Sizzling Summer Showdowns: Unveiling the Top 5 Must-Watch Soccer Matches and Expert Picks!

The top European leagues settle for sporadic schedules centered around friendlies, exhibition matches in other countries to help grow their worldwide fan bases and (if they’re good enough) another round of tournament play to help crown continental championships.
Take the UEFA Champions League, for instance, where the best teams across Europe will have a chance to face off against one another. Right now Manchester City of the Premier League are heavy favorites to claim their first European Cup championship in program history on the heels of their Premier League title win this season, listed as high as -550 at some of the best betting sites. Odds can vary dramatically from sportsbook to sportsbook, so make sure you shop around first if you think you’ve got a winning bet so that you can lock in the best possible odds and promotions to win big.
Here’s a look at five of the biggest matches coming up during the summer soccer season, both for your viewing pleasure and to bet on. I’ll start this list with a two for one (or perhaps even more than that): the remaining games for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Birmingham Legion FC in the US Open Cup. Both clubs are members of the USL Championship, the second tier of the American professional soccer system and (on paper) a significant step down from the powerhouse that is Major League Soccer. Even so, they’ve managed to make it to the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup, with the Riverhounds knocking off the New England Revolution and the Columbus Crew of MLS to get to this point in a pair of 1-0 victories.
Birmingham, meanwhile, knocked off Charlotte FC in the Round of 16 with another 1-0 victory. The path to the semifinals looks much easier for the Legion, who will face off against InterMiami CF on June 7: Miami currently sits as one of the worst teams in MLS with a 5-8 record on the season. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, will have to face FC Cincinnati, the best team in MLS this season.
Make no mistake: the games matter more for USL teams than they do for MLS teams, who would rather win a league title than a CONCACAF Champions League berth, but who doesn’t love an underdog story? Neither the Riverhounds nor the Legion were supposed to make it this far: who’s to say they can’t pull off the unthinkable once again?
Up next is Real Madrid vs Barcelona in Dallas on July 29. While it may not have the star power that it did during the Messi vs Ronaldo days, it’s still one of the fiercest rivalries in the sport, with Barcelona set to finish No. 1 in La Liga this season and Madrid currently sitting right behind them in the No. 2 spot. The powerhouse clubs draw fans from all over the world and, even in Dallas, are sure to draw a frenzied viewing experience.
City was head to head with Arsenal for much of the season before blowing past them in the last two months to lock up the league title, their third straight. United wasn’t far behind them, currently sitting in the third spot with a week to go in the season. The Red Devils aren’t happy about playing second fiddle to City, and they’ll be sure to show it with another championship hanging in the balance, and a chance for a summer’s worth of bragging rights ahead of the next season kicking off. This match is one you can’t miss.
Last on the list is the UEFA Champions League Final in Istanbul on June 10. Surprise, surprise, you’ll be tuning in to another match featuring Manchester City as the Sky Blues look to put another cherry atop their run of dominance. They’re set to face off against Inter Milan, who sit third in the Serie A standings. They could move past Lazio for the runner up spot, but they’re 20 points behind Napoli and aren’t able to catch them with two matches remaining in the season. As mentioned above, Man City is an overwhelming favorite, but championship football is always worth watching.