Champions League schedule, live stream, storylines: How to watch UCL on Paramount+, what to know

The UEFA Champions League is back in a big way this week with the first leg of the quarterfinals featuring a schedule of matches that will pit some of Europe’s best teams against each other with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

The games on the schedule are poised to be incredibly competitive ones, especially those on tap for Tuesday. After cruising to the last eight, defending champions Manchester City will take on a down-but-never-out Real Madrid team in a faceoff of star-studded attacks. An in-form Arsenal, meanwhile, host Bayern Munich, who could put everything into their Champions League campaign with no other trophies left to play for.

Wednesday will see Kylian Mbappe continue his quest to win the Champions League before his impending departure from Paris Saint-Germain. They will take on Barcelona, who trudge along as Xavi finishes out his tenure as the manager. Atletico Madrid also play on Wednesday, facing Borussia Dortmund as each eye their first semifinal berth in several years.

With some compelling matchups ahead, here’s what you need to know before tuning in.

How to watch

You can watch every minute of the quarterfinals on Paramount+ including the pre-game and post-game shows. CBS will simultaneously air the UEFA Champions League Today pre-game show and select games, while post-game coverage will also air on CBS Sports Network. CBS Sports Golazo Network will air corresponding content each day, including CBS Sports Golazo Matchday and The Champions Club. CBS Sports Golazo Network concludes Tuesday’s coverage with the latest episode of Kickin’ It featuring an interview with NBA icon Dirk Nowitzki.

Quarterfinals TV schedule

All times U.S./Eastern

Storylines for the quarterfinals

Can Real Madrid keep getting away with this?: A cursory glance at Real Madrid would suggest all is well for Carlo Ancelotti’s side — they are on their way to winning La Liga, one of two unbeaten sides left in the Champions League and enter every matchup with some of the world’s top attacking talent. Their European campaign, though, has left a bit to be desired.

Real Madrid have looked fairly unimpressive on a handful of occasions during their run to the quarterfinals, despite dominating in many attacking and possession-related statistical categories. One of their big weaknesses is their incredible inefficiency in front of goal — Real Madrid are third in the Champions League for goals with 18, second for expected goals with 17.35 and shots with 150 but drop down to 21st for shots on goal percentage with 32.7%.

It’s an almost comical statistic considering the talent on Real Madrid’s squad, all of whom are in fine form — each of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo have at least 15 goals in all competitions this season. That trio have truly led an attacking contingent that, even on the team’s worst days, continues to bail Real Madrid out of any trouble they could possibly face. It’s good news against Manchester City, who have not quite tightened things up in defense as they eye a treble this season, once again. Considering City’s entering their usual end-of-season stride, though, this matchup could mean that Real Madrid need to trade their scrappy wins for tactical brilliance for the first time this season. Whether or not they do is the big question.

Bayern’s quest for a silver lining: Arsenal’s clash with Bayern Munich is very much a tale of teams in contrasting form. The former are locked in a title challenge and enjoying their best season in recent memory, while the latter could lose the league in the middle of the two-legged series and face the possibility of ending a season trophyless for the first time in more than a decade.

The fact that Bayern, though, are still alive in the Champions League means their European campaign could offer a reprieve from a season they are already eager to forget. The first-leg loss to Lazio in the round of 16 aside, the Champions League has actually already been a solace for Bayern during a dismal season — they made easy work of the group stage and balanced out the loss in Rome with a 3-0 win at home. Things will not be easy against Arsenal, who are balancing a defensive resolve with their attacking flair, but Bayern actually do not need to enter the matchup as a wounded animal.

There’s also an added reason Bayern can enter the game with confidence: Harry Kane. The England captain has 38 goals in 37 games during his first season at the club and remains one of the team’s lone bright spots this season, plus he boasts an encouraging history against Arsenal. He scored 14 goals in 19 games against the Gunners during his spell at boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur, and he just might be up for the task yet again — especially as he continues to chase trophies.