Midweek TV Preview: 12 - 15 March 2012

Monday 12 March

15.00 Anzhi v Spartak Moscow, Russian Premier Liga, ESPN/ESPN HD

Anzhi, Anzhi, when will those clouds all disappear? Well a win here might help, and put pressure on Spartak for that second Champions League spot.

20.00 Arsenal v Newcastle United, Premier League, Sky Sports 1/HD1/3D

You get a feeling that Arsenal fans are perhaps waiting for the result here before they open up both barrels of the "mind the gap" meme that Tottenham fans were revelling in a few weeks ago. Fourth spot is not impossible for Newcastle, especially with a match against Chelsea to come.

Tuesday 13 March

19.45 Bayern Munich v FC Basel, UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg (0-1), Sky Sports 2/HD2

Much like English clubs, German teams have taken a bit a bloody nose in the latest round of European fixtures. Bayern should certainly have enough to turn over Basel's slim advantage, after a weekend performance that saw them put 7 (SIEBEN) past Hoffenheim.

19.45 Inter Milan v Marseille, UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg (0-1), Sky Sports 4/HD4

Since their win against Inter in the first leg, Didier Deschamps' side has gone on an awful run of four straight defeats in Ligue 1, failing to score to a single goal in that time.

20.00 Liverpool v Everton, Premier League, Sky Sports 1/HD1/3D

Cup success may have proved a distraction but three defeats in a row for Liverpool has brought a chasing pack, including Everton, perilously close to them in the table. Victory for Moyes' team will see them leapfrog Liverpool into seventh place. Teams like Sunderland, Swansea and Fulham may do the same in coming weeks if Dalglish can't halt the slide.

Wednesday 14 March

19.45 Chelsea v Napoli, UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg (1-3), ITV1/ITV1 HD

Chelsea, while seemingly in disarray are still fighting on three fronts - critical fixtures for which they play over the next eight days. Firstly they have to overcome a first leg deficit against a Napoli side that scored six goals from six different scorers on Friday night. Up next for Chelsea is Leicester in the quarter finals of the Cup followed by a trip to the Etihad next week.

19.45 Real Madrid v CSKA Moscow, UEFA Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg (1-1), Sky Sports 2/HD2

In their last 19 home games the only team to restrict Real to less than three goals is Barcelona (twice). Should be pretty straightforward for Mourinho's men.

01.00 (Thurs) Corinthinas v Cruz Azul, Copa Libertadores Group 6, Premier Sports

Cruz Azul have won both their games in the group so far but will find the Brazilian team a much tougher prospect, especially away from their 2200m above sea-level home in the suburbs of Mexico City. Chile's Waldo Ponce plays for them.

Thursday 15 March

18.00 Athletic Bilbao v Man Utd, UEFA Europa League Round of 16 2nd Leg (3-2), Channel 5/Channel 5 HD

United will need to a two goal margin to progress through to the next stage, and that won't be easy considering that the likes of PSG and Barcelona have failed to win here this season. It will be interesting to see how Ferguson approaches this with an away trip to Wolves on Sunday where they'll need to take all three points to maintain top spot.

18.00 Udinese v AZ Alkmaar, UEFA Europa League Round of 16 2nd Leg (0-2), ESPN/ESPN HD

Udinese's first leg defeat was no shock given the form they've been in for the past couple of months. They've lost fourth spot in Serie A and there's only one direction they're going. AZ are three points clear in the Eredivisie and should progress here into the quarter finals.

18.00 PSV Eindhoven v Valencia, UEFA Europa League Round of 16 2nd Leg (2-4), ITV4/ITV4 HD

While PSV got two valuable away goals, giving them some hope in the tie, they've shipped 13 goals in the last three games including six against a Twente side that played half the match with ten men.

20.05 Man City v Sporting Lisbon, UEFA Europa League Round of 16 2nd Leg (0-1), ESPN/ESPN HD

City have the luxury that they don't have to play for another six days after this fixture so they can go full out for the win. Which they'll no doubt get.

20.05 Schalke 04 v FC Twente, UEFA Europa League Round of 16 2nd Leg (0-1), ITV4/ITV4 HD

Steve McClaren returns to Germany knowing that he needs only a draw to get to the quarter finals, though his side lost the lead in the Eredivisie after a shock 3-1 defeat to NEC at the weekend. Schalke got a victory by the same scoreline against Hamburg ending a run of three straight defeats.