Soccer on TV: European tournament berths up for grabs
Real Madrid can lengthen its lead in La Liga’s two-team race as three European tournament berths are up for grabs in a tight EPL table. In Germany, Bayern Munich will try to add a domestic cup title to its season haul, highlighting the top televised games from Europe this weekend.
La Liga: Real Madrid (22-3-8) could all but end the title chase in Spain with a win at Athletic Club (12-9-12) on Sunday (BeIN Sports, 5 a.m. PT). Real is perfect since returning from the COVID break last month, outscoring opponents 12-2 in six wins. Barcelona (21-5-7) is the only team that can catch Real, entering the weekend four points back in the table. The two-time defending champion has won just one of its last four and can’t afford to drop more points at fifth-place Villarreal (16-11-6) on Sunday (BeIN Sports, 1 p.m. PT).
MLS Is Back tournament could be in jeopardy due to players testing positive for COVID-19 and other clubs delaying their arrival to Orlando, Fla.
EPL: The top two spots in the Premier League are secure but behind Liverpool and Manchester City there’s a frantic battle building for the league’s three remaining European berths with four teams separated by just three points. Wolverhampton (13-6-13), unbeaten since January, can vault over Manchester United and into the thick of that race with a win over Arsenal (11-8-13) on Saturday (NBCSN, Telemundo, 9:30 a.m. PT). Chelsea (16-10-6), unbeaten in June, and Manchester United (14-8-10) each need at least a point Saturday to keep Wolves at bay, with Chelsea playing host to Watford (6-16-10) at noon (NBCSN) and United at home vs. Bournemouth (7-19-6) at 7 a.m. PT (NBCSN, Universo).
Bundesliga: German league play is over but there’s still some hardware to hand out when Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich faces Bayer Leverkusen in German Cup final Saturday (ESPN Deportes, 11 a.m. PT).
