Top games to watch this week
Friday, May 26
Sampdoria vs Sassuolo (Serie A)
Rio Ave vs Famalicao (Primeira Liga)
Vizela vs Sporting CP (Primeira Liga)
Ecuador vs Fiji (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Slovakia vs USA (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Uzbekistan vs Guatemala (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
New Zealand vs Argentina (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Saturday, May 27
Sevilla vs Real Madrid (La Liga)
Fiorentina vs Roma (Serie A)
Inter vs Atalanta (Serie A)
Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz 05 (Bundesliga)
Köln vs Bayern (Bundesliga)
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs Augsburg (Bundesliga)
Bochum vs Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
Stuttgart vs Hoffenheim (Bundesliga)
Benfica vs Santa Clara (Primeira Liga)
Porto vs Vitoria Guimaraes (Primeira Liga)
Strasbourg vs PSG (Ligue 1)
Brazil vs Nigeria (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Dominican Republic vs Italy (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Colombia vs Senegal (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Japan vs Israel (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Coventry vs Luton Town (Championship – Promotion Playoffs Final)
Seattle Sounders vs New York RB (MLS)
St. Louis City vs Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS)
Colorado Rapids vs Cincinnati (MLS)
Sunday, May 28
Aston Villa vs Brighton (English Premier League)
Everton vs Bournemouth (English Premier League)
Leeds United vs Tottenham (English Premier League)
Leicester vs West Ham (English Premier League)
Manchester United vs Fulham (English Premier League)
Southampton vs Liverpool (English Premier League)
Getafe vs Osasuna (La Liga)
Cádiz vs Celta (La Liga)
Valencia vs Espanyol (La Liga)
Lazio vs Cremonese (Serie A)
Juventus vs Milan (Serie A)
Nashville SC vs Columbus Crew (MLS)
Guadalajara vs Tigres UANL (Liga MX – Clausura Final 2nd leg)
Iraq vs England (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Tunisia vs Uruguay (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Honduras vs France (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Korea Republic vs Gambia (FIFA U-20 World Cup)
Monday, May 29
Huracán vs Unión Sta Fe (Argentina Primera Division)
Vélez vs River Plate (Argentina Primera Division)
Puerto Rico vs Dominican Republic (CONCACAF U20 Women's Championship)
Mexico vs Costa Rica (CONCACAF U20 Women's Championship
Tuesday, May 30
FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 - Game 1
FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 - Game 2
Wednesday, May 31
León vs Los Angeles FC (CONCACAF Champions League final)
Sevilla vs Roma (Europa League Final)
FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 - Game 3
FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 - Game 4
FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 - Game 5
FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 - Game 6
Atlanta United vs New England
New York City vs Cincinnati
Seattle Sounders vs SJ Earthquakes
Thursday, June 1
FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 - Game 7
FIFA U-20 World Cup Round of 16 - Game 8
Most-watched soccer games in the USA: May 15-21, 2023
The viewership numbers for soccer matches aired in the USA between May 15 and May 21, 2023 are in, and once again, Liga MX has dominated the competition. Regardless, it has been a tremendous week for soccer with five matches during the aforementioned time frame garnering over one million average viewers.
The top two slots were taken up by one matchup: the Liga MX Clausura semifinal showdown between Club America and Guadalajara. The second-leg tie, which Chivas won 3-1 to secure progression to the final, topped the charts after racking up a whopping 2,184,000 viewers on Univision and a viewership rating of 0.95.
In second spot was Telemundo's broadcast of the first-leg encounter between Club America and Guadalajara, which America won 1-0, ultimately in vain, with that match garnering just under two million average viewers. Wrapping up the top three is the UEFA Champions League semifinal clash between Man City and Real Madrid, which the Cityzens won 4-0, as Guardiola's men thrashed the title holders to book their spot in the final. This tie garnered an average viewership of roughly 1.2 million people on CBS in what was a historic European tie.
What are this week's must-watch games?
Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz 05 and Köln vs Bayern live this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET on ESPN+ and the ESPN app in the Bundesliga season finale
This will be the most exciting season finale in recent Bundesliga history. The German top flight enters its final round that will decide the champions, with Dortmund holding all the cards. Bayern Munich's loss against RB Leipzig and BVB's 3-0 victory at Augsburg leave Bellingham and Co. inches away from securing the title. Terzic's side simply need to beat Mainz on Saturday and they will get their hands on the Meisterschale for the first time since 2012. Bayern Munich, who are only two points behind, take on Köln in a simultaneous kick-off and will need a win and a slip-up from the league leaders in order to defend their title. This is shaping up for a historic curtain closer to the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign.
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Who'll win the Primeira Liga? Benfica vs Santa Clara and Porto vs Vitoria Guimaraes live this Saturday at 1 p.m. ET will decide all
The Bundesliga isn't the only major European league that will be decided on the final day. The Primeira Liga enters its final round this weekend and will see a champion crowned on Saturday. Benfica, who will host Santa Clara live on GOLTV, GolTV Espanol, and Benfica TV International, sit two points ahead at the top, meaning even a draw could suffice – though a win will crown them champions. Meanwhile, Porto, who take on Vitoria Guimaraes in the final game live on RTP International, will need a slip-up from the Eagles and a victory in their weekend tie. All roads point to Benfica lifting the title in the final round but the Primeira Liga has offered several twists and turn this season already. Don't miss these fixtures.
Manchester United vs Fulham live this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET on Peacock and Bravo
Manchester United have secured a top-four finish and are now preparing for their final game of the season. Despite qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, Ten Hag's men will look to achieve another lovely goal: finishing third in the table. Rashford and Co. are currently two points ahead of fourth-placed Newcastle but will need a victory on the final day to finish ahead of the Magpies. Additionally, with the FA Cup final quickly approaching, Manchester United will want to finish the Premier League season on a high. However, Fulham, who infamously lost that FA Cup quarterfinal against the Red Devils, will travel to Old Trafford with the aim of getting revenge.
Relegation-decider! Leicester host West Ham in crucial showdown live this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET on Peacock and SYFY
Will the Premier League lose Leicester to relegation this season? The Foxes are fighting for their lives and will need a miracle on the final day in order to secure safety. Dean Smith's side, who face West Ham on Sunday, are in 18th and need a win over the Hammers and a slip-up from 17th-placed Everton in order to climb out of the danger zone. Beating West Ham isn't easy and with the Toffees hosting Bournemouth at Goodison Park in their final game, Maddison and Co. are facing an uphill battle to avoid relegation.
Juventus face AC Milan in crucial top-four battle live this Sunday at 2:45 a.m. exclusively on Paramount+
Will AC Milan hammer the final nail in the coffin to Juventus' top-four hopes? The Old Lady were well on their way to UEFA Champions League qualification, sitting second in the table until a 10-point deduction took them down to seventh. Allegri's men now trail the fourth-placed Rossoneri by five points with only two games remaining in the campaign. This means anything but a victory will end the Old Lady's top-four race. Pioli's men, on the other hand, are being hunted down by fifth-placed Atalanta, who are only three points behind, and will thus need to beat Juventus. Tune in to Paramount+ to catch this thrilling tie live.
While the 2023 NWSL season continues to pick up steam, other major leagues in women's soccer, including the WSL and the Frauen-Bundesliga will be approaching their conclusions this weekend. In both England and Germany, the title race is set to go down to the final day
Here's all you need to know ahead of another week of women's soccer.
WSL
It's judgement day in the WSL, where the title race will be finally decided this weekend. All 6 fixtures will be played at the same time, with kick-offs scheduled for 09.30 EST (06.30 PST).
At the moment, Chelsea have a two point lead over second-placed Manchester United. The Blues will be taking on already-relegated Reading, who sit in 12th spot and have lost their last five matches, while the Red Devils will face seventh-placed Liverpool. With Emma Hayes's team expected to beat their struggling hosts without much fuss, it appears that the Blues will edge out the Red Devils less than a few weeks after beating the same Manchester United 1-0 in a sold-out FA Cup final.
For Manchester United, who recently featured in their first ever FA Cup final, it has been a brilliant season. That being said, their hopes of winning a first WSL title are not totally dashed, but they will need Reading to do them a huge favor and pull off a huge upset to beat Chelsea, while they can't afford to slip up against Liverpool.
It's set to be a very interesting Saturday, that's for certain, and WSL fans surely will not want to miss out on any of the action!
Frauen-Bundesliga
Just like in England, the title race in Germany will be decided on the final matchday. All six games will also be played at the same time, with kick-offs scheduled for 08.00 EST (05.00 PST). Currently, Bayern Munich are two points ahead of second-placed Wolfsburg following their surprise scoreless draw against Bayer Leverkusen last time out.
And just like in the WSL, Bayern have been handed a "gift" of sorts as they also will face an already-relegated team. Turbine Potsdam tried valiantly to avoid the drop, and for a brief moment, it seemed that they just may be able to start stringing some good results together. However, after winning two on the trot, Potsdam have now lost four in a row and now that they have already been relegated to the 2.Bundesliga, they will have nothing but pride to play for when they travel to face Bayern on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Wolfsburg, who are set to feature in the Champions League final against Barcelona next month, could pip Bayern to the title provided they beat a Freiburg side who are winless in their last five. In addition, Wolfsburg will need Potsdam to somehow avoid losing to Bayern - which isn't likely to happen - if they want to edge out die Roten to the league title.
NWSL
Moving onto the NWSL, a surprise new leader has emerged. Currently, Gotham FC hold a narrow one-point lead over the chasing pack following their stunning 4-1 win over OL Reign in the last round, and they will be hoping to retain that when they face Washington Spirit on Sunday.
Another match to keep one's eyes on will be the tie featuring San Diego Wave and Portland Thorns. Both teams have earned 15 points, putting them just one behind current league leaders Gotham, and one of these teams is certain to displace Gotham as the league leaders given that this tie will take place on Saturday, nearly 24 hours before Gotham FC and Washington Spirit, who have also picked up 15 points, lock horns in matchday nine's final game.
Struggling Chicago Red Stars, who have earned just four points so far in this nascent season, will once again hope to turn their fortunes around following a heavy 4-0 defeat to Portland Thorns. They will lock horns with Orlando Pride, who started this season off with four consecutive losses, but have since experienced a revival and come into their next game having won three and drawn the other of their most recent four ties.
Didn't find your favorite women's league on this list? No worries, as this is just a highlight of some of the exciting games coming up this week. Make sure to check out our special women's soccer page here at LiveSoccerTV.com for full broadcast info, match updates, news, and more.
Major League Soccer: Preview, news and broadcast details for Matchdays 15 & 16
The next few days will be an action-packed one for MLS fans. On Saturday, matchday 15 gets underway, with all but two games being played on Saturday, May 27th, before wrapping up on Sunday, May 28th. Then, just a few days later, there will be a midweek round that will kick off on Wednesday, May 31st.
Here's all you need to know ahead of matchdays 15 and 16 in MLS.
How to watch Matchday 15 in the 2023 MLS season
Matchday 15 begins on Saturday, May 27th. Among the highlights of a very hectic day include league leaders Cincinnati traveling to face Colorado Rapids. Cincinnati, who have a five-point lead at the top of the Eastern Conference, successfully powered past New York Red Bulls in a tense US Open Cup tie on Tuesday evening that ultimately went to spot-kicks, so fatigue could be a potential issue. That being said, given the Rapids' poor form - with three straight losses ahead of this tie - many will be expecting Cincinnati to continue their strong start to the season and make it a fourth consecutive win in the league.
Nashville, who are also having a fantastic start to the 2023 MLS season, presently find themselves in second spot on 25 points with four wins from their last five games. They will wrap up matchday 15 on Sunday with a home game against a Columbus Crew side who have won just one of their last five MLS ties.
After being slammed by some of his own players, namely Italian international Federico Bernadeschi, Toronto FC manager Bob Bradley will be feeling quite a bit of pressure from fans when his team host DC United on Saturday. Toronto are bottom of the Eastern Conference with just 13 points and will be desperate for redemption, but that will be easier said than done against United, who have been steadily working their way up the table.
Some fans, especially those in the USA and Canada, will be able to follow some of these games on TV. However, for those who can't access MLS games via TV or prefer a more flexible option, MLS Season Pass offers live streaming of MLS matches in over 100 countries worldwide.
How to watch Matchday 16 in the 2023 MLS season
After the weekend's games, MLS fans will be in for another treat as there will be a midweek round of ties. All the matches will take place on Wednesday, May 31st, with the first game, Atlanta United vs New England, kicking off at 19.00 EST (16.00 PST).
Following that, there will be six games with simultaneous kick-off times at 19.30 EST (16.30 PST), including Columbus Crew vs Colorado Rapids, New York City vs Cincinnati, and Toronto FC vs Chicago Fire. An hour later, there will be a double-header with a starting time of 20.30 EST (17.30 PST) starring Austin vs Minnesota United and Sporting Kansas City vs Dallas.
Matchday 16 will wrap up with Real Salt Lake vs LA Galaxy, which commences at 21.30 EST (18.30 PST), followed by two games starting at 22.30 EST (19.30 PST): Seattle Sounders vs San Jose Earthquakes and Vancouver Whitecaps vs Houston Dynamo.
Top news of the week in Major League Soccer
Acosta the star once again as FC Cincinnati continue amazing start to the season
Luciano Acosta, who has been having a brilliant campaign so far, proved to be the deciding factor for FC Cincinnati last round as they beat the Columbus Crew for the first time in nearly three years. The Argentinian attacker netted a brace during his team's 3-2 win to keep Cincinnati on top of the Eastern Conference, and the victory means that Cincinnati are just one of three teams to win all eight of their home games at the start of a season.
In addition to coming up with vital goals, Acosta has proven to be a reliable option when it comes to assisting them. To date, he's been directly involved in eight goals (five goals, three assists), and last season led the MLS with 19 assists for his team, so fans will be naturally hoping to see him reach even greater heights as they chase what would be a first-ever Supporters' Shield.
Two Premier League giants linked with surprise move for New England shot-stopper Djordje Petrovic
According to some reports from his native Serbia, New England shot-stopper Djordje Petrovic is apparently on the radar of not just one, but two Premier League giants. Both Manchester United and Liverpool are looking to add some fresh talent to their goalkeeping options, with David de Gea approaching his later years of his career and the Reds set to lose back-up option Caoimhin Kelleher once the summer transfer window opens.
Petrovic, a 23-year-old Serbian international, has been pretty solid in between the posts for the Revs this season. He's made 13 starts, and kept five clean sheets so far and boasts a nearly 80 per cent save success rate, as per his stats on MLS's page. However, he, and his teammates will need to do much better in their upcoming game against Chicago Fire following two consecutive defeats during which the Revs conceded five goals against Philadelphia Union (3-0) and Inter Miami (2-1).
Make sure to check out our special Major League Soccer page here at LiveSoccerTV.com for full broadcast info, match updates, news, and more.
Biggest stories of the week
Shock departure in store for Napoli after historic Scudetto-winning season
Considering that Napoli have just won their first Scudetto in 33 years, one would expect the Partenopei to be fighting tooth and nail to hang on to their manager.
However, reports have been swirling that Luciano Spalletti has been at loggerheads with the flamboyant and outspoken owner of Napoli, Aurelio De Laurentiis. Spalletti confirmed Napoli fans' worst fears over the weekend during a press conference following his team's win over a high-flying Nerazzurri side who had strung together an eight-match winning streak in Serie A prior to Sunday's loss.
That means that Napoli will need to find a new manager for next season as they aim to not only successfully defend their Scudetto crown, but also make another deep run in the Champions League. The Partenopei have been linked with a slew of options, including Antonio Conte and Rafa Benitez, both of whom have extensive experience managing in Serie A during their times with Juventus and Inter (Conte) and Benitez (Napoli), as well as Atalanta's Gian Piero Gasperini, Fiorentina's Vincenzo Italiano, and treble-winning manager Luis Enrique, who also managed Roma at one point in his career.
While it is not certain if any of these managers will be on the tactician's bench at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona come next season, it is nonetheless a pretty surefire guarantee that Napoli will have a new man in charge to once again challenge for trophies once the 2023/2024 campaign rolls around.
Vinicius Jr aims dig at La Liga after seeing red for stoppage time clash with Hugo Duro
Vinicius Jr has hit out at La Liga after being shown a red card for his clash with Hugo Duro during stoppage time. In Sunday's clash between Real Madrid and Valencia, the Brazilian winger received his marching orders after slapping Duro following an altercation.
After being knocked out of the Champions League semifinals in mid-week, Madrid suffered a 1-0 defeat against Valencia, with Diego Lopez netting the sole goal of the match in the 33rd minute. However, the game took a contentious turn when Vinicius Jr was shown a straight red card during stoppage time following a clash with Hugo Duro.
It all began when Valencia goalkeeper Mamardashvili launched himself aggressively towards Vinicius Jr, while Valencia striker Hugo Duro immediately grabbed Vinicius in a headlock. This sparked a chaotic melee on the pitch, with players from both teams getting involved. Unfortunately, Vinicius Jr was the sole player who received a red card as he struck Duro following the altercation.
However, the drama did not end there. As he made his way off the field, Vinicius gestured towards the home fans at Mestalla Stadium, indicating that Valencia would face relegation to the second division. It should be noted that prior to this, the Brazilian attacker had been subjected to racist abuse from the Valencia supporters.
In the aftermath of the game, Vinicius Jr took to his Instagram page to express his dissatisfaction with the referee's decision, and he labeled La Liga as racist.
In a separate post, he criticized La Liga once again, stating, "The prize that racists have won was my expulsion. It's not football, it's La Liga."
Update on Vinicius Junior's Real Madrid future revealed following racist abuse at Valencia
Vinicius Jr. has sadly dominated the headlines following the horrible racist abuse he received during Real Madrid's clash with Valencia in La Liga on Sunday. The Brazilian superstar, who has received vile abuse before, was subjected to discriminatory chants at the iconic Mestalla Stadium, which even led to the game being halted for a few minutes.
The 22-year-old, who reported the incident to the officials, was emotionally affected and was also seen tearing up before his stoppage-time sending off. This sparked tremendous debate in Spain and the rest of Europe surrounding discrimination in La Liga and the future of one of the beautiful game's best attackers.
The winger slammed La Liga and accused them of allowing racism to fester in the Spanish top-flight thanks to their inaction. That wasn't all Vinicius Jr. had to say, with the Blancos sensation writing on social media that he will continue his battle with discrimination even if that meant he had to leave the competition.
"The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi today belongs to the racists," Vini Jr. posted.
"A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love but which accepted to export to the world the image of a racist country. I am sorry for those Spaniards who disagree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists."
"I am strong and I will go all the way against the racists," he said. "Even if it is far away from here."
But does the Real Madrid star truly intend on leaving Santiago Bernabeu following this ugly chapter in La Liga's history? Several reports emerged immediately after this incident claiming that the player was fed up with the situation and might contemplate leaving but one of the most reliable sources in soccer has just dropped an update on the player's future.
That man is the well-known Fabrizio Romano who reports that Vinicius Jr. has no intentions of leaving the Merengues. The player has signed a new long-term deal in Madrid that will run until June 2027, although it is yet to be unveiled by the club. Additionally, Real Madrid aren't open to letting him go and will instead continue their relationship and fight racism together.
Sadly, the player has not received the public's backing in Spain. Real Madrid, who have also been criticized of doing little to combat the growing racism directed at their star man, has lodged a hate crime complaint following Sunday's controversy. However, the player has received push back, with even La Liga president Javier Tebas hitting back at the attacker over his post-match comments.
Additionally, some have rejected the claim that Vinicius Jr. was being abused by the entire stadium, arguing that it was a few bad actors while accusing the attacker of confusing the "tonto" chant, which means "stupid" in English, for the word "mono" (monkey in Spanish).
However, Ancelotti refuted this story during his post-match interview and video shows that while some were indeed chanting "tonto", racist abuse could be heard throughout the stadium. La Liga are currently investigating the situation amid an outcry for action against hatred.
Ten Hag and Rashford set milestones as Man United seal Champions League spot
The wait is over for Manchester United fans, and after a season that resembled a roller-coaster ride, the Red Devils have finally secured their spot in next season's UEFA Champions League.
Erik Ten Hag's men managed to seal their spot in next year's tournament with one game to be played in the Premier League campaign, claiming a 4-1 victory over Chelsea, who have missed out on all European tournaments after a disappointing run this year. Goals by Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes, and Marcus Rashford sealed the deal for the Red Devils, who had their lead cut to three after a late goal by Joao Felix.
Speaking of those footballers that scored for the hosts, Marcus Rashford equaled a milestone set ten years ago by a former striker, becoming the first Manchester United player to score 30 goals in a season since Robin van Persie in 2012/13.
Then, we have to speak about Erik Ten Hag's influence and relevance for the team. The Dutch boss had quite an impact when playing at home against the members of the Big Six, winning all of their clashes against Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Man City, and Chelsea at Old Trafford this term.
To make things even more embarrassing for Chelsea, Manchester United set one more milestone in games between these clubs with their win on Thursday as they are now 11 games unbeaten in the Premier League against the Blues, which is a record.
The end of the season will bring reinforcements for the Red Devils, but right now, the main thing for them to do is to celebrate after nabbing the last available spot for the club competition, where they will join Manchester City, Arsenal, and Newcastle as the Premier League teams invited to the tournament.
Other key headlines from the world of soccer
England's FA reportedly keen on bidding for next Women's World Cup
No definite hosts for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup have been announced yet, but four confirmed bidders have already thrown their hats into the ring. South Africa, who hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, are hoping to become one of just a few countries - and the only African one - to host both the men's and women's competitions. In addition, the USA and Mexico, who will be serving as two of co-hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, have also expressed interest in hosting the women's competition a year later.
The USA, of course, has already hosted both a men's (in 1994) and women's (in 1999 and 2003), so are well-versed in this competition, while Mexico has hosted the men's competition in 1970 and 1986). Elsewhere, Brazil, who hosted the men's tournament in 1950 and 2014, are also hoping to get a chance to have the women's edition on their home soil.
The group is rounded out by a joint-bid coming from Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Meanwhile, England, who hosted the 2022 EURO during which the Lionesses clinched their first ever title last summer, are hoping to build on this success and possibly get to host not the 2027 version, but rather the one that is scheduled to take place in 2031.
To date, the FA has hosted just one World Cup. That was back in 1966 when England won their first and only major title, and have never been the hosts of a Women's World Cup. At the moment, the FA are also involved in bidding for hosting rights for the 2028 EURO competition, but are clearly looking towards the future and hoping to take advantage of the steady growth of interest in the women's game.
Report: Mbappé 'not ready' to execute automatic contract extension with PSG
With Lionel Messi and Neymar set to leave PSG this summer, all the questions about possible exits will have Kylian Mbappé in the middle of all discussions. PSG fans will not be satisfied with most recent reports, as the French superstar is bound to leave the club in 2024.
According to an article by L'Equipe, the footballer is not willing to execute the automatic extension included in his deal, which would let him leave on a free transfer next summer.
Mbappé's reasons to leave the club would have to do with the team's lack of success in European competitions, particularly with their failed campaign in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League. That, and the team's uncertainty regarding their upcoming transfers would be key factors in his decision to leave the club.
Mbappé's automatic extension clause will expire on July 31. If that date goes by with no new developments, the next twelve months will be filled with transfer rumors featuring the 24-year-old. Will we see Mbappé's final season with Les Parisiens in 2023-24? We will have to wait and see.
Why Juventus' 10-point deduction is a huge boost for Arsenal ahead of their Champions League return
Why are the Bianconeri's woes of any concern to the North London giants? The reason is simple: due to UEFA coefficient, Juventus' absence from Europe's most prestigious club competition will come as a huge boost to the Gunners when it comes to the draw.
Arteta's failure to secure the Premier League title meant that Saka and Co. appeared destined for Pot 3. When doing the group-stage draw, UEFA split the participants into four pots, with the winners of Europe's top competitions – the big five leagues, the Champions League, and Europa League – entering pot 1.
Failure to qualify for Pot 1 means that you're likelier to get a Barcelona or a Napoli in the group stage. After Pot 1, coefficient comes into play and given Arsenal's long absence from the competition, they were destined to miss out on Pot 2 and land in Pot 3, meaning a Group of Death was a possibility for the Gunners.
However, Juventus' absence from the competition could bump the North London giants up into Pot 2. It should be noted that Arsenal aren't out of the woods just yet. Juventus can still qualify for the Champions League, although it is unlikely to occur. Additionally, if any of Roma, Villarreal, and/or Ajax secure Champions League qualification through their domestic leagues, then Saka and Co. would drop back down to Pot 3.
