Ninty minutes remain and potentially more as the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second legs take place this midweek. On Tuesday two teams tried valiantly to overcome deficits but couldn’t quite get there in the end as, Borussia Dortmund defeated Barcelona 3-1 to fall 5-3 on aggregate while Aston Villa conceded twice early before rallying with three goals of their own, leaving them trailing 5-4 to PSG on aggregate when time ran out. Ultimately the multi-goal defeats in the first leg for the home teams just proved to be too much to overcome.
On Wednesday, Real Madrid look to produce an epic comeback against Arsenal while Inter return to the San Siro to face Bayern Munich as the hosts hold a one-goal advantage.
For games that finish level on aggregate, 30 minutes of extra time will be played, and if still tied, penalty kicks will be used to decide the ties.
But who are going through? Check out our expert picks below.
Don’t miss any of the Champions League. As always, you can catch all of our coverage across Paramount+, CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network all season long.
Here are our expert picks for this matchday:
Champions League quarterfinals
Inter vs. Bayern Munich
Player to watch: Harry Kane, Bayern Munich – The England skipper will probably end his wait for senior honors in the coming weeks, but Bayern didn’t sign Kane to win them Bundesliga titles. He is the man who is supposed to make the difference in the closest games. Can he do so on Wednesday night? — James Benge
Man of the match: Yann Sommer, Inter – The Swiss goalkeeper was one the best players in the first leg of the quarterfinals last week when the Nerazzurri won 2-1 at the Allianz Arena in Munich and showed again why he’s one of the best goalkeepers around. Simone Inzaghi’s side need him at his best to avoid a defeat on Wednesday as Inter can also draw to advance to the semifinals. — Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Inter 1, Bayern Munich 1 – With many injuries, and after the first leg defeat, it’s not an easy task for Bayern to comeback against the 2023 Champions League finalists, who are probably more likely to qualify for the semifinals where they can meet FC Barcelona as happened during the 2009-10 season, when the Nerazzurri won the Treble with Jose Mourinho. — Francesco Porzio
Real Madrid vs. Arsenal
Player to watch: Jurrien Timber, Arsenal – More than justifiable praise was garlanded on William Saliba for Arsenal’s robust defense in the first leg, but his right back was no less effective. If Timber can once more shut down the ball progression avenues through Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, Madrid might not even get close to overturning their three goal deficit. — James Benge
Man of the match: Vinicius Jr, Real Madrid – The Brazilian forward needs to show his best if Real Madrid want to have a chance to pull off a miraculous comeback against Arsenal after the 3-0 defeat of the first leg. Vinicius, who will pair in attack with Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe, already scored seven goals in 11 Champions League games this season, but a defeat against Arsenal would be seen as one of the biggest disappointments of his career. — Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Real Madrid 2, Arsenal 0 – If there is one team in the world that can come back against Arsenal, that’s Real Madrid. However, this time it seems more than difficult for the side coached by Carlo Ancelotti as the Spanish giants are facing some injuries and key players are forced to play in different positions to cope with these absences. But with Real Madrid, at the Santiago Bernabeu, never say never. — Francesco Porzio
Quarterfinal TV schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
Add Comment