Ligue 1

9:30 AM ET It’s finally here! ESPN’s Battle of the Leagues, presented by EA Sports FIFA 22, began with eight teams, all-star selections representing some of the best leagues in the world, and we’re down to the final two. The French Ligue 1, defending champions from 2020 and wonderfully coached by Julien Laurens, take on

12:54 PM ET After years of being considered a selling league, the “farmers” of Ligue 1 have found their GOAT. The French Ligue 1 has just experienced the most incredible transfer window in their history. Paris Saint-Germain, of course, are the figurehead, with the arrival of one of the greatest players this sport has ever

10:50 AM ET The time for talking is over — let the battle commence! It’s time for our managers to pit their teams representing the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Eredivisie, Major League Soccer and Liga MX against each other for global supremacy in ESPN’s Battle of the Leagues, presented by EA

3:09 AM ET Call it the “Leicester Effect.” A soccer season is a long and arduous creature, capable of taking even the most promising of upstart stories and squashing it under the weight of money and time. We react to teams’ fast starts and fun individual breakout performances, but by May the same teams as

3:09 PM ET Galatasaray are into the Europa League knockout stages. Getty Galatasaray reached the Europa League knockout stages with a pulsating 4-2 home win over Marseille on Thursday which eliminated the Ligue 1 side from Europe’s second-tier competition. Roared on by a fervent home crowd, Galatasaray took a 12th-minute lead as Alexandru Cicaldau rifled in

6:22 PM ET MANCHESTER, England — Publicly at least, Mauricio Pochettino is happy at Paris Saint-Germain and not distracted by the possibility of managing Manchester United, but you would never have guessed it from his pained expression on the touchline during his team’s 2-1 Champions League defeat at Manchester City. Second-half goals from Raheem Sterling

1:48 PM ET Even by Kylian Mbappe‘s really high standards, his form heading into Wednesday’s Champions League game at Manchester City is breathtaking: 10 games, 11 goals and nine assists. In his last 10 matches for France and Paris Saint-Germain, across the UEFA Nations League, World Cup qualifying, Ligue 1 and the Champions League, against

4:45 AM ET Manchester United are back in the market for a new manager, for the fifth time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 35-month reign in charge came to an end on Sunday. The absence of a proven — and available — candidate to replace Solskjaer has prompted United

10:58 AM ET The weekend in European soccer was full of talking points as per usual: Manchester United‘s latest defeat led to the long-awaited exit of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Xavi’s official debut as Barcelona manager was a winning one, and Liverpool shrugged off a red-hot Arsenal team with ease at Anfield. There were lessons learned

4:30 AM ET Manchester United failed to take their first opportunity to hire Mauricio Pochettino as manager, but they can’t afford to miss their second chance following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure on Sunday. It will require ambition and a readiness to pay whatever it will take to get him, but sources have told ESPN that

3:54 PM ET Xavi, right, got a win in his official first game as Barcelona manager. It was far from perfect, but there’s something he, and they, can build on. JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images The weekend will be dominated by events at Manchester United, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was finally relieved of his managerial duties,

6:19 PM ET Adam Brown The summer transfer window was unlike any other; see all the major deals and check out how we graded the biggest signings. And just because the window is shut until January, that doesn’t mean the rumours won’t keep coming. Here’s the latest gossip and speculation. TOP STORY: Xavi eyes Coman