Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
The first weekend of 2014 is kicked off with an exciting three days of soccer action across the globe, including the return of Serie A, the FA Cup, and Liga MX.
Weary English Premier League clubs head into their fifth game in two weeks as the world’s oldest cup competition begins it’s third round, with plenty of the lower league teams hoping to take out an EPL side. Headlining the round is the classic North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham on Saturday while Manchester United host Swansea City on Sunday.
In Italy, Serie A resumes with a top-of-the-table clash that could determine who wins this season’s Scudetto. Once leaders AS Roma travel north to face three-time defending champions Juventus on Sunday and fans will be able to see both team’s veteran leaders play. Roma have their ace Francesco Totti back to full fitness as do Juventus with Andrea Pirlo. With five points standing in between Juventus and Roma, a win for the Bianconeri could set themselves up for a fourth straight Serie A title.
Finally, Liga MX returns this weekend with the start of the Clausura campaign, just 19 days after Club Leon won the Apertura title. Club America, who lost in the final, enter the season as favorites to win, as does Leon and Morelia. The biggest test in the first match of the year though goes to America, who host Tigres UANL.
Here’s a rundown of this weekend’s soccer on TV:
FRIDAY
8:30pm – Morelia vs. Querétaro – ESPN Deportes/Azteca America
10:30pm – Santos Laguna vs. Chivas de Guadalajara – Univision Deportes
SATURDAY
1:30am – Newcastle Jets vs. Perth Glory – Fox Soccer Plus
3:45am – Melbourne Victory vs. Brisbane Roar – One World Sports
7:45am – Motherwell vs. Inverness CT – Fox Soccer Plus
7:45am – Blackburn vs. Manchester City – Fox Sports 1/Fox Deportes
10am – Malaga vs. Atletico Madrid – beIN Sport en Español
10am – Rochdale vs. Leeds United – Fox Sports 1/Fox Deportes
10am – Grimsby Town vs. Huddersfield Town – Fox Sports 2
10am – Macclesfield Town vs. Sheffield Wednesday – Fox Soccer Plus
12pm – Real Valladolid vs. Real Betis – beIN Sport en Español
12:15pm – Arsenal vs. Tottenham – Fox
2pm – Valencia vs. Levante – beIN Sport USA
2pm – Rennes vs. Valenciennes – Univision Deportes
4pm – Almeria vs. Granada – beIN Sport USA
6pm – Club America vs. Tigres UANL – Univision
8pm – Monterrey vs. Cruz Azul – UniMas
8pm – Pachuca vs. Toluca – Univision Deportes
10pm – Atlas vs. Club Tijuana – Univision Deportes
10pm – Chiapas vs. Veracruz – Univision Deportes 2
SUNDAY
1am – Central Coast Mariners vs. Melbourne Heart – Fox Sports 2
7am – Nottingham Forest vs. West Ham United – Fox Sports 2/Fox Deportes
7:45am – St. Mirren vs. Celtic – Fox Soccer Plus
9:15am – Derby County vs. Chelsea – Fox Sports 1
10am – Barcelona vs. Elche – beIN Sport USA
11:30am – Manchester United vs. Swansea City – Fox Sports 1
12pm – Fiorentina vs. Livorno – beIN Sport USA
12pm – Osasuna vs. Espanyol – beIN Sport en Español
1pm – Pumas vs. Puebla – Univision
2pm – Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Bilbao – beIN Sport en Español
2:45pm – Juventus vs. Roma – beIN Sport USA
6pm – Atlante vs. Club Leon – Univision Deportes