Hey! The UEFA Champions League’s knockout section playoffs received off to a robust begin on Tuesday and have extra in retailer on Wednesday, whereas the U.S. ladies’s nationwide workforce’s prep for his or her first video games of 2025 is formally underway. I am Pardeep Cattry with a midweek check-in.

📺 Footy repair

All instances U.S./Jap

Wednesday, Feb. 12
🇪🇺 UCL: Membership Brugge vs. Atalanta, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports activities Golazo Community
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 EPL: Everton vs. Liverpool, 2:30 p.m. ➡️ USA Community
🇪🇺 UCL: Celtic vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 UCL: Feyenoord vs. AC Milan, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🌎 Concacaf Champions Cup: Chivas vs. Cibao, 8 p.m. ➡️ FS2

Thursday, Feb. 13
🇪🇺 UEL: Fenerbahce vs. Anderlecht, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 UEL: Porto vs. Roma, 3 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports activities Community, Paramount+

⚽ The Ahead Line

🇪🇺 Knockout section playoffs are formally underway

Actual Madrid’s 3-2 win over Manchester Metropolis marked an exciting begin to the UEFA Champions League knockout section playoffs on Tuesday, with the reigning champions coming from behind twice earlier than scoring a last-gasp game-winner at Etihad Stadium. Metropolis managed a surprisingly robust begin, surviving an early interval of strain from Madrid and nabbing the sport’s first aim. Issues started to unravel after the halftime break because the guests scored an equalizer, and the back-and-forth recreation ended with them relinquishing one more lead and now going through a tricky second leg in Spain.

It was exhausting to not view the primary leg of the tie as a make-or-break second for the final two Champions League winners, with Madrid passing the check. They’ve had their very own challenges to take care of this season, most notably an harm disaster that left them with out their top-choice middle backs, although supervisor Carlo Ancelotti admitted that “regardless of the emergency, we have been in a position get one thing good out of it.” That was not the case for Metropolis, with supervisor Pep Guardiola nonetheless showing to be out of solutions, months after his workforce started a downward spiral.

• Guardiola: “Many video games on the finish we give away. At that stage, it’s so troublesome. It isn’t the primary time, it occurs many instances. There are errors in related areas. It’s troublesome to handle however yeah, it occurs many instances. Gamers take choices within the second, typically it really works and typically it would not. We arrived within the final minute with the consequence however we couldn’t preserve it. [The responsibility] belongs to all of us, not simply the gamers. I’ve not an issue to just accept that it would not work prefer it labored prior to now. It’s all of us.”

On Wednesday, one other batch of groups hope to hitch Madrid on the listing of groups with first leg benefits, which incorporates Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus. Bayern Munich, the 2020 champions, are anticipated to hitch that group because the heavy favorites in opposition to Celtic, however maybe essentially the most intriguing tie of the day will happen in Rotterdam, the place Feyenoord host AC Milan. American standout Christian Pulisic can be somebody to regulate, however so is his Concacaf compatriot Santiago Gimenez. The Mexico worldwide swapped Feyenoord for Milan within the winter switch window and is already off to a robust begin along with his new membership, making him James Benge’s participant to observe.

• Benge: “It’s going to be like he by no means went away! 9 days after signing his contract with Milan, Gimenez can be again at De Kuip. Given he has already hit a wealthy vein of type in his new colours – a aim and help in his first two matches – he appears a probable starter and one who will want no reminding the place the aim is.”

Sponsored by Paramount+

🔗  Midfield Hyperlink Play

🇺🇸 USWNT’s period of experimentation continues at SheBelieves Cup

U.S. ladies’s nationwide workforce head coach Emma Hayes named her roster for the SheBelieves Cup, deciding on a mixture of veterans and up-and-comers for his or her first video games of the brand new yr. Hayes went with the various strategy based mostly on who was accessible and who was not, but additionally as a result of she continues to embrace the spirit of experimentation because the USWNT builds strategically in the direction of the 2027 Ladies’s World Cup.

This is the SheBelieves Cup roster in full.

• Goalkeepers (2): Jane Campbell (Houston Sprint), Mandy McGlynn (Utah Royals)
• Defenders (8): Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Crystal Dunn (Paris Saint-Germain), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Tara McKeown (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (Arsenal FC), Emily Sams (Orlando Pleasure), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Gisele Thompson (Angel Metropolis FC)
• Midfielders (6): Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Lindsey Heaps (Olympique Lyon), Claire Hutton (Kansas Metropolis Present), Jaedyn Shaw (North Carolina Braveness), Lily Yohannes (Ajax,)
• Forwards (7): Lynn Biyendolo (Seattle Reign FC), Michelle Cooper (Kansas Metropolis Present), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Yazmeen Ryan (Houston Sprint), Emma Sears (Racing Louisville FC), Ally Sentnor (Utah Royals), Alyssa Thompson (Angel Metropolis FC)

For a 3rd successive camp, Hayes can be with out the “triple espresso” – Trinity Rodman, Mallory Swanson and Sophia Wilson (previously Smith) – via a mix of health points and private causes. 4 uncapped gamers made the minimize, although – defenders Tara McKeown and Gisele Thompson, midfielder Claire Hutton and ahead Michelle Cooper – and 14 gamers in complete have 20 or fewer caps. Hayes mentioned final month that she has primarily explored the whole thing of the participant pool between friendlies within the fall and January’s 50 participant Futures camp, however she mentioned in a Tuesday press convention that she plans to make use of the following few months to proceed to offer inexperienced gamers with alternatives.

• Hayes: “I see this as an excellent alternative to develop much less skilled gamers in a tournament-type setting in these video games, and from now till the top of June, I believe there can be a good bit of experimenting with the accessible gamers that I can choose. … We would not have a World Cup immediately and my job is to organize a workforce to compete come that interval, so I’ve to offer these gamers the chance to do it and if I solely performed simply to organize a gaggle only for a World Cup immediately, I would not take the dangers I am taking proper now and that is one thing that I need to do via the whole thing of this block [of time].”

The USWNT will kick off the SheBeleives on Feb. 20 in opposition to Colombia, after which will face Australia on Feb. 23 and end off with a conflict in opposition to Japan on Feb. 26.

🔗  High Tales

🏆 Madrid do their factor: Even amidst the ups and downs of the video games, Actual Madrid have been their classic, imperfect selves as they beat Manchester Metropolis on Tuesday. This is James Benge’s report from the Etihad.

🇫🇷 Dembele’s on fireplace: Ousmane Dembele was arguably the standout participant in Tuesday’s Champions League motion, scoring twice in opposition to Brest as he continues a formidable run of type.

🩹 Havertz harm: Kai Havertz may miss the remainder of Arsenal’s season with a hamstring harm they seen in the course of the Gunners’ heat climate coaching camp in Dubai.

❌ Espanyol condemn Leon: Espanyol condemned Barcelona’s Mapi Leon for an “unacceptable” gesture in an incident with Daniela Caracas over the weekend.

🇺🇸 U-17 USMNT’s historic recreation: 16-year-old Chase Adams walks CBS Sports activities via the U-17 USMNT’s 22-0 win over the U.S. Virgin Islands on Monday, when he overcame a abdomen bug to attain 10 targets.

🔴 Fraser on illustration: Toronto FC head coach Robin Fraser discusses the affect he is had on younger Black coaches round MLS, in addition to his recommendation for them as they stand up the ranks.

⚫⚪ McKennie with a banger: The USMNT’s Weston McKennie scored a golazo in Juventus’ 2-1 win over PSV within the Champions League.

💰  The Again Line

💵 Finest bets

• Premier League: Everton vs. Liverpool, Wednesday, 2:30 p.m.
  💰 THE PICK: Diogo Jota to attain (+185) – The straightforward cash is clearly on Mohamed Salah, who already has 26 targets throughout all competitions this season. The Egypt worldwide is prone to get some assist if Liverpool choose up a win within the Merseyside Derby, and Diogo Jota might be amongst the contributors. He has 4 targets in 12 video games since getting back from harm, making him a participant to regulate at Everton.
• UEFA Europa League: Porto vs. Roma, Thursday, 3 p.m.
  💰 THE PICK: Porto and Roma to tie 1-1 (+500) – This tie, arguably essentially the most compelling within the UEFA Europa League knockout section playoffs, appears like a toss-up in each sense. Roma could have completed forward of Porto within the league section, however the groups have been solely separated by one level in the course of the league section. Because of this, these sides is likely to be hard-pressed to discover a sizable benefit within the first leg, so anticipate a intently contested match to kick off this two-legged tie.

For extra picks, predictions, knowledgeable suggestions and the most recent betting information, do not miss out on CBSSports.com’s betting residence web page.   

📺 What’s on CBS Sports activities Golazo Community

☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Be part of Golazo Community because it assist followers get their day began on the correct foot on the community’s flagship morning present with highlights, interviews and the largest soccer storylines. Morning Footy can be accessible in podcast type, so you will by no means should miss an episode.

3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Thursday): The main ladies’s soccer podcast and social model is now a stay studio present. The NWSL season is again and our protection of the ladies’s recreation is stronger than ever. Our analysts can be breaking down the USWNT, NWSL and European home season all yr lengthy. And do not miss Wednesday stay streams on YouTube at 11 a.m. ET.

⚽  Name it What You Need (Monday and Thursday): A weekly podcast the place Jimmy Conrad, Charlie Davies and Tony Meola cowl all issues USMNT and the state of the gorgeous recreation in the US. You’ll be able to catch the present streaming stay on YouTube each Monday at 1 p.m. ET and Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.

🥅 Scoreline (Every day): Scoreline is the latest place for followers to make amends for all the largest information and outcomes impacting world soccer, match highlights from the highest soccer competitions and all of the can’t-miss targets from the day’s motion, beginning Thursday and airing seven days every week.

📺  watch: CBS Sports activities Golazo Community is a free 24/7 channel completely devoted to providing unparalleled protection of all the highest soccer competitions worldwide. You’ll be able to stream without spending a dime on the CBS Sports activities app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.