Champions League Semifinals, Premier League Last Day, Playoffs and More to Watch

Championship season is approaching quickly. Things we will for sure know by the end of this week: The matchups for the UEFA Champions League and Europa League finals, the winner of the English Premier League and the final four teams playing for the Stanley Cup, by way of potentially three Game 7s. Here's how and where to watch all of those things happen.

Must-Watch: Champions League Semifinals Leg 2

By Wednesday night, we will know which two clubs will play for the Champions League trophy in Madrid, Spain, on June 1.

Each semifinal second leg begins at 3 p.m. ET, streaming on B/R Live and broadcasting on TNT. Coverage begins each day with B/R Football Matchday at 2 p.m. on both platforms and ends with the B/R Football Post-Match Show on TNT and manager press conferences on B/R Live. 

Tuesday

Liverpool (0) vs. Barcelona (3) Watch on B/R Live

The deck seems stacked against last year's runner-up Liverpool as this tie heads to Anfield for the second leg. While Barcelona blew a three-goal first-leg lead in last season’s UCL knockout stage, it’s going to take a supreme effort from the Reds to turn things around on Tuesday.

Liverpool will be without Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah; the latter sustained a head injury in Premier League play over the weekend. The absence of two-thirds of their high-powered front line makes overcoming the existing deficit an even more considerable challenge.

A positive sign for Liverpool is they haven't conceded at home in four straight Champions League matches. On the other side, Barcelona have won on its last two trips to Anfield and bring the competition’s leading scorer into the second leg on the back of a phenomenal performance to seal the first-leg win. You may have heard of him:

Wednesday

Ajax (1) vs. Tottenham Hotspur (0) Watch on B/R Live

After securing an away goal and the win in the first leg, this young Ajax team is 90 minutes away from booking a spot in the Champions League final. The Dutch side’s midfielders made all the difference in the first leg, with Donny van de Beek scoring and Frenkie de Jong controlling that entire third of the pitch.

Tottenham get a shot in the arm with Heung-Min Son’s return from suspension, with just one Spurs goal putting them right back into the tie. As good as Ajax has been on the road in the UCL knockout round, it’s been susceptible at home, winless in its last three matches, and Spurs were able to eliminate Manchester City on the favorites' pitch. Based on some of the second legs these squads have played, we are in for a treat on Wednesday.

Watch This: NBA Playoffs Round 2

A couple of games into each conference semifinal series, things are getting good. Overtime-every-night good. The Portland Trail Blazers outlasted the Denver Nuggets in FOUR overtimes on Friday night, and the Houston Rockets got on the board against the Golden State Warriors with an OT win at home Saturday night.

Don’t miss any late drama or overtime this week. Check out the schedule, all times Eastern.

Monday Game 4s on TNT

Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics (Bucks lead 2-1) 7 p.m.

Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets (Warriors lead 2-1) 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday Game 5s on TNT

Philadelphia 76ers at Toronto Raptors (Tied 2-2) 8 p.m.

Portland Trail Blazers at Denver Nuggets (Tied 2-2) 10:30 p.m.

Wednesday Game 5s on TNT

Celtics at Bucks, 8 p.m.

Rockets at Warriors, 10:30 p.m.

The schedule for the rest of the week and weekend will be determined as the series continue to play out. You can find the latest tip-off times and television information with the full live schedule here.

What's on B/R Live This Week

1. National Lacrosse League Playoffs

The first round of the NLL playoffs concludes Monday night with two games, one on each coast. The playoffs began with a surprise Friday night when the lowest seed Colorado Mammoth upset the defending league champions Saskatchewan Rush in overtime.

Get to know: Mike Poulin, Georgia Swarm goalie

Mike Poulin is in his 14th year as a goalie in the NLL and third with the Swarm, which he helped lead to the 2017 NLL championship in his first season with team. Among regular starters in the league this season, he ranks second with a .791 save percentage. As Georgia prepared for the 2019 playoffs, we talked to Poulin about his season, his career as a goalie and the odd feeling of how giving up 10 goals is considered a good night.

B/R Live: Have you always played goalie?

Poulin: Yeah right from my first time stepping onto the floor. The minor team I was playing for needed a goalie, and they asked who wanted to be the goalie that night. And I didn’t say anything, no one said anything. Then they asked, "Hey who doesn’t wanna run tonight?" And I fired my hand up. And they’re like, "well, you’re the goalie," and it stuck ever since then.

B/R: How have you learned how to stay positive in your career at a position where a strong performance is giving up 10 goals?

Poulin: You need to definitely be mentally strong. Being able to give up 15 goals and still have a chance to win a game isn’t the easiest thing to be able do, especially when you’re having an off night. So that’s one of the things I’ve noticed from where I am today to where I was as a young goalie. I’ve taken on kind of the slogan of Van Wilder: "Worrying is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere." That’s been good to me as a lacrosse goalie over the years.

B/R: What’s been the biggest or most fun moment of your career?

Poulin: Winning the 2017 championship was the biggest. This group of guys that we have with the Georgia Swarm, the entire organization, it’s always fun. It’s a very light environment. We don’t take the game too seriously, but we understand this is a job and we have a responsibility. But we always have fun here, which is nice.

B/R: What has the team learned from winning the cup in 2017 then getting eliminated in 2018 that will help going into this season’s playoffs?

Poulin: It’s all about the closeness of the group. The team that wants to continue to fight together and battle together, that gets you where you need to go. And last year, losing in the East final, by one goal, and having chances at the end, it still hurts. But not having the guys around that we had last year is probably what hurts more, right? Because that page is turned, that book is closed, we’re on to a new one. And what we’ve learned from that is what gets good teams to championship teams is how well the team bonds together and can come together when it’s those dire moments.

Watch Poulin and the No. 2 Swarm open their 2019 NLL Playoffs campaign in the Eastern Division semifinals vs. No. 3 Toronto Rock tonight at 7:30 p.m. here on B/R Live.

Then stay right on B/R Live for the final game of the first round between the Calgary Roughnecks and San Diego Seals at 10:30 p.m. Stay up to date with every round of the NLL Playoffs here.

        

2. UEFA Europa League Semifinals Second Legs

Just like in the Champions League, we’re only a couple of days away from determining the matchup for the final. After the first leg, an all-English final is on the table: Chelsea are even with Frankfurt but scored an away goal, while Arsenal handled business at home against Valencia. Both semifinal second legs will kick off Thursday at 3 p.m. ET on B/R Live.

Valencia (1) vs. Arsenal (3) Watch on B/R Live

Chelsea (1) vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (1) Watch on B/R Live

3. Team USA Field Hockey

After April’s European road trip, Team USA returns home for two Women’s FIH Pro League matches this weekend. The young squad are still seeking their first league win of the season, and they’d love to do it in front of their home fans at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Lancaster, Pa.

USA vs. Australia: Friday 7 p.m., Watch on B/R Live

USA vs. Argentina: Sunday 6 p.m., Watch on B/R Live

4. Glasgow Derby: Rangers vs. Celtic

Even though Celtic clinched the Scottish Premiership title over the weekend, don’t expect this Glasgow rivalry to be any less intense. USMNT standout Tim Weah got the start in that match and could do the same in this one as Celtic’s season winds down with a trophy. Watch Sunday at 7 a.m. on B/R Live.

5. ONE Championship

ONE’s busy May continues with another event this Friday morning on B/R Live. The main card of ONE: Warriors of Light begins at 9:30 a.m. from Bangkok and features Nong-O Gaiyanghadao vs. Hiroaki Suzuki in the bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship. Check out the full event card here.

More to Watch This Week

1. Premier League Decision Week

The English Premier League will come down to the final matchday of the regular season. Liverpool are up two points on Manchester City, but City have one extra match remaining, playing Monday at 3 p.m. vs. Leicester City (NBCSN) as well as next Sunday. Every team in the league will kick off at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday and play simultaneously on decision day. Check out the full standings here.

In the race for the top four, Chelsea secured a spot over the weekend, leaving Tottenham and Arsenal playing for the final automatic Champions League qualification spots. Spurs are ahead of the Gunners by three points in fourth, with Arsenal needing to win its game while Tottenham loses. And even then, Arsenal have to overcome an eight-goal differential for the tiebreaker; for example, Arsenal would clinch fourth place with a 5-0 win and Tottenham 4-0 loss. However, Arsenal could still secure a UCL spot by winning the Europa League. These are the final-day matchups:

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester City

Liverpool vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Tottenham vs. Everton

Burnley vs. Arsenal

Leicester vs. Chelsea

More TV information is set to be released following Manchester City's match on Monday.

2. Stanley Cup Playoffs

The conference semifinals conclude this week in the NHL, but the biggest story in the league is the series that’s already over. After knocking out the reigning-champion Washington Capitals, the Carolina Hurricanes swept the New York Islanders to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. They now get to rest while waiting for their opponent.

This week, there could be multiple Game 7s as these series go down to the wire.

Monday Game 6s on NBCSN

Boston Bruins at Columbus Blue Jackets (Bruins lead 3-2) 7 p.m.

San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche (Sharks lead 3-2) 10 p.m.

Tuesday Game 7

Dallas Stars at St. Louis Blues, 8 p.m., NBCSN

Wednesday Game 7s if necessary

Blue Jackets at Bruins, TBD

Avalanche at Sharks, TBD

Quick Catch-Up

Insanity at the Derby

Chaos ensued after the finish to the 145th Kentucky Derby. After the favorite Maximum Security won, Derby stewards went into a lengthy review and eventually ruled that Maximum Security had obstructed other horses. As a result, Country House, a 62-1 longshot, grabbed the win and the roses.

Warriors-Rockets uh-ohs

There were a couple of Shaqtin’ a Fool moments during Game 3 between Golden State and Houston on Saturday night, although one came at a much worse time than the other.

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