Hello! The Champions League is back this week and promises plenty of drama. I'm Pardeep Cattry with a preview of the Matchday 5 action.
📺 Footy fix
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, Nov. 27
🌍 AFC Champions League: Al-Nassr vs. Persepolis, 1 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🏴 EPL: Fulham vs. Wolves, 3 p.m. ➡️ USA Network
Tuesday, Nov. 28
🇪🇺 Champions League: Lazio vs. Celtic, 12:45 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
🇪🇺 Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Newcastle, 3 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+
👀 Don't miss all our coverage of this week's Champions League action across CBS, CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network, complete with pre and post-match coverage live from Destination Miami.
⚽ The Forward Line
🏆 Is the end in sight for Group F?
Group F has been a regular source of entertainment so far this season as all four teams -- Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Newcastle United -- have bounced around the table. Every team is still alive heading into Matchday 5, but as hectic as the so-called group of death has been, we might finally reach a conclusion with one game to spare.
The simplest scenario tomorrow could see current group leaders Dortmund and PSG beat Milan and Newcastle, respectively, and clinch slots in the round of 16 in the process. The French champions are in the best position to do so, since they are in the midst of an eight-game winning streak, and take on a Newcastle side battling an injury crisis -- Dan Burn and Callum Wilson are expected to miss this match, which could dash the Magpies' chance at advancing. The home field advantage could also come in clutch for PSG, per manager Luis Enrique.
Don't miss CBS Sports Golazo Network's Morning Footy, now in podcast form! Our crew brings you all the news, views, highlights and laughs you need to follow the Beautiful Game in every corner of the globe, every Monday-Friday all year long.
- Enrique: "The Parc des Princes will carry us. I am expecting a great atmosphere -- we really need them. We need a crowd that is more up for it and more excited than they normally are, and we will be treating this game like a final. At this level, home games are key. Our fans are a special asset for us, and we are expecting an incredible amount of support. The stronger the connection between the players and the fans, the easier things will be -- especially in the tougher moments."
The English side could be bailed out in Milan, where if Dortmund fail to win, everyone's still alive on Matchday 6. That matchup could prove to be more competitive than the one in Paris after Milan secured their first win in Champions League play on Matchday 4 and have been unbeaten since. The Italian giants are still inconsistent -- one of those games during their unbeaten run was a 2-2 draw against Lecce -- but also taken on a Dortmund side with up-and-down form. They have two wins and two losses in their last four, including a blowout by Bayern Munich and a 2-1 loss to Stuttgart.
A simple outcome is definitely possible, but Group F's unpredictable streak seems destined to continue on Matchday 5. Expect drama, and perhaps the unexpected.
Sponsored by Paramount+
🔗 Midfield Link Play
🔵🔴 Barcelona's rough patch
After a high-flying start to the season, Barcelona are in a run of inconsistent form that could derail their hopes of repeating as La Liga champions and hurt their credentials as contenders for the Champions League title. The team is assured of at least a Europa League berth and are very much the favorites to advance to the Champions League round of 16, but the margin for error is small when they resume European action tomorrow.
They are tied on points with their Matchday 5 opponent Porto and just three points ahead of Shakhtar Donetsk, who they surprisingly lost to on Matchday 4. Their recent form is not particularly encouraging, either -- they have failed to win three of their last five games in all competitions, most recently adding to that streak with a 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano over the weekend. Manager Xavi criticized his side's mentality following the draw:
- Xavi: "We lacked that mentality to go for it. If we want to win trophies this season, we have to change our mentality. The second half was good but not enough. We woke up too late. We did what we wanted: dominated and created chances. We could have scored more. But we have to win these games if we want to win La Liga, so we have to be self-critical, too, and improve. We have to be closer to the second-half performance."
Xavi and company will also have to work on their offensive issues in Champions League play. They have been wasteful in front of goal throughout their European campaign, which was on display against Shakhtar in a game where they dominated but lost. It's a particularly pertinent problem to solve against Porto, who have nine goals in four games and nearly beat Barcelona on Matchday 2.
🔗 Top Stories
🇪🇺 UCL central: Get acquainted with the biggest storylines ahead of Matchday 5, including PSG's match against Newcastle.
⏪ Weekend recap: Catch up on the weekend results of Champions League contenders, including Manchester City's tie with Liverpool, Arsenal's ascension to the top of the table thanks to a standout performance from Kai Havertz, and a Milan debut for 15-year-old Francesco Camarda.
🌍 Around the grounds: Juventus showed that they just might be title contenders, Monaco suffered a heavy loss to PSG, the Columbus Crew advanced in the MLS Cup playoffs, and Jose Mourinho is invoking grandmothers while blasting his Roma players.
🚲 Must watch goal: Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring for Manchester United over the weekend with a stunning bicycle kick that forces the question: Which strike is better, his or Wayne Rooney's in the Manchester derby?
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best bets
- EPL: Fulham vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers, Monday, 3 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Over two goals scored (+135) -- Both teams have conceded 20 goals in just 12 league games so far this season, so those leaky defenses could be the entry point for an entertaining showdown between two midtable sides. Wolves also have a penchant for scoring with 16 goals during that stretch, so they could have the upper hand here. - Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Newcastle United, Tuesday, 3 p.m.
💰 ThE PICK: Randal Kolo Muani to score (+200) -- The easy bet any time PSG play is on Kylian Mbappe to score but with the French champions the favorites against Newcastle, expect more than one of his teammates to join in. Kolo Muani has had bright spots in his early days at the club and could add to that tally on Tuesday.
📺 What's on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): Hosts Susannah Collins, Charlie Davies, Nico Cantor and Alexis Guerreros help fans get their day started on the network's flagship morning show with highlights, interviews and the biggest soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available in podcast form, so you'll never have to miss an episode.
📦 Box 2 Box (Weekday afternoons): The news-driven show quickly recaps all the latest headlines from around the world with panelists previewing the top matchups of the day. Catch Box 2 Box on CBS Sports Golazo Network on the CBS Sports app, PlutoTV and Paramount+.
3️⃣ Attacking Third (Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening): The leading women's soccer podcast and social brand is now a live studio show. Just because the NWSL season is over doesn't mean that our coverage of the women's game is going anywhere. Our analysts will be breaking down the USWNT. NWSL offseason and European domestic season all winter long.
👟 Kickin' It (Tuesday, 7 p.m.): CBS Sports Golazo Network's new unfiltered interview show returns Tuesday Hosted by Kate Abdo, Clint Dempsey, Mo Edu and Charlie Davies, the group chat candidly with the biggest names from the Beautiful Game and share their stories from on and off the pitch.
🥅 Scoreline (Daily): Scoreline is the newest place for fans to catch up on all the biggest news and results impacting global football, match highlights from the top soccer competitions and all the can't-miss goals from the day's action, starting Thursday and airing seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel exclusively dedicated to offering unparalleled coverage of all the top soccer competitions worldwide. You can stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV and Paramount+.
