Soccer on TV: USWNT-France, UEFA and Concacaf Champions League games

Tuesday, 3 p.m. (ESPN2)

It’s not the star-studded, world-stopping showcase that it would be if all of France’s big names were available. Wendie Renard, Amandine Henry and Delphine Cascarino are among the many players out due to the COVID-19 outbreak at their club, Lyon.

But the U.S. isn’t underrating the French squad that is here one bit, and for good reason: it’s stacked with outstanding young talent. Defender Perle Morroni and midfielder Grace Geyoro are 23, forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto is 22, and forward Sandy Baltimore is 21. All four play for Paris Saint-Germain, the team that currently leads Lyon in the French league standings and is trying to end Lyon’s 14-year run of titles. Baltimore and Katoto starred in a 3-1 win over England last Friday.

As for the Americans, they learned a few lessons in Saturday’s 1-1 tie with Sweden. Top of the list is that Megan Rapinoe remains an indispensable weapon. And no rival nation knows that better than the one she’ll line up against this week.

» READ MORE: Pennington School alum Alana Cook is on the rise with the USWNT and Paris Saint-Germain

Tuesday, 3 p.m. (UniMás, TUDN, Paramount+)

We aren’t going to run down every UEFA and Concacaf Champions League series this week, just the ones where there’s the most likely potential for second-leg drama. And there could be a whole lot of it in this game.

PSG’s 3-2 win at Bayern in the first leg was a game for the ages, wide open and capped off by a sensational Kylian Mbappé winner. Can they finish the job off at home?

Tuesday, 6 p.m. (FS1, TUDN)

Atlanta’s 1-0 win in Costa Rica to start this Concacaf Champions League round of 16 series was impressive, especially because it played a man down for the entire second half. The second leg will be played amid an even bigger controversy: Six Alajuelense players, including stars Bryan Ruíz and Johan Venegas, can’t travel to the U.S. because of a quarantine mandate after playing with Costa Rica’s national team in Europe last month.

U.S. policy right now is that if you travel from Europe to another country, you must quarantine there for 14 days before entering the United States. Concacaf has refused to postpone the game, and Alajuelense officials are furious.

This will affect the Union too, by the way. Saprissa’s top centerback, Kendall Waston, is under the same mandate and is thus unable to travel to Philadelphia this week.

» READ MORE: Leon Flach fits in right away during Union win in debut on Concacaf Champions League stage

Tuesday, 8 p.m. (FS1, TUDN)

The first leg of this series was a 2-2 tie in Honduras. Portland should be favored coming home, especially with two away goals on the board.

Tuesday, 10 p.m. (FS1, TUDN)

The biggest surprise of the round of 16′s eight first-leg games was Arcahaie holding Mexican power Cruz Azul to a scoreless tie. Cruz Azul should have an easy time of the second leg in Mexico City, but let’s see if the Haitian visitors can make things uncomfortable for a while.

Wednesday, 3 p.m. (Univision, Paramount+)

If Liverpool was coming home to a full house at Anfield trailing 3-1, as it is right now, you’d give them a good chance of coming back. But with the stands empty and Real rolling after a big win over Barcelona, expect the Spanish club to head back home with the series win. Then again ...

» READ MORE: Barcelona soccer’s Martin Braithwaite helps launch a North Philly residence for aspiring tech creators of color

Wednesday, 3 p.m. (Galavisión)

City won the first leg of this series, 2-1, at home, and is undoubtedly the better team on paper. But that margin is small enough that Dortmund has a chance, especially if Erling Haaland can score an early goal.

Wednesday, 6 p.m. (FS1, TUDN)

The first leg of this series was a well-played 1-1 tie in Mexico. Toronto won’t have a true home-field advantage in its home game because it’s being played in suburban Orlando because of Canadian border restrictions. But the Reds are in OK shape to advance. They’ll probably have to win, though, because a tie at any score higher than 1-1 would give the series to León on away goals.

Wednesday, 8 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)

This will be a big test for Gotham in its Challenge Cup opener. Orlando stars Marta and Sydney Leroux will be fired up after blowing a late lead over the weekend at Louisville, while Gotham has to decide whether DiDi Haracic or Mandy McGlynn will start in goal for the (long-term) injured Kailen Sheridan. The midfield matchup between Marta and McCall Zerboni, longtime friends and former teammates many years ago, will be fun to watch.

» READ MORE: A decade after calling Philadelphia home, Estelle Johnson is on a big stage with Gotham FC

Thursday, 3 p.m. (TUDN)

Arsenal’s choke at home in a 1-1 tie in the first leg of this Europa League quarterfinal series was woeful even by their fans’ low standards. Now the Gunners must get a result in the Czech Republic to avoid an embarrassing exit.

Thursday, 7 p.m. (Paramount+)

Both of these teams started their Challenge Cup campaigns in wild fashion: Louisville with its late equalizer against Orlando, and Washington with a 3-2 loss at North Carolina that featured a goal by 18-year-old Trinity Rodman in her pro debut.