Soccer on TV: National teams return to action in Europe for first time in coronavirus era

You probably didn’t need another reminder of how Europe is much farther ahead of the United States in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, but you’re going to get one this week. There are also a few MLS games worth checking out.

Here’s your viewer’s guide to the top midweek action to watch on TV and online.

Tuesday, 8 p.m. (ESPN+)

Toronto has dominated the rivalry recently, winning five of the teams’ six meetings. But the game is always worth checking out, because these teams don’t like each other no matter the results. Both games this year have been close Toronto wins: 4-3 at the MLS Is Back Tournament and 1-0 in Montreal last Friday.

» READ MORE: Brenden Aaronson’s great goal wasn’t even his best play in the Union’s win over D.C. United

Wednesday, 7 p.m. (Fox Sports 1, Fox Deportes)

Before the Union-Columbus game kicks off at 7:30 (or so), check out this matchup of big-time playmakers: Atlanta’s Gonzalo “Pity” Martínez and Miami’s Rodolfo Pizarro. Atlanta is coming off its first-ever loss to rival Orlando City, while Miami is coming off a loss to fellow expansion team Nashville SC on Sunday.

Thursday, 2:45 p.m. (ESPN2, UniMás, TUDN)

Though the coronavirus pandemic delayed this year’s European Championships until next summer, the Nations League campaign is starting on time. The whole world will be watching to see whether Europe can successfully pull off international games — and the international travel that comes with them.

There won’t be any fans in the stands in Stuttgart, or German players on the field from Bayern Munich or RB Leipzig. They just played in the Champions League tournament, so manager Joachim Löw is letting them rest. There are, however, two players who suited up for Paris Saint-Germain in the final: defender Thilo Kehrer and midfielder Julian Draxler. Löw defended picking them by noting Ligue 1′s coronavirus stoppage was much longer than the Bundesliga’s.

The rest of the team includes Timo Werner, who just moved to Chelsea; Kai Havertz, who’s soon to join him there; and Leroy Sané, who went from Manchester City to Bayern after a long pursuit. Spain’s squad is headlined by Bayern’s (for now) Thiago Alcántara, Manchester City’s Rodri, Wolverhampton’s Adama Traroré, and Barcelona’s Ansu Fati and Sergio Busquets.

Click here for both teams’ full rosters.

Thursday, 2:45 p.m. (ESPN+, TUDN.com)

If you aren’t interested in the star power of Germany-Spain, maybe this game will do for you. The Tórsvøllur stadium in the Faroe Islands’ capital, Torshavn, seats around 6,000 fans — just over 12% of the country’s total population. It’s surrounded by homes and hills on one side, and the Norwegian Sea is a 20-minute walk away on the other.

Most of the Faroese players are in the country’s domestic league, with a few in other Scandinavian nations. Midfielder Brandur Hendriksson Olsen is teammates with former U.S. national team midfielder Mix Diskerud at Swedish club Helsingborgs.

Malta’s roster is all domestic except for two players: midfielder Teddy Teuma plays for Belgian third-division tea Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and forward Luke Gambin plays for English fourth-division team Colchester United.