Borussia Dortmund vs PSG: TV coverage details

As is the case with the other UEFA Champions League semifinal, the TV coverage for Borussia Dortmund against PSG has some special twists. In addition to airing on the CBS broadcast channel, the broadcaster is mixing up its crew inside the studio for its hourlong pregame and postgame analysis. With a great matchup to boot on this side of the Champions League bracket, it makes for a great Wednesday of watching soccer.

Borussia Dortmund and PSG both advanced to the semifinals of the Champions League this season in dramatic fashion. After losing the first legs, Dortmund and PSG used comebacks in the second legs to top Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, respectively. Now, they set up a matchup with two differing storylines. For Borussia Dortmund, it is the underdog story of this season’s competition. With Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich outshining the black-and-yellows in Germany, Dortmund can still have a good season.

Then, for PSG, these are potentially the last games for Kylian Mbappe in the French club’s kit. In all likelihood, Mbappe is joining Real Madrid this summer. This season’s French champions can even win a treble in Mbappe’s last season if it can win both the Coupe de France and the UEFA Champions League. That provides plenty of drama for Wednesday’s contest on CBS.

TV coverage for Borussia Dortmund vs PSG

Kickoff time: 3 p.m. ET / Noon PT – Wednesday, May 1
Stream now (in USA): Live on Paramount+ and CBS (via Fubo TV)
Commentators: Chris Wittyngham and Ray Hudson
US TV: CBS network

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This game airing on CBS is noteworthy, but it is not necessarily new. Tuesday’s semifinal between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich was also available on the broadcast network. Looking back to the quarterfinals, Manchester City’s game against Real Madrid pulled in 1.11 million viewers. CBS has seen success in putting games on the over-the-air TV channel, which may explain why the company is doing it more frequently.

What makes this game stand out is the pregame coverage. Kate Abdo, Thierry Henry and Micah Richards will be in the studio alongside Alessandro del Piero. Jamie Carragher, the usual fourth for the studio coverage, will be in Dortmund for this game. Carragher has regularly praised the Yellow Wall at the Westfalenstadion. Now, CBS is sending him to see it firsthand. He will be alongside Peter Schmeichel pitchside.

A familiar matchup this season

PSG playing Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals of the Champions League is a rare instance of two teams playing one another multiple times in the same year. Both Dortmund and PSG were in the vaunted group that also included AC Milan and Newcastle. As the group winner, Borussia Dortmund lost to PSG in the opening game of the competition before the two drew at the Signal Iduna Park in the final group-stage matchday.

Dortmund has had a fairly easy run-in compared to other clubs. After narrowly defeating PSV Eindhoven, the German side bested Atletico over two legs. PSG defeated Spanish opposition twice by knocking off Real Sociedad and Barcelona on its way to another Champions League semifinal. Kylian Mbappe leads the competition with eight goals in this season’s tournament. Dortmund will face a stiff challenge in slowing down the French World Cup winner.

PHOTO: IMAGO