Hey there! Between the transfer window, continental championships in Africa and Asia and cup competition in Europe, it's a pretty entertaining time to be a soccer fan. I'm Pardeep Cattry with the latest to ensure you're up to date this Wednesday.
๐บ Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Wednesday, Jan. 17
๐ AFCON: Morocco vs. Tanzania, 12 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ FA Cup: Everton vs. Crystal Palace, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
Thursday, Jan. 18
๐ Asian Cup: Syria vs. Australia, 6:30 a.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
๐ AFCON: Ivory Coast vs. Nigeria, 12 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports
๐ช๐ธ Copa del Rey: Unionistas vs. Barcelona, 1:30 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
๐ฎ๐น Supercoppa: Napoli vs. Fiorentina, 2 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
๐ AFCON: Egypt vs. Ghana, 3 p.m. ➡️ beIN Sports
๐ช๐ธ Copa del Rey: Real Madrid vs. Atleti, 3:30 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
Friday, Jan. 19
๐ Asian Cup: Iraq vs. Japan, 6:30 a.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
⚽ The Forward Line
✈️ Henderson's Saudi stint on verge of early end
Six short months after Jordan Henderson left Liverpool to join Saudi Arabia's Al-Ettifaq, the Englishman is already on his way out. James Benge confirmed reports that Henderson has reached an agreement with the club to terminate his contract and is working on a move to Ajax, marking a dramatic and abrupt exit for a player who claimed he moved in an effort to "build a club and build the league."
Henderson was one of several players to leave Europe for the Saudi Pro League, but was easily the most vocal of the group, and notably so after he was criticized by many for abandoning his reputation as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. He leaves amid murmurs that the lifestyle was not a fit for him and his family, making his departure all the more notable. As Benge writes, Henderson might not be the only one feeling that way.
- Benge: "Al-Ahli would be ready to sanction a loan exit for another former Liverpool star who has struggled to settle, Roberto Firmino having made no secret of his readiness to return to Europe. Karim Benzema's unhappiness has already put paid to one manager at Al-Ittihad, Nuno Espirito Santo lasting only a few weeks when it was apparent he had lost the Ballon d'Or winner, but the presence of Marcelo Gallardo seems to have done little to assuage the Frenchman. Unlike Firmino, he is not available and would have to push for a move if he wanted to depart the Saudi champions. Given the frequency with which it has been suggested he is unhappy in Jeddah, such a scenario does not seem unimaginable, especially with reports emerging that the French star has been banned from Al-Ittihad's preseason tour after failing to report to camp without permission."
It might spell bad news for Saudi Arabia a year into their mission to convince some of the world's best players to swap top-tier competition in Europe for big paychecks, but there might be some upside for them to Henderson leaving.
- Benge: "One might even argue that getting a big name out from one of Al-Ettifaq's eight international spots -- that number will increase to 10 next season -- will serve the wider Pro League project well in the weeks ahead. … Space for international talent is at a premium this month -- a spot only emerged for Renan Lodi to go from Marseille to Al-Hilal because of Neymar's season-ending injury -- and now there will be all sorts of wild talk as to who Al-Ettifaq will turn to to plug the Henderson-shaped hole in their side."
The Saudi Pro League is showing no signs of slowing just yet, but Henderson's situation forces the question: How sustainable is the current strategy?
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๐ Midfield Link Play
๐ Continental champions deliver
The AFC Asian Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations may have just started a few days ago, but both tournaments are providing plenty of entertainment. Asian Cup favorites like Japan, Australia and South Korea have all kicked off their campaigns with wins, but it is not all smooth sailing for the regional heavyweights. The Socceroos were clearly not at their best in their 2-0 win over India, but ex-Australia international Andy Harper believes they have the ability to grow as the tournament continues.
- Harper: "They were a bit flat against India. … The difference between this squad under Graham Arnold, the current coach, and the famous 2006 team, which is the only other team at the World Cup that got out of the group stage into the knockout rounds -- none of these players at the moment are playing in the big five European leagues. In 2006, every one of the starting XI and most of the squad in general was doing their thing at one of the big five leagues in the world. What this group of players has done in relative terms is more impressive and despite the sloppiness, if I can put it that way, of the performance against India in their first match, I think they'll go through the gears as they need to."
As for the Africa Cup of Nations, the early slate of matches have almost exclusively been closely-contested ones, with only four teams ending up on the winning side in 10 games and only one side winning by more than two goals. Nigeria, Egypt and Cameroon opened their campaigns with surprise draws against Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique and Guinea respectively, while Ghana already lost to Cape Verde.
Another round of drama could be in store tomorrow when hosts Ivory Coast take on Nigeria. The former already have a win under their belt when they beat Guinea-Bissau on opening day, but an attack-heavy Nigeria -- led by Napoli's Victor Osimhen -- will aim to rebound from their disappointing first game.
๐ Top Stories
❌ Mourinho out: Jose Mourinho was fired as the Roma manager and replaced by club legend Daniele de Rossi, which forces the questions: What's Mourinho's next move, and what can we expect with de Rossi at the helm?
๐ต๐ด Xavi's hot seat: Barcelona manager Xavi is reportedly losing support in the locker room, and the club might be navigating a crisis as it decides whether to sick with him or move on.
๐ฐ Swanson stays: Mallory Swanson inked a new long-term deal with the Chicago Red Stars worth around $2 million, making her the NWSL's highest-paid player.
๐ฎ Reyna watch: Gio Reyna is reportedly looking for a transfer out of Borussia Dortmund, so it's time to make a wishlist of possible destinations for the USMNT midfielder.
๐บ๐ธ USMNT check-in: Here's a midseason review of how USMNT players are faring in the Serie A, plus a look at Christian Pulisic's recent comments saying the team aims to win Copa America.
๐ช๐ธ Cinderella story?: Here's a look at Unionistas de Salamanca, the lower division, fan-owned club that will host Barcelona in the Copa del Rey this week.
๐ Messi's the best: Lionel Messi won The Best FifA men's player over Erling Haaland, who he beat on a tiebreak despite only winning Ligue 1 and the Leagues Cup in the last year.
๐ฅ VAR chaos in Asia: Rules expert Christina Unkel breaks down the confusion in Saudi Arabia's win over Oman at the Asian Cup yesterday -- and why it was wise not to give out a yellow card for excessive celebration at the end.
๐ฌ Coaches' corner: Seattle Reign coach Laura Harvey talks Emma Hayes' impact on the USWNT and why the NWSL is still the best league in the world, while Caleb Porter chats about his new gig with the New England Revolution.
๐ซ๐ท Mbappe in GQ: Kylian Mbappe tells GQ about asking LeBron James for advice and inspiring the next generation.
๐ฐ The Back Line
๐ต Best bets
- Africa Cup of Nations: Ivory Coast vs. Nigeria, Wednesday, 12 p.m.
๐ฐ THE PICK: More than two goals scored (+108) -- The high-profile group stage matchup seems destined to deliver on its potential, so count on some goals. That's especially considering the attacking talent available, like Nigeria's Victor Osimhen and Ivory Coast's Jeremie Boga. - Copa del Rey: Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid, 3:30 p.m.
๐ฐ THE PICK: More than 2.75 goals scored (+103) -- It might not be another eight-goal thriller like last week's showdown in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals, but this one could still provide plenty of entertainment. With Vinicius Junior and Antoine Griezmann also in strong form, it would be hard to bet against them finding the scoresheet.
๐บ What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.
๐ฆ Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+.
3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening): The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. Just because the NWSL season is over doesn't mean that our coverage of the women's game is going anywhere. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT. NWSL offseason and European domestic season all winter long.
๐ Kickin' It (Tuesday, 7 p.m.): CBS Sports Golazo Network's new unfiltered interview show returns Tuesday Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch.
⚽ Call it What You Want (Monday night): A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Jesse Marsch and Charlie Davies cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States.
๐ฅ Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.
๐บ How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
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January 18, 2024 at 12:15AM
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What does Jordan Henderson's impending Saudi exit mean for Pro League; Asian Cup and AFCON deliver the drama - CBS Sports
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