UEFA Champions League expert predictions, picks: Real Madrid, Barcelona face uphill battles in quarters
Can Real Madrid pull off the comeback at Bayern Munich?
Quarterfinal action resumes this week in the UEFA Champions League, all four matchups technically hanging in the balance after closely-contested first-leg games.
Tuesday's action will see Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital, Hansi Flick's side with work to do after a 2-0 defeat last week. Stars like Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski are in tow but Barcelona's defense was the talking point after going down to 10 last week, Pau Cubarsi to miss Tuesday's clash after picking up a red card.
The focus shifts to Germany on Wednesday, where Bayern Munich host Real Madrid after proving their title credentials with a 2-1 win at the Bernabeu. The task of advancing to the semifinals now lands on the shoulders of both teams' starry squads, Bayern's led by Harry Kane and Luis Diaz while Madrid boast the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior
The week's action is rounded out by Paris Saint-Germain's trip to Liverpool on Tuesday, the reigning champions boasting a 2-0 advantage, and Sporting Lisbon's journey to Arsenal after the Gunners notched a 1-0 in Portugal last week.
Here's what the CBS Sports team is predicting ahead of a compelling week of matches.
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Champions League quarterfinal second legs
| Match |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool vs. PSG | 1-1 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 1-1 |
| Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona | 0-3 (a.e.t.) | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 | 2-1 |
| Arsenal vs. Sporting CP | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1-0 | 3-1 | 2-0 |
| Bayern Munich vs. Real Madrid | 2-1 | 2-2 | 2-0 | 3-2 | 2-1 |
Can you see any way Liverpool come back vs. PSG?
No -- Going toe-to-toe with this version of Paris Saint-Germain is a tall task of any team but the job becomes much harder for an inconsistent team in a 2-0 hole. Liverpool have a solid amount of individual quality and are capable of having their moments but a turnaround would likely require a perfect game for the Reds, including perhaps a tactical innovation or two from Arne Slot along the way. Maybe it would be possible in different circumstances but this is a game between a team that's the finished product and one that isn't, Liverpool very obviously the second one. -- Pardeep Cattry
A sliver of an iota of one -- Look in purely objective terms Liverpool are done for. They're trending one way and PSG the other. Arne Slot tried to tighten his side up with a back five at the Parc des Princes and was fortunate his team didn't lose by more. How can they avoid giving up more when they have to seize the initiative? They probably can't but curious things happen in low scoring sports. Suppose Mohamed Salah bags one early on. Anfield starts to believe. Virgil van Dijk rolls back the years and shuts down the PSG attack. This is all incredibly unlikely but this is Liverpool on a big European night. Unlikely things happen. -- James Benge
No -- PSG showed what we expected in the first leg played in Paris last week and I don't see how Liverpool can turn it around in the second leg, also given what they are showing every week in the Premier League. They are one of the biggest disappointments of the season so far, while PSG are once again among the strongest candidates to win the Champions League title. -- Francesco Porzio
Nope -- Anfield has been the great equalizer for Liverpool, but already coming into this leg trailing by two goals to PSG, the Reds have no choice but to open up the attack. Against most teams in the world, they may have a chance to control the match via attacking strength, but with PSG's midfield, there's nothing that the Parisians can't face. Even if the match becomes a shootout, PSG can keep up, so the only way that the Reds can come away with a victory is if Dominik Szoboszlai can create some magic while everyone else plays a perfect game. -- Chuck Booth
Barcelona have a chance vs. Atletico Madrid if...
They go full throttle -- Barcelona are way more interested in scoring them than they are keeping them out of the back of their own net, so they might as well lean into it. It will require improving upon the first leg effort, though. Barcelona kept the attack-minded plan going even after going down to 10 but generating 0.58 expected goals from eight shots while essentially playing a front four is not much to write home about. Improve the quality of those chances and they just might pull it off. -- Pardeep Cattry
They don't make it harder for themselves -- There's probably no team better equipped to run up the goals than Barcelona, who have 18 of them in nine games against Atletico since the start of last season. They average over two expected goals per game and allow barely a shade over one. The problem is they've scored fewer than the xG value of their chances, allowed more and given themselves two red cards to deal with. Keep it cool and they can get this done. -- James Benge
Lamine Yamal is at his best -- Let's be honest. Yes, Barcelona have a chance to make a comeback in the second leg in Madrid against Atletico Madrid but a lot of their chances will depend on the form of Lamine Yamal, the most talented player on the pitch. Diego Simeone's team were perfectly able to contain him in the first leg played in Barcelona last week but it's never easy when it comes to defending Yamal. -- Francesco Porzio
They show up -- Barcelona have been here before, and they've already proven that they can run up the goals on Atletico Madrid in the Copa Del Rey. The return of Frenkie De Jong is massive for Barcelona's ball movement, and as long as they can keep 11 players on the pitch, there's no reason why Hansi Flick's men can't win this match. This makes for box office viewing as Athleti will want an early goal to push doubt into Barca's minds early, as this tilt is on a razor's edge. -- Chuck Booth
Who will Real Madrid need to play out of their mind to turn it around?
Andriy Lunin -- Bayern Munich were undoubtedly the better team at the Bernabeu last week but they aslo snuck out of Madrid with a one-goal advantage thanks to Manuel Neuer's impressive display. It is a narrow advantage that Bayern are unquestionably going to want to build upon, even one more goal in their favor, potentially putting this tie out of Real Madrid's reach. If Andriy Lunin pulls from Neuer's example -- or Thibaut Courtois', for that matter -- they just might stand a chance. -- Pardeep Cattry
Andriy Lunin -- Bayern Munich are not going to sit in and protect what they have. If they want chances, they are going to get chances so it really comes down to whether Real Madrid's backup goalkeeper can have a better night than Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Luis Diaz. If he can keep a clean sheet in the Allianz then it only takes a moment or two of magic from one of the guys at the other end. -- James Benge
Vinicius Jr. -- The most crucial player of the team coached by Alvaro Arbeloa, but it won't be easy at all for him to lead his team to a comeback in the second game played at the Allianz Arena. Of course, they have a chance to make a comeback in the return leg but Bayern Munich are impressive this season and they are the leading candidates for the final win. -- Francesco Porzio
Fede Valverde -- Madrid will need help from everyone, but this season, when Los Blancos have needed a goal the most, it has come from a Valverde move or a stunner from outside the box. Held without a shot in the first leg facing Bayern, the Uruguayan will be needed if they'll complete a comeback away in Germany. -- Chuck Booth
