Why You Can Trust CNET Watch Champions League Soccer: Livestream Manchester City vs. Real Madrid From Anywhere
Will Pep Guardiola or Carlo Ancelotti come out on top in the decisive second leg of this quarterfinal at the Etihad Stadium?
After a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Bernabéu last Tuesday, there's a mouth-watering second leg in store at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday as Man City host Real Madrid -- with a place in the UEFA Champions League semifinals the reward for the victor.
Defending champs City had looked on course for a memorable away win last week after left-back Joško Gvardiol hit a superb right-foot shot to give the English Premier League side a 3-2 lead in the 71st minute, only for Real to claim a draw via a stunning volley from Federico Valverde eight minutes later.
Aurélien Tchouaméni misses out for Real after picking up a yellow card last week, triggering a suspension, while Ederson is expected to start in goal for the home side in favor of Stefan Ortega, who played in the first leg.
Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services for watching every game wherever you are in the world. Viewers in the US can even watch Wednesday's match for free -- if you have an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV.
City's Phil Foden, in the form of his life, scored an absolute worldie in the first leg.
Manchester City vs. Real Madrid: When and where?
Manchester City play Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, April 17. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. BST local time in the UK, which is 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT in the US and Canada, and 5 a.m. AEST on Wednesday, April 17, in Australia.
How to watch Man City vs. Real Madrid online from anywhere using a VPN
If you're unable to view Champions League matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the action; that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN can stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you want an extra layer of privacy for your devices and log-ins while traveling and using various Wi-Fi networks.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to access the game. If your internet provider or mobile carrier assigns an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can fix that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. Be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it suspects is circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the great VPN deals taking place right now.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 35% -- the equivalent of $8.32 a month -- if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Livestream Man City vs. Real Madrid in the US
Wednesday's Man City vs. Real Madrid game is on CBS nationally. The good news for soccer fans is that CBS is available on most of the major live TV streaming services. The least expensive option is Paramount Plus.
Paramount Plus has two main subscription plans in the US: Essential for $6 a month and Premium for $12 a month. Both offer coverage of the Champions League.
The cheaper Essential option has ads for on-demand streaming. It also lacks live CBS feeds and the ability to download shows to watch offline later. Newcomers can take advantage of a 30-day free trial, while students may qualify for a 25% discount. Black Friday savings are also still available, though we don't know how long for.
Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local CBS stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo. They all cost far more than Paramount Plus, but they also carry many live channels, including channels like Fox and ESPN. Check out our live TV streaming services guide for details.
YouTube TV costs $73 a month and includes CBS. Plug in your ZIP code on YouTube TV's welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area. Read our YouTube TV review.
Fubo costs $75 a month and includes CBS in most markets. Click here to see which local channels you get. Read our Fubo review.
Hulu Plus Live TV costs $77 a month and includes CBS in most markets. On its live news page, you can enter your ZIP code under the "Can I watch local news in my area?" question at the bottom of the page to see which local channels you get. Read our Hulu with Live TV review.
DirecTV Stream's basic $80-a-month Entertainment package includes CBS in most markets. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels are available where you live. Read our DirecTV Stream review.
All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.
An over-the-air antenna connected to your TV provides another option for CBS. The best part about antennas is that there are no streaming or monthly fees required, though you will need to make sure you have good reception.
Livestream Man City vs. Real Madrid in the UK
TNT Sports has Champions League live broadcast rights in the UK.
Formerly BT Sport, TNT Sports is offering Champions League matches exclusively live this season to viewers in the UK. You can access TNT Sports in the same way as its predecessor, including via Sky Q as a TV package, as well as by streaming online. It costs £30 either way and comes in a package that includes Discovery Plus' library of documentary content.
Livestream Manchester City vs. Real Madrid in Canada
If you want to stream UCL games live in Canada, subscribe to DAZN Canada. The service has exclusive broadcast rights to the Champions League this season.
A DAZN subscription costs CA$30 a month or CA$200 a year. It will also give you access to Europa League and EFL Championship soccer, Six Nations rugby and WTA tennis.
As well as dedicated apps for iOS and Android, there's a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs.
Livestream Man City vs. Real Madrid in Australia
Football fans Down Under can watch UCL matches on streaming service Stan Sport, which has exclusive rights to show the Champions League live in Australia this season.
Stan Sport will set you back AU$10 a month (on top of a AU$10 Stan subscription), but the streaming service is currently offering a seven-day free trial.
A subscription will also give you access to Europa League and Europa Conference League action, as well as international rugby and Formula E.
Quick tips for streaming UEFA Champions League matches using a VPN
- With four variables at play (your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN), your experience and success when streaming Champions League games may vary.
- If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.
- If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs including Roku don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main sites for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- Remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We recommend Brave.