Champions League 2016: Quarter-Final Leg 1 Live Stream, TV Schedule, Predictions
The eight clubs still vying for the 2016 UEFA Champions League will return to the pitch on Tuesday and Wednesday for the first legs of this year's quarter-finals.
La Liga giants Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will go head-to-head at the Camp Nou in the tie of the round, while Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain will battle it out the next day.
Real Madrid are expected to cruise past Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich are the clear favourites against Benfica, but at this stage of the tournament, none of the teams should be overlooked.
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Here's a look at the schedule for the first legs, along with full TV info and live stream options:
| Tuesday, April 5 | 7:45 p.m./2: 45 p.m. | Barcelona v Atletico | BT Sport Europe (UK), Fox Sports 1 (USA) | BT Sport App, Fox Soccer 2Go |
| Tuesday, April 5 | 7:45 p.m./2: 45 p.m. | Bayern v Benfica | BT Sport 2 (UK), Fox Sports 2 (USA) | BT Sport App, Fox Soccer 2Go |
| Wednesday, April 6 | 7:45 p.m./2: 45 p.m. | PSG v Manchester City | BT Sport Europe (UK), Fox Sports 1 (USA) | BT Sport App, Fox Soccer 2Go |
| Wednesday, April 6 | 7:45 p.m./2: 45 p.m. | Wolfsburg v Real | BT Sport 2 (UK), Fox Sports 2 (USA) | BT Sport App, Fox Soccer 2Go |
Clasico Hangover for Barcelona?
Saturday's Clasico against Real Madrid didn't have any major implications as far as Barcelona's Spanish title chances go, but the 2-1 loss will have left a dent in the Catalans' armour, regardless.
The rivalry between these two clubs is one of the biggest on the planet, and with the added element of Johan Cruyff's passing and Barcelona's desire to honour him on the pitch, the Blaugrana were desperate to impress, per the team's official Twitter account.
But it all fell apart on Saturday. The Catalans looked rusty and a step slow, and even with a man advantage, they couldn't stop Cristiano Ronaldo from scoring a winner. As shared by Betfred, it ended quite a spectacular unbeaten streak:
Earlier on Saturday, Atletico cruised to a 5-1 win over Real Betis, and manager Diego Simeone's troops enter Tuesday's clash with momentum firmly on their side. The Rojiblancos have rediscovered their attacking flow, scoring freely in the last few weeks, and defensively, they remain as solid as ever.
Talent-wise, Barcelona are the clear favourites, but a loss like this—conceding a late winner to your bitter rivals—will always have an impact.
The players will have to pick themselves up in a hurry and turn their attention toward a difficult match against one of the best defensive teams in Europe, and that's easier said than done.
Prediction: The emotions of the Clasico will have an impact on Barcelona, and Atletico's defence tends to give the Catalans fits whenever they play. Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid.
Rest or Rust for PSG?
Paris-Saint Germain won their fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title before the international break and can now focus their full attention on Europe, as Les Parisiens look to take the next step on the road to becoming a truly elite club.
There's no denying the PSG project has been a success, but the club's ambitions lie beyond Ligue 1 dominance. Success in the Champions League is expected, and if the club doesn't reach the semi-final stage, it will be considered a major disappointment.
City find themselves in a similar position as far as expectations go, but their Premier League title bid appears over, and the Champions League presents their last opportunity for major silverware.
Their form entering the international break was spotty at best, but with Kevin De Bruyne returning to the pitch against Bournemouth, City looked like their usual, dominant self again.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini is unsure whether the Belgian will feature against Les Parisiens, per Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News:
De Bruyne clearly plays a huge role for the Citizens, but even if the Belgian is unable to play in Paris, City boast tons of quality. Sergio Aguero continued his hot scoring form with another strike in the 4-0 win over Bournemouth, and he'll be eyeing the PSG defence for a repeat performance.
City are still battling for a top-four finish in the Premier League, and unlike PSG, they can't afford to rest the bulk of their starters ahead of midweek clashes. Their opponents can and rested a handful against Nice on Saturday, but they still won 4-1 thanks to a Zlatan Ibrahimovic hat-trick.
As shared by Bet365, the Swede remains hugely important for Les Parisiens:
But it's hard to ignore that PSG's form hasn't been nearly as dominant in the last few weeks as it was earlier this season, when the Ligue 1 title was still something head coach Laurent Blanc's men had to battle for.
Per WhoScored.com, they've won just two of their last five Ligue 1 contests, and in many of those matches, the squad looked complacent and disinterested.
No one can blame them for not taking every opponent as serious as they should when their lead in the standings is well over 20 points, but the question is whether they'll be able to flip the switch when they meet City.
Prediction: PSG look rusty but still come away with a close win. PSG 2-1 City.
