Chelsea Legend Claims four clubs that are better than Real Madrid and will win the UEFA Champions League trophy.
Joe Cole thinks four teams have a better chance than Real Madrid to win the 2022–23 Champions League.
Madrid won the European Cup for a record-breaking 14th time in May after defeating Liverpool 1-0 in the championship match.
The team of Carlo Ancelotti won the title for the fifth time in eight years after a remarkable run in the knockout rounds that included three incredible victories over Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Manchester City.
Then, on Wednesday night, Madrid added yet another trophy to their impressive collection by defeating Europa League champion Eintracht Frankfurt to win the UEFA Super Cup.
The BT Sport analysts Cole, Owen Hargreaves, and Joleon Lescott were asked for their Champions League predictions prior to the start of the game.
All three of the former Premier League players are confident that Man City, who have never previously won the Champions League, will do so at the end of the current campaign.
Erling Haaland of City is the pick of Lescott, Cole, and Hargreaves for the competition’s top scorer, while Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona was Hargreaves’ pick.
Lescott and Hargreaves predict that City’s Kevin De Bruyne will win the award for the best player in the competition, contrary to Cole’s prediction that Lewandowski will receive it.
Lescott and Cole believe City star Phil Foden will excel in the Champions League this season as the best young player. Hargreaves selected Pedri of Barcelona.
Joe Cole: Four teams have a better chance of winning the UCL than Madrid
Cole believes Real Madrid won’t be able to defend their European championship despite having won the Super Cup.
The former Chelsea and England star actually thinks four clubs have a better chance of taking home the trophy this season.
The retired midfielder said, “I still think PSG, City, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich are above them.
“I still believe that four teams are more qualified to win the Champions League next year.
They are world-class athletes with a world-class manager, and you have to give them enormous credit for winning the Champions League. But consider how many stars had to line up for that to happen.
“The matchups with Chelsea, Man City, and even the championship game… Courtois needed to play his best game ever. Can they repeat that?
Real Madrid may force Cole to retract his remarks this season, but only time will tell.
When it comes to the Champions League, Los Blancos is the one team you should never rule out.
