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UEFA Champions League will return this week For the very first knockout phase play-offs of the competition, when some of Europe’s top teams are set up against each other for a place in the round of 16.
The headliner of the promotion will be the manchester city’s collision with Real Madrid as the last two Champions League winners Duke It Out for one place in the next round, although other European heavy weights also have the chance to show their value in the coming weeks. The list includes Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, while a handful of clubs have flashy new signing sessions during the winter transfer window to reveal, hoping that they can mark their early weeks with their new teams with impactful versions.
Prior to the first leg promotion, here are a series of choices and predictions from the CBS sports team.
Don’t miss any of the Champions League. As always you can catch all our coverage Paramount+” CBS Sports Network And CBS Sports Golazo Network all season.
Here are our expert choices for this matchday:
The Champions League -Lei from Tuesday
Juventus vs. PSV
Player to watch: Walter Benitez – Compared to the side of last season, which wiped everything for them in the Eredivisie, this iteration of PSV looks completely more vulnerable. The 24 goals they have admitted in the Dutch top flight are already three more than they allowed throughout the season and they only have one clean sheet in nine games in 2025. In short,, Even Juventus Maybe an opportunity to score here. Benitez, however, performed reasonably well in the competition phase. Continue like this and PSV have a chance. – James Benge
Man of the agreement: Randal Kolo Muani – The French striker had an excellent start with Juventus, after the Italian giants had signed him on loan until the end of the season of PSG. In his first three games in the club, he has already scored five goals, including a outflow against Como on Friday. – Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Juve 2, PSV 0 – With Randal Kolo Muani in an excellent early form with the old lady, their attacking threat seems to be being renewed, so expects it to be displayed on both legs against the Dutch giants. Although the Frenchman has that strong momentum, don’t be surprised if he scores one or both goals here. – Jonathan Johnson
Best bet: Randal Kolo Muani to score (+210) – Juventus needed a central point in the attack in the worst way and with the arrival of PSG Kolo Muani they now have one. PSV is a solid side, but their defense can leave space to exploit what Kolo Muani will benefit from. He scores for fun since he became a member of the Italian outfit and now has been registered for the Champions League game, he will show why he fits perfectly with the setup of Thiago Motta. – Chuck Booth
Man City vs. Real Madrid
Player to watch: Raul Asencio – At the age of only 21, the Young Center Back excelled under great pressure and he stepped in the midst of an injury crisis that currently seems to be the worst, with Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba. Asencio is probably flanked by midfielders: Federico Valverde right behind, Aurelien Tchouameni in the left center of the back. He will have to tackle things with maturity beyond his years. – James Benge
Man of the match: Vinicius Jr. – The Brazilian star will combine with Kylian Mbappe in the attacking line of the road team, which promises to be one of the most expected matchups of the entire tournament. These are the kind of games that it usually expresses at his best. – Francesco Porzio
Prediction: city 1, really 1 – This promises to be tight over two legs with one big name guaranteed the Champions League. Given the high bet, this will probably be decided in the second stage, so expect a score to keep things interesting for the return match in Madrid next week. – Jonathan Johnson
Best bet: Real Madrid Money Line (+185) – It is rare that you can get a team like Real Madrid with plus opportunities to win a competition and although they may be confronted with Manchester City, this is not the solid city of the past. This is a team that is defending and able to defeat itself in a certain week. It will be a close band, especially with Antonio Rudiger, it misses, but you have to come back Real Madrid to get the job done. – Chuck Booth
The Champions League -Lei from Wednesday
Celtic vs. Bayern Munich
Player to watch: Nicolas Kuhn – The newest in what is a fast -growing line of excellent Pick -ups from Celtic will undoubtedly generate his game in the club where he could not fully achieve in his early 1920s. Looking for the right, seek him to test the space on the weaker foot of Alphonso Davies. – James Benge
Man of the match: Harry Kane – The Englishman is used to playing these types of games and has already scored six goals in the UEFA Champions League, and has 21 in the opening of the German Bundesliga in the opening. If Bayern wants to go to the next round, they desperately need Kane at its best. – Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Celtic 0, Bayern 2 – He has the start of a strong Bayern -Geagregated Success, so the Germans expect will look daylight between themselves and their hosts early. A multi-goal winning margin sounds about good, which positions the Bundesliga giants to dominate at home next week. – Jonathan Johnson
Best bet: Harry Kane To Score (-135)– Celtic and Bayern Munich play very open styles, which means that many opportunities will come from Kane. A veteran from the Champions League, he will be familiar with Bayern to push them to the next round and he will do his part in scoring a few goals to win the draw. – Chuck Booth
Feyenoord vs. Milan
Player to watch: Santiago Gimenez – It will be like he never left! Nine days after signing his contract with Milan, Gimenez returns to De Kuip. Since he has already become a rich vein of shape in his new colors – a goal and helps with his first two games – he seems like a likely starter and someone who does not need a reminder where the goal is. – James Benge
Man of the match: Christian Pulisic – After giving two assists in the last Serie A collision by Milan against Empoli, including one for the first goal from Gimenez, Pulisic is called to deliver on the Dutch side. The American-Mexican duo works well so far and shows a lot of potential for the rest of the 2024-25 campaign. . – Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Feyenoord 1, Milan 1 – This is probably tight and kept alive for the return bone in Italy next week. The Serie A giants were busy in the winter window, which made a number of changes, including the arrival of Santiago Gimenez from Feyenoord and the addition of Joao Felix. It will take a while before Sergio Conukicao all covers them down, so that a score draw can be a good scream here. – Jonathan Johnson
Best bet: Christian Pulisic to score or to help (+125) – It is all Concacaf affair in which Santiago Gimenez joins Pulisic to offer another central point to the attack. It is something that Milan makes a more dangerous attack, but it also enables Pulisic to be more a creator, because there will be other reliable scorers in the attack. With that as an option it is a solid game for a large game player as an option as an option to involve the American to be involved in a goal. – Chuck Booth
Knock -Out Phase Playoffs TV scheme
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