Goals galore ahead of Manchester City vs Inter in Champions League on Wednesday
Happy Wednesday! The Champions League kicked off with a bang on Tuesday with 28 goals in six games, and there’s more to come in the matches on Wednesday and Thursday. I’m Pardeep Katri with a Europe-themed midweek check-in.
๐บ Footy Fix
All times US/Eastern
Wednesday, September 18
๐ช๐บ UCL: Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk, 12:45 PM IST โก๏ธ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
๐ช๐บ UCL: Manchester City vs Inter, 3 PM โก๏ธ Paramount+
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ EFL Cup: Coventry City vs Tottenham, 3pm โก๏ธ Paramount+
๐บ๐ธ MLS: Orlando City vs. Charlotte, 8:15 p.m. โก๏ธ FS1
๐ CONCACAF W Champions Cup: San Diego Wave vs. Portland Thorns, 10 p.m. โก๏ธ CBS Sports Golazo Network
Thursday, September 19
๐ช๐บ UCL: Feyenoord vs. Leverkusen, 12:45 PM โก๏ธ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
๐ช๐บ UCL: Atalanta vs Arsenal, 3 PM โก๏ธ Paramount+
๐ CONCACAF W Champions Cup: NJ/NY Gotham vs. Monterrey, 7 p.m. โก๏ธ CBS Sports Network
โฝ Forward Line
๐บ๐ธ Americans perform well in Europe
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It may have been a torrid summer for the U.S. menโs national team, but there was some good news on Tuesday on a record-breaking day for the Americans in the Champions League.
Juventus’ 3โ1 win over PSV marked the first time three USMNT players played in the same Champions League match, with McKennie lining up for the Italians while Malik Tillman and Richie Ledezma started for PSV. A total of five Americans played the match, with Timothy Weah coming in for Juventus after recovering from a hamstring injury and Ricardo Pepi making an appearance as a substitute for PSV.
But wait, there’s more. McKennie scored in the 27th minute to make his first start of the season, marking a remarkable return to Juventus’ lineup. The midfielder was considered surplus at the club during preseason, but after failing to find a buyer, McKennie signed a new deal with Juventus and joined new manager Thiago Motta’s team, marking a positive end to a forgettable summer for McKennie.
Christian Pulisic scored an own goal a few hours later, scoring in the third minute of AC Milan’s game against Liverpool. However, the lead didn’t last long for Milan, as the Reds hit back 20 minutes later and won 3-1, showing just how different Pulisic’s form is to his side’s. Milan have now won just once in their opening five games of the season, scoring 10 goals but conceding nine in that time. Pulisic, meanwhile, has three goals and two assists in that time, and Francesco Porzio said he has emerged as the only bright spot in a poor run of form for Milan so far.
- Porzio: “The role of the leader is now very close to Pulisic, as he is the player with the most performances. More than just Pulisic’s goals and assists, he is by far the most efficient player on the roster, [Manager Paulo] Fonseca knows the US international is the only player who can bring the quality that players like [Rafael] Leo and Samu Chukwueze are yet to show up.โ
Pulisic has kept Milan competitive in every game this season, but the team’s inability to put together a cohesive performance will be a major challenge at the weekend when they face a tough challenge against rivals and Serie A champions Inter. More…
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๐ Midfield Link Play
๐ The clash of champions in Manchester
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Inter will take on Manchester City in one of the most anticipated Champions League clashes of Matchday 1, before taking on AC Milan at the weekend. The trip to the Etihad Stadium marks a head-to-head clash between the champions of England and Italy, a competitive clash that may have been uncommon in the group stage of previous years, but is a feature of the new-look league stage.
Inter will feel they have a lot to live up to after a disappointing run in the Champions League last season, knocked out by an Atletico Madrid side in the quarter-finals despite at one point having a 2-0 aggregate lead. The Italian champions are good enough to make a strong run, but they will have few chances to prove that point during the league stage – a game against Arsenal at home in November and a rematch of the 2023 Champions League final on Wednesday, which City won.
Both teams are unbeaten at the start of the season, but City are the only one of the two to be perfect through four games. Much of the credit goes to Erling Haaland, who is one of the few players who took time off in the summer and has wasted no time getting back to his best goal-scoring form. He has scored 10 goals in four games so far in Premier League action and according to James Benge, he is one to keep an eye on once the games start.
- Benz: “He’s a very good player. Scoring just two goals in the win over Brentford shows that the perennial hat-trick hero is dropping in level, but, well, that’s not the hope for a comeback. Inter have been an exceptional defensive force since the start of last season, but, frankly, they haven’t faced anyone as good as Haaland.”
Haaland’s individual brilliance has allowed City to go on autopilot early in the season, especially as manager Pep Guardidola has been slowly adding a handful of starters to the squad after long stints with their national teams. It’s unclear how many of his first-choice players he will select on Wednesday, but Rodri and Phil Foden, for example, have played just one game each for City this season and may be well rested enough to feature against Inter. While the odds are in City’s favor, this game will also be the first true litmus test of their ability to stay motivated this season as they aim for a fifth consecutive Premier League title and second Champions League title in three seasons.
๐ Top News
UCL further states: Here’s a look at the biggest moments from Tuesday’s Champions League clashes, plus expert picks and predictions ahead of Wednesday’s matches.
Di Rossi was sacked: Roma sacked Daniele De Rossi after a winless Serie A season which left the team in 16th place, a surprise move just months after he had signed a deal that would keep him at the club until 2027.
Same old Real Madrid: Reigning European champions Real Madrid beat Stuttgart 3-1 on Tuesday despite a poor performance.
Pros and cons of Bayern: Bayern Munich recorded a 9-2 win over Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday and earned positive reviews for their attack, although Vincent Kompany’s plans to revive the team are still undecided.
Going on strike? Manchester City’s Rodrigo said players are “very close” to going on strike in protest at the busy football calendar.
The Return of Ledezma: Richie Ledezma is one of those Americans aiming to make a name for himself this season by playing in a surprising new role at right back for PSV.
Beckham and Friends: Football superstar David Beckham will host Beckham & Friends, a Champions League allcast that will air on Paramount+ during the second legs of the semi-finals and the final in 2025 and 2026.
๐ฐ back line
๐ต Best Bets
- UEFA Champions League: Feyenoord vs Bayer Leverkusen, Thursday, 12:45 PM
Selection: Bayer Leverkusen will win 2-1 (+700) – Bayer Leverkusen’s record-breaking unbeaten run may be a thing of the past, but the glow of last season’s superb form lingers as Xabi Alonso’s side hope to get off to a winning start to their first Champions League campaign in two years. It helps that the group of players who impressed last season are still in place, making them oddsmakers’ favourites to come away with a win at Feyenoord. Don’t expect a completely straightforward outing, though – Leverkusen have already conceded six goals in three Bundesliga games this season, which indicates some defensive frailties. - UEFA Champions League: Atalanta vs Arsenal, Thursday, 3 pm
Selection: Bukayo Saka will score (+230) – Arsenal won the North London derby without Martin Odegaard thanks to their impressive defence, which gives a glimpse of what they could be like without him in the Champions League this week. That defensive strength will be on display again on Thursday, but even without Odegaard, the available attackers should be able to get the job done without much trouble. That includes Bukayo Saka, who has already registered a goal and an assist this season.
For more picks, predictions, expert tips and the latest betting news, don’t forget to check out CBSSports.com’s betting home page.
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