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Three Takeaways from #OCvSAC

After two straight wins to start the season, the boys in Old Glory Red were handed their first loss in 2021 during competitive play after falling 1-0 to Orange County on the road on Saturday night.

Even though the squad was hoping to return to Sacramento with all three points, there were a number of positive talking points from the first of four regular season clashes against OCSC.

After two straight wins to start the season, the boys in Old Glory Red were handed their first loss in 2021 during competitive play after falling 1-0 to Orange County on the road on Saturday night.

Even though the squad was hoping to return to Sacramento with all three points, there were a number of positive talking points from the first of four regular season clashes against OCSC.

Belmar Hits Milestone

On Saturday night, Kharlton Belmar made his 150thcareer USL Championship appearance.

The SRFC attacker finished the night tied for the most scoring chances created on his side – two along with Tucker Bone – and had one of Sacramento’s two shots on target. His four fouls won was also tied for most on the team with Luis Felipe.

This season is Belmar’s second with the Indomitable Club after he finished his debut campaign with the most assists on the team with four.

On Saturday night, Kharlton Belmar made his 150thcareer USL Championship appearance.

This season is Belmar’s second with the Indomitable Club after he finished his debut campaign with the most assists on the team with four.

Gomez Keeps the Match Close

Each of Tomas Gomez’s three saves against Orange County were big ones.

The hosts nearly broke through in the fourth minute by way of Brent Richards before Gomez held on tight to an attempt the defender rifled on-target. Just over ten minutes later, Republic FC’s goalkeeper brushed an OCSC shot aside that was headed straight for net.

Each of Tomas Gomez’s three saves against Orange County were big ones.

Late in the second half, it was Gomez again who denied Michael Orozco an opportunity to double OC’s advantage.

Centerbacks Stand Tall

The Indomitable Club wanted a win but the performance from SRFC’s backline was still one worthy of praise.

Mitchel Taintor and Dan Casey had a team-high five clearances each while Taintor added two tackles and an interception.

Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu – along with Luis Felipe – had a team-best three interceptions and he was credited with one clearance, one tackle and helped his side regain possession six times.

The Indomitable Club wanted a win but the performance from SRFC’s backline was still one worthy of praise.

Mitchel Taintor and Dan Casey had a team-high five clearances each while Taintor added two tackles and an interception.

Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu – along with Luis Felipe – had a team-best three interceptions and he was credited with one clearance, one tackle and helped his side regain possession six times.

RECAP: Sacramento Republic FC 0-1 Orange County SC

IRVINE, California (May 22, 2021)– Republic FC were handed its first loss of the 2021 USL Championship campaign by Orange County SC in Southern California on Saturday night, 1-0.

The boys in Old Gory Red were unable to break the hosts backline despite creating more scoring chances, 9 to 8, taking more shots, 12 to 11, and winning the time of possession battle, 60 % to 40%.

IRVINE, California (May 22, 2021)– Republic FC were handed its first loss of the 2021 USL Championship campaign by Orange County SC in Southern California on Saturday night, 1-0.

The boys in Old Gory Red were unable to break the hosts backline despite creating more scoring chances, 9 to 8, taking more shots, 12 to 11, and winning the time of possession battle, 60 % to 40%.

Both Tucker Bone and Kharlton Belmar – making his 150th career USL Championship appearance – created two scoring chances a piece against Orange County in the first of four regular season clashes between the two Pacific Division clubs.

Republic FC goalkeeper Tomas Gomez kept his side firmly in the match and within one of the hosts by making three saves on the night – two of which came early on as well with the first being a blistering shot in the fourth minute that Gomez held on to before he swatted away a dangerous effort in the 15th minute.

One minute after Gomez’s first stop, Republic FC pushed forward and nearly broke though by way of Pete Pennanen whose long-range effort forced the Orange County goalkeeper into dropping low to deny Mark Briggs’ men the first half advantage.

Just over the half hour mark, OCSC’s Thomas Enevoldsen picked out midfielder Chris Wehan who delivered the games’ lone goal.

The Indomitable Club will return to Sacramento for a Saturday night showdown on May 29 at Heart Health Park against Phoenix Rising FC with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. PT.

Just over the half hour mark, OCSC’s Thomas Enevoldsen picked out midfielder Chris Wehan who delivered the games’ lone goal.

The Indomitable Club will return to Sacramento for a Saturday night showdown on May 29 at Heart Health Park against Phoenix Rising FC with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. PT.

Sacramento Republic FC 0-1 Orange County SC
USL Championship
Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine, California
May 22, 2021

Scoring Summary: OC – Chris Wehan (Thomas Enevoldsen) 33’.

Misconduct Summary: OC – Mikko Kuningas (caution) 36’, Rob Kiernan (caution) 48’, Eero Markkanen (caution) 51’, Ronaldo Damus (caution) 80’; SAC – Luis Felipe (caution) 43’, Tucker Bone (caution) 46’, Jordan McCrary (caution) 69’, Dan Casey (caution) 73’.

Sacramento Republic FC– Tomas Gomez; Shannon Gomez, Mitch Taintor, Dan Casey, Duke Lacroix (Jordan McCrary 62’); Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu, Felipe Luis, Pete Pennanen (Jaime Villarreal 74’), Tucker Bone (Cameron Iwasa 62’), Kharlton Belmar (Fatai Alashe 45’), Dariusz Formella.

Unused substitutes: Rafael Diaz, Hayden Sargis, Mario Penagos

Stats – Shots: 12, Shots on Goal: 2, Saves: 3, Fouls: 14, Corner Kicks: 6, Offsides: 0.

Orange County SC– Patrick Rakovsky; Nathan Smith, Brent Richards, Rob Kiernan, Rhys Breen, Michael Orozco, Thomas Enevoldsen (Brian Iloski 88’), Ronaldo Damus, Chris Wehan, Mikko Kuningas (Thomas McCabe 60’), Eero Markkanen.

Unused substitutes: Jack Imperato, Hunter Hanes, Kobi Henry, Abraham Romero

Stats – Shots: 11, Shots on Goal:4, Saves: 2, Fouls: 18, Corner Kicks: 3, Offsides: 2.

Scoring Summary: OC – Chris Wehan (Thomas Enevoldsen) 33’.

Unused substitutes: Rafael Diaz, Hayden Sargis, Mario Penagos

Stats – Shots: 12, Shots on Goal: 2, Saves: 3, Fouls: 14, Corner Kicks: 6, Offsides: 0.

Unused substitutes: Jack Imperato, Hunter Hanes, Kobi Henry, Abraham Romero

Stats – Shots: 11, Shots on Goal:4, Saves: 2, Fouls: 18, Corner Kicks: 3, Offsides: 2.

In Their Own Words: This Week Was All About Getting Three More Points

This Saturday night, the boys in Old Glory Red will clash with Orange County SC for what will be the first of four regular season fixtures between the Pacific Division foes.

The Indomitable Club downed Las Vegas Lights FC at Heart Health Park on May 12, 3-1, but its back to competing in hostile territory with a weekend business trip lined up in Irvine.

Republic FC will hope to make it three wins from three matches to start the 2021 regular season and return to Sacramento with all three points this weekend.

This Saturday night, the boys in Old Glory Red will clash with Orange County SC for what will be the first of four regular season fixtures between the Pacific Division foes.

The Indomitable Club downed Las Vegas Lights FC at Heart Health Park on May 12, 3-1, but its back to competing in hostile territory with a weekend business trip lined up in Irvine.

Republic FC will hope to make it three wins from three matches to start the 2021 regular season and return to Sacramento with all three points this weekend.

Head Coach Mark Briggs

On this past week of training…
“It’s been a good week. It’s been an intense week. I’m really happy with where they are at and we’re prepared for Saturday which is the main thing.”

On keeping the team focused during lengthy breaks between games…
“It’s not easy because you get them going, you get the adrenaline and you get pumped for a game and then you don’t play again for another ten days. We’ve had to come up with unique ways to keep them busy, keep them focused, keep them occupied."

"But the players have reacted really well to what we’ve given them and like I said, this week has been really good, really intense and really focused and the attention to detail has been very good to play against a very good team in our league. They’re ready, they’re focused, and we just have to go down there and perform.”

“But the players have reacted really well to what we’ve given them and like I said, this week has been really good, really intense and really focused and the attention to detail has been very good to play against a very good team in our league. They’re ready, they’re focused, and we just have to go down there and perform.”

What his squad should prepare for given Saturday is OC’s home opener …
“Last week was our home opener, our fans were electric. We’ve got to go there, and we’ve got to manage the atmosphere, not get caught up in the atmosphere, focus on the plan that’s been given to them and carry out that plan. I think if we do that, we’ll be okay.”

Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu

On how this past week of training went…

“It’s been a good week. I think with two games under our belt now, we’ve been able to dissect a few things more carefully. Games that matter as opposed to preseason, where the results matter, the results go towards points in the table. We’re fine-tuning things and it’s nice to come away from the first two games with six points. So, this week was all about focusing on getting three more points.”

On what the team is doing to stay focused during breaks between games…
“I got to hand it to our coaching staff. To the frustration of some of the players, we want to train, and I think the coaching staff and training staff has done a really good job of managing our workload. We don’t want to be physically or mentally fatigued going into games when you have that much time off because you’re not in the normal rhythm of the season. It’s been a lot of focus. When we’re on the field, Coach has been putting an emphasis on making sure that we’re tuned-in the whole time. We do our recoveries, we do our lifts, we do our activations and then we go home and do the same thing the next day.”

On the expectations heading into Saturday’s game…
“The expectation for our team is always to win. What we did this week in preparation will determine if we win tomorrow. I have confidence in how we’ve prepared this week, how our coaches have prepared us and how as players, we came focused and had a good week of training. The expectation is always to win.”

Become a Residential Host to Support Republic FC’s Next Generation of Talent

Republic FC’s Academy provides an unmatched development opportunity for elite youth soccer players. With a proven track record of helping players rise to college and the pros, elite players from around the region and the country are excited about the prospect of joining the area’s only club that can provide development opportunities with a direct path to professional soccer. To meet the needs of young players who want to grow their skills sets with Republic FC – who may live beyond Sacramento, the Academy is looking for Residential Host families to join the club.

Through the Residential Program, Academy players are paired with families in the region to help support their journey to the next levels of soccer. Residential hosts support elite youth players with housing, transportation, and more, helping academy players access top-flight training and development support.

“Having a residential program is paramount to our Academy’s growth for the future,” Republic FC Academy Director Dennis Sanchez said. “We fully recognize the rich talent within our area and must provide players of all backgrounds the ability to live full-time in Sacramento and achieve their potential. This is a wonderful opportunity to support an aspiring athlete and have a positive role model around your family. It takes a Republic help them to achieve their dreams.”

With volunteer hosts, the Indomitable Club works to provide a collaborative support system that allows each player to achieve a high level of personal, athletic, and academic success – something that may not be readily accessible outside of the region.

With the 2021-22 academy teams forming, Residential Hosts are needed to help support the development of Republic FC’s next generation of talent. Hosting a young player can be an incredible rewarding experience and opportunity to support a student of the game on their quest to become great. Not only are Residential Hosts essential in helping players develop, they become intertwined with the Republic FC family – building a deeper connection to the club.

“We chose to be a host family to help an aspiring athlete,” said Jay Montero, the father of U14 Academy player Jackson Montero and host of U19 Academy player Julian Lomeli. “Julian has been a great role model for our two-sons and has quickly become part of our family. This experience has been more rewarding than we could have possibly ever imagine. It is evident that Sacramento Republic doesn’t just choose great athletes, but people with high character.”

Host applications are open now, and each applicant will go through an extensive background check prior to officially moving any player into a new home. Learn more about the program at www.sacrepublicfc.com/residentialprogram.

What To Watch This Weekend Across the USL: Week 5

Republic FC remains flawless with two wins from two matches to open the 2021 regular season after downing Las Vegas Lights FC on May 12 at Heart Health Park, 3-1.

The boys in Old Glory Red have since shifted their attention to Saturday night’s showdown in Southern California against a fellow Pacific Division opponent – Orange County SC.

While Sacramento prepares for what the squad is hoping will be a third straight win to start the season, there is no shortage of other matchups in USL Championship play to look forward to in the coming days.

Republic FC remains flawless with two wins from two matches to open the 2021 regular season after downing Las Vegas Lights FC on May 12 at Heart Health Park, 3-1.

The boys in Old Glory Red have since shifted their attention to Saturday night’s showdown in Southern California against a fellow Pacific Division opponent – Orange County SC.

Pacific Division Update

Every team in the Pacific Division has now logged at least one regular season game to kickoff the 2021 campaign.

While some squads like Orange County and Oakland have only played once, San Diego Loyal SC, Phoenix Rising FC and Tacoma Defiance have all played three matches thus far. LA Galaxy II leads the charge with five fixtures played as Los Dos currently sits atop the division with eight points.

Last Thursday, Defiance downed San Diego in Tacoma, 3-1, lifting the Pacific Northwest club to seven points on the season and level with the leaders – Los Dos. The following day, LAG II triumphed over Real Monarchs, 2-0.

A handful of Pacific Division teams competed over the weekend as well, including Rising FC who were handed a 2-1 loss at the hands of Tampa Bay Rowdies in Florida. On Sunday, Tacoma picked up another win when Defiance dealt Orange County a 1-0 loss in Washington.

The PAC Division action continues through the week and into the weekend and it all began with Los Dos hosting Sporting Kansas City II on Wednesday night. The match ended 1-1 with both goals occurring in the second half. On Saturday while SRFC is taking on OSCSC, San Diego visits Louisville City and Phoenix hosts Las Vegas. Sunday’s slate sees Los Dos welcoming Oakland Roots SC to Southern California.

Every team in the Pacific Division has now logged at least one regular season game to kickoff the 2021 campaign.

El Paso Locomotive FC v Rio Grande Valley FC Toros

It’s a battle between two teams from the Lone Star State as El Paso welcomes RGVFC all the way to the western side of Texas.

Rio Grande Valley FC is off to a flying start, having won all three of its opening trio of matches – all the while surrendering just a single goal. RGVFC may have only scored four goals from its first three games but having collected all nine points possible thus far, the Texan club looks to be a formidable force this coming campaign.

El Paso has played just one match thus far – a 1-1 draw against New Mexico United at home. Locomotive FC made a number of moves this offseason to compete for a playoff spot, including the recent addition of Ricardo Zacarias. The forward signed on Wednesday from USL One’s Chattanooga Red Wolves after spending five years competing in Mexico.

Louisville City FC v San Diego Loyal SC

In a season where clubs play one another in their respective divisions a total of four times, this rare and mouth-watering matchup between nonconference opponents is certainly an enticing one.

While Louisville trails FC Tulsa at the top of the Central Division by five points, a win for the club from Kentucky would keep them hot on Tulsa’s tail for first. Recently, Louisville played out a 1-1 draw against Birmingham Legion after opening the 2021 season with a 2-0 win at home over Atlanta United 2.

Head Coach Landon Donovan’s Loyal SC team are still in search of their first win after being dealt three straight losses to start the season. After being dealt a 4-1 loss at the hands of Phoenix Rising FC, Rio Grande Valley FC Toros handed SD a 1-0 defeat in Texas before Loyal’s most recent loss – a 3-1 defeat to Defiance in Tacoma.

Tampa Bay Rowdies v Miami FC

It’s a battle between Floridian clubs this Saturday night when Tampa Bay Rowdies welcome Miami FC to the western side of the state.

Both sides sit in first and third place respectively in the Atlantic Division but a win for Miami would see the clubs level on points and at the top of the division with nine.

It’s a battle between Floridian clubs this Saturday night when Tampa Bay Rowdies welcome Miami FC to the western side of the state.

Both sides sit in first and third place respectively in the Atlantic Division but a win for Miami would see the clubs level on points and at the top of the division with nine.

Miami is fresh off a 1-0 road victory over New York Red Bulls II on Friday, bouncing back from a 1-0 defeat at home at the hands of Hartford Athletic. To open the season, the south Florida club claimed a 2-1 win at home over Loudoun United despite having to finish the fixture down a man.

Tampa Bay is a pristine three wins from three games and has a hold on the top spot in the division. After opening the season with a 3-0 win over Charlotte Independence, the Rowdies followed up that result with another 3-0 victory, this time over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Rowdies' most recent fixture was a 2-1 win over Phoenix Rising FC in a battle between both of 2020’s conference champions.

Tampa Bay is a pristine three wins from three games and has a hold on the top spot in the division. After opening the season with a 3-0 win over Charlotte Independence, the Rowdies followed up that result with another 3-0 victory, this time over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Rowdies’ most recent fixture was a 2-1 win over Phoenix Rising FC in a battle between both of 2020’s conference champions.

Duke Lacroix Begins Natomas School Visits to Bring Soccer to Kids

Sacramento Republic FC and defender Duke Lacroix have teamed up with Natomas Unified School District and the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center to bring soccer to after school programs across the district.

“Just to introduce them to the sport that I love, I really relish those opportunities and enjoy them,” said Duke. “To show them how it can serve as a vehicle to find a passion that they can get involved in, where they can enjoy, and if it’s soccer, then it’s soccer.”

On Wednesday, Duke visited with students at American Lakes School, telling them about his experience growing up and playing soccer and how it helped him with his education as well, having played collegiately at the University of Pennsylvania. After answering questions from students, Duke and youth coach Ben Kamm led the students through some simple drills and skills before hitting the pitch with the students for small sided games.

“It’s one thing to be a part of a club that says they do these types of things, it’s another thing to be involved with the club that does these things. And this is a club of doers, “ said Duke. “I’m just glad to be a part of it, and I’m really looking forward to the other schools, the other kids that we can hopefully influence and be connected with, because at the end of the day, it’s about community. We have a community who supports us and we hope to support the community as well.”

Duke will visit several other schools throughout the summer in Natomas that have after school programs that are operated by The Center. The programs, serving students grades K-12, provides a place where they can participate in extracurricular activities that strengthen their relationship building skills, enhance their communication, and allow them to be critical thinkers.

“The mission of our expanded learning programs is to provide innovative, youth-driven, high quality out-of-school-time opportunities that include building school-community partnerships, engaging families to participate in their children’s learning, and learning through project-based enrichment that complements the school day,” said Gionovan Bean, The Center’s Expanded Learning Program Coordinator.

Registration Now Open for Two All Girls Camps This Summer!

Two new summer camps have been added to the Republic FC summer youth development program line up and are sure to fill up fast.

As part of the club’s continued to commitment to supporting women and girls in the greater Sacramento region – building on the Watch Me program, Republic FC will host two exclusive opportunities for girls throughout the region to sharpen their skills on the field and take away valuable lessons off the field.

The first camp will take place at the Land Park Soccer and Rugby Field – Land Park Main from June 14-18. The second session will begin on July 19 and run through July 23 at River City High School. Both camps are open for players in kindergarten through 8th grade – exclusively for young girls.

Not only will players learn from top regional coaches, guest speakers including women leaders from Republic FC will join the camps to provide inspiring words of motivation and encouragement to the next wave of potential local soccer stars.

Indomitable Club members will be offered a member discount code and members are encouraged to contact their SRFC representative for additional information.

Any parent interested in registering their child for the Land Park camp can do so here, while those interested in the River City High School camp can do so by visiting here.

Indomitable Club members will be offered a member discount code and members are encouraged to contact their SRFC representative for additional information.

Any parent interested in registering their child for the Land Park camp can do so here, while those interested in the River City High School camp can do so by visiting here.

Fourteen Academy Players Attend USYNT Regional ID Session

Last Wednesday, fourteen Republic FC academy players were selected to participate in the U.S. Soccer Youth National Team Regional Identification Center (IDCs) in San Jose, California. The IDCs are opportunities to identify top young talent in different markets across the country. Republic FC’s players competed, trained and played games with promising players from other youth clubs in a single day split into two separate sessions for different age groups – the first being players born in 2004 to 2005 while the other was group was players born 2006 to 2007 – under the direction of U.S. Soccer Talent Identification Managers.

The Indomitable Club’s fourteen academy players compromised nearly a quarter of the players invited to the one-day session. IDCs are a critical element to the U.S. Soccer Talent ID Plan and are designed to identify and evaluate top talent for YNTs – while accelerating talent in a challenging environment. This is one pathway for young aspiring players to earn a well-deserved invitation to national team duty.

Republic FC’s Academy is the only youth development club attached to a pro side in Northern California competing in the elite youth soccer platform, MLS NEXT. The club’s track record of elevating and developing players continues to grow. Three academy-developed players are logging first team minutes as professionals, and five current academy players are getting unmatched development opportunities in training and are eligible to compete in league matches and club friendlies.

Lincoln FC To Host Community Soccer Event

Republic FC Youth Club Partner Lincoln Soccer FC will be hosting a free Community Event on Friday, May 21st from 6:30 pm-8 pm. This event is a fun, family day for the Lincoln soccer community to come out and enjoy some soccer activities with Republic FC camps and clinics coaches, food trucks, and giveaways.

Families are invited to this free community event which will be held at Foskett Regional Park located at 1911 Finney Way, Lincoln CA 95648.

Recently, the Indomitable Club expanded its family with a partnership with Lincoln FC after launching its Youth Club Partner program earlier this year as an opportunity to give local clubs a boost in working with their players and helping grow the game club by club. Lincoln FC is Republic FC’s inaugural Youth Club Partner. Learn more about how your club can become a Youth Club Partner here.

Around the Leagues: Cup Finals Across the Pond

Republic FC made it two wins from two matches to start the 2021 USL Championship regular season after earning a 3-1 win over Las Vegas Lights FC on May 12 at Heart Health Park.

But the boys in Old Glory Red weren’t the only club in the league to light up the scoreboard over the last week – as Colorado Springs Switchbacks slammed home four goals to triumph 4-0 over Sporting Kansas City II, Charlotte Independence blanked Charleston Battery, 3-0, and New Mexico United picked up a 3-1 win over Austin Bold.

The ESPN Game of the Week did anything but disappoint, as Tampa Bay Rowdies claimed a 2-1 win over Phoenix Rising FC in a clash of last season’s conference winners.

Republic FC made it two wins from two matches to start the 2021 USL Championship regular season after earning a 3-1 win over Las Vegas Lights FC on May 12 at Heart Health Park.

The ESPN Game of the Week did anything but disappoint, as Tampa Bay Rowdies claimed a 2-1 win over Phoenix Rising FC in a clash of last season’s conference winners.

Major League Soccer

Late winners and fantastic finishes were the reoccurring storylines from this past weekend in Major League Soccer.

On Saturday, Atlanta United won it with a last gasp winning strike in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Marcelo Moreno netted the game’s only goal to lift Atlanta to 1-0 win over Montreal Impact. Hours later in Minnesota United’s match, Robin Lod netted his team’s only goal of the game in the 90+4 minute as well, giving United a 1-0 win over FC Dallas.

The following day, New England’s Adam Buksa scored in the 86th minute to give the Rev’s a 1-0 win over Columbus Crew SC while the five-goal thriller between FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami saw Gonzalo Higuain bag a brace including the winner in the 85th minute to seal a 3-2 victory.

A former Republic FC midfielder recently featured in DC United's 1-0 loss against Orlando City SC on Sunday as Drew Skundrich made his second straight start for the club from the nation's capitol after recently signing from USL-side Loudoun United.

A former Republic FC midfielder recently featured in DC United’s 1-0 loss against Orlando City SC on Sunday as Drew Skundrich made his second straight start for the club from the nation’s capitol after recently signing from USL-side Loudoun United.

National Women's Soccer League

National Women’s Soccer League

The NWSL had no shortage of entertaining action this past weekend as well with five fixtures on the weekend slate.

Two of the matches – Racing Louisville hosting Kansas City and North Carolina Courage visiting OL Reign – ended scoreless but Gotham FC managed to grab a 1-0 win over Saturday over Houston Dash.

The following day, Portland Thorns fired five goals past the Chicago Red Stars backline to earn a commanding 5-0 victory while a pair of late second half strikes from Alex Morgan and Ashley Hatch meant Orlando Pride and Washington Spirit shared the spoils, 1-1.

The action continues this coming weekend including a Friday night showdown between Racing Louisville and Washington Spirit in Kentucky. Sunday’s biggest bout is between Portland Thorns and OL Reign – who recently signed USWNT star Rose Lavelle for the 2021 campaign.

Major European Leagues

Across the pond, Tuesday’s slate sees a replay of the weekend’s FA Cup Final where Leicester City triumphed over Chelsea to hoist the domestic silverware. But their midweek match has massive implications in the race for UEFA Champions League spots as the Foxes sit in third on 66 points while the fourth-place Blues trail by just two points.

Hot on Chelsea’s tail is Liverpool in fifth on 63 points, meaning the race for the final top four spots will come down to Survival Sunday this weekend.

Wednesday’s European schedule includes a pair of Cup Finals with domestic silverware on the line.

In Italy, Atalanta and Juventus are set to clash in the Coppa Italia which will be played in Reggio Emilia, Italy inside the Citta del Tricolore. The Old Lady of Italy has lifted the trophy a total of 13 times, most recently in 2017-2018 which was Juve’s fourth straight time earning a victory in the Cup Final. The last time Atalanta lifted the coveted trophy was the 1962-1963 campaign and was the only time Atalanta won the trophy.

Wednesday’s European schedule includes a pair of Cup Finals with domestic silverware on the line.

Another Cup Final is also set to play out on Wednesday in France between Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain in the Coupe de France. The match will take place inside the Stade de France as PSG looks to claim the trophy for the 14th time. PSG has made an appearance in the Cup Final each of the last seven years, winning the competition in five of the last six.

In Mexico, Wednesday also marks the first leg of the Liga MX Clausura semifinals when Pachuca go head-to-head with Cruz Azul before the two meet again in the second leg on Saturday. On Thursday, Santos Laguna will host Puebla with the second leg set to take place this Sunday.