Drenthe backs Barca for Champions League glory ahead of PSG

Former Real Madrid midfielder Royston Drenthe believes that Barcelona are the favourites to triumph the Champions League.

Drenthe claimed Paris Saint-Germain person the strongest squad near successful the competition, but cited Barca’s acquisition of winning the contention arsenic crucial.

Hansi Flick’s squad were progressive successful an enthralling first-leg brushwood with Inter past week, playing retired a 3-3 gully successful which Lamine Yamal instrumentality centre stage.

LaLiga leaders Barca marque the travel to San Siro connected Tuesday, hoping to publication their spot successful the last successful Munich aboriginal this month.

Indeed, Barca scope the last successful 55% of Opta’s data-led simulations and are fixed a 27% triumph probability of lifting the crown according to the supercomputer, a full lone bettered by PSG (42%).

Luis Enrique’s side, meanwhile, instrumentality a 1-0 pb heading into their 2nd limb with Arsenal, earning their archetypal triumph implicit the Gunners astatine the sixth attempt.

The recently-crowned Ligue 1 champions person impressed successful the knockout stages of the competition, having finished 15th successful the league signifier of the tournament.

PSG person already knocked retired Liverpool and Aston Villa, portion they besides recorded a 10-0 aggregate triumph implicit Brest successful the play-off round.

“Well, I spot Barcelona arsenic the favourites due to the fact that Barcelona knows what it means to triumph the Champions League,” Drenthe told Stats Perform.

“I spot Paris Saint-Germain arsenic 1 of the strongest teams, with a batch of quality, a batch of quality, with a batch of velocity and besides with a large team.

“I deliberation that Luis Enrique has worked precise good successful the years that helium has been determination and besides that PSG person taken the clip to physique a team, due to the fact that helium was besides suffering successful the aboriginal years, but close present they person a large team, and they person had players similar Messi, Neymar, Mbappe.”

Drenthe besides added that PSG’s Ousmane Dembele was the champion subordinate successful the competition, contempt the array of attacking options astatine Barca’s disposal.

His victor successful the archetypal limb was his eighth extremity successful the Champions League this play – lone Zlatan Ibrahimovic has netted much successful a azygous run for PSG (10 successful 2013-14).

Additionally, Drenthe highlighted the talented young duo of Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola.

“I deliberation the champion subordinate close present is Dembele,” Drenthe said.

“But, for example, the young players similar Doue and the different Barcola, successful midfield, Vitinha and those players. I deliberation they person the strongest team.”

Drenthe, however, did not discount Inter’s chances of upsetting Barca, with Simone Inzaghi’s broadside looking to scope the last for conscionable the 3rd clip successful their history.

Inter are unbeaten successful their past 15 location Champions League games (W12 D3), their champion unbeaten streak successful large European contention since a tally of 27 betwixt 1980 and 1987.

They’ve besides won 9 of their past 11 location semi-final matches successful Europe (D1 L1), and Drenthe said that should they bushed Barca, they volition triumph the Champions League.

“Barca tin triumph the Champions League again, and, well, I deliberation a nine similar Inter, they are similar a rocket,” Drenthe added.

If they triumph against Barca, they volition triumph the Champions League, but it volition beryllium difficult.

“I deliberation Barca volition beryllium playing large determination successful Milan, due to the fact that you person to understand, if you people 3 distant goals, and you inactive don’t triumph the game, good then, those are things, those are issues.

“That’s due to the fact that Barcelona is simply a beardown club, it’s precise hard to triumph it and besides astatine this clip with guys similar Pedri, Lamine Yamal and the squad they have.”