Can Real Madrid avoid Liverpool’s Champions League fate as they head to Atletico Madrid with a one-goal lead?

Happy Wednesday! The UEFA Champions League delivered on the entertainment on Tuesday, especially with Paris Saint-Germain’s win over Liverpool, and more could be in store with another edition of the Madrid derby on Wednesday. I’m Pardeep Cattry with a midweek update.

📺 Footy fix

All times U.S./Eastern

Wednesday, March 12
🇪🇺 UCL: Lille vs. Borussia Dortmund, 1:45 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Network, Paramount+
🇪🇺 UCL: Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid, 4 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🌎 CCC: Monterrey vs. Vancouver Whitecaps, 8:30 p.m. ➡️ FS1

Thursday, March 13
🇪🇺 UEL: Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Ajax, 1:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 UEL: Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad, 4 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🌎 CCC: Cavalier vs. Inter Miami, 8 p.m. ➡️ FS2

⚽ The Forward Line

🇪🇺 PSG oust Liverpool in masterclass performance

Paris Saint-Germain completed a statement-making showing in the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday, ousting league phase winners Liverpool in a penalty shootout after two stellar performances in a week.

The French champions were unlucky to carry a 1-0 deficit into the second leg, outshooting the Reds 27 to three last week, but it set up for an incredibly competitive and entertaining match at Anfield on Tuesday. PSG leveled the aggregate score after just 12 minutes thanks to the in-form Ousmane Dembele, while each team took around 20 shots and posted 1.5 expected goals or more as they played to avoid penalties. Luis Enrique’s side then outdid Arne Slot’s in spotkicks, with Gianluigi Donnarumma making two saves to send PSG to the quarterfinals.

PSG’s round of 16 triumph offers plenty of validation for Enrique’s post-Kylian Mbappe plans, especially after the club signed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the winter. It has allowed Enrique to restructure his team in a way that has made them not only more successful but as Chuck Booth notes, it has also made them a lot more fun to watch.

• Booth: “It’s how Liverpool were overwhelmed with PSG taking 48 shots across two legs, putting 18 on target to push Alisson and Liverpool’s defense to their limits. But while it is working for PSG, what’s impressive is the speed at which they’ve been able to adjust to each other with Dembele being able to move as a central striker and operate how he wants. Dembele hasn’t been the prototypical striker and instead has been dropping as deep as central midfielders, and popping up on the wings as a true center forward. With a clear understanding around him, PSG’s midfield can take up space to make that work without sacrificing defense.”

For Liverpool’s part, this was an unexpectedly early exit after a dominant league phase performance, but not necessarily a sign of trouble. They successfully proved last week’s showing was a fluke and actually put together an impressive display, refusing to abandon their gameplan even with Dembele’s 12th minute strike. As James Benge notes, the game also offered a glimpse at Slot’s range as a manager in his first must-win game at Liverpool.

• Benge: “It was to Slot’s enormous credit that one of the first big tests of his European credentials as manager of this club saw his side play in a fashion that looked so redolent of his predecessor. In the first half in particular, the hosts were more of a Jurgen Klopp team than they had often been on many occasions in the last few years. The remorseless aggression of their press meant that for the first 10 minutes, neither Dembele nor Bradley Barcola had a serious sniff at possession. The red wall forced PSG deeper and deeper, the high turnovers coming with remarkable frequency. Liverpool looked bigger, stronger and more mobile.”

Liverpool’s quest to win the Champions League might be over, but the EFL Cup final on Sunday awaits and their 15 point lead atop the Premier League table suggests that they will collect that winners’ medal by season’s end. As for PSG, they just proved their worth as a contender to win the Champions League and await the winner of Aston Villa and Club Brugge in the last eight as they map out a path to the final in Munich.

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🇪🇸 Atletico, Real Madrid battle for quarterfinal berth

The Champions League round of 16 comes to a close on Wednesday with another battle of two in-form European heavyweights, with Atletico Madrid hosting Real Madrid after the latter’s 2-1 win last week.

Real Madrid offered a glimpse of last season’s Champions League-winning form in their first leg win, but the close margins and the closely-contested first half last week mean another competitive match is expected on Wednesday. That’s especially true since both teams are stacked with attacking talent – Los Blancos’ star-studded offense is well-known, led by Kylian Mbappe’s 29 goals and Vinicius Junior’s 19, but Atletico boast plenty of impactful players of their own. Antonie Griezmann is enjoying another impressive season with Atletico with 18 goals so far but summer signing Julian Alvarez has been the team’s biggest standout so far with 22 goals, including in last week’s first leg. As a result, goals might be in the cards, per Chuck Booth.

• Booth’s bet: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals (-118) – “There hasn’t been much to separate these teams and both want to play their soccer on the front foot, so that could set the stage for goals. There’s no telling how this match will go, but there are too many talented attackers on each side to see this going under especially given the fine finishes that were on display in the first leg. If Atleti get the first goal at home, that’s when this could ramp up.”

A statement-making triumph likely awaits the winner, who will almost definitely position themselves as a top contender for the title by the final whistle. The road to Munich may not necessarily get easier from here, though – Arsenal likely awaits the winner after their 7-1 win at PSV in last week’s first leg.

🔗  Top Stories

🇪🇺 UCL rewind: Barcelona ousted Benfica after a stellar display from Lamine Yamal, while Inter kept their hopes of winning the treble alive after beating Feyenoord.

🇺🇸 USMNT roster: Mauricio Pochettino’s squad for the Concacaf Nations League finals is in, which includes returning veterans Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna and six players from January camp, like Diego Luna and Patrick Agyemang.

🏟️ Man Utd’s new stadium: Manchester United announced plans and shared renderings for a new stadium, which would see the club move out of Old Trafford after more than a century at the stadium.

👏 MLS standouts: Another exciting weekend of MLS action is in the books, so here’s a look at the team of the week including Albert Rusnak after three goal contributions and James Pantemis after two penalty saves.

🆕 NWSL rookies: Ahead of the 2025 NWSL regular season, here’s a glance at five rookies to keep an eye on in the league’s first year after abolishing the college draft.

💰  The Back Line

💵 Best bets

• UEFA Europa League: Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad, Thursday, 4 p.m.
  💰 THE PICK: Bruno Fernandes to score (+200) – Manchester United host the second leg of this round of 16 tie after a 1-1 draw in Spain last week, meaning the Europa League still offers a very viable opportunity to provide some optimism during an otherwise miserable season. Considering the circumstances, count on Bruno Fernandes to come up big for the Red Devils once again and do his best to send them through to the next round.
• UEFA Europa League: Tottenham Hotspur vs. AZ Alkmaar, Thursday, 4 p.m.
  💰 THE PICK: Dominic Solanke to score (+135) – Like it is for United, the Europa League is the last hope for Tottenham Hotspur, though the situation might be closer to dire for manager Ange Postecoglou. Their 1-0 loss in the Netherlands in the first leg is not irreparable damage, but Spurs will need to do better than last week’s below par performance to keep their European hopes alive – and perhaps keep their manager employed for the long haul. They will be helped by the fact that a handful of players are back from injury, including striker Dominic Solanke, who could nab his first goal since January after making his comeback a week ago.

For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don’t miss out on CBSSports.com’s betting home page.   

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