Atalanta are writing their own history in the Europa League; Barcelona is chasing another title in the Women’s Champions League

Happy Friday! One major European final is officially in the books with Atalanta’s win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League, and between the FA Cup and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, there’s plenty more in store this weekend. I’m Pardeep Cattry with the latest version.

📺 Foot correction

Always US/East

Friday May 24
🇺🇸 NWSL: Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns, 7pm ➡️ NWSL+

Saturday May 25
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ FA Cup: Manchester City vs. Manchester United, 10am ➡️ ESPN+
🇪🇺 UWCL: Barcelona vs. Lyon, 12 noon ➡️ DAZN
🇩🇪 DFB Pokal: Kaiserslautern vs. Leverkusen, 2 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
🇮🇹 Serie A: Milan vs. Salernitana, 2:45 PM ➡️ Biggest+
🇺🇸 MLS: Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Inter Miami, 10:30 PM ➡️ Apple TV+

Sunday May 26
🏴ꠁԠԠԠԠԠ Championship play-offs: Leeds vs. Southampton, 10am ➡️ ESPN+
🇮🇹 Serie A: Hellas Verona vs. Inter, 2:45 PM ➡️ Biggest+

⚽ The forward line

🔵⚫ Atalanta makes history

The underdogs had the upper hand in Dublin on Wednesday as Atalanta broke Bayer Leverkusen’s 51-match winning streak in style with a 3-0 victory to take home the Europa League trophy. The unlikely win came courtesy of a hat-trick from Ademola Lookman, who became the first person to score three times in a Europa League final.

Lookman’s first goal came in the 12th minute and set the tone for the remainder of the match, with Atalanta giving Leverkusen the ball but never relinquishing momentum and ultimately being more clinical. The goalscorer had and was one of the best performances of his career emblematic of an Atalanta team that has done everything rightt, according to Mike Grella.

• Grella: “[There was] they work so hard [Lookman] to put him in those situations, 1-v-1. I think that he [had] four successful dribbles out of six. He beat his defender all the time and his finishing is fantastic. You find a lot of wingers who have all the tools, but maybe the finishing isn’t, but he ends up as a number 9. However, he is just one part of an Atalanta side, which I thought was just perfect on the wing . night – really good stuff. … You talk about the nerves and you talk about different moments, Lookman didn’t make any mistakes.”

There were plenty of reasons why Atalanta felt triumphant on Wednesday. The club won their first European title and only their second ever trophy, the first being a Coppa Italia victory six decades earlier. The victory in Dublin marked a high point for a club that several years ago embarked on an ambitious rebuild, which Francesco Porzio notes included a diverse cast of characters including an ex-player, American investors and respected manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who are first victory won. ever trophy.

• Porzio: “Former club player and Italian businessman Antonio Percassi decided to buy the club in 2010 and its fortunes changed for the better, and lately there was great American influence. From that moment on, everything changed for the team from the north of Italy. and just one hour’s drive from Milan, Atalanta started from scratch and struggled for several years until manager Gasperini was appointed in 2016. The former Genoa coach created one of Italian football’s most interesting projects, based on young academy and youth players scouting by the club directors in recent years. It worked so well that Atalanta reached Champions League football four times in recent years, including when they lost to PSG in the quarter-finals of the 2019-2020 edition.”

The historic win means Atalanta will return to the Champions League next season, providing them with the latest opportunity to chart their admirable upward trajectory to the top of European football.

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🔗 Link play in midfield

🏆 Barcelona and Lyon chase UWCL glory

UEFA’s next trophy presentation takes place on Saturday when Barcelona and Lyon will battle it out in Bilbao to win the Women’s Champions League in a battle between the old and new powerhouses of women’s football.

Barcelona return to the showcase a year after winning the title and remain the gold standard in a new era of women’s football, thanks in large part to their star-studded squad. Aitana Bonmati is still at the top after her unprecedented silverware haul in 2023, scoring five goals this season, while Caroline Graham Hansen has equaled that tally. If anyone is having a breakout season, it’s 20-year-old Salma Paralluelo. She went from making a name for herself with 15 goals in 30 games last season to becoming a top scorer this season, with 32 goals in 34 games. She also leads her team with six goals in the league and is emerging as the latest attacking star for a goalscoring juggernaut.

They will seek revenge against Lyon, who defeated them 3-1 in the 2022 final to win a record eight UWCL titles. The French champion was once the definition of excellence in Europe, but in the face of increased investment and competition from across the continent they have demonstrated the ability to keep pace. Kadidiatou Diani leads the league with eight goals, while Ada Hegerberg has five of his own, allowing Lyon to reach Saturday’s final with relative ease. Lindsey Horan, captain of the US women’s national team, is also among the standouts and will be aiming for her second Champions League winners’ medal.

Saturday’s match is expected to be the latest example of the increasingly competitive nature of women’s football, and not just on the pitch. Barcelona manager Jonatan Girladez and Lyon colleague Sonia Bompastor are taking on new high-profile jobs this summer – the former having already announced he will join the NWSL’s Washington Spirit and the latter expected to replace Emma Hayes at Chelsea. Their actions demonstrate the ambition of clubs on both sides of the Atlantic, and will also be the latest test of Barcelona and Lyon’s ability to maintain their lofty positions under new leadership.

🔗 Top stories

🏆 Atalanta’s perfect evening: Here’s more about Atalanta’s win over Leverkusen, in which Gasperini and his company put on a perfect show against the seemingly unbeatable opposition.

🇺🇸 Hayes officially starts: Emma Hayes is making the rounds after officially taking on her role as head coach of the USWNT, saying her primary focus for the national team is to guide them amid the changing landscape in women’s soccer.

🪑 Leader of musical chairs: Thiago Motta is getting closer to becoming Juventus coachVincent Kompany is in advanced talks to take over the job at Bayern Munich, Hansi Flick is emerging as a leading contender to succeed Xavi at BarcelonaMauricio Pochettino has been linked with the England role, and Eric ten Hag’s days at Manchester United seem increasingly numbered.

🟨 Paqueta calculated: The FA charged West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta with four serious breaches of betting rules, claiming he deliberately solicited yellow cards four times.

🔴🔵 Lewandowski on Mbappe: Robert Lewandowski said he is not “afraid” of Real Madrid’s potential to overshadow Barcelona with the impending arrival of Kylian Mbappe.

💰The Back Line

💵 Best bets

• FA Cup Final: Manchester City vs. Manchester United, Saturday, 10am
  💰 THE CHOICE: Manchester City wins 3-0 (+850) — Manchester City have scored three goals in both previous games against their rivals this season, and there is little to suggest they cannot do that again on Saturday. Expect the motivation that took City to their fourth consecutive Premier League title to deliver good results one last time before the summer, especially if Phil Foden and Erling Haaland are in the line-up.
• DFB Pokal Final: Kaiserslautern vs. Bayer Leverkusen, Saturday, 2 p.m

💰 THE CHOICE: Florian Wirtz scores (+135) — Their 51-match unbeaten run may officially be over, but Leverkusen can still end their season on a high with their first DFB Pokal in three decades. They are the heavy favorites against second division side Kaiserslautern, so expect a handful of Leverkusen’s best players to get on the scoresheet. This also applies to Florian Wirtz, who was the star of their historic show this season.

📺 What’s on CBS Sports Golazo Network

☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10am): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network’s flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest football storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast formso you never miss an episode again.

📦 Box 2 Box (Weekday Afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps the latest headlines from around the world, with panelists previewing the day’s top matchups. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports App, PlutoTV and Paramount+.

3️⃣ Attacking third (Monday, Thursday): The leading ladies football podcast And social brand is now a live studio show. The NWSL season is back and our coverage of the women’s game is stronger than ever. Our analysts will analyze the USWNT, NWSL and European domestic seasons throughout the year.

👟 Kick it (Tuesday): Golazo Network’s CBS Sports unfiltered interview show appears on Tuesday. Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group candidly chats with the biggest names in the Beautiful Game and shares their stories, both on and off the pitch.

⚽ Call it whatever you want (Monday evenings): A weekly podcast featuring Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and friends cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States.

🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the latest place for fans to stay up to date with the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from football’s top competitions and all the unmissable goals from the day’s action, which takes place on Thursday begins and is broadcast for seven days a week.

📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel solely focused on providing unparalleled coverage of all the top football leagues worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports App, Pluto TV And Biggest+.