After an entertaining batch of first leg matches, the UEFA Champions League semifinals come to a detailed this week with a spot within the ultimate on Might 31 nonetheless inside touching distance for every of the final 4 groups standing.

This week’s motion kicks off on Tuesday in Milan, the place Inter host Barcelona after their back-and-forth 3-3 draw within the first leg. Simone Inzaghi’s aspect broke their three-game shedding and goalless streak with a multi-goal displaying in Barcelona, two coming from Denzel Dumfries off a set piece. It was a formidable efficiency contemplating Hansi Flick’s aspect pulled out all of the attacking stops, rooted in one other sensational efficiency from 17-year-old Lamine Yamal in his one hundredth match for the membership.

On Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain return to the French capital with a 1-0 benefit over Arsenal. Luis Enrique’s aspect took benefit of the Gunners’ poor begin in London final week and scored that recreation’s solely aim simply 4 minutes in, courtesy of Ousmane Dembele. The sport ultimately showcased tactical vary from each side and particularly in PSG’s case, who appeared keen to soak up Arsenal’s stress for the ultimate 20 minutes and succeeded whereas additionally benefiting from the Gunners’ wasteful ending.

With a visit to Munich’s Allianz Area on the road, this is what it’s essential to know earlier than tuning in.

The best way to watch

Every day’s protection will start on CBS and Paramount+ with the UEFA Champions League Right this moment pre-match present, adopted by the sport itself. The protection switches to CBS Sports activities Community and Paramount+ for the UEFA Champions League Right this moment post-match present, whereas a brand new version of the Champions Membership can even air on CBS Sports activities Golazo Community and YouTube.

This week additionally marks the debut of Beckham and Buddies, an alternate stay broadcast that includes Champions League winner David Beckham that can air throughout each of this week’s video games on Paramount+.

Bracket

First leg scores

• Arsenal 0, Paris Saint-Germain 1
• Barcelona 3, Inter 3

Semifinal TV schedule

All instances U.S./Japanese

Storylines for the semifinals

1. Can Inter pull this off?

Inter might have entered the primary leg of the semifinals on a downward flip, however they seized the chance to impress in Barcelona final week and forward of a second leg at house, they could be liking their probabilities. The large query for a hot-and-cold Inter, although, is that if final week’s capability to match Barcelona’s scoring powers would be the case once more with a spot within the Champions League ultimate on the road.

Inter might strive their luck towards a defensively wobbly Barcelona, whose foremost tactic has been to outscore the opposition with a mistake-prone goalkeeper in Wojciech Szczesny anchoring the again line, however they did present a few of their very own high quality in Barcelona final week. Not solely did they profit from the return of Marcus Thuram, who scored barely 30 seconds into the primary leg after lacking the earlier three video games, however they have been extraordinarily scientific on set items and will purpose to repeat that technique.

Even with the wind of their sails after two wins in a row and a tie that also very a lot hangs within the stability, Inter might not be favored to advance. Not solely have Barcelona, with their attack-first strategy, been led by rising expertise Yamal, however Inter could also be with out their main goalscorer this season, Lautaro Martinez, after he picked up an harm within the first leg. The scoreline might not point out as a lot, nevertheless it would possibly nonetheless be an uphill battle for Inter to advance out of this semifinal.

2. Can Arsenal pull off the comeback?

Arsenal are nonetheless very a lot of their Champions League semifinal tie towards PSG, however the first 20 minutes of final week’s match recommend that they, too, may turn into the most recent victims of the French champions’ spectacular press and the onus is on supervisor Mikel Arteta to determine how precisely to fight that.

There could also be clues within the later phases of the primary leg, when Arsenal had all of the momentum however rued a couple of missed probabilities that might have a minimum of leveled the combination rating. Whereas wasteful ending is, in idea, a fixable drawback, the efficiency was a stark reminder of the one sort of participant the Gunners have missed all season – an out-and-out goalscorer. In a tie the place they desperately want a minimum of one aim, fixing for that drawback will probably be key, all whereas managing a recreation towards a PSG aspect with their very own aspirations of scoring. Dembele is in the midst of his best goalscoring season on the membership degree whereas Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is solidifying his argument as essentially the most impactful January signing ever. This tie may nonetheless tilt in both path however the stress is properly and actually on Arsenal to carry up their finish of the cut price.