"Chelsea took nine years" - Zlatan Ibrahimovic backs PSG & Pochettino for UEFA Champions League glory
Former PSG star Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes the Parisians are on the right path to winning their first-ever Champions League title.
The Ligue 1 giants have won everything on their domestic circuit. But they are yet to get their hands on the Champions League despite signing some world class players in the last decade or so.
Reaching the final in 2020 and finishing runners-up was their best ever result, but they will hope to end their wait this season.
๐ฃ Karim Benzema: "PSG game? It's coming up. Does it excite me? It's a Champions League match, we know that these games are always difficult. I'd have preferred to face other team. Unfortunately, it's PSG.โ https://t.co/B5SlLnnxfN
Ibrahimovic, who played for the Paris-based side from 2012 to 2016, explained winning the Champions League is not a simple process but added that the club are doing what they need to do.
"Leading the world is not done in twenty-four hours. It's a marathon with ups and downs. Chelsea took nine years [to win the Champions League] after being bought by Roman Abramovich. Coaching and managing such a talented squad is not easy. From what I can see, PSG is doing what it has to do," Ibrahimovic told Le Journal du Dimanche.
PSG have an experienced squad to win the Champions League title
After falling short in 2020, PSG arguably have a stronger squad this time around. The Parisians added Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos and Gianluigi Donnarumma over the summer.
Both Messi and Ramos have won numerous Champions League titles with Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.
While the two are yet to really hit their stride in Paris, they will be key for the French side in the second half of the season.
Mauricio Pochettino too has the experience of leading a team to the final of the Champions League to eventually fall short.
Sergio Ramos scored 101 goals and managed 41 assists in 671 Real Madrid games, serious numbers for a centre-back - here's his first PSG goal.
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With a star-studded team and a talented manager, the French giants have the right ingredients to win the Champions League this season.
Pochettino needs his side to play more as a unit, however. After finishing second in their group, they have been handed a tough Round of 16 clash against Real Madrid.
The Spanish side are one of the in-form teams in Europe after a rough start to the season under Carlo Ancelotti, and have players who have been there and done it before.