Napoli and Inter down to the Serie A wire; Championship playoff final Saturday only on Paramount+
Welcome to the weekend! Trophies are being hoisted all across Europe and there's still more from where that came from in Italy and England, where some high-profile prizes are up for grabs. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a preview of what's to come this weekend.
📺 Footy fixAll times U.S./Eastern
Friday, May 23🇮🇹 Serie A: Napoli vs. Cagliari, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇮🇹 Serie A: Como vs. Inter, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
Saturday, May 24🏴 Championship Playoff final: Sheffield United vs. Sunderland, 10 a.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇪🇸 La Liga: Real Madrid vs. Leganes, 10:15 a.m. ➡️ ESPN Deportes🇮🇹 Serie A: Milan vs. Monza, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+🇺🇸 NWSL: Houston Dash vs. Bay FC, 8 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network🇺🇸 MLS: Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ MLS Season Pass
Sunday, May 25🏴 EPL: Nottingham Forest vs. Chelsea, 11 a.m. ➡️ USA Network🏴 EPL: Manchester United vs. Aston Villa, 11 a.m. ➡️ CNBC🇪🇸 La Liga: Athletic Club vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. ➡️ ESPN Deportes 🇺🇸 NWSL: San Diego Wave vs. North Carolina Courage, 10 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Network
⚽ The Forward Line🇮🇹 One final chapter in Serie A's title race?Europe's most compelling title race will likely come to an end on Friday in Italy, where Napoli and Inter will complete the Serie A season with first place up for grabs.
Just as was the case before the penultimate slate of matches, Napoli have a one point lead over Inter and control their fate in the title race. Antonio Conte's side will host 14th place Cagliari, a favorable scenario to clinch their first domestic title in two years after weeks of being the favorites to do so. A win is the simplest scenario for Napoli and the likeliest one, but the flip side of being the favorites is that the onus is on them to actually get the job done, something Conte reminded is no sure thing in his pre-match comments on Thursday.
- Conte: "I might be a specialist in victories, but also in defeats. My career speaks for itself. If you look at everything I've lost: three Champions League Finals, one World Cup Final, one European Championship Final and one UEFA Cup Final. I could list many more. I try to be a specialist in helping the club and the players. I don't want people to forget that in a career, there are victories and defeats. … We know very well that hard work brought us here today. Now, we need to try to finish the job."
If they cannot beat Cagliari, there's a real opening for Inter, who travel to 10th place Como on Friday. A draw for Napoli and a win for Inter would be enough for Simone Inzaghi's side to repeat as champions, which would be a nice morale boost ahead of next week's UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. There's one dramatic, though unlikely, scenario that is still on the table – if Napoli lose and Inter draw, a one-game playoff at a neutral venue in the coming days would decide the title.
World's richest gameSheffield United and Sunderland will take to the pitch at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday for soccer's richest game, in which a spot in the Premier League – and around $300 million – awaits the winner.
The glory of playing in the top flight goes hand-in-hand with the financial incentive of playing in the sport's most lucrative league, much of it down to the broadcast revenue the Premier League generates and then splits up amongst its teams every season. Either Sheffield United or Sunderland will benefit from the start of the Premier League's new domestic broadcast deal for next season, which increases the earnings from around $228 million to about $295 million, though either way it is a dramatic departure from the prize money for participating in the Championship. The highest payment for Championship clubs was at least $65 million, a fee reserved for "first year" relegated clubs.
There is plenty at stake outside of the financial incentive for two teams with contrasting stories. United were only relegated from the Premier League a year ago and are on the cusp of an instant return, reaching the playoff final by sticking with a squad and manager that experienced their last season in the top flight. Sunderland's journey to Saturday's game, though, has been a winding one – they followed up their relegation from the Premier League in the 2016-17 season with another relegation from the Championship in the 2017-18 campaign and spent four years in League One.
Saturday's Championship promotion playoff kicks off a weekend full of them at Wembley, which will host the League One equivalent between Charlton and Leyton Orient on Sunday and the League Two playoff between Wimbledon and Walsall on Monday.
🔗 Top Stories🏆 Spurs win UEL: Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United in a not-so-entertaining Europa League final that finally brought Spurs' 17 year trophy drought to an end and offered the latest reminder of the Red Devils' shortcomings. Plus, has the result reframed the conversation around Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou and United's Ruben Amorim?
🇺🇸 USMNT roster: Christian Pulisic was left off of the USMNT's roster for their pre-Gold Cup friendlies after a grueling season, leaving head coach Mauriico Pochettino with a youth-focused roster ahead of his final tournament before the 2026 World Cup.
🔚 Modric's Real Madrid exit: Luka Modric will leave Real Madrid after the Club World Cup, ending a 13 year spell that included four league titles and six Champions League triumphs.
🆕 U.S. Open Cup draw: The quarterfinals for the U.S. Open Cup are set, with regional matches taking center stage as the last eight teams begin to map out the road to the Oct. 1 final.
⚽ Messi's favorite goal: Lionel Messi selected his goal in the 2009 UEFA Champions League final, when Barcelona beat Real Madrid, as his favorite of his career.
💰 The Back Line💵 Best bets- Championship Playoff -- Sunderland vs. Sheffield United, Saturday at 10 a.m. ET on Paramount+💰 THE PICK: Over 2.5 goals (+140): Look, I would not aim to put a lot on this. But at +140, why not sprinkle a little? Three of their last four meetings have hit the over and five of their last seven have as well. Sure, it's a final, and that could lead to prioritizing defense. But they have given up their fair share of goals, especially when you compare them to the likes of Leeds United and Burnley, who both finished above them. There's a lot on the line here, and I wouldn't go crazy, but the Championship is more fun than the Premier League in a lot of ways, and finals can bring the chaos.
For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.
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