The final four teams remaining in the UEFA Champions League return to action this week for the first leg of the semifinals. Europe`s elite clubs will face off to determine their path to the final scheduled for May 31 at Munich`s Allianz Arena.
The pursuit of a treble continues for Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. Both clubs have already secured their first trophies of the season and are arguably the most formidable candidates to lift Europe`s top club prize next month. However, to reach Munich, they must first overcome two strong contenders with realistic aspirations of going all the way: Arsenal and Inter.
Arsenal will host PSG on Tuesday, marking their first Champions League semifinal appearance in 16 years. This comes just weeks after their dominant victory over reigning champions Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Inter travels to Barcelona hoping to reverse a poor spell of form. Simone Inzaghi`s side is now winless in their last four matches, a run that saw them eliminated from the Coppa Italia and potentially fall out of contention for the Serie A title.
Here`s what you need to know ahead of the Champions League semifinals.
How to Watch
CBS and Paramount+ will provide live coverage of the first legs of the Champions League semifinals, including the UEFA Champions League Today pre-match show. Paramount+ will also carry the post-match analysis. This week`s matches will feature a Star Cam airing on CBS Sports Golazo Network and YouTube during both games. Coverage on both days will conclude with new episodes of The Champions Club on CBS Sports Golazo Network and YouTube, as well as Scoreline on CBS Sports Golazo Network. Additionally, Wednesday`s coverage will include a new edition of Kickin` It, CBS Sports Golazo Network`s interview program co-hosted by Kate Scott. This week`s guest is Micah Richards, a Premier League champion with Manchester City and a member of the CBS Sports` Champions League broadcast team.
Semifinals TV Schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
| TUESDAY, APRIL 29 | TIME | HOW TO WATCH |
|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League Today pre-match | 2 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
| Arsenal vs. Paris Saint-Germain | 3 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
| Arsenal vs. Paris Saint-Germain: Star Cam | 3 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network, YouTube |
| UEFA Champions League Today post-match | 5 p.m. | Paramount+ |
| The Champions Club | 6 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network, YouTube |
| Scoreline | 7 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network |
| WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 | TIME | HOW TO WATCH |
|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League Today pre-match | 2 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
| Barcelona vs. Inter | 3 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
| Barcelona vs. Inter: Star Cam | 3 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network, YouTube |
| UEFA Champions League Today post-match | 5 p.m. | Paramount+ |
| The Champions Club | 5 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network, YouTube |
| Scoreline | 7 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network |
| Kickin` It: Micah Richards | 9 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network |
Storylines for the Semifinals
1. Treble Watch for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain
Beginning with four teams in the quarterfinals, the treble watch has narrowed to two: Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. This might have surprised many at the season`s outset. Credit goes to both sides for navigating various challenges to reach this stage and entering this week`s games as favorites to win the tournament.
Barcelona is currently favored by oddsmakers, having impressed despite another offseason marked by financial instability. Lamine Yamal continues to emerge as a top young talent, while Raphinha has had a strong season. However, Hansi Flick`s side will be without their leading goalscorer Robert Lewandowski due to injury. His absence wasn`t a major issue in Saturday`s Copa del Rey victory over Real Madrid, but a challenging matchup against Inter awaits.
As for Paris Saint-Germain, Luis Enrique`s youthful squad has successfully adopted his distinctive tactical approach, becoming arguably the most difficult team to play against in Europe. Having secured the Ligue 1 title, the key question is whether they can maintain their positive trajectory against a capable Arsenal side and reach the Champions League final for the first time in five years. Achieving this would represent an earlier-than-anticipated success in their initial season without Kylian Mbappe, which was reasonably expected to be a transitional period.
2. Arsenal`s Semifinal Return
Arsenal will compete in the Champions League semifinals with no other distractions, as this competition represents their sole remaining opportunity for a trophy this season. Their likelihood of success is still debated. The Gunners are arguably Europe`s best defensive team, using this strength as the basis for their victory over reigning champions Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. However, Arsenal has lacked a consistently clinical goalscorer throughout the season, which likely hampered their challenge in the Premier League title race. The possibility of another season without silverware looms large for Mikel Arteta and his team, and if they fail to win the Champions League, many will question if the Gunners have hit a ceiling.
3. Inter`s Downward Turn
While the other three semifinalists appear to be genuine contenders with positive momentum, the same cannot be said for Inter. In just one week, they shifted from treble hopefuls to potentially losing all three competitions after a series of unfavorable domestic results. Their Coppa Italia aspirations ended last week with a loss to AC Milan in the second leg of the semifinals, while the Serie A title race has now swung in Napoli`s favor as Inter is currently on a four-game winless streak. How Inter will manage the demands of both the Champions League and Serie A is a significant question, but perhaps more importantly, it`s worth considering whether they can realistically win either competition by the season`s end.
