Wayne Bridge fears it would be one other season of heartache for Premier League teams in Europe’s premier club competition.
Arsenal seem like spearheading the English challenge, however the quadruple chasers were handed something of a reality check against Bayer Leverkusen last week and are on no account certainties to qualify for the quarter finals.
Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City, meanwhile, could have to return from behind in the event that they are to progress and Newcastle, despite creditable draw they earned against Barcelona at St James’ Park, are firmly up against it.
Holders PSG underlined their class every week ago to overpower Bridge’s former side Chelsea and Bayern Munich also sent out an ominous warning by hammering Atalanta and Bridge believes those two heavyweights are the edges to beat because the competition reaches its decisive stage.
‘I said PSG earlier, but my mind keeps changing,’ Bridge told 10bet. ‘I believe Bayern Munich probably have the perfect setup when it comes to their structure and the way organised they’re.
‘But you’ll be able to’t write off PSG and you’ll be able to’t write off Real Madrid either. That’s why I keep changing my mind.
‘Truthfully, it’s just so hard to call. My mind keeps changing. I feel like I should persist with PSG because I said it earlier this morning — but I’m already pondering Bayern Munich. It can be certainly one of those giants anyway!’
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Liam Rosenior was as upbeat and positive in his pre-match conference on Monday ahead of Chelsea’s salvage operation but Bridge fears an unlikely comeback will fail to materialise.
He said: ‘A very powerful thing is to not concede, which is a really tough ask because I all the time think PSG are going to attain.
‘Look, my heart wants Chelsea to undergo, but should you’re asking me truthfully then I’d probably say no, they probably won’t – it’s a tricky ask while you’re 5-2 down from the primary leg.
‘Anything’s possible in football — that’s why they call it the gorgeous game. It’s a large ask though.
‘They will’t concede goals, they need their best players on the pitch, and so they’ve got to be higher than they’ve been recently.
‘After they’ve been leading games and thrown it away or dropped points, they will’t be doing that.
‘Something must change in a short time in the event that they’re going to go and get a result.’
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