea. After Borussia Dortmund agreed to the reportedly $71m transfer in January, Pulisic remained with Dortmund on loan. Now with the Bundesliga season over, he's in London making plans for the upcoming season. Pulisic made it clear that England's topflight was his target. "I was 15 when I moved to Dortmund," he said. "It was something I always . . .
DaMarcus Beasley’s last season
The soccer news starts with DaMarcus Beasley announcing that 2019 will be his last season in pro soccer. Beasley turns 37 on Friday and has been playing professionally since 1999 when he joined MLS as a member of the LA Galaxy. Traded to Chicago the following season, he quickly became a key component of one of the best teams in MLS and the USMNT. By 2004 he was in Europe with stops at PSV, . . .
Will the Champions League avoid negative tactics?
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 20, 2019) US Soccer Players – This is the time of year for crowning champions. In Europe, domestic cup tournaments typically close out the long club season. The continent’s biggest trophies, the UEFA Champions League and Europa League provide an appropriate end to the season. For the first time in history, both finals will feature only English clubs. The . . .
Europe’s elite and the Champions League
The soccer news starts with Bayern Munich winning the 2018-19 Bundesliga title. It's not lost on anybody that this is the season for defending champions retaining their status, with Bayern joining Manchester City, Juventus, PSG, and Barcelona in successful defenses. It's an interesting situation for Europe, where none of those teams are playing for the Champions League title later this month. All . . .
Johannsson’s last game for Werder Bremen
The roundup of USMNT players in Europe and Mexico starts with the finale of the 2018-19 Bundesliga season. Aron Johannsson subbed on in the 87th minute for Werder Bremen’s 2-1 home win over Tyler Adams’s RB Leipzig. Milot Rashica converted a penalty in the 35th minute to put Werder up with Nordi Mukiele equalizing in the 86th. Claudio Pizarro scored Werder's winner in the 88th minute. Adams . . .
Frank de Boer’s grace period
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 17, 2019) US Soccer Players - The phrase “grace period” gets plenty of run in modern society. It sees use in the technical application like the grace period for interest on a credit card and in a more metaphorical sense. People get grace periods in all sorts of situations for all sorts of reasons. Only the hardest heart could judge performance without granting . . .
Arena’s Revolution plan
Friday's soccer news starts with Bruce Arena talking to the media after taking over as New England's sporting director and head coach. Arena made it clear that the only thing he has to prove is that he can turn the team around over the longterm. New England is currently in last place in the Eastern Conference. “It’s not going to happen in the next two weeks, but I’m confident over the next couple . . .
Peter Vermes on decimated Sporting KC’s CCL hangover
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (May 16, 2019) US Soccer Players - With his trademark flat-top haircut, straightforward manner, and unquestioned authority over technical matters as Sporting Kansas City's longtime coach and sporting director, Peter Vermes carries something of an old-school vibe. The former USMNTer and founding MLS player is presently getting an unwelcome throwback to the league's . . .
