Ron - Thinks all english clubs won't make it
Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 6:34 pmMonday, March 7, 2005
Ronaldinho predicts English woe
Barcelona striker Ronaldinho claims all four English clubs will be eliminated from the Champions League this week.
His sights are set on Chelsea, and the Brazilian, voted FIFA's World Player of the Year for 2004, feels the crop of the continent will prove too strong for the best of the Premiership.
With Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United all trailing from the first legs of their last-16 ties, the odds are stacked against there being significant English interest in the quarter-finals, even if Liverpool lead Bayer Leverkusen 3-1.
Ronaldinho can see no way back for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, declaring Barcelona as '100%' certainties to reach the last eight.
He told the Daily Mirror: 'I'm sure that Barcelona will reach the quarter-finals.
'My predictions would be Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or AC Milan and maybe Inter to challenge. I don't think any of the English sides will do it.'
Barca will look to protect their 2-1 lead from the first leg at the Nou Camp, in which they trailed until the game turned after Didier Drogba's dismissal.
Maxi Lopez and Samuel Eto'o fired the Spaniards to their narrow lead, although Ronaldinho felt the margin of victory could easily have been greater.
'Having seen Chelsea close up I am still 100 per cent confident that we will go through to the quarter-finals,' he added. 'We have a better team than Chelsea and I'm certain that we will score at Stamford Bridge to take us through.
'Chelsea gave us a hard game in the Nou Camp but our performance deserved better than 2-1.'
Where the 23-year-old gives Chelsea credit is in their organisation.
'Chelsea's defence were extremely difficult to break down,' he added. 'Jose Mourinho knew how to keep it tight against us and against me in particular.'
But there has been no love lost between the two clubs of late, with accusations from either side causing tensions ahead of the return leg in London.
Mourinho has alleged that referee Anders Frisk was visited by Barca boss Frank Rijkaard in his dressing room at half-time at the Nou Camp.
Ronaldinho said of Mourinho: 'People don't like the things he says. I prefer to do my talking on the field. I don't listen to what people say before or after a game.'
Ronaldinho predicts English woe
Barcelona striker Ronaldinho claims all four English clubs will be eliminated from the Champions League this week.
His sights are set on Chelsea, and the Brazilian, voted FIFA's World Player of the Year for 2004, feels the crop of the continent will prove too strong for the best of the Premiership.
With Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United all trailing from the first legs of their last-16 ties, the odds are stacked against there being significant English interest in the quarter-finals, even if Liverpool lead Bayer Leverkusen 3-1.
Ronaldinho can see no way back for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, declaring Barcelona as '100%' certainties to reach the last eight.
He told the Daily Mirror: 'I'm sure that Barcelona will reach the quarter-finals.
'My predictions would be Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or AC Milan and maybe Inter to challenge. I don't think any of the English sides will do it.'
Barca will look to protect their 2-1 lead from the first leg at the Nou Camp, in which they trailed until the game turned after Didier Drogba's dismissal.
Maxi Lopez and Samuel Eto'o fired the Spaniards to their narrow lead, although Ronaldinho felt the margin of victory could easily have been greater.
'Having seen Chelsea close up I am still 100 per cent confident that we will go through to the quarter-finals,' he added. 'We have a better team than Chelsea and I'm certain that we will score at Stamford Bridge to take us through.
'Chelsea gave us a hard game in the Nou Camp but our performance deserved better than 2-1.'
Where the 23-year-old gives Chelsea credit is in their organisation.
'Chelsea's defence were extremely difficult to break down,' he added. 'Jose Mourinho knew how to keep it tight against us and against me in particular.'
But there has been no love lost between the two clubs of late, with accusations from either side causing tensions ahead of the return leg in London.
Mourinho has alleged that referee Anders Frisk was visited by Barca boss Frank Rijkaard in his dressing room at half-time at the Nou Camp.
Ronaldinho said of Mourinho: 'People don't like the things he says. I prefer to do my talking on the field. I don't listen to what people say before or after a game.'
