Hey there! Another batch of UEFA Champions League games awaits this week, beginning with four knockout phase playoff ties on Tuesday in which the teams are currently only separated by one goal, leaving a lot hanging in the balance. I'm Pardeep Cattry with the latest.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, Feb. 17
🇪🇸 La Liga: Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano, 3 p.m. ➡️ ESPN+
🏴 Championship: Leeds United vs. Sunderland, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
Tuesday, Feb. 18
🇪🇺 UCL: AC Milan vs. Feyenoord, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 UCL: Bayern Munich vs. Celtic, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🌎 Concacaf Champions Cup: Sporting KC vs. Inter Miami, 8 p.m. ➡️ FS2
⚽ The Forward Line
⚫🔴 Which Milan will show up?
AC Milan returned to winning ways over the weekend with a 1-0 victory over Hellas Verona, offering a moment of respite in a crucial week for the Italian side, one that could offer a lot of answers about the team's current state.
Saturday's win will be sandwiched by Milan's knockout phase playoff tie with Feyenoord in the UEFA Champions League, which did not get off to a strong start with a 1-0 loss in Rotterdam last week. The good news for Milan is that turning things around is very doable – not only was the margin of defeat narrow, Feyenoord did not exactly pose much of an attacking threat after scoring the game's lone goal in the third minute, putting just two of their 11 shots on frame and mustering only 0.5 expected goals.
That's said, Milan's season of inconsistency has not quit. Even though manager Sergio Conceicao trotted out a star-studded lineup last week that saw Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao, Santiago Gimenez and Joao Felix start together for the first time, Milan were nevertheless poor in attack. They generated just 0.56 expected goals despite putting six of their 12 shots on goal, with Pulisic and Gimenez in particular underperforming. Gimenez could still prove to be an important player for Milan on Tuesday, especially after scoring in their 1-0 win over Hellas Verona on Saturday, with Matteo Bonetti arguing he has a skillset the team has needed for a long time.
- Bonetti: "He's not someone that's going to create so many chances for himself. …. He's a poacher, even like Mauro Icardi. He's lethal inside the box. He's very good in the air, he can score with either foot. … Gimenez always feels like he's making the right runs, he just needs the service to come in a little bit more because when he does have the playable ball, he's in the right moment and he does look like a guy who makes the most of his opportunities when they arise. It's exactly what Milan didn't have."
Gimenez's talent, combined with the strengths of his other attack-minded teammates, has made Milan one of the more fascinating teams to watch in the Champions League this season, and this week will be no exception. The pressure is on to find a balance in attack, though, and elimination this week could be a sign that there's a lot of work to do at an ambitious – but perhaps underachieving – team.
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
🔴 Bayern's big European test
Six time Champions League winners Bayern Munich also return to play on Tuesday, and though they boast a 2-1 advantage over Celtic coming into the second leg, progression to the round of 16 somehow does not feel like a sure thing.
Vincent Kompany's side head into the knockout phase playoff clash on the back of two poor attacking performances, failing to crack one expected goal in either game. It is a somewhat surprising development for a team that boasts Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala, but the last week has demonstrated a difficulty to translate their dominant showings against weaker domestic opponents to bigger games. First came Wednesday's win at Celtic, in which Bayern's 0.7 expected goals paled in comparison to the opposition's 1.39, and then things got worse with Saturday's 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen, in which they took just two shots, failed to put either one on target, and mustered just 0.05 expected goals.
On Tuesday, Bayern will need goals to put this tie to bed, especially so when considering how last week's trip to Glasgow played out. The German side managed to control the game for long stretches, but failed to really control the game, inviting Celtic back into the match. The Scottish side were able to create several meaningful attacking plays while holding 43.3% of the ball. Notably, after Daizen Maeda's 79th minute goal set up for a frantic finale, Celtic boasted more than 60% possession and took four shots, forcing one save out of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
The visitors will be eager to level the aggregate score this week and will likely put a lot of pressure on Bayern as they eye an upset, which feels somewhat realistic despite their status as the underdogs. Vincent Kompany's side still have what it takes to reach the round of 16 with relative ease, but the big question is whether or not they actually string together a strong performance – and if they can prove to be a real contender for the Champions League title.
🔗 Top Stories
🗣️ Curse words: Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham was sent off for directing a curse word towards the referee, sparking a major debate in Spain: What's the difference between "f--- off" and "f--- you?"
🇮🇹 Juve beat Inter: Francisco Conceicao scored the game-winning goal in Juventus' 1-0 win over Inter, doing Napoli a big favor in Serie A's title race.
👎 United lose again: Manchester United lost 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with Casemiro's underwhelming midfield performance offering the latest signal that there's a lot of work to do before things get better for the Red Devils.
🔴 Liverpool stay top: It may not have been the most impressive performance, but Liverpool beat Wolves 2-1 on Sunday to stay seven points clear atop the Premier League table.
👕 MLS kits, ranked: From Sporting Kansas City's classic look to LAFC's phoned-in effort and everything in between, here's a ranking of new MLS kits before the 2025 season kicks off.
♥️ Goals for Valentine's?: Arsenal's Mikel Merino dedicated his two goals against Leicester City to his wife on Saturday, admitting that he forgot to get her a gift for Valentine's Day.
🇺🇸 Arena on USMNT: Ex-USMNT head coach Bruce Arena questioned the quality of the team's opposition as they gear up for the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- La Liga: Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano, Monday, 3 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Barcelona to win 3-1 (+750) – Barcelona are on an 11 game unbeaten run and have scored 41 goals in that time, so expect another lopsided victory from Hansi Flick's side, especially since they can rise to first place with a win. Counting on a clean sheet is not advised, though – Barcelona have only shut out the opposition four times in that unbeaten run.
For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don't miss out on CBSSports.com's betting home page.
📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
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⚽ Call it What You Want (Monday and Thursday): A weekly podcast where Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and Tony Meola cover all things USMNT and the state of the beautiful game in the United States. You can catch the show streaming live on YouTube every Monday at 1 p.m. ET and Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.
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