Germany legend Lothar Matthaus has named Chelsea among his four favourites for the Champions League this season.
The former Bayern Munich and Inter Milan player was asked about the chances of a Spanish club winning the European competition when he listed off the clubs he thinks will be in contention for the continent’s top prize:
“For me, the favourites for the Champions League are Chelsea, Liverpool, City and Bayern Munich. Barcelona have their problems and Atletico have always been a dangerous team, but they are not as good a team as Liverpool or City.”
Matthaus is bang on in terms of who he believes are the strongest teams in the competition. Chelsea are the reigning European champions so writing them off would certainly be unwise.
Manchester City reached the final last season, while Liverpool always tend to do well in the European Cup, along with Bayern Munich. The omission of Paris Saint-Germain is slightly surprising, considering the strength of their frontline, but there are concerns over whether manager Mauricio Pochettino can create a balanced team.
Chelsea are in a very good position to qualify from their Champions League group, needing just one point from their last matches to mathematically secure their passage to the knockout stages.
