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UEFA Champions League: Round of 16 (Second Leg) Preview

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English Premier League teams will look to go a perfect 4-0 in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League this week as three EPL clubs take leads into their second-leg match-ups.

Chelsea must travel to Turin to face Juventus, with a one-goal lead the cushion the Blues enjoy after the first leg. Liverpool is in control of its series vs. Real Madrid, coming home to Anfield with a one-goal advantage in a match that will air on ESPN on Tuesday (apologies for the incorrect ESPN schedule change information).

While those match-ups highlight Tuesday's Round of 16 offerings, Wednesday's marquee is filled by the Manchester United-Inter Milan showdown. The teams finished scoreless in the first leg, but now Manchester United returns to Old Trafford looking to pounce on a short-handed Inter Milan defense (Many will also be happy to know that ESPN2 will now be showing this match live, this change has been confirmed). In another England-Italy match-up, Asenal takes a 1-0 lead to Rome where Francesco Totti and AS Roma awaits.

Here is a rundown of this week's UEFA Champions League TV schedule (the ESPN games have all been confirmed with the network as being the new scheduled games so please STOP referencing the old schedule). Make your plans accordingly:

Tuesday

3:30pm– ESPN/ESPN360- Real Madrid at Liverpool (Liverpool won first leg, 1-0)

3:30pm– Setanta USA/ESPN360- Chelsea at Juventus (Chelsea won first leg, 1-0)

3:45pm– ESPN360- Sporting Lisbon at Bayern Munich (Bayern won first leg, 5-0)

3:45pm– ESPN360- Villarreal at Panathanaikos (first leg finished tied, 1-1)

6pm- ESPN Classic– Chelsea at Juventus

6:30pm– Setanta USA- Panathanaikos at Villarreal

8:15pm– Setanta USA- Chelsea at Juventus

10pm– Setanta USA- Sporting Lisbon at Bayern Munich

Wednesday

3:30pm– ESPN2/ESPN360- Inter Milan at Manchester United (first leg finished tied, 0-0)

3:30pm– ESPN DeportesESPN360- Lyon at Barcelona (first leg finished tied, 1-1)

3:45pm– Setanta USA/ESPN360- Arsenal at AS Roma (Arsenal won first leg, 1-0)

3:45pm– ESPN360- Atletico Madrid at FC Porto (first leg finished tied, 2-2)

6pm– ESPN Classic- Lyon at Barcelona

6:30pm– Setanta USA- Lyon at Barcelona

8:15pm– Setanta USA- Arsenal at Roma

10pm– Setanta USA- Atletico Madrid at FC Porto

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What do I see happening this week? I see the following eight teams going through to the quarterfinals: Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Villarreal, Manchester United, Barcelona, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid. I could see either Roma or Juventus turning their series around, but I see the quarterfinals consisting of four EPL teams, three La Liga teams and Bayern Munich (apologies for the sketchy math earlier).

What do you see happening this week in UEFA Champions League? Which match are you most looking forward to? Who do you see turning in a superstar performance?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. “Do they show the final score on the bottom line ticker?”

    I don’t think so. At least, I have not ever noticed the final score on the ticker below.

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  2. Question for Ives or for those that have viewed tape delayed games on ESPN Classic: Do they show the final score on the bottom line ticker? I’ll be at work when the Chelsea-Juve match is on and do not want to know the score until I watch it later. However, I’ve heard that sometimes ESPN Classic will run their bottom line which includes finals from all games, including the one on tape delay they are airing. Anyone know for sure?

    Long time reader, first time poster. You do a great job, Ives.

    Reply
  3. The bigger story is that they put the game on ESPN. ESPN’s daytime ratings aren’t often that high, so there is a chance here if a lot of people tune in for the ESPN folks to take notice that there is strong demand for these games on their flagship network.

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  4. The changes I listed to the Tuesday ESPN Champions League schedule were wrong. Real Madrid-Liverpool is on ESPN today. The change to the Manchester United-Inter Milan game on Wednesday is correct. That is being shown on ESPN2 now instead of ESPN Classic.

    Apologies for the confusion. I asked my ESPN contact multiple times on Monday if the changes were right but should have known something was up when those changes didn’t get made anywhere else.

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  5. AARGH….I set my VCR for Classic before I left for work….I guess I need a dish and a DVR so I can set them remotely like all the adds keep showing! Now I have to call my kids when they get home from school and walk them through the change.

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  6. Ives,

    I know you are getting annoyed with people for questioning the post regarding the TV schedule, but ESPN still has different listings on their website just hours before these matches begin. A friend of mine set his DVR for ESPN thinking he was going to get Liverpool-Madrid.

    Why on Earth wouldn’t they update the schedule and let people (and bar owners) know?

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  7. Ives, according to ESPN’s website, RM – Liv will be on ESPN. Are you telling me that their own website has incorrect information?

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  8. I agree—I just saw a commercial on ESPN air for The Baseball Classic (Italy vs. Venezuela) starting at 5pm on ESPN2. If they were showing Chelsea/Juventus on ESPN2, as reported above, it would need to air until 5:30pm.

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  9. I’ll believe this when I see it, ESPN and Setanta still haven’t changed their programming guides to reflect this “change”…

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  10. Ives – I am calling it here and now. A 1999 repeat of Bayern and ManU. You heard it from Der Kaiser first.

    Imagine if Donovan been allowed to stick around for one more week to get in on the fun gainst Lisbon tonight. Just the experience for the kid would have been phenomenal.

    Reply
  11. I believe Ives and all…he’s the man to know. It’s shocking that BOTH Setanta and ESPN’s page haven’t updated the new changes. While I can see ESPN being lazy and sidelining the soccer fans in favor of keeping their staff working on up-to-the-minute dudeball action, it seems totally unreal that Setanta wouldn’t bend over backwards to keep customers in the know–since their main purpose is soccer.

    Reply
  12. I see Ives weighed in just prior to my comment. Thanks, Ives. Keep us informed!

    Also, is Barca-Lyon going to be on ESPN Classic at 6:00 Wednesday??? The ESPN website currently says that it is.

    Reply
  13. And yes, clearly I forgot about Bayern when I did my “I think four EPL and four La Liga teams make it.” I did have Bayern in my original list. I switched one of my picks (Liverpool over Real Madrid).

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  14. As Steve C said, above, this appears to be a mistake by Ives. Why would they show Chels/Juve at 3:30 on ESPN2 and AGAIN at 6:00 on ESPNClassic?

    The ESPN website TV listings say that Liv/RM will be shown live at 3:30 on ESPN, and Chels/Juve at 6:00. World Baseball Classic on ESPN2. Maybe that’s wrong, but I’d bet the way Ives has it currently is wrong also.

    Reply
  15. The schedule for the live ESPN games I includes is the most up-to-date according to the folks at ESPN. Man UTD-Inter was moved from ESPN Classic to ESPN2 in what was one of the final changes. Apparently a change was also made from REal Madrid-Liverpool on ESPN to Chelsea-Juventus on ESPN2. Can’t get an answer as to why that changed. I agree that it’s odd for ESPN to pick up Chelsea-Juve when Setanta has the same game. Folks wanting to watch Real Madrid-Juventus will have to watch in ESPN360.com as far as I can tell, that is unless Setanta picked it up.

    Now, I haven’t been told what will be the new ESPN Classic game at 6pm, but common sense would dictate that it will now be Real Madrid-Liverpool.

    Reply
  16. “I see the following eight teams going through to the quarterfinals: … Bayern Munich … but I see the quarterfinals consisting of four EPL teams and four La Liga teams.”

    So Ives – did Bayern join the English or Spanish league? Didn’t see that on soccernet.com

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  17. This sucks.

    Why so little coverage on ESPN2/ESPN Classic?

    I was able to watch a bunch of games 2 weeks ago, and this time around there are only 2 games on???

    Reply
  18. Would love some clarification on the Chelsea Juve match. Setanta’s site has it on their schedule and I can’t believe espn would have Real vs Livs on ESPN2 AND Deportes. I’ve seen crazier things….

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  19. Torres hit 6 last season in his debut in the Champion’s League. Not bad. Hopefully his return to form enables him to score a few in the CL now. Liverpool sure needs it.

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  20. Come on Torres. Score the game winner off the bench for Liverpool. Beat back Real Madrid.

    Also hoping Gerrard will score. On that note. Gerrard has been 1 of the best performers in the Champions’ League. He scored 6goals last season. 3 in 06-07 but injured a lot. Hit 7 in 05-06 despite Liverpool not advancing beyond the QF’s. And 4 in 2004-05.

    Those are brillant numbers for a midfielder. You have to admit it everyone. Senna, Xavi, Sneijder, Lampard Kaka, Ronaldo are all brillant but Gerrard is the best midfielder in the world.

    Reply
  21. Chelsea, Liverpool, Villarreal, Bayern Munich

    InterMilan, Roma, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona

    Yes i can see Roma getting 2 goals and knocking out Arsenal. But will be 1 rough game.

    And shock shock, InterMilan will flame Man U. Come on Zlatan.

    Now for semi-finals i can see Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, InterMilan.

    Reply
  22. You got it a little mixed up there at the end. There is no way 4 EPL and 4 La Liga teams can make it through. Either Liverpool or Real Madrid have to go out. And it is near impossible for Bayern not to make it to the quarterfinals.

    Who do you think will win Liverpool vs. Real?

    Reply
  23. So why are they deciding to show the two games live on ESPN2 now? Low initial ratings for the World Baseball Classic? Huge feedback from soccer fans?

    I’m happy about the turn of events, just curious as to why.

    Reply
  24. Don’t mean to be that guy, but its going to be pretty hard for 4 EPL and 4 La Liga teams to get through.

    “but I see the quarterfinals consisting of four EPL teams and four La Liga teams.”

    Reply
  25. Please tell me thats a misprint Ives… Chelsea @ Juventus on ESPN2 and then later on Classic. Liverpool has got to be the game on Classic.. right??

    Reply

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