Real Madrid & Barcelona Are Favourites To Win Champions League But Manchester United Have Great Spirit – England’s Fabio Capello

Three Lions' head coach believes Spanish sides could conquer Europe this season but warns against taking England’s most successful club lightly

15-Apr-2011 6:35:00 AM

By Subhankar Mondal

More On :  Barcelona, England, Real Madrid, Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello - Real Madrid (AFP)

England national football team coach Fabio Capello believes that Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are the favourites to win the Champions League this season.

The duo confront each other in the last four of the competition for the first time since 2001-02. The other semi-final this season is between Manchester United and Schalke.

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Capello coached Madrid in 1996-97 and 2006-07 and on both occasions led the Whites to the Primera Division title. The Italian believes that his former club as well as their arch-rivals Barcelona can win Europe’s premier club competition but warns against taking Man United lightly.

“They [Madrid and Barca] are the favourites but watch out for United, a team with great spirit,” said the 64-year-old, according to Spanish sports daily Marca.

Madrid and Barca will play each other four times in the space of just 18 days in three different competitions, and looking ahead to the matches Capello said: ”A clasico is the most interesting game there can be in football.

“Madrid have so much quality, but Barca’s football is different. What matters in these games is the result, the rest are just words.”

Capello further showered praise on Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, who in his first season at the Bernabeu has led the nine-time European champions to their first Champions League semi-finals in eight years as well as to the Copa del Rey final.

“He is a coach who manages the players very well,” enthused the former Milan and Juventus tactician. “He gives a lot of spirit and a winning mentality to the team, and also acts as a psychologist to the players.”

The first of the four Clasicos between Madrid and Barcelona will be in the Primera Division on Saturday evening. Mourinho’s team are eight points behind leaders Barca in second place in the table.

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