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Barcelona a cut above all of their Champions League rivals, says 1982 World Cup-winning Italy legend Fulvio Collovati
The former Italian international thinks that the Catalans are close to unstoppable but he does believe that Serie A's finest can do some damage in the knockout stages
16 Dec 2011 10:58:00
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EXCLUSIVE
By Kris Voakes
Fulvio Collovati is hoping that Italy’s three remaining representatives in the Champions League avoid Barcelona in Friday’s draw for the last 16.
Inter, AC Milan and Napoli have all qualified to the knockout stages and the 1982 World Cup winner believes that all three have the ability to progress further – provided that they avoid a meeting with the reigning European champions.
“I would say the only team to avoid is Barcelona,” he told Goal.com. “Objectively it seems that they are out of the reach of everyone else.
“I believe that Barcelona will be the team that nobody really wants to meet, and they will all do well to fear Barcelona.”
Real Madrid would also look to represent a very tough draw for either AC Milan or Napoli, both of whom finished runners-up in their respective pools and are therefore unseeded.
However, while the latter have struggled to compete on two fronts so far this season, Collovati believes that Walter Mazzarri’s counterattacking side could cause the Spanish outfit all sorts of problems.
“Look, Napoli, by my reckoning, are the one team among the three Italians that can do most harm away from home,” he argued.
“They have players of great speed like Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani and they know how to perform away from home. Just look at what they did at Manchester City.
"Real Madrid don’t have an extraordinary defence and could also suffer from Napoli’s speed.”
Collovati is more concerned about Inter, who are progressing well under new coach Claudio Ranieri but remain a pale imitation of the side that lifted the Champions League trophy in 2010.
“Inter are a big question mark right now,” he admitted. “They are a side that can beat anyone, but at the same time have problems with everyone.
“So I would say that it depends more on Inter than on the club that they must face.”
As for Inter’s local rivals, AC Milan, Collovati believes that the Rossoneri are capable of beating everyone bar Barcelona.
“Milan are an experienced team, the most experienced of the three Italians,” he pointed out. “It seems to me that they know their stuff and can do well against everyone.”
However, Collovati did conceded that drawing either Chelsea or Arsenal would not be ideal for Milan.
“I believe that the English teams are annoying,” he said. “They can cause many problems. Chelsea are coming back.
“The return of [Didier] Drogba to the starting lineup has changed them, and now the Blues are a tricky team and difficult to break down.
“Arsenal are also not to be underestimated. After Barcelona and Real Madrid, the English clubs are the most difficult to confront.”
The one other side that Collovati is wary of is Bayern Munich, who topped Napoli’s pool and are in good form domestically.
“They are a wonderful team, but I’d say that at the back they are a little fragile,” he claimed.
By Kris Voakes
Fulvio Collovati is hoping that Italy’s three remaining representatives in the Champions League avoid Barcelona in Friday’s draw for the last 16.
Inter, AC Milan and Napoli have all qualified to the knockout stages and the 1982 World Cup winner believes that all three have the ability to progress further – provided that they avoid a meeting with the reigning European champions.
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“I would say the only team to avoid is Barcelona,” he told Goal.com. “Objectively it seems that they are out of the reach of everyone else.
“I believe that Barcelona will be the team that nobody really wants to meet, and they will all do well to fear Barcelona.”
Real Madrid would also look to represent a very tough draw for either AC Milan or Napoli, both of whom finished runners-up in their respective pools and are therefore unseeded.
However, while the latter have struggled to compete on two fronts so far this season, Collovati believes that Walter Mazzarri’s counterattacking side could cause the Spanish outfit all sorts of problems.
“Look, Napoli, by my reckoning, are the one team among the three Italians that can do most harm away from home,” he argued.
“They have players of great speed like Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani and they know how to perform away from home. Just look at what they did at Manchester City.
"Real Madrid don’t have an extraordinary defence and could also suffer from Napoli’s speed.”
Collovati is more concerned about Inter, who are progressing well under new coach Claudio Ranieri but remain a pale imitation of the side that lifted the Champions League trophy in 2010.
“Inter are a big question mark right now,” he admitted. “They are a side that can beat anyone, but at the same time have problems with everyone.
“So I would say that it depends more on Inter than on the club that they must face.”
As for Inter’s local rivals, AC Milan, Collovati believes that the Rossoneri are capable of beating everyone bar Barcelona.
“Milan are an experienced team, the most experienced of the three Italians,” he pointed out. “It seems to me that they know their stuff and can do well against everyone.”
However, Collovati did conceded that drawing either Chelsea or Arsenal would not be ideal for Milan.
“I believe that the English teams are annoying,” he said. “They can cause many problems. Chelsea are coming back.
“The return of [Didier] Drogba to the starting lineup has changed them, and now the Blues are a tricky team and difficult to break down.
“Arsenal are also not to be underestimated. After Barcelona and Real Madrid, the English clubs are the most difficult to confront.”
The one other side that Collovati is wary of is Bayern Munich, who topped Napoli’s pool and are in good form domestically.
“They are a wonderful team, but I’d say that at the back they are a little fragile,” he claimed.
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