Champions League

Diego Simeone was working in Argentina in the early years of his coaching career when he requested to attend some training sessions at Barcelona, ...

Even if it is achieved by using what's often perceived as unsportsmanlike tactics that have infuriated opposition coaches and players over the years. It’s one of Guardiola’s many painful exits in the Champions League since his last title, in 2011. One goal was the difference in all three games. A clash of styles soon took hold in Spain, when Simeone moved back to Europe to become coach of Atlético Madrid in 2011 — a few months after Barcelona won the Champions League for the second time and in mesmeric fashion. Simeone, a combative and hard-working midfielder as a player, saw the beauty of soccer in a different way and would come to represent the antithesis of Guardiola and his beautiful approach. I don’t feel it.’”

Bernardo Silva says the Manchester City players are ready to embrace the pressure of embarking on another Champions League campaign as one of the tournament ...

"There is lots of pressure from the fans to continue to win. "There is lots of pressure on both sides but we are players used to this pressure and we will manage it really well." Atletico (Madrid) are a great side also, I'm sure they have that same thing.

Guardiola has been criticised for 'overthinking' in the past and, with Manchester City to host Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, he gave a wry response to his ...

He doesn’t want to take the risk in the build-up, but after they have quality and play really well in the final third. I never judge the opponent, what they do and try to do – they try to do it to win.” “It has not been very often because we do not play in the same country. “I’m not going to judge for one second what they do, just try and get a result on Tuesday then to go to Madrid [for the return leg].” “In the Champions League I always overthink,” the Catalan said. Tonight I will take inspiration and I’m going to do incredible tactics tomorrow – we play with 12 tomorrow.”

The Qatari boss and European Club Association head is looking at ways to grow European soccer.

"The time difference is a problem for the U. S. and Asia. So how can we work on this for international rights which have huge potential? "How do we make the group stages compelling?" My suggestion is to have a creative and entertainment department as part of the new joint venture between UEFA and ECA."

Villarreal also host Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals; Chelsea continue their Champions League title defence against Real Madrid; ...

"It is a team which has been playing four or five years together so I think they have the momentum and know each other very well. It's for the players, the difference will be there." "When you play for Benfica you know every game is important. It was very untypical and killed the game for us," Blues boss Thomas Tuchel said after the game. I'm not going to judge what they do, I'll analyse what to do to get a good result to go to Madrid next week. So now we are here, let's try to get the most [out] of it."

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has called on UEFA to make the Champions League final more like the Super Bowl.

"I can't understand how the Super Bowl can feel bigger than the Champions League final. That's what I have suggested, to have an opening ceremony to the Champions League, to have one match on the opening night where the winners take on a big team. "The Super Bowl, and the US generally, have this mindset, creativity and entertainment.

It was all something of an overreaction (in this sport!?) to Barcelona being in terrible shape and Real Madrid just getting off to a slow start. Now it's April, ...

While I have my doubts about Villarreal's chances to survive these two matches and move on, this is a team that can put your defense in difficult spots, and Bayern has been a lot weaker defensively the last two seasons. Not only does it win a lot, but there are plenty of times you don't even need the other team to score for it to cash. Madrid were leaky defensively even in their 3-0 win over Mallorca the week before with an xG allowed of 1.4. Things didn't change much during a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday, as Vigo had an xG of 1.7 in the match. If there's a Cinderella left in the Champions League, it's Benfica. This is a team that currently sits in third place in Portugal's Primeira Liga and just looks outmatched against the teams remaining in this competition. They were able to get away with it against those clubs, but asking them to do the same against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is a bit much. Yep, it's Liverpool, and I think they'll have a good night at the office Tuesday. Pick: Liverpool Over 2.5 (+130) Benfica was overrun in two matches against Bayern and in the first match against Ajax. Do you know who plays a similar style to those teams but has even more attacking talent? I doubt once will be enough to win the match, but both teams will get on the scoresheet. While City were able to overwhelm Sporting, I don't see that being the case against Atletico. In fact, I think this is an excellent matchup for Atletico. Diego Simeone's entire philosophy is built upon having to withstand the pressure of facing teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona and putting his team in a position to beat them. This team is designed to let its opponent have the ball and quickly strike on the counter when the opportunity arises. So as we reach the final stages of the season, La Liga is looking a lot better than it did six months ago. In those 21 matches, City have played four matches against teams in the top six of the Premier League, and five of those 12 goals came in those matches.

Adam Snavely throws some darts at the Champions League betting board to see what could happen in this week's quarterfinals.

One or two more for the road, and this time I’m looking at bets on individual players, because if I have to bet on one thing in this world, it’s that Bayern Munich will score against Villarreal. Yes, those are famous last words, but I stick by them. Well, probably Robert Lewandowski. If you’re smart, you’re betting Lewandowski. The odds to score first for several other players, on the other hand, make tossing around some smaller bets on a few different people pretty enticing. I think Bayern Munich will score in this game, and will probably score first in this game. Yeah, Real Madrid is leading La Liga, but they also just succumbed to XaviBall in the biggest way possible, losing 4-0 to 2022 Europa League champions Barcelona. Defending champions Chelsea also dropped a big result to a historical titan of the game: Brentford. Basically on the same level as Barca. But City is playing a team managed by Diego Simeone, a man hellbent on making every single game his teams play in as futile as the plot of Morbius. I understand why Manchester City is favored at home, but +400 for a draw? I mean, look at the odds on the first leg of Atletico Madrid and Manchester City. Yes, it’s true that City is basically a kaiju designed to be the most dangerous team in the world, and, yes, it’s also true that it’s a team absolutely desperate for Champions League glory.

Liverpool will continue its quest for a quadruple of major trophies when it visits Benfica, considered one of the easiest teams in the draw for the last eight.

Both have reached the final, with Atléti losing to Real Madrid in 2014 and ‘16 and City beaten by Chelsea last year. Jurgen Klopp will have a full squad available for the first time since he took charge of the team in 2015. Liverpool will continue its quest for a quadruple of major trophies when it visits Benfica, considered one of the easiest teams in the draw for the last eight.

Liverpool's quest for Champions League glory heads to Portugal on Tuesday night where Benfica await. Who will take the advantage in this quarter-final first ...

For the Champions League, you may wish to choose 'USA' for Paramount+. You can add BT Sport to your package for only £15 a month (plus a £20 joining fee). Even if you have subscribed to the relevant Benfica vs Liverpool live stream rights holders, you won't be able to access them when outside your own country. Fetch TV, Apple TV, Android TV, most smart TVs, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast also carry the app for smart TV viewing. To begin with, there's a Stan 30-day free trial. Simply use a VPN to access a live stream without being blocked. Those on Virgin Media will need the Virgin V6 box and a 4K TV to make sure they're getting the action at maximum resolution. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted. Can the Reds bring their scintillating Premier League form with them to the Portuguese capital? Jurgen Klopp's relentless Liverpool will present by far their toughest challenge yet, but much-admired Uruguayan striker Darwin Núñez could cause problems for them and will be looking to make an impression in the biggest game of his career so far. It's an 8pm GMT kick-off at the Estádio da Luz on Tuesday 5th April 2022. Who will take the advantage in this quarter-final first leg?

5. Geoffrey Kondogbia. Atletico Madrid certainly have their work cut out against Manchester City, but could Diego Simeone be the man who inflicts the latest UCL ...

5. Geoffrey Kondogbia. Atletico Madrid certainly have their work cut out against Manchester City, but could Diego Simeone be the man who inflicts the latest UCL ...

Manchester City and Liverpool will temporarily put the Premier League title race to one side, while Chelsea need to bounce back after a humbling defeat to ...

* Live stream: BT Sport app or via the BT Sport website * Live stream: BT Sport app and via the BT Sport website * Live stream: BT Sport app and via the BT Sport website

The Reds face Benfica in their opener while City host Atletico Madrid. On Wednesday, it will be Chelsea hosting Real Madrid in a rematch of last season's ...

Man of the Match pick: Robert Lewandowski. His European record is just unbelievable. While it will be a tight affair, Benzema will pull Real Madrid across the line in victory. While I see Chelsea scoring in the match, he'll keep Real in a match that they likely shouldn't walk away with a victory from. Benzema also has a chance at the golden boot if Real Madrid are to advance in the competition sitting on eight goals in the competition. Most likely to score a goal: Karim Benzema. Although it's an away match, I find it hard to bet against Benzema performing on the big stage, especially after his hat trick with everything on the line against a star-studded PSG side. It's hard to look at this matchup and come away with the expectation that anyone will have a larger say in how things will go than Benzema. With eight goals already in Champions League play, Benzema has been instrumental in Real's performance. Heavy City possession leads to a ton of chances, but a lone goal is enough as they combat Atleti's pressure with crisp passing. If they can keep the ball on the ground and be smart in their distribution, they can limit the chances and get a key clean sheet. The Uruguayan is a tank at the back, but he will have to be super cautious when going up against a tricky and speedy Foden, knowing that one wrong challenge can dig a huge hole. Man of the Match pick: Thiago Alcantara has the technical ability to dominate and dictate this sort of contest and he will be one of the main dangers Benfica seek to neutralize. Given that the Egyptian is under a little scrutiny of late, this could be the sort of game where he makes the difference as a reminder of his quality. Adding to the stakes is the fact that Otamendi is a booking away from second-leg suspension so will be walking a tightrope from the off.

Organized by the Union of European Football Associations, UCL is one of the most competitive and popular football club organizations. Originating in 1955 ...

Then six teams advance to the group stage and join 26 other teams qualified in advance. In 1992, the competition adopted its current name. The winner was crowned the European club champion.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has praised the development of Rodri during his time at the Etihad Stadium ahead of his side's Champions League ...

City face a mouth-watering battle Liverpool in the Premier League at the weekend before travelling to the Spanish capital for the return-leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie next week. Atletico's visit is likely to see Rodri come up against his former side, whom he departed to join Manchester City for a fee of £62.8 million in the summer of 2019, with the Spain international expected to keep his place in the middle of the park after starting against Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday. The reigning Premier League champions meet with the La Liga holders for the first time competitively at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday evening, with Manchester City looking to end Atletico Madrid's impressive winning streak ahead of the tie.

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi wants to capitalie on commercial opportunities that the Champions League could bring.

Al-Khelaifi highlighted that the U. S. and Super Bowl have a mindset of “creativity and entertainment” when it comes to the event and suggested the Champions League do the same. The Super Bowl’s viewership has always been a mere fraction of global soccer events. He also pushed for the consideration of new venues, markets, and formats.

Manchester City have been putting together their final preparations at the City Football Academy on Monday afternoon, ahead of the Champions League ...

Bernardo Silva will be looking to make an immediate return to the starting XI this week, after Ilkay Gundogan took his place for the weekend's commanding victory against Burnley alongside Kevin De Bruyne. Pep Guardiola's side will be heading into the clash at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night full of confidence, after Saturday afternoon's comfortable 0-2 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor in the Premier League. For Manchester City, the victory secured their place at the top of the Premier League table for another matchday, and may just hand them a psychological advantage going into next Sunday's huge top-flight showdown against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

Diego Simeone and Pep Guardiola are giants of European football in the 21st century. Remarkably, they have only faced each other in the dugout three times ...

Atletico only conceded 25 in the whole of last season and a sharp decline in Oblak’s form accounts for some of this drop-off. Against Atletico in 2016, there was nothing of the sort. Simeone’s men being famed for defensive resilience means this capacity to attack in a suffocating fashion can sometimes be overlooked. But Jan Oblak saved Thomas Muller's penalty shortly before half-time and, early in the second period, Antoine Griezmann seized upon David Alaba’s mistake to score a priceless away goal. Guardiola had, inexplicably, lost a third successive Champions League semi-final with Bayern. Simeone, Guardiola and two exceptional groups of players promptly got on with showing us what we’d been missing. Both managers have different teams now and one has changed clubs. Mourinho’s Real Madrid ended Barcelona’s Liga dominance that season, although Guardiola had the consolation of Copa del Rey success. The lessons of the past and the pressures of the present amount to a heady cocktail for the City boss and promise another gripping chapter in a story left largely unwritten between two modern greats. The hosts fired off 34 attempts overall; Oblak made 11 saves. In the Champions League and in the big five leagues, the same cast of characters face off, over and over again in their latest bids for glory. If you had to select the two giants of La Liga coaching in the 21st century, you would probably plump for Guardiola and Simeone.

The last time Benfica made the semis, they went on to reach the final, in 1990, when a team coached by Sven-Goran Eriksson lost 1-0 to AC Milan and missed ...

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. "We've also eliminated Barcelona, who were in our group, and Ajax. Looking at the two teams, it is possible to do it again. Watch UEFA Champions League 2021-22 (Quarter-final Leg 1) – Benfica vs. Another former Spurs player, Adel Taraabt, is now plying his trade in central midfield. We have to correct it." "We always have to work.

Can Benfica stymie the defending champs? Check back at CBSSports.com to keep track of this and all the UEFA Champions League events. Craving even more coverage ...

In subsequent Europa League play, they made it as far as the round of 32 but did not advance further. Last year, Benfica lost in the third qualifying round to PAOK on scores of 1-1 and 1-1. Craving even more coverage of the world's game?

Liverpool's quest for Champions League glory heads to Portugal on Tuesday night where Benfica await. Who will take the advantage in this quarter-final first ...

For the Champions League, you may wish to choose 'USA' for Paramount+. You can add BT Sport to your package for only £15 a month (plus a £20 joining fee). Even if you have subscribed to the relevant Benfica vs Liverpool live stream rights holders, you won't be able to access them when outside your own country. Fetch TV, Apple TV, Android TV, most smart TVs, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast also carry the app for smart TV viewing. To begin with, there's a Stan 30-day free trial. Simply use a VPN to access a live stream without being blocked. Those on Virgin Media will need the Virgin V6 box and a 4K TV to make sure they're getting the action at maximum resolution. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted. Can the Reds bring their scintillating Premier League form with them to the Portuguese capital? Jurgen Klopp's relentless Liverpool will present by far their toughest challenge yet, but much-admired Uruguayan striker Darwin Núñez could cause problems for them and will be looking to make an impression in the biggest game of his career so far. It's an 8pm GMT kick-off at the Estádio da Luz on Tuesday 5th April 2022. Who will take the advantage in this quarter-final first leg?

Liverpool hit the road to face Portuguese giants Benfica for their Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday, April 5 with Jurgen Klopp's side ...

They have also won five of their last six games against Portuguese opposition in the Champions League. The English-language stream is available to Paramount+ subscribers. The 2019 Champions League winners cruised through the group stages with a perfect group stage record of six wins from six games before edging past Inter Milan 2-1 on aggregate in the Round of 16.

Liverpool's 24 man squad for tonight's Champions League clash with Benfica has been revealed, however, it has one key man missing.

The only loss of their campaign so far was at home to Inter Milan in the round of 16, where they still progressed following an impressive victory in the first leg. The absence of the keeper' from the photos suggests that Adrian will be on the bench tonight in case of injury to first-choice Allison Becker. The Irish international was on the bench for the weekend's 2-0 victory over Watford and took part in training.

The Reds look like true title contenders this season, and while they battle for Premier League glory domestically, there are other fronts to focus on as ...

With Mane and Salah seeming to struggle under the heavy weight of significant high-leverage minutes for both club and country, Luis Diaz is primed for a big performance. The defense has also been flat out spectacular, giving up just one goal in eight Premier League matches since the start of February, and conceding over 1.0 xG (expected goals) in just two of them. Benfica will be pushing for a surprise result knowing without Champions League play, the season is, for all intents and purposes, over. His presence will be key since he's the man who leads the Premier League — hilariously, from the right back position — in expected assists (xA) at 11.09. That's a whole 2.89 over the next man in Bruno Fernandes. Quite simply, this is one of the most in-form teams in all of Europe. Liverpool is a clear favorite in this match, and understandably so, but the oddsmakers don't count out the chance for a draw with the Reds on the road.

Team news and form guides for Benfica v Liverpool, City v Atlético, Villarreal v Bayern and Chelsea v Real Madrid.

They did the double over Villarreal when they last met in the Champions League a decade ago, and will be confident of repeating that feat over the next week. As for Bayern, they booked their place in the last eight by beating RB Salzburg 8-2 on aggregate, with seven of those goals coming in the second leg. They have only won one home game in the Champions League , when they beat Young Boys in the group stage, yet are in the last eight. They have now been beaten in three of their last five games in all competitions, dropping down to seventh in La Liga, but they did pull off an impressive 3-0 win at Juventus to book their spot in the quarter-finals. City eased into the quarter-finals with a 5-0 aggregate win over Sporting CP in the last 16. Benfica’s defeat over the weekend was away, but their home form has not been great either – they have only won three of their last seven matches at Estádio Da Luz. However, they have already upset the odds in the Champions League this season, reaching the quarter-finals by beating Ajax 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16.

5. Geoffrey Kondogbia. Atletico Madrid certainly have their work cut out against Manchester City, but could Diego Simeone be the man who inflicts the latest UCL ...

The current rules on yellow cards mean that two Liverpool stars are just one yellow away from missing the second leg of the Reds Champions League tie with ...

Benfica have more to worry about than the Reds though, with SEVEN of their players at risk of missing the second leg. Both Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota risk missing the Anfield leg of the tie if they receive yellow cards in tonight's game. The current rules on yellow cards mean that two Liverpool stars are just one yellow away from missing the second leg of the Reds Champions League tie with Benfica.

"I always dreamed of playing and scoring in the Champions League; the first time I was on the pitch, my entire skin felt different." Bayern striker Robert ...

I wanted to go to Bayern because I wanted to compete at the highest level and win the biggest trophies. I wanted to show everyone that I was the right striker, the right person, at the right club. I experienced a lot there; I showed everyone the football player I wanted to be, and I wanted to show I could be better. One option was to take football less seriously and just leave it, and the other option was to continue doing it and believe that they had simply made a mistake. I remember very well when I was at home watching the Champions League in front of the TV. I always dreamed of playing in the Champions League and scoring in this competition. Everything I did was to achieve my dream and my goal of playing in the stadium when I grew up.

Here's where things stand in the Champions League as the quarterfinal round begins.

Benfica is likely to bow out against Liverpool in the quarterfinal round. Bayern has a relatively light draw with Villarreal in the quarterfinal, so these odds are likely to improve after this round. This team can defend, which makes its matchup against Chelsea in the quarterfinal round intriguing. Liverpool has been great in the UCL arena under Jurgen Klopp, making back-to-back finals in 2017-18 and 2018-19. These Premier League rivals have gone back and forth in recent seasons to assert their dominance on the sport. The UEFA Champions League has moved into the quarterfinal round, with Benfica-Liverpool and Manchester City-Atletico Madrid kicking things off Tuesday, April 5.

"I always dreamed of playing and scoring in the Champions League; the first time I was on the pitch, my entire skin felt different." Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski talks UEFA.com through his UEFA Champions League career.

I wanted to go to Bayern because I wanted to compete at the highest level and win the biggest trophies. I wanted to show everyone that I was the right striker, the right person, at the right club. I experienced a lot there; I showed everyone the football player I wanted to be, and I wanted to show I could be better. One option was to take football less seriously and just leave it, and the other option was to continue doing it and believe that they had simply made a mistake. I remember very well when I was at home watching the Champions League in front of the TV. I always dreamed of playing in the Champions League and scoring in this competition. Everything I did was to achieve my dream and my goal of playing in the stadium when I grew up.

The Champions League bracket from here on out is balanced and rich with intrigue, but which power is most likely to lift the trophy in Paris?

Benfica squeezed past Ajax in an entertaining round-of-16 matchup and survived a group with Bayern (despite being destroyed on two occasions by the German giants). And while it would have preferred Villarreal or maybe even Atlético, Benfica will have to face one of the most in-form teams in the world. Without that win over Manchester United, Villarreal would have never found itself in the Champions League this season, let alone in the quarterfinals after upsetting Juventus. Its trip to Turin last month was more than just an upset—it was a stunning show of force. The one thing Villarreal has going for it is a raucous home crowd from the get-go, and an early goal would go a long way on multiple fronts. And after leading Atlético to his second La Liga title, Simeone will surely go all in on taking down the giants of the European stage in search of the club’s first Champions League title. And in a tie that should be very close (and very entertaining), a lockdown defense is usually what provides the difference. After a nail-biting last-16 tie with Manchester United, Atlético must now head to the more formidable Manchester side in Guardiola’s City, where it definitely cannot look ahead to meeting Chelsea/Real in the semifinal and then potentially Liverpool or Bayern Munich. But is it out of the question? First up is its quarterfinal against a Real Madrid side that turned the tables on PSG in the final half-hour of the tie. Last season in the semifinal, Chelsea used the second leg at home to its advantage with a 2–0 (3–1 agg. Bayern is coming off consecutive four-goal performances in the Bundesliga and has its eyes set on a 10th straight league title, given its nine-point lead atop the table with eight games to go. The journey is difficult with Atlético potentially followed by a semifinal against Real Madrid or Chelsea. And if it gets past them, then Liverpool and Bayern could await in the final. It would be easy to get caught looking ahead to a potential showdown with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the semifinals, but this Bayern team is too experienced and balanced, especially in his high-octane attack. Yet they could both be caught looking ahead at the other in a mouthwatering semifinal that is sure to entertain.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo each changed their surroundings for this season, but the outcome was the same. For the second successive season, ...

Bayern hammered Barcelona 8-2 and saw off Lyon 3-0 in the semis, with Lewandowski scoring a goal in each game. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo each changed their surroundings for this season, but the outcome was the same. Still, there was the all-too-familiar image of Messi trudging off ashen-faced after PSG collapsed against his old foes Real Madrid in this season’s round of 16.

April 5 – Paris Saint-Germain boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi has called on UEFA to jazz up the Champions League final to make it more like the Super Bowl.

“The Super Bowl, and the US generally, have this mindset, creativity and entertainment. Head of the European Club Association, Al-Khelaifi wants the Champions League to become more of a spectacle, including a glittering opening ceremony. April 5 – Paris Saint-Germain boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi has called on UEFA to jazz up the Champions League final to make it more like the Super Bowl.