There are only two games left to go in the UEFA Champions League group stage, Matchday 5 offers a wide range of opportunities for Europe's best teams.
A handful of Europe's top teams can advance into the round of 16 if results go their way on Matchday 5, including Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, while the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich can clinch top spot in their groups. For FC Barcelona and Manchester United, though, Matchday 5 offers a chance to rebound from some rough fixtures in recent weeks, especially in Europe -- both are coming off of losses on Matchday 4.
Here's what to know before tuning into another exciting round of fixtures.
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How to watch
Paramount+ will once again serve as a broadcast hub for the Champions League, though select matches will air on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network. The UEFA Champions League Today pre- and post-game shows will air simultaneously on Paramount+ and CBS Sports Network, while Paramount+ will have the Golazo Show. The Golazo Network will have further coverage after the post-game show through The Champions Club, Kickin' It featuring this week's guest, journalist and CBS Sports analyst Guillem Balague, and Scoreline.
For Matchday 5, the Champions League studio show will air live from Miami as part of a two day fan experience. Kate Abdo will host and will be joined studio show regulars Jamie Carragher, Thierry Henry, and Micah Richards, while former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmichel and ex-U.S. men's national team forwards Clint Dempsey and Charlie Davies will also be on site.
Matchday 5 TV schedule
All times Eastern
Tuesday, Nov. 28 | Time | How to watch |
---|---|---|
Lazio vs. Celtic |
12:45 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network |
Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Antwerp |
12:45 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
UEFA Champions League Today pre-match |
2 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Network |
The Golazo Show |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
AC Milan vs. Borussia Dortmund |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
Feyenoord vs. Atletico Madrid |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Network |
Paris Sanit-Germain vs. Newcastle United |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
Barcelona vs. Porto |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
Young Boys vs. Crvena zvezda |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network |
Manchester City vs. RB Leipzig |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
UEFA Champions League Today post-match |
5 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Network |
The Champions Club |
6 p.m. |
CBS Sports Golazo Network |
Kickin' It |
7 p.m. |
CBS Sports Golazo Network |
Scoreline |
8 p.m. |
CBS Sports Golazo Network |
Wednesday, Nov. 29 | Time | How to watch |
---|---|---|
Galatasaray vs. Manchester United |
12:45 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
Sevilla vs. PSV |
12:45 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network |
UEFA Champions League Today pre-match |
2 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Network |
The Golazo Show | 3 p.m. | Paramount+ |
Bayern Munich vs. Copenhagen |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
Real Madrid vs. Napoli |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
Real Sociedad vs. RB Salzbrug |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Network |
Braga vs. Union Berlin |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
Arsenal vs. Lens |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+ |
Benfica vs. Inter |
3 p.m. |
Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network |
UEFA Champions League Today post-match |
5 p.m. |
Paramount+. CBS Sports Network |
The Champions Club |
6 p.m. |
CBS Sports Golazo Network |
Scoreline |
9 p.m. |
CBS Sports Golazo Network |
Storylines for Matchday 5
1. Man United's big week
Manchester United might be riding high after a 3-0 win at Everton over the weekend, especially with strong performances from teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo and after Luke Shaw's return from injury. As has consistently been the question with the team all season long, it's worth asking again: How long will that optimism last?
The question takes on even more meaning on Matchday 5 with their visit to Galatsaray. Though they do not face the prospect of being mathematically eliminated from the competition this week, they have just three points from four games and sit bottom of Group A. It makes Wednesday's game a must-win for both sides -- Galatasaray are one point ahead of United and can give themselves a decent shot at advancing to the round of 16 with a win.
It's also worth asking how high United can realistically go if their win over Everton is to be used as a foundation. The score flattered the visitors, who were on the back foot in a handful of categories -- they were outshot 22 to nine by Everton, had fewer shots on target (six to four) and lost the expected goals battle (2.43 to 2.18), despite winning a penalty. It's a performance they very much need to improve upon, especially against a Galatasaray team that got the better of them on Matchday 2.
2. Barcelona's chance to bounce back
Barcelona may still be top of Group H and could very well stay there, but they've hit a bit of a rough patch both in the Champions League and in La Liga.
Their most recent European outing was a 1-0 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk in which they dominated across the board but were wasteful with their opportunities, a theme of their Champions League campaign so far. Barcelona won their subsequent game against Alaves but returned from the international break with a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano that saw them churn another unideal performance in front of goal. They had 15 shots but just four on target and only mustered 1.04 expected goals. This is a team that might be creating chances, but they aren't good ones.
Barcelona will next have the chance to reverse course against Porto, a team that nearly beat them when they met on Matchday 2, but will do so without a handful of important players. Gavi was recently sidelined with an ACL tear but Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Sergi Roberto also missed out on the game against Rayo Vallecano over the weekend.
3. Group F chaos
The Champions League's most competitive group has delivered on the drama, and has the chance to do so yet again on Matchday 5.
For the first time all season, there is a very simple scenario for two teams to assert themselves as the best of the group. Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain can clinch a spot in the round of 16 with wins over AC Milan and Newcastle United, respectively, and knock the others out along the way. It would be a notable reversal of fortunes for Dortmund and Newcastle -- the German side were once bottom of the group and now sit top, while their English counterparts did the exact opposite.
Group F, though, has rarely ever proved to be simple. If one of those results does not come to fruition, it's possible that all of the teams head into Matchday 6 with opportunity and uncertainty. Form favors PSG in the midst of an eight-game winning streak, but the other three are battling inconsistency and especially in Newcastle's case, injuries. The likes of Dan Burn and Callum Wilson will be missing for Matchday 5, which could make the prospect of climbing out of the Group F's cellar difficult.
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