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'Juventus in disarray & Barcelona a mess!' - Cole thinks Chelsea capable of going far in Champions League
The former Blues winger believes Frank Lampard’s exciting young squad are competing for major honours at home and abroad in 2020-21
Joe Cole believes Chelsea are fast becoming serious Champions League contenders due to the difficulties being endured by others.
Frank Lampard’s side are safely through to the last 16 in continental competition this season, with a four-goal salvo from Olivier Giroud seeing them crush Sevilla in their last outing.
Serious momentum is being established at home and abroad by an exciting young squad.
Big money was pumped into the Stamford Bridge squad over the summer, with an immediate return now being offered on that investment.
Chelsea have positioned themselves among the early frontrunners in the Premier League, while Champions League glory could be there to aim at.
Cole sees no reason why the west London giants cannot come into the mix there, with Juventus considered to be “in a bit of disarray” while Barcelona are “a mess”.
There is still time for heavyweight outfits to rediscover their punching power, allowing them to become serious threats in the knockout stages, but for now there are few clubs that can claim to be progressing as positively as Chelsea.
“There's a fearlessness about them. Second youngest squad in the Premier League,” the former Blues star told BT Sport.
“And those names you see. You might think: ‘Ah, Juventus are still there and so are Barcelona’, but if you look at each club individually at the moment, Juventus are in a bit of disarray, Barcelona's a mess, Real Madrid, the manager is hanging on in there.
“It’s open to anyone. Manchester City, Liverpool. We could even have a situation where all four English teams are in the last four.
“I look at those teams that are through already and none of them scare me. And I think Chelsea are right up there with the form teams, 15 games unbeaten and it's looking rosy for them right now.”
Chelsea will be back in action on Saturday evening when they play host to Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds United.
Their Group E campaign in Europe will be wrapped up with a home date against Krasnodar, with Lampard’s side already preparing themselves for the last-16 draw.
