Joyful Wednesday! The UEFA Champions League got here again with a bang on Tuesday with 23 targets throughout six video games, hopefully teasing large issues forward as Matchday 1 motion continues on Wednesday and Thursday. I am Pardeep Cattry with a Europe-themed midweek replace.
📺 Footy repair
All instances U.S./Japanese
Wednesday, Sept. 17
🇪🇺 UCL: Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 UCL: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atalanta, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇺🇸 U.S. Open Cup semifinals: Minnesota United vs. Austin FC, 8:30 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Network
🇺🇸 MLS: Actual Salt Lake vs. LAFC, 9:30 p.m. ➡️ MLS Season Cross
Thursday, Sept. 18
🇪🇺 UCL: Manchester Metropolis vs. Napoli, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 UCL: Newcastle United vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇺🇸 NWSL: Angel Metropolis vs. Washington Spirit, 10:30 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Network
⚽ The Ahead Line
🇩🇪🏴 Bayern Munich, Chelsea headline Matchday 1
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Chelsea journey to Bayern Munich on Wednesday in a conflict between two former Champions League winners with ample ambition however loads of query marks about how excessive they’ll truly go.
Bayern are all the time price keeping track of within the Champions League because the quintessential home superpower, to date breezing via their opening Bundesliga fixtures with three wins out of three and 14 targets to the opposition’s two. As all the time, the actual check of their mettle is available in Europe and there are actual unknowns about Bayern’s capabilities in that division. They’ve extra attacking firepower now by including Luis Diaz and Nicolas Jackson, however whether or not or not they’re higher than final season’s quarterfinal run stays an open query. These two might assist shatter perceptions that Bayern are overly reliant on Harry Kane, who Francesco Porzio writes is a shoo-in for man of the match honors on Wednesday no matter how dependent his group is on him.
- Porzio: “The English striker is in nice type. He already has 5 targets and three assists within the opening three matches of the Bundesliga season with Bayern Munich, and likewise scored two targets within the opening match of the home cup and one objective within the German Supercup for a complete of eight targets within the opening 5 matches of the season. For this reason there is a good probability to see him on the scoresheet of the primary Champions League match of the 2025-26 season in opposition to Chelsea on Wednesday.
As for Chelsea, they return to the Champions League after a two yr absence and on the again of a powerful first marketing campaign below supervisor Enzo Maresca, successful the UEFA Convention League and Membership World Cup. These trophies act as statements of intent from the Blues, who declare to boast a younger squad that may develop into common contenders for main silverware within the close to future. The Champions League will provide an actual check of that speculation from the beginning with a sport in opposition to Bayern but additionally with fixtures in opposition to Barcelona and Napoli blended in, particularly so after an inconsistent begin to the Premier League season that has seen them win twice and draw twice. The excellent news for them is that Cole Palmer is again from a short-term harm, however Maresca has but to determine his attacking unit of alternative, as soon as once more mixing and matching with an outsized squad.
Extra FREE UEFA Champions League!
🔗 Midfield Hyperlink Play
🏴🇪🇸 Barcelona journey to Newcastle with out Lamine Yamal
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Barcelona will start their Champions League season because the oddsmakers’ favorites to win the entire thing however will make the journey to face Newcastle United with out Lamine Yamal, with a groin harm maintaining {the teenager} out of Thursday’s conflict. It forces the query – who’re Barcelona with out Yamal, and who will choose up the slack in his absence?
The 18-year-old has been such a continuing in Barcelona’s lineups that he has already surpassed the 100 look mark, although Hansi Flick can have a number of versatile attackers to select from to fill Yamal’s regular spot on the proper aspect of a 4-2-3-1. Raphinha will possible be again within the lineup after coming off the bench in Sunday’s 6-0 win over Valencia, whereas Fermin Lopez, Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford could possibly be known as upon. That is with out contemplating Robert Lewandowski, who could also be in place to begin his first sport of the season in his regular function up high and is James Benge’s participant to look at.
- Benge: “The sensible Lewandowski was on fireplace at this stage of final season’s competitors, scoring 9 of the 11 he would internet throughout the 2024-25 Champions League. He additionally comes into the sport off some welcome relaxation, taking part in simply 22 minutes in opposition to Valencia, however nonetheless discovering the web twice. Plainly Hansi Flick has concluded that he desires the 37-year-old match and firing for the largest video games and this must be one in all them.”
Barcelona will probably be favored in opposition to Newcastle, who’ve but to hit their stride this season after a rocky summer time that noticed them lastly let go of Alexander Isak, who’s now a Liverpool participant. Nick Woltemade has formally assumed his function as Isak’s alternative and has a objective to point out for it, scoring in his debut in opposition to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, however he has large sneakers to fill. He could also be thrown into the deep finish on Thursday in opposition to Barcelona, who’ve sufficient would possibly with out Yamal to get the job performed and the advantage of not needing to combine new faces into the combo.
🔗 Prime Tales
🇵🇹 Mourinho’s comeback: Almost 25 years to the day Benfica handed Jose Mourinho his first managerial publish, the Portuguese membership are set to re-hire him after a shocking 3-2 loss to Qarabag within the Champions League on Tuesday.
❓ UCL burning questions: Because the Champions League motion continues, this is a take a look at the burning questions as for Actual Madrid, the English groups and lots of extra of Europe’s elites.
👎 No Vinicius, large downside: Actual Madrid could have gained their opening Champions League fixture in opposition to Marseille however Xabi Alonso’s option to bench Vinicius Junior could have come at a value.
🇺🇸 Weah on the scoresheet: Marseille’s Tim Weah grew to become the primary American to attain on the Santiago Bernabeu within the Champions League, marking a powerful begin for USMNT gamers on this season’s competitors.
🏴 Work in progress in North London: Each Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur got here out of their opening Champions League video games with a win however the Gunners’ assault was imperfect and Spurs have room for enchancment after a really ugly win.
🆕 NWSL match resumes: The Seattle Reign and Racing Louisville resumed motion on Tuesday, two days after their sport was deserted at halftime due to a medical occasion involving Racing’s Savannah DeMelo. The participant is at present steady and alert and was nonetheless present process testing as of Monday.
1️⃣1️⃣ NWSL group of the week: Orlando Pleasure’s Lizbeth Ovalle leads the cost within the NWSL group of the week, whereas Racing Louisville’s Savannah DeMelo earns an honorary spot.
🇺🇸🇮🇹 USWNT’s year-end video games set: The USWNT will shut out 2025 with a pair of friendlies in Florida in opposition to Italy, who reached the semifinals of the Ladies’s Euro this summer time.
💰 The Again Line
💵 Greatest bets
- UEFA Champions League: Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea, Wednesday, 3 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Greater than 3.5 targets scored (+128) – Wednesday’s assembly between Bayern Munich and Chelsea is more likely to be a aggressive one, however that doesn’t precisely imply it needs to be a low-scoring one. This match might function a powerful batch of attacking expertise from each groups, Bayern’s Harry Kane the apparent one however undoubtedly not the one one. His new teammate Luis Diaz already has 4 targets in 5 video games whereas Chelsea’s Cole Palmer bagged his first objective of the season over the weekend after recovering from a short-term harm. That is with out mentioning Nicolas Jackson, who might weave his personal narrative into the match by scoring for Bayern in opposition to his guardian membership. There’s undoubtedly a actuality during which there are not less than 4 targets between these groups, which might be a becoming method to commemorate probably the most anticipated match of Matchday 1.
For extra picks, predictions, skilled suggestions and the most recent betting information, do not miss out on CBSSports.com’s betting house web page.
Matchday 1 Continues….
Paramount+
UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 schedule
Wednesday, Sept. 17
- UEFA Champions League Matchday, 12 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
- Olympiacos vs. Pafos, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
- Slavia Praha vs. Bodo/Glimt, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
- UEFA Champions League As we speak pre-match, 2 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo Community)
- The Golazo Present, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo Community)
- Ajax vs. Inter, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
- Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
- Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atalanta, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
- UEFA Champions League As we speak post-match, 5 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo Community)
- The Champions Membership, 6 p.m. (CBS Sports activities Golazo Community, YouTube)
- Scoreline, 7 p.m. (CBS Sports activities Golazo Community)
Thursday, Sept. 18
- UEFA Champions League Matchday, 12 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
- Copenhagen vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
- Membership Brugge vs. Monaco, 12:45 p.m. (Paramount+)
- UEFA Champions League As we speak pre-match, 2 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo Community)
- The Golazo Present, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo Community)
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Galatasaray, 3 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports Network)
- Sporting Lisbon vs. Kairat, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
- Newcastle United vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
- Manchester Metropolis vs. Napoli, 3 p.m. (Paramount+)
- UEFA Champions League As we speak post-match, 5 p.m. (Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo Community)
- The Champions Membership, 6 p.m. (CBS Sports activities Golazo Community, YouTube)
- Scoreline, 7 p.m. (CBS Sports activities Golazo Community)
