Barcelona have too much for Milan, says Kluivert

Dec 27, 2012 12:25:00 PM

The former Netherlands striker believes the Liga leaders are the "absolute favourites" for the tie between the two teams in Europe's elite club competition

AC Milan will find it extremely difficult to beat Barcelona in the round of 16 of the Champions League, according to Patrick Kluivert.

The European giants are set to go head-to-head in knockout stages of the tournament, and the former Blaugrana striker is under no illusions as to which team should be considered favourites.

"Barca are on another level," the Netherlands assistant coach told Mundo Deportivo. "They are the absolute favourites for the Champions League and bad things would have to happen to Barca for Milan to eliminate them.

"Milan are certainly a good team and will forever be competitive. The Italian League is difficult. But Barca have too much for them and I would say that about any team.

“Milan have lost two very important players, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva. Barca instead have maintained the same structure as the winning team with Pep Guardiola. Nothing seems to have changed with Tito Vilanova.

"In fact, the way they play has the same basis as the first year of [Frank] Rijkaard, which was also my last year at the club."

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