Hello there! There are big weeks in the UEFA Champions League, and then there’s the colossal week that awaits. I’m Pardeep Cattry with an appetizer before Wednesday’s main course.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, Jan. 27
🏴 Championship: Burnley vs. Leeds, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
Tuesday, Jan. 28
🏴 League One: Wrexham vs. Stevanage, 2:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
⚽ The Forward Line
🇪🇺 One Champions League day, 18 games
This season’s edition of the UEFA Champions League has been full of firsts, chief among them the new league phase that has unleashed a rare type of frenzy every time one glances at the standings. That frenetic feeling, though, will reach an all-time high on Wednesday, when all 18 games kick off at the exact same time.
All but nine teams are still in the mix for a spot in the knockout rounds, setting up for a variety of outcomes by the time the final whistle comes around. The margins for clinching a top eight spot and direct passageway to the round of 16 are extremely tight.
🔗 Midfield Link Play
❓ Now or never for European heavyweights
Matchday 8 is full of variables regardless of which section of the league phase table you could zone in on, but perhaps nothing is more intriguing to keep an eye on than the race for a spot in the top 24 – and whether or not Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain make the cut.
Though City may have a confidence boost after a 3-1 win over Chelsea over the weekend, the 2023 European champions currently sit on the outside looking in at a knockout berth and face a must-win game on Wednesday to stay alive in the competition. They join nine teams competing for six final spots.
🔗 Top Stories
✅ City’s big win: Pep Guardiola’s long ball approach worked in their 3-1 win over Chelsea on Saturday.
🇫🇷 Kvaratskhelia’s debut: Kvicha Kvaratskhelia notched an assist in his Paris Saint-Germain debut.
🔵 Girma to Chelsea: USWNT standout Naomi Girma signed for Chelsea over the weekend.
For more relevant details, please refer to the daily updates and insights provided by CBS Sports.
