{"id":2197,"date":"2026-03-03T09:48:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T09:48:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2197"},"modified":"2026-03-03T09:48:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T09:48:57","slug":"joe-cole-backs-premier-league-team-to-win-champions-league-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2197","title":{"rendered":"Joe Cole backs Premier League team to win Champions League | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\"Manchester\t<\/div>
Arsenal have a huge chance to end their wait for Champions League glory, says Joe Cole (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Joe Cole has backed Arsenal to win this year\u2019s Champions League, telling fans to \u2018book their tickets\u2019 for the final in Budapest as the draw has \u2018opened up\u2019 for the Gunners.<\/p>\n

Arsenal enjoyed an outstanding group-stage campaign to sail through to the last 16 of this year\u2019s competition, winning eight from eight while conceding only four goals.<\/p>\n

It saw Mikel Arteta\u2019s men finish top of the league phase with a three point advantage over six-time European champions Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n

The Premier League leaders were joined by a strong English contingent in the next round as Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Manchester City also secured top-eight finishes, while Newcastle advanced via the play-offs.<\/p>\n

Last Friday, all eyes were on the round of 16 draw at UEFA\u2019s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where Arsenal discovered that they will be doing battle with Bayer Leverkusen for a place in the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

European heavyweights Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain all find themselves on the other side of the draw, leading fans and pundits alike to talk up Arsenal\u2019s chances of finally breaking their Champions League duck.<\/p>\n

A quarter-final clash against Bodo\/Glimt or Sporting awaits should Arteta\u2019s side come through their two-legged last-16 contest with Leverkusen. Newcastle, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Spurs are the other teams on Arsenal\u2019s side of the draw.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Arsenal\t<\/div>
The Gunners finished the league phase with a 100 per cent record (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"FBL-EUR-C1-DRAW\"\t<\/div>
The Gunners will lock horns with Bayer Leverkusen in the next round (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Every team that has won it for the last ten years is on one side: Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, so it has opened up for Arsenal,\u2019 ex-Chelsea, West Ham and England winger Cole said on The Dressing Room Podcast.<\/p>\n

\u2018I think, personally, it\u2019s going to be an Arsenal versus Manchester City final. I think it will be an epic.<\/p>\n

\u2018I look at it, my only bet would be Arsenal going to the final. I\u2019m not sure on the other side, with Manchester City you still don\u2019t know because there\u2019s too many good teams.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Arsenal get to the final. They\u2019re going to beat Bayer Leverkusen, they ain\u2019t no cop [good], Sporting or Bodo\/Glimt\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

On Arsenal\u2019s chances, Cole concluded: \u2018In summery, the Champions League draw, they\u2019ve opened it up, someone has rolled it across the goal for Arsenal. They cannot blow it\u2026 or can they?<\/p>\n

\u2018Arsenal fans, book your tickets for Budapest, in my opinion.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Hansi\t<\/div>
Barcelona \u2018can\u2019t win\u2019 the Champions League, says Cole (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Five-time winners Barcelona enter their last-16 tie with Eddie Howe\u2019s Newcastle as the slight favourites to progress through to the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

However, Cole is not convinced by the high line that Hansi Flick tends to play and would be shocked to see the La Liga champions go all the way in this year\u2019s competition.<\/p>\n

\u2018Barcelona can\u2019t win it, not with that high line. Hansi Flick plays a high line,\u2019 he explained.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Paris\t<\/div>
PSG thumped Inter in the final to win last year\u2019s Champions League (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018He won the Champions League six years ago with Bayern Munich when it was Covid and he played this way of football.<\/p>\n

\u2018But I think football was a little bit\u2026 with Covid, there\u2019s an asterisk there. I don\u2019t think you can do it again with this Barcelona team.<\/p>\n

\u2018So Arsenal are in the final for me and, yeah, I think they can do it.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Newcastle\t<\/div>
Chelsea have a \u2018very difficult\u2019 task in knocking out the holders, says Cole (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PSG are set to enjoy a week off in between the two legs of their last-16 clash with Chelsea after it was agreed that their Ligue 1 match with Nantes could be moved.<\/p>\n

According to Cole, this gives the Champions League holders a significant advantage and he is anticipating a \u2018very difficult\u2019 couple of games for his former club.<\/p>\n

He said: \u2018In between the two Chelsea games, PSG have just gone, \u201cWe\u2019ll cancel that league game to prepare for it\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u2018Ligue 1 have helped PSG, they\u2019ve moved it. It\u2019s the equivalent of the Premier League going, \u201cYou know what? Forgot that game!\u201d, Chelsea have to play Newcastle at home in between the legs\u2026 it\u2019s a massive advantage [for PSG].<\/p>\n

\u2018So I think Chelsea will find it very difficult to beat PSG under those circumstances.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Will it be Arsenal’s year in the Champions League?<\/h3>\n
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