By ADAM TROXTELL
Athletic Bilbao can throw a wrench into the La Liga title race, but needs to overcome very big odds in the process.
In the past nine meetings with Spanish Primera Division leaders Real Madrid, Athletic has only managed a single draw and lost all the other matches. Los Blancos need to stretch that streak in order to overcome last weekend’s draw with Villarreal that leaves them just two points ahead of Barcelona in the standings.
Real routed Athletic 5-0 earlier this season behind a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick. Athletic held its mighty visitors 1-1 in the corresponding game last season, proving wins at San Mames Barria do not always come easy.
In England, rivals Aston Villa and West Brom meet to decide who goes to Wembley in FA Cup quarterfinal action. League One team Bradford hosts Reading in the early match, and struggling QPR plays Tottenham in the day’s only English Premier League game.
Opening weekend in MLS continues with teams attempting to make early statements. Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC lock horns in an all-Canadian battle, while Columbus Crew will try to claim victory on the road against Houston Dynamo for the first time since June 2011.
Cruz Azul will try to halt a two-game skid against Atlas as sixth meets seventh to start the day’s Liga MX action.
If you will be watching today’s action, feel free to leave your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (today’s soccer on TV schedule after the jump):
7:30 a.m. — Fox Sports 1 — Bradford City vs. Reading
9:30 a.m. — GolTV USA — Hannover vs. Bayern Munich
10 a.m. — NBCSN — QPR vs. Tottenham
10 a.m. — beIN Sports en Espanol — Deportivo La Coruna vs. Sevilla
Noon — beIN Sports USA — Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Madrid
12:30 p.m. — Fox Soccer Plus — Aston Villa vs. West Brom
12:30 p.m. — GolTV USA — Mainz vs. Borussia M’gladbach
2 p.m. — beIN Sports en Espanol — Elche vs. Almeria
2:45 p.m. — beIN Sports USA — Milan vs. Hellas Verona
3 p.m. — DirecTV/MLS Live — D.C. United vs. Montreal Impact
4 p.m. — DirecTV/MLS Live — Philadelphia Union vs. Colorado Rapids
4 p.m. — beIN Sports en Espanol — Granada vs. Malaga
6 p.m. — DirecTV/MLS Live — Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Toronto FC
6 p.m. — Univision — Cruz Azul vs. Atlas
8 p.m. — Univision Deportes — Monterrey vs. Toluca
8:30 p.m. — DirecTV/MLS Live — FC Dallas vs. San Jose Earthquakes
8:30 p.m. — DirecTV/MLS Live — Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew SC
9:06 p.m. — Telemundo — Pachuca vs. Club America
10 p.m. — Univision Deportes — Chiapas vs. Puebla
10:30 p.m. — DirecTV/MLS Live — Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake
F. Johnson gets an assist after slotting it into Raffael from the left side of the box. 2-0 Mönchengladbach.
That’s big. His dip in form was puzzling. I think his recent form indicates he’s back to being the player he was before.
New club. and some sorting out what his position was going to be. Great to see him finding his place tho
Bilbao about to upset Real Madrid 1-0. Madrid sent on Chicharito in desperation.
Fabian Johnson gets the start against Mainz. Up 1-0 at half.
The QPR vs Tottenham color commentator is horrible. Among a continual absence of understanding of the game or context. He called Charlie Austin’s one on one with the keeper a half chance. He kept saying he thought QPR would go for it, they hit the cross bar 29 seconds into the game and they were on the attack all of the first half with many shots on goal. He said there was not any contact when Lloris came out and clearly kicked the QPR players who’s leg you could see bend sideways. I had to mute the tv because the ignorance from a man paid to watch the game and talk about it is impossible. He is clearly not capable of the task he is paid to do.
*yawn*….
There, there…. you’re safe now. You just lie down for a while, and I will begin drafting the letter to our congressman….
Spector and Lichaj in the starting XI for Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest, respectively.
Neither Onyewu nor Yedlin made the bench for Charlton and Tottenham.
Danny Williams with a strong shift in midfield for the Reading Royals as they earn a home replay against Bradford in their quarterfinal matchup.
He’s definitely on the radar for JK and is a good option to replace Jones in the USMNT setup.