MLS Kicks off this Weekend
The 2026 MLS season starts Sat and runs to early November, featuring 30 teams playing 34 regular-season matches, with a significant break from May 25 to July 16 for the FIFA World Cup. The season includes Eastern and Western Conferences, culminating in the MLS Cup Playoffs in November/December. Defending Champions are Miami and Lionel Messi who was League MVP. He will be missing many of his Barcelona buddies who all retired at the end of last season however. Read all about Miami in the Season Preview below. The games will all be broadcast on FREE APPLE TV. So if you have APPLE TV you get MLS with no additional charge like the last few seasons. (Awesome news) I still hate that more games are not on linear TV like Fox, FS1 and perhaps ESPN – because I am 100% sure NO ONE KNOWS MLS starts this weekend do you? Don’t lie – NOPE. Well you heard it here first and the first game on FOX is the Cincy vs Atlanta United game at 4:45 pm Saturday. Other notables have have Columbus traveling to Porland 10:30 pm on Apple, LAFC hosting Messi & Miami 9:30 pm on Apple, and my Seattle Sounders hosting Colorado Sunday at 9:15 pm right after LA vs NYCFC at 7 pm.
- Duration: February 21 – November 7, 2026 (Regular Season).
- Format: 30 teams; 34 games per team (17 home, 17 away).
- 2026 FIFA World Cup Pause: May 25 – July 16, 2026.
- All-Star Game: July 29, 2026.
- Decision Day: November 7, 2026.
- Broadcast: All matches are available on Apple TV.
Champions League See’s US Stars shine and Controversy in Benefica
American’s were again on fire in Champions League as Monaco’s/US forward Folarin Balogun scored 2 goals (header) and this lovely runner to give them a 2-0 lead before settling for a 3-3 tie with Inter Milan heading to Milan next week. US Mid/F McKinney had his 4th assist in 3 games in their 4-1 loss at Galatasaray. The first legs of the UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs are in the books, and we have a lot to review. From Real Madrid narrowly winning at Benfica (led by former Real boss Jose Mourinho), to Bodo/Glimt stunning Internazionale in the Arctic Circle and even holders Paris Saint-Germain rallying from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at fellow Ligue 1 side AS Monaco, we’ve seen it all. Oh, and how about Galatasaray scoring five against Juventus and Newcastle United hitting six at FK Qarabag? It was a Crazy week – man I love Champions League!
The Sad moment came however in Benefica where Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. Scored a wonder goal – ran to the flag to celebrate… was yellow carded – then evidently racially abused by Benefica’s Prestianni. Pretty embarrassing for both the club and Coach Jose Mourino who was horrific in his post game press conference blaming Vinicius Jr. I thought CBS/Paramount Plus’ post game coverage was spectacular and hard hitting as analyst Tierry Henry explained his experiences nearly 20 years ago with racism in soccer. Kate Scott’s Elegant Comments on the Racism in Soccer Great stories below about the games and the controversy. Of course return games are this Tuesday/Wed on CBSSN & Paramount Plus.
covers them, as does CBS and ABC sports. This is how you promote the game in the US – if only MLS had a clue!
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Sat, Feb 21 MLS Season Starts
9:30 am ESPN+ Union Berlin vs Bayer LEverkusen (Tilman)
10 am NBCSN Aston Villa vs Leeds United (Aaronson)
10 am Peacock Chelsea vs Burnley
12:30 pm NBCSN West Ham vs Bournmouth (Adams)
3 pm ESPN+ Atletico Madrid (Jonny) vs Espanyol
4:45 pm FOX Cincy FC vs Atlanta United MLS
9:30 pm Apple Free LAFC vs Miami *Messi MLS
10:30 Apple Free Portland vs Columbus Crew MLS
Sun, Feb 22
9 am Peacock Crystal Palace (Ricahrds) vs Wolverhampton
9 am NBCSN Nottingham Palace vs Liverpool
9 a,m USA Sunderland vs Fulham (Jedi)
11:30 am USA, Tel Tottehman vs Arsenal
12 noon Para+ AC Milan (pulisic) vs Parma
7 pm Apple TV, LA Galaxy vs NYCFC
9:15 pm FS1, Apple TV Seattle vs Colorado
Mon, Feb 23
3 pm USA, Tel Everton vs Man United
Tues, Feb 24
12:45 pm PAra+ Club Brugge vs Atletico Madrid
Para+ Qarabag vs Newcastle United
3 pm Para+ Olympicakos vs Bayer LEverkus (Tilman)
3 pm PAra+ Inter Milan vs Bodo Glimt
Wed, FEb 25
12:45 pm Para+ Dortmund vs Atalanta
3 pm CBSSN Para+ Galatasaray vs Juventus (McKinney)
3 pm Para+ TUDN REal Madrid vs Benefica
3 pm Para+_ Monaco (Balogan vs PSG
Thurs, Feb 26
12:45 pm Para+ Celtic vs Stuttgart
3 pm Para+ Zninsjki vs Crystal Palace (Richards)
Sun, Mar 1 She Believes Cup Starts
5 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Women vs Argentina
Wed, Mar 4 She Believes Cup
7 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Women vs Canada (Columbus, OH)
Sat, Mar 7 She Believes Cup
3:30 pm TBS, HBO, Peacock USA Women vs Colombia
Sat, Mar 28
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Belgium
Tues, Mar 31
7 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Portugal
Sun, May 31
3:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Senegal
Sat, June 6
2:30 pm TNT, HBO, Peacock USA Men vs Germany in Chicago
Sat, June 12 WORLD CUP
9 pm Fox, Tele, Peacock USA Men vs Paraguay World Cup
===RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ===
Coming home from Practice or Games at Badger Fieldhouse? Try out the Best BarBQ in Town right across the street (131st) from Northview Church on the corner of Hazelldell & 131st. RackZ BBQ
Save 20% on your order
(mention the ole ballcoach)
Check out the BarBQ Ribs, pulled Pork and Chicken, Brisket and more. Sweet, Tangy or Spicy sauce. Mention you heard about it from the Ole Ballcoach — and Ryan will give you 20% off your next meal. https://www.rackzbbqindy.com/ Call ahead at 317-688-7290 M-Th 11-8 pm, 11-9 Fri/Sat, 12-8 pm on Sunday. Pick some up after practice – Its good eatin! You won’t be disappointed and tell ’em the Ole Ballcoach Sent You!
======================RackZ BAR BQ ====Save 20% ======================
USMNT weekend viewing guide: Encore performances and new beginnings
Follow up performances and new seasons by jcksnftsn Feb 20, 2026, 3:14 PM EST
Weston McKennie (Juventus Turin) celebrate during the Inter Milan and Juventus Turn Matchday 25 of the Serie A at San Siro on February 14, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)NurPhoto via Getty Images
Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun, and Haji wright have had a great week and will look to keep things rolling this weekend while back in the States MLS regular season action kicks off this weekend including two matches that will be available on network television. The majority of MLS matches will be available only on Apple TV this season though thankfully not behind an additional paywall on the platform. For this weekend we are focused in on those two broadcast matches but moving forward we will likely try to focus in on the matches where recent callups or likely World Cup participants are participating.
Saturday
West Bromwich Albion v Coventry City – 7:30a on Paramount+: Haji Wright scored a hat trick midweek as Coventry City overtook Middlesbrough for the lead in the Championship, snapping a three match winless streak in the process. Coventry now have a six point lead over Millwall for direct promotion. They will face a West Brom side that are at the opposite end of the table, just two points ahead of Leicester in the relegation battle.
Real Sociedad v Real Oviedo – 8a on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Real Sociedad suffered their first loss under Pellegrino Matarazzo last weekend, falling to Real Madrid 4-1. The team remain in eighth place despite the loss.
Juventus v Como – 9a on Paramount+: Weston McKennie notched two assists last weekend and scored a goal midweek in Champions League play as he now has nine goal contributions across all competitions since the start of the new year. Unfortunately, Juventus lost both matches despite McKennie’s best efforts, falling 3-2 to Inter Milan after going down a man late in the first half and then suffering a stunning 5-2 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey in the first leg of their Champions League knockout rounds match. Juve will look to get back on track as they face sixth place Como who are four points back of Juventus and coming off a 1-1 draw with AC Milan.
Wolfsburg v Augsburg – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Kevin Paredes was among the players who missed last weekend due to illness as Wolfsburg drew with Leipzig 2-2. The draw left Wolfsburg in 15th place, just a point out of the relegation playoff position. If Paredes is able to return this weekend he will face off with Noahkai Banks and Augsburg who are in 11th place following their 1-0 win over Heidenheim. Banks played the full 90’ as Augsburg kept the clean sheet.
Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Malik Tillman came on as a halftime substitute last weekend in Leverkusen’s 4-0 win over St. Pauli and was a second half sub again midweek as Leverkusen defeated Olympiacos 2-0 on the road in the first leg of their Champions League matchup. Prior to last weekend Tillman had started all but two of Leverkusen’s past fourteen matches so the change to a substitute role, if that’s what is happening here, would be a big one.
Koln v Hoffenheim – 9:30a on ESPN Select: Kristoffer Lund and Koln fell to Stuttgart 3-1 with Lund playing the full 90’. Koln have lost three of their past four and are in twelfth place now, just four points out of the relegation playoff position.
Aston Villa v Leeds United – 10a on NBCSN: Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United needed Penalties to defeat Championship side Birmingham City last weekend in FA Cup action. Aaronson game on in the 68th minute but ended up playing 52’ as Leeds gave up the tying goal in the 89th. Leeds will face third place Aston Villa this weekend.
Lens v Monaco – 11a on beIN Sports: Folarin Balogun hasn’t scored a league goal since early November but he notched a brace midweek against PSG in Champions League action. Unfortunately Monaco would cough up the two goal lead and lose the match 3-2. Moncao are undefeated in their past four league matches but will face league leading Lens this weekend who have won four straight and fourteen of the past fifteen matches that they have played across all competitions.
West Ham United v Bournemouth – 12:30p on NBCSN: Tyler Adams made the bench for Bournemouth’s last EPL match, a 2-1 win over Everton, but did not see the field as he continues his steps to return from an injury that has kept him out since mid December. Bournemouth are in ninth place following the win, now tied with Everton and will face a West Ham side that are undefeated in their last three matches but still sit in the final relegation spot, three points from safety.
PSV v Heerenveen – 12:45p on ESPN Select: Sergino Dest and PSV suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to 15th place FC Volendam last weekend though they still hold a fourteen point lead for the league title. The team will look to rebound against eighth place Heerenveen who have won their past two matches.
Toulouse v Paris – 1p on beIN Sports: Mark McKenzie and Toulouse have lost their last two matches, most recently 2-1 to Le Havre, and now sit in tenth place in the Ligue 1 standings. McKenzie is reportedly suspended for this weekends match with Paris due to yellow card accumulation though he did not receive a card last weekend in his start against Le Havre.
Atletico Madrid v Espanyol – 3p on ESPN Deportes and ESPN Select: Johnny Cardoso got the start last weekend but Atletico fell to Rayo Vallecano 3-0. Cardoso then saw just a minute off the bench midweek in his clubs 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in Champions League action. The team will look to get back on track this weekend as they host sixth place Espanyol.
Cincinnati v Atlanta United – 4:45p on FOX: Miles Robinson and Roman Celentano start their season on Saturday with the first of two MLS matches that will be available via broadcast over the weekend. Cincinnati will be hosting Atlanta United in their opener.
Sunday
Crystal Palace v Wolverhampton Wanderers – 9a on Peacock: Chris Richards and Crystal Palace fell to 19th place Burnley who now have just 19 points on the season. Palace still have eight points separating them from West Ham and the final relegation spot but if they keep loosing matches against relegation quality opponents they will have some real concerns come the end of the season. They get to try again this weekend as they face last place Wolverhampton this weekend who have just one win through 27 matches this season.
Atalanta v Napoli – 9a on Paramount+: Yunus Musah was stuck to the bench again last weekend as Atalanta defeated Lazio 2-0 and midweek as well in the teams 2-0 loss to Dortmund in Champions League play. Musah has failed to appear in four of the last six matches for his club. On Sunday the team will host third place Napoli who are coming off a 2-2 draw with Roma.
Sunderland v Fulham – 9a on USA Network and Telemundo: Antonee Robinson started and went the full 90’ in Fulham’s 2-1 win over Stoke City last weekend but had not appeared in the prior two league matches for his team, a surprising turn of events for a player who has been such a workhorse over the years, albeit dealing with significant injuries to start this season. Fulham are in twelfth place and can jump eleventh place Sunderland if they pick up the road win this weekend.
Freiburg v Borussia Monchengladbach – 9:30a on ESPN Select: It’s become unfortunately unsurprising to see Gio Reyna not included among the starters for Borussia Monchengladbach as he deals with repeated injuries. What has been surprising however is that Joe Scally has joined him on the bench recently, coming on as a substitute in the teams last two matches, most recently a 3-0 loss to Frankfurt with Scally not entering until his team was already down 2-0. Gladbach are winless in their past six matches and have fallen to 13th place. They will travel to Freiburg this weekend to face off with the eighth place side.
St Pauli v Werder Bremen – 11:30a on ESPN Select: James Sands and St. Pauli were thumped by Leverkusen 4-0 last weekend with Sands starting and playing 69’ minutes. St. Pauli need to string together some positive results if they are going to avoid relegation this season and this weekend would be a good place to start as they host 16th place Werder Bremen who they can vault with a win that would pull them at least into the relegation playoff spot.
AC Milan v Parma – Noon on Paramount+: Christian Pulisic apparently has been dealing with some injuries that are restricting his playing time but aren’t so severe to keep him out altogether. Pulisic was a substitute again last weekend in AC Milan’s 1-1 draw with Como, a result which left them seven points back of Inter for the league lead. They now face twelfth place Parma who have won their past two matches.
Strasbourg v Olympique Lyon – 2:45p on beIN Sports: Tanner Tessmann started again for Lyon as they won their seventh straight match last weekend, 2-0 over Nice, to remain six points back of PSG and seven back of the league lead. They travel to face seventh place Strasbourg on Sunday.
Seattle Sounders v Colorado Rapids – 9:15p on FS1: Cristian Roldan and the Seattle Sounders will host Zack Steffen, Paxten Aaronson and the Colorado Rapids in the second broadcast MLS matchup of the weekend. Both teams have a number of former USMNT senior and youth players with Roldan seeming the most likely to make this summers World Cup roster.
This year, top finishers such as Arsenal and Bayern Munich will benefit by avoiding fellow European giants Real Madrid and PSG in the round of 16.
Proud Member of American Outlaws http://www.facebook.com/IndyAOUnite
Looking to Get a Professional Company Headshot? Check out https://capturely.com/ Tell Rob The Ole Ballcoach sent you and he’ll give you a deal.
DISCOUNT SMALL ENGINE & BIG ENGINE REPAIRS IN CARMEL
Need your Riding Mower, Push Mower or any small engine or Car Engine Work Done by Carmel High Junior Mechanical Wizard for a bargain basement Price? Email my buddy Marc Sultanov at marc.sultanov@gmail.com
USA Women
Rodman headlines USWNT SheBelieves roster
Trinity Rodman: I want to Help Grow soccer in the U.S. video
Emma Hayes reveals USWNT SheBelieves Cup roster
Looking at the state of the USWNT roster ahead of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup
Catarina Macario reportedly drawing interest from teams in Spain, England, and the USA
USMNT to compete for 1 of 6 spots at 2030 WC
USWNT’s Bethune off to KC, Hutton joins Bay FC
US Men
Toronto FC closing in on deal for USMNT striker Josh Sargent
Yanks Abroad: Pepi thrives, Matarazzo hired, Banks impresses, new dual national panic, & more
MLS
2026 MLS Preview & Predictions: LAFC and Vancouver strong again, Galaxy to rebound
Expert predictions: 2026 MLS Eastern Conference & Western Conference standings
MLS Cup: 5 players who will decide Inter Miami vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
Club & country: MLS players who could star at the 2026 World Cup\
James Rodríguez joins Minnesota United with World Cup mindset
MLS preview: Top 15 Young Americans in MLS ahead of 2026 season
The 2026 MLS season begins this weekend and ASN’s Brian Sciaretta tries to identify the 15 young American players who will make the biggest impact in the
Champions League
Champions League talking points: PSG’s comeback win, Bodø/Glimt surprise Inter, more
Brazil want punishments in Vinícius Jr. case
Seedorf on Mou: Mistake to justify racial abuse
Bodo/Glimt add win over Inter to impressive run
Gordon scores 4 as Newcastle put 6 past Qarabag
UCL talking points: PSG’s comeback win, Bodø/Glimt surprise Inter, more
- Sam Tighe,
- Beth Lindop,
- Mark Ogden,
- Sam Marsden
Feb 18, 2026, 07:53 PM 126
The first legs of the UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs are in the books, and we have a lot to review. From Real Madrid narrowly winning at Benfica (led by former Real boss Jose Mourinho), to Bodo/Glimt stunning Internazionale in the Arctic Circle and even holders Paris Saint-Germain rallying from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at fellow Ligue 1 side AS Monaco, we’ve seen it all. Oh, and how about Galatasaray scoring five against Juventus and Newcastle United hitting six at FK Qarabag?
So, following a raucous set of first legs this week, ESPN FC writers Mark Ogden, Sam Tighe, Beth Lindop and Sam Marsden weigh in on the action so far and what’s still to come.
– Champions League recap: Bodø/Glimt stun Inter with famous win
– Real Madrid learned lesson from Champions League loss to Benfica
– Why every remaining team will, won’t win UEFA Champions League
Q1. Paris Saint-Germain had to come from 2-0 down to win the first leg at Monaco, with Désiré Doué coming off the bench to turn the tie around. Is the fatigue from last season’s UEFA Champions League title and deep run to last summer’s Club World Cup final about to catch up with them?
Sam Tighe: I am not remotely surprised that any club that went deep into last summer’s Club World Cup looks incoherent or racked with injuries. In PSG’s case, it’s both. Three weeks between “seasons” is not sufficient, so these players are undoubtedly struggling both physically and psychologically.
This time last year, Les Parisiens were in the middle of beating Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the Champions League playoffs. They began to hum, striking fear into the watching world in the process. A year on, things feel so different that Ousmane Dembélé recently called out his teammates by suggesting they were putting themselves ahead of the club, rather than the club first (like last season). There are other key changes too: Defensive leader Marquinhos‘ level has notably dropped, while they’ve gone from calling upon one of the world’s finest, game-breaking shot-stoppers in Gianluigi Donnarumma (who left for Manchester City) to a grim choice between two underperformers, Lucas Chevalier and Matvey Safonov.
It really does not feel like last year, and it really doesn’t seem as if they’re about to hit an imperious stride, but I suppose in this sport, you never know…
Beth Lindop: It’s not so long ago that it was hard to see anyone beating PSG. After a bumpy start to last season, Luis Enrique’s side really hit their stride after the turn of the year. They have a lot of supremely talented players so you can’t totally write them off and they showed great fight to come back against Monaco. That said, they don’t quite look like the force they once were and, as Sam pointed out, you can hardly blame them considering the workload they had to shoulder over the summer.
They look more like a team of individuals rather than the well-oiled machine they were by the end last season. But that individual quality could still win the day.
Mark Ogden: PSG have an unexpected problem this season — they are locked in a tight three-way battle for the Ligue Un title with leaders Lens and Lyon, so they don’t have the luxury of being able to coast domestically and focus on the Champions League as they did last season. So every game matters and that reality, compounded by the lack of rest for Luis Enrique’s players last summer, is definitely having an adverse effect on results and performances.
But don’t rule PSG out. They showed their quality by overturning a 2-0 deficit against Monaco and they can beat any team in Europe on their day. I think it will be tough for them to win the Champions League again this season, especially with Chelsea or Barcelona up next in the round of 16, but the experience of winning last year means they know how to do it again.
Sam Marsden: I have to admit I am wobbling on PSG for all the reasons mentioned above, but I am still backing them to deliver when it matters. It’s true that tiredness, injuries and a tight title race are pushing them to the limit at the moment, but when their backs are to the wall, I still think they can deliver.
As Mark says, at 2-0 down against Monaco, and especially after losing Ballon d’Or winner Dembélé to injury, things looked bleak, but they showed their quality and their depth. This time it was Doue, on for the injured Dembélé, who won the match for them, but next time it could just as easily be Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola. I am always going to back a Luis Enrique team, too.
Leboeuf praises Doué’s ‘perfect’ performance for PSG vs. Monaco
Frank Leboeuf reacts to Désiré Doué’s performance in PSG’s Champions League comeback win against Monaco.
Q2. Real Madrid had a wobbly and dramatic road win on Tuesday, marred by allegations of racial abuse towards Vinicius Jr., but they carry a narrow lead into next week’s second leg. Can Álvaro Arbeloa join some illustrious coaches who have taken over a big club in midseason and lead them to Champions League glory?
Ogden: Absolutely, because it’s all about the players in the Champions League. A top coach is important, but some pretty unremarkable coaches have won it or taken a team to the final, and Arbeloa has plenty of star players to take Real all the way in spite of him as a coach, rather than because of him. Zinedine Zidane and Thomas Tuchel are the elite names who have taken a job mid-season and ended up winning the Champions League, but Roberto di Matteo won it with Chelsea in 2012 and Avram Grant (Chelsea, 2008) and Edin Terzic (Borussia Dortmund, 2023) took their sides to a final, so Arbeloa wouldn’t be an outlier if he won it with Real.
But let’s be honest. If you have Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Thibaut Courtois, Trent Alexander-Arnold — need I go on? — in your team, you can win the Champions League. As long as the coach doesn’t over-complicate things with tactical demands or selection eccentricities, the best players always have a chance. And Real are stacked with world-class players.
Lindop: I agree with Mark. As much as Real Madrid (by their own lofty standards) have had a pretty unremarkable season so far, you can never count them out when it gets to the Champions League knockouts. More than any other club, Real have a special relationship with this competition and they have so many match winners within their squad. Arbeloa seems to have brought a sense of togetherness to the team and the return of Trent could also be key to helping the team tick.
You’d definitely fancy them to get the job done in the second leg against Benfica and then it’s all down to who they’re drawn against in the last 16.
Marsden: While I agree with Mark and Beth — Real Madrid in the Champions League is such a thing — I don’t think either of the Clásico teams, to throw Barcelona into the mix as well, are good enough to win the competition this season. Of course I would still have them in the bracket of teams just behind the favorites — the likes of Arsenal, Bayern Munich and still, for me, PSG — and it wouldn’t be a surprise with a favorable draw and upturn in form if either side made the final, but they both look so vulnerable at times.
That said, Madrid actually looked improved in midfield against Benfica, which is where I would say they are weakest. Arbeloa’s use of Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Valverde and Arda Güler worked well, allowing more freedom for Mbappé and Vinícius in attack. It may be difficult to maintain that balance when Bellingham returns, though.
All of ESPN. All in one place.
Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now
Tighe: I think I stand with (the other) Sam here.
I cannot dispute that this Real Madrid side have the quality — particularly up front and between the sticks — to win this tournament and their special relationship with it increases the allure. And yet for some reason, I absolutely cannot picture it.
Perhaps it’s because I’ve seen them play so poorly too often this season. Perhaps it’s because I place more of an importance on the manager than, say, Mark does, and Arbeloa is a genuine rookie. Whatever it is, it’s gnawing at me, and when predicting something as wild and random as a Champions League winner, you have to trust your gut. My gut says no.
Nicol: Vinícius Jr. showed maturity with reaction to alleged racist abuse
Steve Nicol speaks about Vinícius Júnior’s reaction to suffering alleged racist abuse against Benfica in the Champions League.
Q3. Which team of those that lost this week is most likely to turn around a first leg deficit?
Ogden: I think there is still some life in the Atalanta-Borussia Dortmund tie. A 2-0 lead obviously makes Dortmund the favorites, but they weren’t great away from home in the League Phase and an early goal in Bergamo could give Atalanta the edge. I’d give Atalanta slightly more hope than Inter Milan, who have a 3-1 deficit against Bodø/Glimt.
Inter have the atmosphere of a packed San Siro to drive them on, but Bodo have now beaten Inter, Atlético Madrid and Manchester City in successive Champions League games, so they will go to Milan with confidence from that run. I just don’t see Dortmund having the same self-belief — this is a team was well beaten away to Tottenham Hotspur — so I’m backing Atalanta to turn the tie around and win the second leg.
Tighe: As thrilling as the Bodø/Glimt story is, and as good as they were in their 3-1 win over Inter on Wednesday night, I just wonder…is a two-goal lead enough? After all, while Glimt were razor sharp in attack here — just as they were when they beat Manchester City at home in the league phase — their goal frame lived a charmed life. Both Matteo Darmian and Lautaro Martínez hit it as they sought the lead, only for the Norwegians to then deliver two quick sucker punches in response.
And as Mark suggests, the playing field will be rather different next week — quite literally. No plastic pitch, no heaps of snow on the sidelines; instead, a raucous San Siro to cheer on last year’s finalists. It’s important to note that Bodø/Glimt are not solely reliant on home results — they lost just once on the road during the league phase, and beat Atlético Madrid in Spain! — but this remains a tall task.
Lindop: I mean, Qarabag could always surprise us! On a serious note, though, I’m going to opt for Atalanta. Borussia Dortmund’s 2-0 lead might seem commanding on paper, but the German side are a little bit unpredictable and Atalanta can cause plenty of problems for teams, particularly at home.
Inter could pull off a turnaround too, buoyed by the brilliance of the San Siro. However, I did dub them my biggest disappointment of the group stage, and Wednesday night’s result hasn’t done an awful lot to change that.
Marsden: Firstly, a great result for Bodø/Glimt again. I think we need to give their run of results some real credit. They have now beaten, in Europe, Manchester City, Atlético Madrid and Inter in consecutive games. So while my first thought was to go for Inter as the most likely to turn the tie around, I am going to back the Norwegian side to see the tie out — although it won’t be easy at the San Siro.
The other Italian teams with home advantage — Juventus and Atalanta — are also long shots to produce comebacks, but what about this instead: no side who lost the first leg will make it through to the last 16.
Q4. Which performance (player or team) impressed you most in the first legs?
Ogden: It has to be Anthony Gordon. If you score four goals in a Champions League game, then you deserve your flowers.
The Newcastle forward joins an elite group of players who have done it, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andriy Shevchenko, Marco van Basten and Roberto Lewandowski — anyone who adds their name to that list of stars merits all the praise that comes his way. And while Gordon is the individual star of this week, you have to give credit to Newcastle as a team for getting a huge, and decisive result, in Azerbaijan. Chelsea drew away to Qarabag and Eintracht Frankfurt lost in Baku, so this was a tough trip for Eddie Howe’s side and they made it look easy.
Lindop: It has to be Gordon for me, too. The Newcastle forward has had a pretty indifferent couple of years after his eye-catching form saw him tipped for a £70 million move to Liverpool in the summer of 2024. He hasn’t scored enough goals for Newcastle over the past two seasons, but he more than made up for it on Wednesday night.
He’s still very much capable of turning in scene-stealing displays and, at 24, he still has the potential to get even better. With the World Cup just a few months away, his return to form is no bad thing for both club and country.
Marsden: It’s hard to disagree with Gordon. What a Champions League campaign he’s having.
However, given he’s had a lot of praise here already, let’s chuck some honorable mentions out there: PSG’s Doué for his game-winning performance of the bench, Madrid’s Vinícius for his stunning strike on a difficult night in Lisbon, Bodø/Glimt for another remarkable win, and Club Brugge for a fine attacking display in their 3-3 draw with Atlético Madrid that probably should have ended in a win.
Tighe: OK, Gordon’s had enough praise. Let’s spotlight a guy who got three goal contributions on Wednesday on a famous night for his club: Kasper Høgh of Bodø/Glimt.
He’s showcased a remarkable finishing pedigree over the last two seasons, but can we take a moment to appreciate his link-up and creative play too? The Dane scored, but also teed up two goals here, one of which was absolutely exceptional. The reason Glimt are so good to watch going forward is that they attack the center of the pitch better than almost anyone.
Rather than turn to wide combinations and crosses, they work beautiful combinations in tight spots just outside the penalty box, somehow creating space for a shot that shouldn’t be there. Høgh is both integral to creating this space and finishing these chances. He’s having an incredible Champions League campaign.
Sip, Savor & Soak in Cancun Hotel ZoneRIU Hotels
Club Brugge shock Atlético Madrid with late equaliser
hristos Tzolis’ 89th-minute goal snatched a 3-3 draw for Club Brugge as Atlético Madrid‘s defensive problems in the Champions League continued.
Having squandered a two-goal lead in nine second-half minutes, Joel Ordonez’s own goal looked to have handed Diego Simeone’s side an important advantage ahead of the second leg at home.
However, Raphael Onyedika, who had sparked the hosts’ comeback, slid through a pass for Tzolis to shoot across goalkeeper Jan Oblak and a VAR check confirmed he had just stayed onside.
“The match was exactly what we expected. They’re possibly the most intense opponent we’ve faced in the Champions League, they’re very young,” said Atleti coach Diego Simeone. “We knew it wouldn’t be an easy game. We controlled the first half.
“With the score at 2-1, they got back into the game. We weren’t attacking like we did in the first half. They made it 2-2, and we regained the lead, and then came that last goal, which was a misinterpretation of how we should defend.”
Atlético have yet to keep a clean sheet in the competition this season and this was the third time they had conceded three or more goals, having shipped 15 goals in seven matches so far.
The visitors appeared to be cruising after goals from Julián Álvarez, his 12th in 18 Champions League matches, and Ademola Lookman, in first-half added time, gave them a comfortable lead.
Álvarez fired home from the penalty spot in only the eighth minute after Joaquin Seys was contentiously judged to have handed the ball as it dropped from height.
Seconds before half-time Antoine Griezmann flicked on an inswinging corner and Lookman applied the final touch inside the far post.
Six minutes into the second half Oblak could only half-stop Nicolo Tresoldi’s header from a corner and Onyedika scored from close range.
Brugge equalised on the hour when Mamadou Diakhon’s left-wing cross was converted at the near post by Tresoldi.
Alexander Sorloth hit the crossbar with a header before Ordonez, under pressure from Sorloth, turned Marcos Llorente’s cross into his own net with just 11 minutes remaining but Tzolis punished the visitors again late on.
“A match is 90 minutes, not 45,” Simeone added. “We reacted well to their two goals.
“I leave with the feeling that the team competed very well against an opponent that isn’t easy to beat here.”
Simeone and Atlético host Brugge in the return leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday.
“In the first half, we felt we were playing well, but the context of the match suggests it was a fair draw. Both teams had scoring opportunities. The second leg is at home.”
CBS Sports owned the conversation on a night of Champions League controversy
By Adam CraftonFeb. 19, 2026 NY Times — The Athletic
As the scope and significance of the Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid became clear on Tuesday evening, the two men in charge of CBS Sports’ coverage made a decision.Pete Radovich, the coordinating producer of the broadcaster’s UCL Today show, and line producer Matt Curtis decided the post-match section should run longer than its usual slot of around an hour, extending it a further 30 minutes to end shortly after 6.30pm ET.The call was made because Thierry Henry, Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher, the show’s pundits, had lucid thoughts and raw feelings they needed to share. They were speaking in the aftermath of the Madrid forward Vinicius Jr’s allegation that he had been racially abused by Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni. The Argentine subsequently denied this, and was defended by his club, but the matter is now the subject of a UEFA investigation.In these moments, as the world’s gaze fixes on the Champions League, CBS increasingly dominates the global conversation. Across Tuesday and Wednesday night, clips from UCL Today combined for over 20 million views across platforms, but also set the tenor of the debate across the English-speaking world.It is, in many ways, a curious phenomenon. It is only available to viewers in the United States (via the CBS Sports Network and the Paramount+ streaming platform) and, in truth, it is not the most convenient slot in the week for many Americans.As Champions League games take place in the European evenings, it translates to various times in the afternoon in the U.S. depending on one’s location within the country. Many people are still in their workplace, others are commuting by the time matches end at around 5pm ET, but it is a good time for children returning home from school, especially on the east coast. The precise numbers of people who actually watch the matches are not often disclosed, a common trait across streaming platforms.CBS Sports’ coverage dominates the global conversation around the Champions LeagueRobbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty ImagesYet while this is a show made for a U.S. audience, in many ways modelled on Inside the NBA, its reach and influence are much broader. That, in itself, is a strange and remarkable thing, because any match action itself is geoblocked, meaning CBS Sports cannot share its match analysis on social media outside of the United States.
Advertisement
Yet this show’s unique blend of hi-jinks, sincere friendship and agenda-setting discussion means that the action is not a required ingredient for global virality.
UCL Today, it should be said, is not always to everyone’s taste. One viewer’s ‘fun’ may be another’s roll of the eyes, and it is true that some of the show’s most-viewed content on YouTube includes a guest appearance by IShowSpeed and a compilation of schoolboy giggles about the club from the French city of Brest who played in the Champions League last season.
But it is perhaps because the show is so often light-hearted that it then becomes appointment viewing when the most serious matters come into play.
The sudden solemnity that gripped the four protagonists — Henry, Richards, Carragher and host Kate Scott — on Tuesday evening was striking, with much of the post-game show reserved for news, reaction and discussion from the game in Lisbon.
CBS Sports demonstrated the importance of investing in a product, because the post-match position taken up by pitchside reporter Guillem Balague illuminated the tensions between Benfica and Madrid after the final whistle.What You Should Read NextThe shocking scale of the racist abuse suffered by Vinicius JrAccording to La Liga, there have been 26 incidents of racist abuse directed towards him since October 2021
From his station near the locker rooms, viewers could see scuffles breaking out between rival club employees, with Benfica’s president Rui Costa somewhere in the thick of it. Balague gamely requested an interview every time Costa passed by, albeit unrequited, and wondered whether UEFA would rather all this wasn’t being filmed.
Broadcasters are not always so challenging when these events occur. At times, they see themselves less as information platforms and more as partners, or even advertisers, of the product they have acquired.
This was how it felt when DAZN broadcast the FIFA Club World Cup last summer and supplied little immediate analysis or scrutiny after Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger alleged he was racially abused in a game against Pachuca of Mexico (that case was ultimately dropped due to a lack of evidence). Yet that has never been the approach on UCL Today. Memorably, during the Champions League final in 2022, the CBS studio team, led by Scott and Carragher, challenged the UEFA narrative by revealing the mistreatment endured by Liverpool fans who were attempting to attend the match against Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris.
Advertisement
A word on this occasion, too, for Clive Tyldesley, the experienced 71-year-old British commentator. Both he and co-commentator Rob Green handled the event with calm authority. They did not rush to make judgments. They used an old trick: simply saying what they could see.
The flashpoint between Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius JuniorAngel Martinez/Getty Images
“You can see what Vinicius Jr wants to happen here,” Tyldesley said as the Brazilian exited the pitch following the incident with Prestianni. “He wants everybody off the field because if he has been racially abused, this takes this moment to a whole different level.”
By contrast, former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg issued a statement to apologize on Wednesday after saying on Amazon Prime’s UK coverage that Vinicius had “not helped himself”.
“I got it wrong, I’m sorry,” Clattenburg wrote. “It was live TV, my job is to respond in the moment, and the words I used were clumsy and not right.”
Tyldesley instead pointed out that Prestianni had been smiling, but warned that it would be the “content” of what was said from behind the shirt collar the Benfica player had used to cover his mouth that would define the moment. “Somewhere in the midst of his celebrations, something has been said to him (Vinicius) that has raised his temperature beyond boiling point,” he added.
Opinion was largely deferred to those in the CBS studio.
Henry, usually a beacon of cool, appeared highly affected, transported back to past traumas from his own playing career at teams including Arsenal, Barcelona and the French national team.
Both he and Richards, as former Black professional footballers, knew the script. They empathized with the isolation that grips those who have encountered abuse. They also knew that the intricacies of the moment — most specifically that Prestianni had covered his mouth — may complicate any investigation. They knew some form of victim-blaming would ensue.
Advertisement
“I can relate to what Vinicius Jr is going through,” said Henry. “I’ve been there, I feel so sorry for the guy. That happened to me so many times on the field. I’ve been also accused of looking for excuses after games when that happened to me. At times, you feel lonely, because it’s going to be your word against his word… You feel like you don’t know what to do anymore.”
Richards veered between anger and an air of resignation. “The one that gets me is, like, ‘Oh, they’re playing the race card again?’ What do you mean, playing the race card? It’s so difficult to talk about and articulate how you feel to someone who does not believe or feel what you feel at the time.”
He continued: “Prestianni is a coward… No one will ever know what he said, only him and Vinicius Jr. But to pull your shirt over your mouth and now we’re having a conversation about, ‘Did it happen?’”
In this instance, Carragher’s strength was his self-awareness. He recognized the power of saying less when his Black colleagues could say so much more. Henry and Richards had the lived experience and were best placed to take center-stage.
Carragher came into his own on the following day’s show, reflecting on his own experience as a player at Liverpool when that club rallied in support of his Uruguayan team-mate Luis Suarez after Manchester United’s Patrice Evra had accused the forward of racially abusing him. Carragher apologized to Evra for Liverpool’s behaviour years later while presenting for UK broadcaster Sky Sports, acknowledging that Liverpool had got things “completely wrong”.He also intervened on Tuesday night after Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho appeared to suggest that Vinicius Jr., in some way, invites trouble by expressively celebrating his goals.
“Anybody can celebrate how they like and you should not get racially abused for it,” Carragher said. “The Mourinho stuff… this is a guy who celebrates and antagonises the opposition more than any coach has ever done… It’s a bit rich coming from him. Vinicius is entitled to celebrate how he likes.”Advertisement
By this point, Richards appeared deflated: “I’m just disappointed with the whole thing. Mourinho is someone I absolutely love as a coach… I expect better from him, because he is a powerful person within the sport and a lot of people listen to what he says. I just feel a little bit let down.”What You Should Read NextJose Mourinho sank to a new low with absurd and offensive claims about Vinicius JuniorMourinho was, in effect, telling Vinicius Jr that he didn’t hear what he says he heard, which was alleged racist abuse from a Benfica player
Amid high tensions, Scott chaired proceedings with trademark skill, cutting between what was being said in the London studio and the stadium in Lisbon. She also provided live, second-by-second translations into English for the viewers of highly newsworthy interviews by Mourinho and Vinicius Jr’s French team-mate Kylian Mbappe. With sensitivities spiking, the potential for legal difficulties in any misrepresentation of those post-game interviews, and all the pressures of live television, Scott’s performance cannot be underestimated.
On Wednesday, in the cold light of day, Scott opened the show with a monologue which, by midnight ET, had recorded almost 1.5 million views on Twitter and Instagram alone.
“Jose Mourinho is an iconic figure in world football,” Scott said. “Yesterday, he switched the focus from what had actually been said to whether there was provocation for it. He essentially told us that Vinicius Jr was asking for it. That is a damaging narrative from a man who is considered a leading figure in the global game.
“Investigation and due process will have to occur, but whatever the results, we hope that football becomes a better platform, where hatred is met with more than nominal fines and partial stadium closures, where diversity is truly celebrated not just tolerated.
“The racial diversity on a football pitch in the Champions League is the representation of the global love for this game, and the global belonging in this game. This is the very spirit of football. And if you don’t agree, then respectfully, you are the one who doesn’t belong.”
By Adam Crafton
The Ole BallCoach 