The most highly-anticipated match of the English Premier League season is upon us, and so are some truly can't-miss MLS playoff series deciders.
Chelsea plays host to Manchester United on Sunday with a chance to open up a five-point lead atop the EPL standings, while six MLS teams head into action knowing that defending MLS champions Columbus has been eliminated from the post-season.
This weekend's state of top matches features options from throughout Europe, with seven different European Leagues represented in this weekend's SBI Top 10 Matches to Watch.
Here are our picks for top matches to watch, as well as this weekend's schedule of matches on TV:
SBI'S Top 10 Matches To Watch
1. Chelsea vs. Manchester United. Two of the best teams in the world square off in what should be a fast-paced display of top-notch soccer.
2. Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Chivas USA. Arch-rivals playing a winner-take-all playoff game? It doesn't get much better than that.
3. Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders. Expect some truly high-level soccer from two of the league's most entertaining teams.
4. Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid. Atletico being down in the dumps takes a little shine off the Madrid Clasico, but it's still sure to include plenty of great goals.
5. Lyon vs. Marseille. These French powers collide in a true grudge match.
6. Inter Milan vs. AS Roma. Okay, so Roma isn't what it used to be, but this will still make for a great battle.
7. FC Twente vs. Ajax. Dutch powers collide to see which team is worthy of the higher place in the SBI European Club Top 25 (okay, we kid).
8. CSKA Moscow vs. Rubin Kazan. Both teams are coming off impressive Champions League draws against top opponents, and will now collide in a battle of Russian powers.
9. Chicago Fire vs. New England Revolution. Some consider this the most boring of the remaining MLS playoff series, but you can bet the Columbus Crew's early exit has both these teams dreaming of hosting an Eastern Conference Final.
10. Bayern Munich vs. Schalke 04. If Bayern is to have any hope of getting back into the Bundesliga race, it needs a win against a surprising Schalke squad.
This Weekend's Soccer on TV
9:30am- ESPN Deportes- Bayern Munich vs. Schalke 04
10am- ESPN2- Tottenham vs. Sunderland
10am- Setanta USA- Manchester City vs. Burnley
10am- FSC/FSE- Aston Villa vs. Bolton
Noon- ESPN Deportes/ESPN360- Getafe vs. Deportivo La Coruna
Noon- RAI/ESPN360- Catania vs. Napoli
12:30pm- FSC/FSE- Wolves vs. Arsenal
1pm- Setanta USA- Paris St. Germain vs. Nice
2pm- GolTV- Barcelona vs. Mallorca
2:30pm- FSC/FSE/ESPN360- Atalanta vs. Juventus
3pm- Setanta USA- Sochaux vs. Lens
4pm- ESPN Deportes/ESPN360- Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid
4:30pm- GolTV- Sport Recife vs. Cruzeiro
5pm- FSE- Catania vs. Napoli (Delayed)
6pm- Azteca America- Cruz Azul vs. Puebla
6pm- GolTV- Nacional vs. Independiente Medellin
8pm- Telemundo- Tigres vs. Atlante
8pm- Azteca America/ESPN Deportes- Indios vs. Jaguares
8pm- FSC/FSE- Chicago Fire vs. New England Revolution
8pm- Telefutura- San Luis vs. Santos Laguna
8:30pm- Setanta USA- Manchester City vs. Burnley (Delayed)
9:45pm- Telemundo- Atlas vs. Chivas de Guadalajara
10:15pm- Setanta USA- Reading vs. Ipswich Town (Setanta USA)
SUNDAY
6am- Setanta USA- CSKA Moscow vs. Rubin Kazan
8:30am- Setanta USA- Hull City vs. Stoke City
8:30am- ESPN Deportes- AZ Alkmaar vs. Feyenoord
8:30am- ESPN360- ADO Den Haag vs. PSV
9am- FSC/FSE- Lazio vs. AC Milan
9am- ESPN360- Genoa vs. Siena
10am- ESPN360/Galavision- Colombia vs. Turkey (Under-17 World Cup)
10:30am- ESPN360- FC Twente vs. Ajax
11am- DirectTV- Sporting Gijon vs. Espanyol
11am- DirectTV- Real Valladolid vs. Xerez
11am- DirecTV- Racing Santander vs. Athletic Bilbao
11am- GolTV- Almeria vs. Osasuna
11am- Setanta USA- Lille vs. Bordeaux
11am- FSC/FSE- Chelsea vs. Manchester United
1pm- ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN360- Valencia vs. Real Zaragoza
1pm- GolTV- Fluminense vs. Palmeiras
1pm- ESPN360- Maritimo Funchal vs. FC Porto
1pm- FSE- Morelia vs. UNAM Pumas
1pm- Telemundo- Toluca vs. Pachuca
1pm- ESPN360- Switzerland vs. Italy (Under-17 World Cup)
1pm- Setanta USA- Wigan vs. Fulham
2:30pm- FSC- Inter Milan vs. AS Roma
3pm- GolTV- Sevilla vs. Villarreal
3pm- Setanta USA- Lyon vs. Marseille
3pm- Telefutura- Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders
3pm- Azteca America- Morelia vs. UNAm Pumas
5pm- FSC- West Ham vs. Everton
5pm- GolTV- Cartagena vs. Huila
5:30pm- Univision- America vs. Monterrey
6pm- Galavision- Tecos vs. Queretaro
7:30pm- ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN360- Los Angeles Galaxy at Chivas USA
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Which matches are you most looking forward to? Will you be seeing all three MLS playoff matches? Who takes the EPL clash of the titans, Chelsea or Manchester United?
Share your thoughts below.
Garber is blowing it by going up against the NFL, the World Series, and Championship Boxing. A huge playoff game on Telefutura on Sunday afternoon? What a joke of scheduling!
MLS Cup on Sunday? Ludicrous!
Is the Atletico Madrid v. Real Madrid game on Gol TV?
The pressure off Rubin a bit as Spartak go down 2-1 at Krylya Sovetov. So even with a loss Rubin will stll be on top in Russia by a point with only 2 matches left.
Bradley looks great for ‘Gladbach right now v Stuttgart. I hope Vfb wins though 🙂
Now that the Fire have a chance again, perhaps Conde can get over his migranes. Would it be too much to expect Mapp to avoid being a Mope? Maybe Nayarko can play with his head screwed on forward? Please don’t let Blanco run, he should be passing.
In the Bahamas. The only soccer I’ll be watching is my ice in a rum and coke.
People kept saying that his technical ability wasn’t good enough to deal with physical players and since he wasn’t getting playing time, he worked out, which seemed to have diminished his skills. Not like he’s FORGOTTEN his skills or anything, but he seems to have refocused a little bit.
hahaha she is intense,the girl who’s hair she is pulling on BYU is super cute
Hell, any serious compliment for Adu is welcome, and a rarity.
Eric Lichaj (on loan at Lincoln City) banned for three matches after being sent off against Morecombe over the weekend: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/lincoln_city/8346952.stm
One thing i noticed is since he put on that 20 extra pounds of muscle, he looks alot worse than a 2007-2008 Adu version. It was just 2 years ago a 5-6 130-pound Adu with benfica was destroying Belenenses defense looking like he was even too good for Benfica, now a 5-6 150-pound Adu cant even make the bench for that same Belenenses team………….Figures.
How can Adu not get minutes on this team? They seem fairly awful-terrible balls being played all over the field. The one game I saw him play he seemed to be moving the ball forward well. Anyone see the argument over who was taking the free kick? I thought there was going to be fists flying for a second there. That seems like a team in disarray. I wonder if the coach is on his way out.
According to Adu his teamates complimented his defense play when he came in as a sub against Sporting Lisbon, suggesting that Adu should play defense.
Adu laughed it off, I think he might want to reconsider.
That means you need to be a subcriber of Direct TV to view these games. I don’t know what channel(s) they are on Direct TV
Is it wrong that I kinda have a crush on her now? 😉 That chick is fierce.
Watching the Belenenses game. They actually have decent attacking players, which might explain Freddy not playing. But their defence and DM’s really suck big time.
Gonna have to root for Chivas and Seattle.. as a result of the friendlies.
Might just have added Setanta for this month starting now for Socheaux and Hull.. but won’t now.
Damn.. wish ESPN2 had the Man U/Chelski game.
What does channel – Directtv mean? Those channels the Champions League games are on?
No offense but seriously…how many fricking Burnley games are going to be televised this year…
Elizabeth Lambert IS THE REPLACEMENT FOR GOOCH!!!!Look at this aggression…nodody is getting by her!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k52QWFeP7OY
Say, good point. As much as Fergie bitches about refs, he should be thankful for all the added time that has saved Man U. this season. Especially in that game against City.
Ives you should post the video of the BYU New Mexico catfight,I saw it on The Original Winger,it was seriously more like assault,the girl should be banned for good.
Coolio.
Based on number of games. I need my local DVR provider to make sure you can record at LEAST 4 things at ONCE! Especially with some games requiring OT (upcoming College Soccer Games) or a lot of added time (every Man United game lol)
it’s on ESPN2, so it should be in HD…
2. Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Chivas USA. Arch-rivals playing a winner-take-all playoff game? It doesn’t get much better than that.
not In HD? I belive it does….
Adu on the bench
Eddie Johnson has been hitting it up in the reserves, and getting some Bench appearances for Fulham…lets hope he gets some playing time Sunday. With an Improved EJ in the picture, we wont need Ching or Casey anymore. make it happen EJ!