SM
Inter Milan vs. Como: 11 hrs 52 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
PL
Champions League | Quarter-Finals
Apr 2, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
CL

3-1

Lavezzi (4'), Luiz (61' og.), Pastore (90')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Hazard (27' pen.)

Michael Duberry: 'Chelsea's experience will count for little against PSG'

:Headline: Michael Duberry: 'Chelsea's experience will count for little against PSG': ID:147704: from db_amp
Talking to Sports Mole, Michael Duberry insists that Chelsea's Champions League experience will not aid them during their quarter-final with Paris Saint-Germain.

Michael Duberry has told Sports Mole that Chelsea's experience of the Champions League will not necessarily give them an advantage during their quarter-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Many of the predicted starting lineup for tonight's first leg in the Parc des Princes won the competition with the Blues in 2012, while manager Jose Mourinho has lifted the trophy on two occasions during his stints with Porto and Inter Milan.

In contrast, in the PSG squad, only Thiago Motta and Maxwell have winners' medals and coach Laurent Blanc has minimal involvement in the tournament from his time with Bordeaux.

However, former Chelsea centre-back Duberry believes that the quality of player at Blanc's disposal makes the tie a relatively even one.

"They've got Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who gets a lot of praise and hype, and they have other very good players as well," said the 38-year-old.

"Blanc has huge experience form playing for France and the majority of their players are internationals. Even though they haven't won the competition, they will have that hunger and desire, which will drive them on. As a club, they are a novice in Champions League terms, but with the money they've spent, there is nothing novice about that."

Ever since the Qatar Investment Authority gained ownership of the Ligue 1 outfit in 2011, top stars such as Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva have flocked to the French capital.

It is a scenario that Duberry feels is comparable to when Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took control at Stamford Bridge 11 years ago.

"It's similar to Chelsea years ago when they started investing heavily in the transfer market. PSG have a quest [to win the Champions League]. Whether it happens this year, I'm not so sure. They might need a few campaigns to get used to the grind of the Champions League," he added.

"A lot of the other top European clubs have a history in the Champions League. Before the money, Chelsea didn't. Abramovich wanted to dominate Europe and after they had invested in some big names, they established themselves as a force."

"Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United - they all have a history with the competition, but PSG are more like Chelsea. They've had a short affiliation with the tournament, but they want to be the top team in Europe. They are using the Chelsea blueprint and Manchester City are trying to do the same."

Duberry has also had his say on the battle between Chelsea's centre-backs and Ibrahimovic. Find out what he had to say here

amp_article__147704 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2014-04-02 22:51:06:
html db last update - 2014-04-02 22:51:06 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Thiago Motta

Click here for more stories about Chelsea

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .