The first legs have been played. The damage has been done, the advantages have been established, and now comes the part that makes the UEFA Champions League the greatest club competition on the planet. The second legs of the 2025/26 quarterfinals arrive on April 14 and 15, and with PSG holding a commanding advantage, Bayern Munich stunning Real Madrid in Spain, and Arsenal nursing a slender lead, the stage is set for an extraordinary two nights of European football.

Four ties. Four different stories. And at least two that could produce the kind of drama that gets replayed for decades. Here is your complete Champions League quarterfinals second leg preview, covering every match, every key tactical battle, our predictions, and where to watch in the US and UK.

Quick Overview: First Leg Results and What Each Team Needs

Before breaking down each tie individually, here is a snapshot of where every team stands heading into the second legs.

Tie	First Leg Result	Aggregate	What the Trailing Team Needs
Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona	Atlético won 2-0 at Camp Nou	Atlético lead 2-0	Barcelona need 3-0 or better
Liverpool vs PSG	PSG won 2-0 at Parc des Princes	PSG lead 2-0	Liverpool need 2-0 or better
Arsenal vs Sporting CP	Arsenal won 1-0 in Lisbon	Arsenal lead 1-0	Sporting need to score and keep a clean sheet
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid	Bayern won 2-1 at the Bernabéu	Bayern lead 2-1	Real Madrid need to score twice

Two two-goal leads, one one-goal lead, and one tie that is genuinely alive at 2-1 on aggregate. The mathematics suggest the favourites should progress in three of the four ties, but Champions League knockout football has an established habit of ignoring mathematics.

Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona: Can the Remontada Kings Stage Another Miracle?

Tuesday, April 14 | Riyadh Air Metropolitano | 21:00 CET / 3:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM UK

The headline statistic from the first leg is almost impossible to process for Barcelona supporters. A 2-0 defeat at Camp Nou, on their own ground, against Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid. The Colchoneros executed a defensive masterclass so complete that Hansi Flick’s possession-dominant side barely threatened the goal. Now Barcelona must travel to the Metropolitano and overturn a two-goal deficit against the team best equipped in world football to protect exactly that kind of lead.

Atlético’s approach at the Metropolitano will be entirely predictable and entirely effective. Simeone’s side will drop into their compact defensive shape, invite Barcelona to carry the ball, and look to strike with lethal efficiency on the counter-attack. The Metropolitano crowd, one of the most intense atmospheres in European football, will amplify the pressure on every Barcelona touch. Atlético have an exceptional home record in knockout football precisely because this combination of tactical discipline and crowd intensity is almost impossible to overcome when the opposition needs to chase a game.

Barcelona’s attacking talent remains genuinely elite. Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and their creative midfield can hurt any opponent. The problem is that chasing a game against Atlético exposes exactly the defensive vulnerabilities that cost them in the first leg. Every time Barcelona commit men forward, Atlético have the pace and the direct runners to punish the spaces left behind. Potential defensive absences, including fitness concerns around Pau Cubarsí, add further pressure to an already difficult evening.

Prediction: Atlético Madrid Advance

Atlético progress on a 2-1 aggregate. A tight, tense second leg sees Barcelona potentially nick a goal but never look capable of completing the full turnaround required. Simeone’s side are too experienced and too well-organised to surrender a two-goal European home lead.

Liverpool vs PSG: Can Anfield Work Its Magic Against the Champions?

Tuesday, April 14 | Anfield | 21:00 CET / 3:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM UK

If there is one venue in European football where a two-goal comeback feels remotely plausible, it is Anfield. The history of the ground on European nights is extraordinary, a catalogue of improbable turnarounds built on crowd intensity, relentless pressing, and an almost supernatural capacity for drama in the closing minutes. Liverpool need to win by at least 2-0 to force extra time, and Arne Slot’s side will know that their only viable approach is to come out aggressively and score early.

PSG, however, are not just a competent defensive team protecting a lead. They are the defending Champions League holders, playing with the confidence of a side that has already proven they can win the tournament. Their first-leg performance was genuinely impressive, with goals from Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia showcasing the attacking depth that Luis Enrique has built across this squad. Warren Zaïre-Emery and João Neves provide midfield quality that will not be easily bullied by Liverpool’s intensity, and defensively, Marquinhos and Willian Pacho represent a backline capable of withstanding sustained pressure.

Liverpool’s quality is not in question. Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and the energy of their midfield make them dangerous at Anfield on any given night. PSG will be nervous if Liverpool score early. The crowd will make the Parisians uncomfortable. But sustaining the pressure required to score twice without conceding even once against this PSG side is an enormous ask, even in the most atmospheric stadium in England.

Prediction: PSG Advance

PSG progress 3-2 on aggregate. Liverpool produce a spirited display and likely win the second leg, but a PSG away goal or strong defensive second half ensures the holders advance. The Anfield atmosphere will make it uncomfortable, but PSG’s quality and two-goal buffer prove decisive.

Arsenal vs Sporting CP: The Most Comfortable Tie on Paper

Wednesday, April 15 | Emirates Stadium | 21:00 CET / 3:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM UK

Arsenal’s first-leg win in Lisbon was narrow but controlled, and the Emirates Stadium second leg looks like the most straightforward progression of the four ties. Mikel Arteta’s side have been one of the most consistently impressive teams in European football this season, and their structured high-pressing 4-3-3 system, built around the quality of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Martin Ødegaard, has caused problems for every opponent they have faced in this competition.

Sporting CP showed resilience in the first leg but could not create the quality chances required to threaten a result. Their counter-attacking style, centred on the threat of Viktor Gyökeres, gives them a theoretical route back into the tie if they can score early at the Emirates. But Arsenal’s defensive organisation, anchored by William Saliba and Gabriel at centre-back, has been among the most reliable in Europe this season. The combination of home advantage, a one-goal lead, and Arsenal’s demonstrable quality in European home fixtures makes this the tie where an upset would register as the biggest shock of the round.

Prediction: Arsenal Advance Comfortably

Arsenal progress on a 3-1 aggregate. A 2-0 or 2-1 second leg sees the Gunners through without significant stress. Sporting may create one or two moments of danger but cannot sustain the level of performance required to overturn an Arsenal side playing with this kind of confidence at home.

Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid: The Night the Tie Comes Alive

Wednesday, April 15 | Allianz Arena | 21:00 CET / 3:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM UK

Save the best for last. The most mouth-watering fixture in the entire quarterfinal round is the second leg between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, a tie that is genuinely, completely alive heading into the Allianz Arena. Bayern’s 2-1 win at the Bernabéu was one of the results of the quarterfinal round, delivering a stunning first-leg victory on the most historically significant ground in European club football.

Real Madrid, however, are a side defined by their capacity to recover from exactly this kind of deficit. Their Champions League record of dramatic comebacks is unmatched in the history of the competition, and the attacking quality available to them through Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham means they are never more than one phase of play away from changing a game entirely. A single goal early in the second leg would shift the entire psychological dynamic and put Bayern under exactly the kind of pressure that tests a team’s Champions League credentials.

Bayern’s home strength is equally formidable. The Allianz Arena is an intimidating venue with an atmosphere that consistently elevates the home side, and Vincent Kompany’s high-intensity, width-focused approach has produced some of the most dynamic football in Europe this season. Jamal Musiala’s creativity in tight spaces is a particular weapon that Real Madrid’s midfield will struggle to contain across 90 minutes. Bayern will push forward looking to extend their aggregate lead rather than simply protect it, which creates the open game that both sets of supporters are anticipating.

Prediction: Bayern Munich Advance in a Thriller

Bayern progress on a 4-3 aggregate in the most dramatic tie of the round. Real Madrid’s quality ensures they score, potentially more than once, but Bayern’s home record, their momentum, and their own attacking threat means they keep pace throughout. Extra time is possible. A penalty shootout cannot be ruled out. But Bayern edge through in what promises to be the defining match of the quarterfinal stage.

How to Watch the Champions League Quarterfinals Second Legs

In the United States: All four second-leg matches are available exclusively on Paramount+, with some fixtures potentially simulcast on CBS Sports Network or TUDN and Univision in Spanish. All kick-offs are at 3:00 PM ET. Visit paramountplus.com to subscribe or access your existing account.

In the United Kingdom: Coverage is split between TNT Sports and Amazon Prime Video.

On Tuesday April 14, Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona airs on TNT Sports 1 and Liverpool vs PSG on Amazon Prime Video, both at 8:00 PM UK time. On Wednesday April 15, Arsenal vs Sporting CP is on TNT Sports 1 and Bayern vs Real Madrid on TNT Sports 2. TNT Sports is available through Sky, Virgin Media, EE, or BT. Amazon Prime Video requires a subscription. BBC Radio 5 Live provides audio commentary across all fixtures.

Final Thoughts: What to Expect from These Second Legs

The Champions League quarterfinals second leg preview for 2026 points toward three relatively comfortable progressions and one genuine classic. Atlético, PSG, and Arsenal all hold meaningful advantages and possess the tactical and personnel quality to protect them. Bayern vs Real Madrid is the tie that could produce anything, and on a European night at the Allianz Arena, it almost certainly will.

The road to the final in Budapest on May 30 runs through these four matches. By Wednesday night, we will know the four semifinalists. Do not miss a minute of it.