The significance might be lacking more than usual this time of year, but that does not mean that the final Celtic-Rangers battle of the season doesn't have the potential for an intense atmosphere to unfold on the playing field.
The Old Firm derby remains one of the most fierce in all of the world, and considering Rangers' financial issues, it could very well be the last in which Maurice Edu, Carlos Bocanegra and Alejandro Bedoya participate as a summer of uncertainty awaits.
Elsewhere around Europe, matches with major ramifications for promotion, relegation and places in European competition loom. All three of those will be in play during Newcastle's match at Wigan Athletic, which has morphed into a super spoiler down the stretch.
In Italy, Udinese meets Lazio, and Roma squares off with Napoli, with all four teams having a realistic shot of finishing third place and securing a place in next season's UEFA Champions League, so intensity should be high.
Spanish powers Barcelona and Real Madrid return to action after an emotionally exhausting week as well, with Barca hitting the road to take on Rayo Vallecano in one of Pep Guardiola's final matches as manager and Madrid hosting Sevilla with a chance to seal their La Liga championship.
Here is this weekend's soccer on TV:
THIS WEEKEND'S SOCCER ON TV
FRIDAY
9 p.m. – Univision Deportes – Estudiantes Tecos vs. Queretaro
SATURDAY
7:30 a.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer2Go – Southampton vs. Coventry City
7:30 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – West Ham vs. Hull City
7:30 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Crystal Palace vs. Cardiff City
7:30 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Dundee United vs. Heart of Midlothian
9:30 a.m. – ESPN3.com – Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart
9:30 a.m. – GOLTV – Kaiserslautern vs. Borussia Dortmund
9:30 a.m. – ESPN3.com – Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Augsburg
10 a.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Wigan Athletic vs. Newcastle
10 a.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer2Go – West Brom vs. Aston Villa
10 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Everton vs. Fulham
10 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Sunderland vs. Bolton
10 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Swansea City vs. Wolverhampton
10 a.m. – ESPN2/ESPN Deportes – Stoke City vs. Arsenal
12 p.m. – GOLTV – Levante vs. Granada
12 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer2Go/ESPN3.com – Palermo vs. Catania
12:30 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Norwich City vs. Liverpool
2 p.m. – MLS Live/Direct Kick – Montreal Impact vs. Portland Timbers
2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel/ESPN3.com – Roma vs. Napoli
2:45 p.m. – ESPN3.com – Lyon vs. Quevilly (Coupe de France final)
3:15 p.m. – ESPN3.com – Maritimo Funchal vs. Porto
3:30 p.m. – NBC Sports Network – New York Red Bulls vs. New England Revolution
4 p.m. – ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes – Villarreal vs. Osasuna
5 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Everton vs. Fulham (delayed)
5:40 p.m. – GOLTV – Boca Juniors vs. Colon
6 p.m. – ESPN Deportes/Azteca America – Jaguares vs. Morelia
7 p.m. – MLS Live/Direct Kick – Philadelphia Union vs. San Jose Earthquakes
7:30 p.m. - MLS Live/Direct Kick – D.C. United vs. Houston Dynamo
7:30 p.m. - MLS Live/Direct Kick – Columbus Crew vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
8 p.m. – Telefutura – Tigres UANL vs. Puebla
8 p.m. – Univision Deportes – Pachuca vs. Chivas de Guadalajara
8:30 p.m. - MLS Live/Direct Kick – Chicago Fire vs. Seattle Sounders
9 p.m. - MLS Live/Direct Kick – Colorado Rapids vs. Chivas USA
9 p.m. - MLS Live/Direct Kick – Real Salt Lake vs. Toronto FC
9:30 p.m. – Galavision – Atlas vs. Santos Laguna
10 p.m. – Univision Deportes – Atlante vs. Monterrey
10:30 p.m. - MLS Live/Direct Kick – Los Angeles Galaxy vs. FC Dallas
SUNDAY
6 a.m. – ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes – Real Madrid vs. Sevilla
7:45 a.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer2Go – Celtic vs. Rangers
8:30 a.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Chelsea vs. Queens Park Rangers
8:30 a.m. – ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes – Twente vs. Ajax
9 a.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer2Go/ESPN3.com – Novara vs. Juventus
9 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go/ESPN3.com – Siena vs. AC Milan
10:15 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – St. Mirren vs. Hibernian
11 a.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Tottenham vs. Blackburn
11 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Auxerre vs. Brest
11 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Nancy vs. Caen
11 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Stade Rennes vs. Ajaccio
11 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Sochaux vs. Bordeaux
11 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – Valenciennes vs. Nice
11 a.m. – FoxSoccer2Go – St. Etienne vs. Dijon
12 p.m. – GOLTV – Malaga vs. Valencia
1 p.m. – Univision – Toluca vs. San Luis
1:45 p.m. – ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes – Real Betis vs. Atletico Madrid
2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Udinese vs. Lazio
3 p.m. – Fox Deportes/Azteca America – Tijuana vs. Pumas UNAM
3 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer2Go – Lille vs. Paris-St. Germain
3:45 p.m. – GOLTV – Rayo Vallecano vs. Barcelona
5 p.m. – Univision – America vs. Cruz Azul
6:15 p.m. – GOLTV – Aldosivi vs. River Plate
It’s a shame only a handul of teams have a chance in Europe. Give me competition and a playoff system anyday.
Nope…Canada
+1
I want my USA!
The Rangers-Celtic match. How exciting
but i gotta ask. why is there only 13 teams in the SPL? I mean Norway has a similar population and 16 teams in their top football league. Just odd if you ask me. They play each team home, away and again either home/away. Confusing right?
why don’t they simply add 3-5 teams to the top division and simply make it home/away. Now of course scotland is a weak league and adding weaker teams might just make it weaker but it makes sense. I mean makes no sense for a top football league to play their teams like home, away then home/away. if u ask me
Bocanegra to Sounders FC
Where are the Friday Night games, MLS?
Perfect opportunity to push those louse Wednesday games to Friday night!
Why is everybody complaining about this-they are super easy to close out and presumably cost more to buy, an indication more people are going here which can only be a good thing. More revenue for SBI–>more editors, fewer mistakes, etc.
So, what’s with the annoying pop up video ads on this website. Are those here to stay, now?
It’s Aston Villa. Alex McLeish guarantees that it will not be exciting.
Thanks
Muchas gracias
Would rather listen to Spanish commentators anyway.
ESPN2 will also have Real Madrid vs Sevilla, but with Spanish-language commentary and advertising. Simulcast of ESPN Deportes straight through. ESPN, Inc. will make more money that way vs. putting English/Irish/Aussie voices on ESPN2.
Monday at 2:55pm ET. ESPN (NOT ESPN2).
Pre-game show at 2:30pm ET.
Also available at ESPN3.com and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.
Interestingly, the West Brom v. Villa game has a lot more at stake…not sure if that played into the decision, but it could be more exciting?
espn2 and espn3
When on monday and what channel?
It is on Monday.
EDT actually
seriously, who is the idiot that decided to play West Brom vs. Aston Villa live and not Everton vs. Fulham?
How about Man U vs Man city?
yes
are these EST?