Portland:
Quick Strikes | Diego Chara set to join 200 games played mark with Portland | Portland Timbers
Just one point separates the Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC in the Western Conference standings as the two teams are set to renew their rivalry Sunday at CenturyLink Field (6:30pm PT, FS1). Portland is also two points ahead of Seattle in the race for the Cascadia Cup. Here are five numbers to know for #SEAvPOR in a Cascadia Cup edition of Quick Strikes.
Major League Soccer:
Larson: The 5 most underappreciated teams in MLS today | MLSsoccer.com
New York Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch likens his side to the short kid in the room – the one at the back who repeatedly jumps to be spotted above taller heads standing in front of him. He thinks his Red Bulls deserve far more attention for what they’ve accomplished in recent seasons.
Rapids interim head coach Steve Cooke shaped by his working-class background in England
As interim head coach of the Rapids in the wake of Pablo Mastroeni’s firing last week, Steve Cooke faces a daunting challenge trying to stop the slide of a team that is winless in its last six games and plays its next four on the road.
Red Bulls provide superfan with new wheelchair
On Tuesday night, Collin sent a message to his teammates about Kevin Mota, a fan of the team who utilizes a wheelchair. Mota created a GoFundMe page this past May to raise funds for a new wheelchair, the excerpt on the page saying that “my family doesn't have the money to buy me one.”
Here's how some overseas fans are ready to fete Heineken Rivalry Week | MLSsoccer.com
The global game is defined by its derbies. From Argentina’s Superclasico to the Milan Derby in Serie A, historical grudge matches make a season captivating. And with the return of Heineken Rivalry Week, some bitter match-ups return to MLS.
Playoff probabilities for every MLS team after midweek madness | MLSsoccer.com
We know who's above and below it according to the current standings, but given the fact that teams have played a differing amount of games and have different strengths of schedule, it would be better to look at some different numbers to try and determine who has the best chance of reaching the MLS Cup Playoffs.
NYCFC's David Villa called by Spain for upcoming World Cup qualifiers | MLSsoccer.com
For the first time since he signed with New York City FC three years ago, David Villa has been called up to the Spanish national team. Villa was named on Friday to Spain’s squad for their upcoming UEFA World Cup qualifiers against Italy on Sept. 2 and at Liechtenstein on Sept. 5.
What is going on with Joevin Jones’ Sounders future? - Sounder At Heart
The dust is still very much settling around the revelation that Joevin Jones had unexpectedly skipped town in order to join the Trinidad & Tobago national team a full week ahead of the FIFA international break. While we still don’t know how this is going to shake out or what, exactly, Jones was trying to accomplish, we now have a better picture of what the potential outcomes are.
United States:
Seltzer: Predicting the US roster for September's World Cup qualifiers | MLSsoccer.com
The penultimate pair of CONCACAF Hexagonal World Cup qualifiers is right around the corner for Bruce Arena and the US men’s national team, making it time once again to dig up the roster selection crystal ball.
World:
Man United's Paul Pogba wins Europa League Player of the Season award - ESPN FC
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been named the Europa League Player of the Season for 2016-17. Pogba was part of the United side that won the Europa League for the first time in the club's history with a 2-0 win over Ajax in May.
Man United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic won't play in UCL group stage - Jose Mourinho - ESPN FC
Jose Mourinho has said Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not play any part in the Champions League group stage despite signing a new one-year contract this week. Ibrahimovic, 35, has returned to Old Trafford after being released by the club at the end of last season, with his first campaign in England cut short by a knee ligament injury.
Kylian Mbappe to PSG for €150m plus player almost a done deal - source - ESPN FC
Paris Saint-Germain are close to completing the signing of Kylian Mbappe from Monaco for a fee of around €150 million plus a player, sources close to both clubs have told ESPN FC.
Paying €150m for Dembele proves desperate Barca still counting the cost of losing Neymar | Goal.com
An opportunity missed. In April last year, Barcelona were watching Ousmane Dembele and his release clause was, reportedly at least, just €5 million. A few months later, he left Rennes to join Borussia Dortmund for €15m. Now, he is set to become a Barca player for a fee that could reach 10 times that amount.