A consequential week awaits in Europe because the UEFA Champions League’s knockout section playoffs proceed with a batch of second leg matches, a number of of which will likely be fiercely contested with spots within the spherical of 16 on the road.
Three first leg matches concluded in a draw or with a staff boasting a slender one aim benefit, a visit to the following spherical no positive factor for a number of high-profile groups. The record contains Actual Madrid, who’ve only a 1-0 lead over Benfica earlier than Wednesday’s second leg at dwelling, and reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, who got here again from a 2-0 deficit to beat Monaco 3-2 final week. Atletico Madrid, in the meantime, have all to play for after a 3-3 draw at Membership Brugge within the first leg.
A handful of groups, in the meantime, will hope their sizable first leg benefits make for a robust basis as they aim spots within the spherical of 16. Newcastle United have the most important lead after a 6-1 win at Qarabag, whereas Galatasaray head to Juventus with a 5-2 benefit. Within the shock of the primary leg, although, Bodo/Glimt go to Inter after their shock 3-1 win on Wednesday.
This is what it’s worthwhile to know earlier than tuning in.
How you can watch
Paramount+ will as soon as once more be a one-stop store for all issues Champions League this week, whereas CBS Sports activities Community and CBS Sports activities Golazo Community can have choose protection on each Tuesday and Wednesday. Protection on each days begins on CBS Sports activities Golazo Community earlier than the early matches earlier than the UEFA Champions League In the present day pre-match present begins on Paramount+ and CBS Sports activities Community. All matches will likely be accessible on Paramount+ whereas CBS Sports activities Community and CBS Sports activities Golazo Community will carry choose video games on each Tuesday and Wednesday, whereas Paramount+ may also have The Golazo Present. Protection concludes with the UEFA Champions League In the present day post-match present on Paramount+ and CBS Sports activities Community in addition to new editions of The Champions Membership and Scoreline on CBS Sports activities Golazo Community.
UEFA Champions League bracket
First leg scores
- Galatasaray 5, Juventus 2
- Monaco 2, Paris Saint-Germain 3
- Benfica 0, Actual Madrid 1
- Borussia Dortmund 2, Atalanta 0
- Qarabag 1, Newcastle United 6
- Olympiacos 0, Bayer Leverkusen 2
- Bodo/Glimt 3, Inter 1
- Membership Brugge 3, Atletico Madrid 3
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Knockout section playoffs second leg schedule
All occasions U.S./Jap
Tuesday’s storylines
Atletico Madrid’s dominance in query: Since returning to the Champions League after a number of years away within the 2013-14 season, Atletico Madrid have turn into one of many competitors’s fixtures. They’ve made it to the spherical of 16 on all however two events within the final 12 seasons and are nonetheless the favorites to advance on Tuesday however after final week’s 3-3 draw at Membership Brugge, reaching the following spherical isn’t any assure. The Belgian aspect went toe-to-toe with Atleti, revealing a few of their opponent’s shortcomings within the course of. Diego Simeone’s aspect nonetheless boasts a handful of gifted goalscorers, headlined by Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez, the pair supported by impactful gamers like Alexander Sorloth and new signing Ademola Lookman. Their defensive performances, although, have been in every single place – they’ve one clear sheet of their final 5, a 4-0 win in opposition to Barcelona within the Copa del Rey, conceding 9 targets in that stretch. Brugge have sneakily been a robust attacking aspect within the Champions League with 15 targets in eight league section matches, gifted at discovering a method to exploit susceptible defenses.
Are Italian sides in bother?: Coupled with Juventus’ first leg capitulation at Galatasaray, Inter’s tie with Bodo/Glimt will function a bellwether for the state of the sport in Italy, the strain absolutely on the Serie A leaders after dropping 3-1 in Norway final week. Glimt are using a excessive after beating each Manchester Metropolis and Atleti in current weeks and take pleasure in a familiarity with Aspmyra Stadion’s synthetic turf however even then, Inter didn’t match the tempo of the opponent within the first leg and return dwelling with a large drawback. They rebounded in home play with a 2-0 win at Lecce however might must cope with out Lautaro Martinez, who got here off with a calf damage at Glimt and missed Saturday’s match and could also be prone to lacking Tuesday’s Champions League encounter. They may seemingly depend on Marcus Thuram to steer their attacking cost however Inter haven’t precisely an attacking pressure in Europe with 15 targets through the league section, a median tally throughout these eight video games, a worrying signal for a staff in want of targets on Tuesday.
Wednesday’s storylines
Actual Madrid’s up-and-down season: From a outcomes standpoint, issues had been developing Actual Madrid final week – their win over Actual Sociedad and Barcelona’s defeat to Girona meant they took prime spot in LaLiga, whereas a 1-0 win at Benfica means they’ve an vital benefit heading into the second leg. Their four-match win streak got here to an finish on Saturday, although, with a 2-1 loss at Osasuna, a sport that served as a reminder of the staff’s longstanding points. There is a longstanding imbalance to Los Blancos’ squad, at the same time as coach Alvaro Arbeloa commits to enjoying Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior alongside one another. The technique works typically however is way from foolproof, as was the case on Saturday – they solely managed 1.7 anticipated targets from 15 photographs at Osasuna, whereas the hosts had 2.29 xG from 13 photographs. There isn’t a motive to anticipate Arbeloa to drop Mbappe and Vinicius when Benfica come to city on Wednesday however in opposition to a visiting aspect that restricted Madrid’s offense to simply 0.89 xG from 17 photographs, discovering the proper steadiness could also be an all-important process for the coach.
Paris Saint-Germain bounce again:
Paris Saint-Germain entered their first leg at Monaco with simply 4 wins of their final eight and an opportunity to finish their rut, which they did – even when it was the laborious manner. An early brace from U.S. worldwide Folarin Balogun ensured PSG needed to come again from a 2-0 deficit so as to come out with a primary leg benefit, whereas a 3-0 win over Metz on Saturday ensured they might have extra wind of their sails in time for Wednesday’s second leg. They must handle in opposition to Monaco with out Ousmane Dembele, who got here off early within the first leg with an damage and should be unavailable on Wednesday, leaving Luis Enrique to name upon the likes of Need Doue and Achraf Hakimi to carry down the attacking fort.
