Real Madrid welcome Marseille to the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday night as the Champions League spotlight returns.
Carlo Ancelotti’s farewell campaign ended in disappointment, with Los Blancos dethroned in Europe and outpaced by Barcelona on home soil. His successor, Xabi Alonso, was handed a baptism of fire at the Club World Cup, where PSG dished out a 4-0 semi-final beating to underline the scale of the rebuild.
Since then, though, Real have hit the ground running in La Liga. Four straight wins, including a gritty 2-1 triumph with 10 men at Real Sociedad, have steadied the ship and lifted spirits in Madrid.
Now comes a test against Marseille, a side still stuck in PSG’s long shadow after finishing 19 points behind the Parisians in Ligue 1 last season. The French giants haven’t reached the Champions League knockouts since 2011-12, but with Roberto De Zerbi pulling the strings, there’s fresh hope that history won’t repeat itself.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the weekly schedule.
Real Madrid vs. Marseille live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this Champions League match in the U.S.:
TV channel: --
Live stream: Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video
This game is not available for live TV broadcast. Streaming options are available on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video.
Paramount+ has a FREE trial, so new subscribers can enjoy it for one week before making a payment.
What time does Real Madrid vs. Marseille kick off?
This Champions League clash takes place at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain and kicks off on Tuesday, September 16 at 9:00 p.m. (CEST) local time.
Here's how that time translates across the U.S.:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Tue, Sept. 16 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Central Time | Tue, Sept. 16 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Tue, Sept. 16 | 1:00 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Tue, Sept. 16 | 12:00 p.m. |
Real Madrid vs. Marseille lineups, team news
Real Madrid have been dealt a blow at the back, with Antonio Rüdiger sidelined for roughly two months due to a muscle injury.
He joins an already-crowded injury room that features Jude Bellingham, Ferland Mendy, and young star Endrick, while Eduardo Camavinga remains a question mark as the clock ticks toward Tuesday’s clash.
Xabi Alonso has shown little hesitation in shuffling the deck early this season, so another round of changes wouldn’t raise eyebrows. Federico Valverde and Franco Mastantuono are both knocking on the door for starting roles, while Trent Alexander-Arnold could rotate back in to share right-back duties with Dani Carvajal.
Real Madrid predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Courtois (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Militao, Huijsen, Carreras — Valverde, Tchouameni — Mastantuono, Guler, Vinicius — Mbappe.
Injured: Antonio Rüdiger, Jude Bellingham, Ferland Mendy, Endrick, Eduardo Camavinga.
Suspended: None.
Marseille head into midweek action missing a couple of familiar faces, with Ruben Blanco and Pol Lirola both excluded from Roberto De Zerbi’s Champions League squad.
Up front, Amine Gouiri is walking a tightrope after exiting Saturday’s victory over Lorient with a head knock, leaving his availability hanging in the balance.
On the defensive end, CJ Egan-Riley is back from suspension, though prying a spot away from Benjamin Pavard or Nayef Aguerd could prove an uphill battle. Meanwhile, Gerónimo Rulli and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are itching for a return to the XI after starting the weekend clash from the bench.
Olympique Marseille Dortmund predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Rulli (GK) — Murillo, Pavard, Aguerd, Medina — Gomes, Kondogbia — Greenwood, Nadir, Weah — Aubameyang.
Injured: Ruben Blanco, Pol Lirola.
Suspended: None.
Champions League fixture schedule this week
All times are in ET
Tuesday, September 16
- PSV Eindhoven vs. Union SG (12:45 p.m.)
- Athletic Bilbao vs. Arsenal (12:45 p.m.)
- Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund (3:00 p.m.)
- Benfica vs. Qarabağ FK (3:00 p.m.)
- Real Madrid vs. Marseille (3:00 p.m.)
- Tottenham Hotspur vs. Villarreal (3:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, September 17
- Slavia Prague vs. FK Bodø/Glimt (12:45 p.m.)
- Olympiacos vs. Pafos FC (12:45 p.m.)
- Liverpool vs. Atlético Madrid (3:00 p.m.)
- Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atalanta (3:00 p.m.)
- Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea (3:00 p.m.)
- Ajax Amsterdam vs. Inter Milan (3:00 p.m.)
Thursday, September 18
- Club Brugge vs. AS Monaco (12:45 p.m.)
- FC Copenhagen vs. Bayer Leverkusen (12:45 p.m.)
- Newcastle United vs. Barcelona (3:00 p.m.)
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Galatasaray (3:00 p.m.)
- Manchester City vs. Napoli (3:00 p.m.)
- Sporting CP vs. Kairat (3:00 p.m.)