Former Chelsea star makes bold Champions League prediction after the Group Stage draws
Ex-Chelsea player Joe Cole believes Chelsea can already begin scouting hotels and venues for the business end of the Champions League after discovering their group stage opponents. Chelsea are the reigning champions and Joe Cole feels confident that Chelsea will go very far if not all the way in this year’s Champions League campaign.
Thomas Tuchel’s side were joined in Group H by Juventus, Zenit Saint Petersburg and Malmo as the draws were confirmed on Thursday. The Blues go into the competition as defending champions as Tuchel led the club to the Champions League title in his first season in charge. Chelsea beat Manchester City at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao in the Champions League final back in may to claim the title.
It is a relatively easy group and Chelsea would be happy to avoid the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and PSG, and while Chelsea will have to be wary of the two-time European champions Juventus, Joe Cole seems to think that given the rest of the group, his former club will book their place in the knockout stages with ease.
Ex-Chelsea winger Joe Cole thinks Chelsea do not have a lot to worry about in the group stages.
In an interview with BT Sport, Cole said: “Juventus, they’re not the threat that they would have been two or three years ago when they seemed to be beating everyone. Malmo is the enigma – they’ve not been in the competition for a while but that’s a good away trip. The fans are going to enjoy that one. Zenit St Petersburg, that’s where the final is going to be. I don’t want to get above myself but they can start scouting hotels and venues.”
As with the other Premier League teams, last year’s runner-up Manchester City were drawn with Paris Saint Germain, RB Leipzig and Club Brugge in Group A. Moving on to the other team in Manchester, Manchester United were grouped with Villarreal, Atalanta and Young Boys on their return to the Champions League.
Liverpool was arguably given the toughest draw of all the English teams, being clubbed together with Atletico Madrid, FC Porto and AC Milan in Group B, which is this year’s supposed “Group Of Death”.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp took to the draw quite well, saying that even though Liverpool have a tough group, they are determined to do well in the new Champions League season. This thought will surely be common for every Premier League club as they prepare for the 2021/22 Champions League campaign.