Chelsea Icon Surprisingly Rules Barcelona out of Winning the Champions League
- Joe Cole believes Barcelona’s defensive weaknesses will prevent them from winning the UEFA Champions League this season
- Despite progressing to the semi-finals with a 5-3 aggregate win, Hansi Flick’s side suffered a 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night
- Cole pointed out how easily they were "carved open" at the back, while Owen Hargreaves also raised concerns about their risky high defensive line
Ex-Chelsea playmaker Joe Cole is still backing PSG to win the Champions League and has surprisingly ruled Barcelona out of winning the competition.
The French champions edged past Villa 5-4 on aggregate in the quarter-finals to book their place in the semis, where they will face either Arsenal or Real Madrid.
Source: Getty Images
Speaking to TNT Sports, Cole reaffirmed his support for PSG:
"Absolutely. I’m doubling down," he said. "We all remember the old PSG — dominant in Ligue 1 but lacking the structure to win in Europe. This new direction is working, and I really fancy them to go all the way."
Cole praised the club's transformation and credited their improved tactical discipline and squad balance as key reasons why they can finally lift the elusive trophy this year.
Cole unconvinced by Barcelona’s chances
While Barcelona also progressed to the semi-finals — beating Borussia Dortmund 5-3 on aggregate despite a second-leg loss — Cole remains skeptical of their chances of winning the tournament. The Spanish league leaders will now face either Bayern Munich or Inter Milan in the next round.
"Barcelona showed some frailties tonight," Cole said. "They were carved open far too easily, and that high defensive line will cost them against a team like Bayern or Inter."
Despite giving credit to Dortmund for their spirited performance, Cole believes Barca’s youthful side still has more to learn about navigating two-legged European ties.
"They’re a talented young group, and they’ll go close in the next year or two, but this season might be too soon for them," he added. "They’ll take important lessons from this experience."
Source: Getty Images
Hargreaves echoes concerns over Barcelona's defence
Cole wasn’t the only one expressing doubts about Barcelona. Fellow pundit Owen Hargreaves agreed, highlighting the team's vulnerability at the back as a major concern ahead of the semi-finals.
"You have to give Dortmund credit," Hargreaves said. "They created a lot of chances across both legs. Barca’s high line is always a gamble — they score a lot, but they also give teams openings."
While acknowledging Barcelona's attacking firepower, Hargreaves questioned whether they could handle stronger opposition defensively.
"They looked vulnerable today, and semi-final opponents will see that as a weakness to exploit," he concluded.
Vinicius warns of resurgence against Partey's Arsenal
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Vinicius Jr warned Arsenal ahead of their Champions League second-leg tie in Madrid.
The 24-year-old had a quiet outing as the Gunners outclassed the Spanish giants in the first encounter, but said their comeback would be fierce.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
