Champions League Sweet 16 2nd leg Tues/Wed on Para+ & CBSSN
Champions League Sweet 16 action is here with some powerhouse games on hand in defending Champs PSG facing World Club Champ Chelsea up 5-2 head to London Tues, while powerhouses Real Madrid & Man City will once host Madrid down 3-0 Tues – sound familianr? A couple of American’s are still alive as Atletico’s Johnny Cardosa willtravel to Tottenham on Wed 4 pm on Para+ up 5-2, while Yanus Musah & the only Italian side left Atalanta will travel to Bayern Munich down 6-1 at 4 pm on CBSSN & Para where an American Born GK just 16 ____ might have to play for the Germans. Wed gives us Bayer Leverkusen and American Midfielder Malik Tillman hosting Arsenal at 1:45 pm on Para+.
Last 16 fixtures in full.
PSG 5 vs Chelsea 2
Galatasaray 1 vs Liverpool 0
Real Madrid 3 vs Man City 0
Atalanta 1 vs Bayern Munich 6
Barcelona 1 vs Newcastle 1
Bodo/Glimt 3 vs Sporting 0
Leverkusen 1 vs Arsenal 1
Atletico MAdrid 5 vs Tottenham 2
US Officially Releases New Jersey Look
Indy 11 Open Season Sat night at the Mike – US Open Cup on Tues, 8 pm Para+
Indy Eleven begins Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play on Tuesday, March 17 at 8 p.m. vs. Des Moines Menace indoors at the Community Health Network Events Center on the Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus. The Boys in Blue open their regular-season home schedule at Carroll Stadium on Sat. Mar. 21 vs. Eastern Conference rival Detroit City FC. Ticket options available are Season Tickets, Flex Mini Plans, and Home Opener Packs. Season Ticket Benefits (starting at $13.50 per game) include Season Parking Pass, unlimited ticket exchanges, and a 20% discount on all Indy Eleven merchandise. Flex Mini Plans include vouchers to be redeemed for any 2026 regular season home match. The 2026 Home Opener Pack includes two tickets to the home opener, two flex tickets to be redeemed to any 2026 home match, two Indy Eleven pennants, two posters, and access for two to a post-match autograph session for just $44. Carmel native and former Carmel Dad’s Club player and 2025 USL Championship MVP and Prinx Playoff MVP GK Eric Dick will start in the goal this season for Indy after winning the Cup with Pittsburg last season.
NWSL Opening Weekend to Remember
Collectively, players scored 19 goals across the eight matches. All but the final match of the weekend between Angel City and Chicago Stars was decided by a single goal. While some teams welcomed back familiar faces, others embraced their new sparks. The league made history with 129,202 fans in attendance across eight matches, with an average of 16,150 per match. You can read an in-depth look at the weekend here.
Sophia Wilson’s return to the soccer field after more than a year away, Olivia Moultrie continuing to establish herself as a game changer and the Portland Thorns getting their playoff revenge on the Spirit; Seattle Reign also avenging their playoff loss in Orlando in the same place that their 2025 season came to an end; Banda getting back to her epic scoring ways; conversely, seeing Kennedy Fuller and Angel City completely dominate Chicago (sorry Alyssa Naeher, but what were you doing?). Dash forward Makenzy Robbe, Reign forward Brittany Ratcliffe, Angel City midfielder Ary Borges and Bay FC’s Alex Pfeiffer scoring for their new teams. Croix Bethune scoring for her new club, Kansas City Current, after her $1 million transfer, and on her birthday no less; Canadian players Janine Sonis and Bianca St-Georges receiving the first red cards in Denver Summit and Boston Legacy’s history. The very special return of Savy King to the NWSL after her cardiac incident last May. Seeing a record-breaking crowd of 30,000+ watch professional soccer return to Boston with the debut of the Legacy, knowing Denver has sold more than 50,000+ for their home opener on March 28. bonus) Rodman running herself right out of her cleat.
Man it was Great being back on the soccer fields this weekend doing a little reffing at Grand Park
TV Schedule – Games on TV
Tues, March 17
1:45 pm CBSSN, PAra+, Uni Sporting CP vs Bodo/Glint
4 pm Para+ Man City vs Real Madrid
4 pm Para+ Chelsea vs PSG
4 pm Para+ Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman)
8 pm CBS Galazom PAra+ Indy 11 vs Des Moines Menace
11 pm FS1 Monterey vs Cruz azul CCC
Wed, March 18
1:45 pm Para+ Barcelona vs Newcastle United
4 pm PAra, CBSSN Bayern Munich ( ) vs Atalanta (Musah) vs
4 pm Para+ Atletico Madrid (Johnny) vs Tottenham
4 pm Para+ Liverpool vs Galatasaray
7 pm FS2 Inter Miami 0 vs Nashville 0 CC Cup
9 pm FS1 Club America vs Philly Union CCC
11 pm FS2 Toluca San Diego vs Cup
11 pm FS1 Seattle Sounders 4 vs Vancouver 0 CCup
Thurs, March 18
1:45 pm Para+ Nottingham Forest vs Midtylland
1:45 pm Para+ Crystal Palace (Richards) vs AEK Lanarca
4 pm Para+, CBSSN Lille vs Aston Villa
9 pm FS1 Cincy vs Tigres UNAL CUP
Fri, March 19
4 pm USA Bournemouth vs Man United
8 pm Victory+ Racing Louisville vs Washington Spirit (Rodman) NWSL
10 pm Amazon Prime Portland Thorns (Sophia Smith) @ Seattle Reign
Sat Mar 20
8:30 am USA Brighton vs Liverpool
10:30 am ESPN+ Heidenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen (Tillman)
11 am USA Fulham (Jedi) vs Burnley
1 pm PAra+ AC Milan (Pulisic) vs Torino
1 pm Apple free Toronto FC vs Columbus Crew MLS
1:30 pm USA Everton vs Chelsea
3:45 pm Para+ Juventus (McKennie) vs Sassuolo
4 pm Ion Houston Dash vs Boston Legacy NWSL
4 pm USA Leeds United (Aaronson) vs Brentford
6:15 pm FS1 Nashville FC vs Orlando City
6:30 pm Ion NY/NJ Gothem FC vs NC Courage NWSL
8:30 pm Apple St Louis City vs New England
8:45 pm FOX Austin FC vs LAFC
8:35 pm ION Bay FC vs Angel City NWSL
Sun Mar 21
8 am USA Newcastle United vs Sunderland
8 am ESPN+ Barcelona vs Rayo Vallencano
10:!5 am USA Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest
12:30 pm Para+ ARSENAL vs MAN CITY CUP
1 pm Apple Free NYCFC vs Miami (Messi)
1 pm Apple Cincy vs Montreal
2:30 pm FOX Minn United vs Seattle Sounders
4 pm ESPND, ESPN+ REAL MADRID vs ATLETICO MADRID
4:45 pm FOX Portland Timbers vs LA Galaxy
7 pm Victory+ Utah Royals vs San Diego Wave NWSL
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
Fri. Apr. 17, 7:30 pm | IU vs. Notre Dame GRAND PARK
Sat. Apr. 18, 6:00 pm | Saint Louis vs. Xavier GRAND PARK
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
NWSL Schedule
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USMNT midweek viewing guide: Staying alive
Follow along with all the USMNT action this week.
by Justin Moran Mar 16, 2026, 12:59 PM EDT Stars & STripes
BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 10: Michael Olise of FC Bayern Muenchen competes for the ball with Yunus Musah of Atalanta BC during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Atalanta BC and FC Bayern München at Stadio di Bergamo on March 10, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Luca Amedeo Bizzarri/Getty Images)Getty Images
Midweek action is here. All kickoff times are in EST. Let’s get into it!
Monday
- Portsmouth vs Derby, 4p on Paramount+: Patrick Agyemang and Derby County visit Portsmouth in the EFL Championship.
Also in action:
- Albacete vs Las Palmas, 3:30p: Jonathan Gómez and Albacete visit Las Palmas in La Liga 2.
- Racing Club vs Estudiantes de Río Cuarto, 7p on Fanatiz: Matko Miljevic and Racing Club go on the road in Argentina’s Liga Profesional.
Tuesday
- Arsenal vs Leverkusen, 4p on Paramount+, ViX: Malik Tillman, Monty Culbreath, and Bayer Leverkusen are even 1-1 with Arsenal after the home leg in Champions League. They will need to win at the Emirates to advance.
Also in action:
- Mantova vs Cesena, 3p: Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena visit Mantova in Serie B.
- Venezia vs Padova, 3p on DCTV: Gianluca Busio and Venezia host Padova in Serie B.
- Alajuelense vs LAFC, 9p on FS1, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Timothy Tillman and LAFC only managed a 1-1 draw in the first leg at home, so they’ll need to win in Costa Rica to advance in Concacaf Champions Cup.
Wednesday
- Bayern Munich vs Atalanta, 4p on Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, Fubo, ViX: Yunus Musah and Atalanta trail Bayern 1-6 after getting demolished at home in the first leg of this Champions League matchup.
- Tottenham vs Atlético Madrid, 4p on Paramount+, DAZN: Johnny Cardoso and Atléti are up 5-2 on Spurs as they go into the away leg in Champions League.
You know that expression “a picture is worth a thousand words”? That started because of Brandi Chastain. Probably. You know the picture I’m talking about. She had just won the ’99 World Cup with a penalty kick, and in a moment of unfiltered elation fell to her knees, ripped her shirt off, and screamed with a joy most of us can only hope to one day feel. Today, it’s universally regarded as a symbol of women’s strength, and fearlessness, and ability. And while some saw it that way at the time… many, very loud people, did not. Let’s view this photo, and Chastain herself, through the prism.
View MoreView Less
Also in action:
- Ried vs LASK Linz, 1p: George Bello and LASK are on the road in a cup semifinal in Austria.
- Inter Miami vs Nashville SC, 7p on FS1, TUDN, UniMás, Fubo, ViX, Univision NOW: Matthew Corcoran, Thomas Williams, Reed Baker-Whiting, and Nashville are still even 0-0 with Noah Allen, Ian Fray, and Miami in this Concacaf Champions Cup showdown.
- Club América vs Philadelphia Union, 9p on FS1, TUDN, Fubo, UniMás, ViX, Univision NOW: Alex Zendejas and América are up 1-0 over Quinn Sullivan, Frankie Westfield, Cavan Sullivan, and the Union in this Concacaf Champions Cup clash.
- Seattle Sounders vs Vancouver Whitecaps, 11p on FS1, Fubo, ViX: Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, Jesús Ferreira, Jackson Ragen, and the Sounders are up 3-0 over Sebastian Berhalter, Brian White, and the ’Caps in this Concacaf Champions Cup matchup.
- Toluca vs San Diego FC, 11p on FS2, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Luca Bombino, Pedro Soma, Duran Ferree, and San Diego hold a 3-2 lead over Toluca going into the Concacaf Champions Cup second leg.
Thursday
- Lyon vs Celta Vigo, 1:45p on Paramount+, DAZN: Tanner Tessmann and Lyon are in a strong position, tied 1-1 going into the second leg at home in this Europa League fixture.
- AEK Larnaca vs Crystal Palace, 1:45p on Paramount+, ViX: Chris Richards and Palace didn’t manage a goal at home in Conference League, leaving it 0-0 as they travel to Cyprus for the second leg.
Also in action:
- Mainz vs Sigma Olomouc, 1:45p on Paramount+, ViX: Lennard Maloney and Mainz are still at 0-0 in their Conference League tie with Sigma Olomouc.
- Real Betis vs Panathinaikos, 4p on Paramount+, DAZN: Erik Palmer-Brown and Panathinaikos hold a thin 1-0 lead over Betis going into the Europa League second leg on the road.
- Mount Pleasant vs LA Galaxy, 7p on FS1, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Edwin Cerrillo, Elijah Wynder, and the Galaxy are up 3-0 from the home leg in Concacaf Champions Cup.
- Tigres vs FC Cincinnati, 9p on FS1, TUDN, Fubo, ViX: Miles Robinson, Roman Celentano, Matt Miazga, and Cincy are winning 3-0, and will advance in Concacaf Champions Cup unless they collapse in Monterrey.
Friday
- Bournemouth vs Manchester United, 4p on USA, UNIVERSO: Tyler Adams is unlikely to play in this Premier League match after suffering an injury in last Friday’s training session.
- Villarreal vs Real Sociedad, 4p on ESPN Select, ESPN Deportes, Fubo (free trial): Alex Freeman and Villarreal host Real Sociedad in La Liga.
Also in action:
- RB Leipzig vs Hoffenheim, 3:30p on ESPN Select, Fubo: Cole Campbell played 45 minutes with Hoffenheim’s reserves on Sunday, so he may not be with the senior squad for this Bundesliga match.
Champions League
Dembélé: PSG won’t let up on Chelsea in 2nd leg
How Premier league sides can progress in Europe
Rüdiger says battling City’s Haaland ‘a pleasure’
Arteta: Dowman’s exuberance can inspire Arsenal
Rosenior: Chelsea undecided on huddle for PSG
Neto escapes punishment after ball-boy shove
Arteta: Dowman’s involvement depends on the game
UCL final tickets frozen at last year’s prices
Pep: City need ‘perfect game’ for Madrid miracle
Ancelotti: Vini Jr. ‘never failed’ in big games
Chelsea given fine, suspended transfer ban by PL
USA
Sources: Banks opts out of USMNT March camp
American Born Keeper Prescott, 16, could debut amid Bayern injury crisis
Transfer rumors, news: Man United eye move for USMNT’s Adams
U.S.’s Adams ready for WC after ‘seamless’ rehab
USMNT’s Sands out for season, major WC doubt
USMNT picks Irvine as World Cup training base
Socceroos compiling dossier on Poch, USMNT
U.S.’s Poch won’t rule out Madrid: ‘In due time’
Transfer rumors, news: Fulham eye USMNT striker Ricardo Pepi
Despite wingback depth, Dest injury threatens USMNT’s World Cup hopes
Adidas salutes USMNT’s 1994 World Cup run by dropping denim jersey
World
As fans turn on their club, time is running out for Liverpool to save their season
Iran team: No one can exclude us from World Cup
NWSL
Reffing
Referee involving himself in Chelsea team huddle was ridiculous
VAR review: Why Arsenal should have had a penalty vs. Everton
How to Become a Travel Ref
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USMNT Player Tracker: Tessmann experiment, Balogun work pays off, and is Pulisic in need of a reset?
Folarin Balogun and Tanner Tessmann Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images; Sebastien Bozon/AFP via Getty Images
By Greg O’Keeffe March 16, 2026 11:08 am EDT
Experimental positions, goal-scoring consistency and, perhaps, is it time for a reset? It was another busy weekend for Americans in Europe. Welcome to this week’s USMNT Player Tracker.
In France on Sunday, Lyon conducted an experiment which may have interesting implications for the USMNT. Tanner Tessmann, the 24-year-old midfielder, played at centre-back for the third time this season and produced another assured performance in a goalless draw at Le Havre. On each occasion the Alabama-native has been moved into the back-line by coach Paulo Fonseca, Lyon have kept a clean sheet. His flourishing comfort in the role could give Mauricio Pochettino pause for thought. Is it too late now, with the World Cup only three months away, for the national team to conduct their own experiment given their defence has been relatively settled? Only Pochettino can answer that, but Tessmann’s growing versatility will do his own cause for a place on the roster no harm. And given there are forthcoming friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, Tessmann’s performance on Sunday might be perfectly timed to allow the USMNT manager to at least try it.
Tanner Tessmann has played more recently as a centre-half for LyonOlivier Chassignole/AFP via Getty Images
At 6ft 2in (188cm), the former Venezia player has the physical stature to play as a centre-back, and his eye for a progressive pass may offer the USMNT another dimension to their defence as they seek to break opposition pressing.
Against Le Havre, Tessmann was the most accurate passer of any of the starting Lyon team at 92 per cent accuracy, according Opta, and he made more passes into the final third (17) than any other player on the pitch. He also made more ball recoveries (eight) of any defender on either team.
Tessmann is a defensive midfielder with growing potential, a player who already boasts top-level experience in the Champions League and Ligue 1. Now he has demonstrated the ability to influence games from the back, having previously played at centre-back in a top-flight win over Nantes and a 6-0 thrashing of Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League.
His latest cameo in defence may yet tempt Pochettino to try him there. He may have far more experienced and tested options in Chris Richards, Auston Trusty and Tim Ream, but in tournament football, multi-positional players are a compelling option.
Tessmann scored the last goal of the USMNT’s last impressive game, that 5-1 win against Uruguay in November, from midfield. His credentials in the middle of the park are still strong.His credentials in the middle of defence, though, are intriguing.
Balogun timing his scoring run
Another week, another positive sign for Pochettino’s front line.
Folarin Balogun now has six goals in six games for Monaco. His response to an injury-hit and underwhelming last season, when he managed only four goals in 13 Ligue 1 games, has so far been emphatic. His timing might be in when it comes to the World Cup, too.
Balogun scored the first in a 2-0 Monaco win over Brest with a left-footed effort on 19 minutes on Saturday. His coach Sebastien Pocognoli credited Balogun’s streak to hard work on and off the field.
Folarin Balogun celebrates scoring against BrestValery Hache/AFP via Getty Images
“It is quite simply the fruit of his labour,” the Belgian said after the game. “He invests a tremendous amount of effort to achieve this level of consistency. His performance level also elevates the other players in the attacking third.
“Today, he is reaping the rewards of his efforts. He is an ambitious player, highly focused on his objectives.
“He knows that he still has plenty of opportunities to shine this season — and even beyond his time at AS Monaco, with his national team. His professionalism is exemplary.”
Pulisic reset?
It is getting to the point where the imminent international breaks might be helpful for Christian Pulisic to reset his club form.
It is not that the USMNT star is playing badly for Milan. He isn’t. It’s only that, after such a strong start to the season, his numbers have ground to a halt.
The 27-year-old has still not registered a goal or assist in Serie A in 2026, and that continued on Sunday as his side let slip a chance to make ground on table-topping rivals Inter by losing 1-0 at Lazio.
Christian Pulisic fires off a shot against LazioAlberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images
Pulisic created two big chances, per Opta, but his partnership in attack with Rafael Leao failed to spark.
The American rarely fails to deliver for the national team. Maybe he could use the games against Belgium and Portugal to sharpen his attacking edge.
What’s coming up this week?
The second leg of the Champions League last 16 round beckons with some interesting U.S. sub-plots.
On Tuesday (4pm, Paramount +) Malik Tillman, fresh from helping Bayer Leverkusen to a 1-1 draw with table-topping Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga at the weekend, goes into his team’s finely-poised tie at Arsenal after they drew the first leg 1-1 in Germany.
Tillman missed a big chance against Bayern, but was back in the starting line-up — a sign he is getting over over the ankle problem he picked up against Mainz in February.
On Wednesday (4pm, Paramount +) Johnny Cardoso, an unused substitute in Atletico Madrid’s 1-0 win against Getafe in La Liga on Saturday, will hope to be involved for the Spaniards at struggling Tottenham Hotspur. Atletico lead 5-2 after the first leg in Madrid.
Finally, Yunus Musah did not feature for Atalanta in their draw with Inter on Saturday. But the midfielder may get the chance to assist his team’s daunting assignment in overhauling their first-leg 6-1 hammering by Bayern in Munich.
The hosts have some injury problems, particularly in goal where first-choice Manuel Neuer is out and there are concerns over the fitness of other senior shot-stoppers Sven Ulreich and Jonas Urbig. If none are passed fit it could mean an extraordinary senior debut for 16-year-old American goalkeeper Leonard Prescott, who was on the bench for the last two fixtures.
Prescott, who was born in New York, is eligible for both the USMNT and Germany, but appears to be leaning towards the country where he plays his football with six under-17 caps for Germany and three under-16 appearances.
He started at Union Berlin’s youth system before joining Bayern’s academy in 2023.
Senior Writer
Meet the NY-born teenage GK who could be thrust into Bayern’s Champions League spotlight
S. Mellar / FC Bayern / Getty Images
March 16, 2026Updated 5:30 pm EDT
A 16-year-old German-American goalkeeper could potentially find himself playing in the Champions League this week. Leonard Prescott, who was born in New York, but who has never made a senior appearance in his career, might be the beneficiary of unprecedented injury crisis at Bayern Munich that thrusts him into the limelight.
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Bayern’s first choice is legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Now 39, Neuer suffered the latest in a succession of muscular injuries at the beginning of March and has not played since. Jonas Urbig is Bayern’s second choice — and most likely Neuer’s eventual successor — but he might be unavailable, too. While deputizing for Neuer in last week’s Champions League last-16 first leg against Atalanta, Urbig was involved in a collision at the end of the game. He missed this weekend’s 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen with a suspected concussion.
And Urbig’s deputy, Sven Ulreich, is also unavailable. Ulreich, 37, has been at Bayern for 11 years, barring one season spent at Hamburg, and was Neuer’s long-term backup prior to Urbig’s arrival in 2025.
He was called into action for the game at the BayArena and, despite not having played a competitive minute since September 2024, performed extremely well, making a couple of crucial saves. But the cost of that appearance was a torn adductor muscle, which Bayern estimate will keep Ulreich sidelined for the next six weeks.
Bayern are due to face Atalanta again on Wednesday night, carrying a 6-1 aggregate lead from the first leg into a game carries little jeopardy; barring anything except a historic collapse, Bayern are assured of a place in the Champions League quarterfinal.
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Yet they do still need a goalkeeper, which leaves head coach Vincent Kompany scrambling for options. Bayern have a second team, a side built from U-19 players and amateur veterans, that competes at Regionalliga level —the fourth tier of German football — but its first-choice goalkeeper Leon Klanac, 19, is, remarkably, also injured. He has a hamstring problem and will not be fit in time for Wednesday.
That leaves 19-year-old Jannis Bartl, Klanac’s backup, as an option, or Prescott, who was on the substitutes’ bench for Bayern’s Bundesliga game against Leverkusen on Saturday. He joined Bayern from Union Berlin in 2023, having grown up in the German capital, and, still 16, has never made a senior appearance anywhere, even for Bayern II.
He is extremely well regarded by the club, though, and seen as the most talented goalkeeping prospect within the youth campus. Prescott has represented Germany’s U-17 team internationally, and has also played for Bayern’s U-19 team at UEFA Youth level.
is German and father is American, were to play on Wednesday, he would break a record. The youngest starting goalkeeper in Bayern’s history so far is Sven Scheuer, who made his debut at 18 years and 237 days back in 1989, before embarking on a nomadic career in Turkey and Austria (and growing an outstandingly 1990s hairstyle).
If Prescott is to break his record, he will have to navigate some red tape. The Youth Employment Protection Act prevents under-18s from working after 8 p.m. Athletes do enjoy an exemption from that under special circumstances, but only up to 11 p.m.
That means that with the game due to kick off at 9 p.m. CEST, he would need further dispensation to take part in extra-time and penalties, were they to take place.
The chances of that are extremely slim, with Bayern are expected to cruise through. And the chances of Prescott taking part at all, beyond the substitutes’ bench, may also be diminishing. On Monday, Urbig took part in some aspects of first-team training, with Bayern expected to make a decision about his involvement closer to game time.Prescott is seen as a great prospect. Well-built at 6-foot-4 (1.96m), technical, modern and brave, he seems likely to have a future in the professional game. It’s just that nobody expected that moment to arrive this week.
If it was to happen, it would also present a moment of symmetry. Prescott was once a ballboy at Allianz Arena. In March 2024, he was working behind Neuer’s goal when Bayern played Lazio in the Champions League and was pictured celebrating with him at full time. Almost exactly two years later, he could be about to replace him.
Champions League 2025-26 Projections: Who will lift the trophy in Budapest on May 30?
Design: The Athletic; Photo: Getty Images
By The Athletic UK Staff
March 12, 2026
Which club will win the 2025-26 Champions League?
Paris Saint-Germain are the holders after their stunning 5-0 win against Inter in last season’s final, the biggest margin of victory in the competition’s history. The Premier League, meanwhile, has six entrants in this season’s edition, and several of those will fancy their chances of lifting the trophy in Budapest on May 30, 2026.
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Throughout the season, we will publish projections — powered by Opta data — to show how teams are expected to perform. These will update after each matchday, so check in each time to see how the latest results have impacted your team’s chances.
Last updated March 12, 2026 at 9:20 AM
Before round of 16 second leg
The state of play after the Round of 16 first leg as teams aim to win the 2025-26 Champions League in BudapestCHANGE PROJECTIONS:Before round of 16 2nd leg (Mar. 17-18)Before K.O. playoff 1st leg (Feb. 17-18)Before Matchday 8 (Jan. 28)Before Matchday 7 (Jan. 20-21)Before Matchday 6 (Dec. 9-10)Before Matchday 5 (Nov. 25-26)Before Matchday 4 (Nov. 4-5)Before Matchday 3 (Oct. 21-22)Before Matchday 2 (Sept. 30-Oct. 1)Before Matchday 1 (Sept. 16-18)
| RK. | TEAM | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Arsenal | ✓ | 77% | 65% | 46% | 28% |
| #2 | Bayern Munich | ✓ | >99% | 61% | 41% | 22% |
| #3 | Barcelona | ✓ | 68% | 44% | 22% | 11% |
| #4 | Paris Saint-Germain | ✓ | 93% | 56% | 23% | 10% |
| #5 | Real Madrid | ✓ | 84% | 32% | 17% | 8% |
| #6 | Atletico Madrid | ✓ | 97% | 39% | 14% | 6% |
| #7 | Liverpool | ✓ | 51% | 26% | 10% | 5% |
| T8 | Newcastle United | ✓ | 32% | 16% | 6% | 2% |
| T8 | Manchester City | ✓ | 16% | 7% | 4% | 2% |
| T8 | Bodø / Glimt | ✓ | 87% | 19% | 6% | 2% |
| T8 | Bayer Leverkusen | ✓ | 23% | 12% | 5% | 2% |
| T12 | Galatasaray | ✓ | 49% | 14% | 3% | <1% |
| T12 | Chelsea | ✓ | 7% | 4% | 2% | <1% |
| T12 | Sporting CP | ✓ | 13% | 4% | 1% | <1% |
| T12 | Tottenham Hotspur | ✓ | 3% | <1% | <1% | <1% |
| T12 | Atalanta | ✓ | <1% | <1% | <1% | <1% |
| Internazionale | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Juventus | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Borussia Dortmund | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Olympiakos Piraeus | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Club Bruges | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Monaco | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Qarabağ | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Benfica | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Olympique Marseille | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Pafos | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Union Saint-Gilloise | — | — | — | — | — | |
| PSV | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Athletic Club | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Napoli | — | — | — | — | — | |
| København | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Ajax | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Slavia Praha | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Villarreal | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Kairat | — | — | — | — | — |
The Ole BallCoach 