With February almost over, the end of another football season is crawling into sight, which means the UEFA Champions League is set to return for another mouthwatering knockout stage.
Barcelona move into the last 16 as runaway favourites to retain the trophy but they have to get past Arsenal (again) in the tie of the round. Elsewhere, Zinedine Zidane could complete a modern fairytale by leading Real to another European crown, Paris Saint-Germain have every reason to believe their ready to be Kings of Europe and Pep Guardiola will be determined to sign off on his time at Bayern Munich with Champions League glory.
Now sitting comfortably in the commentary box as an expert analyst for BT Sport, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester United legend Michael Owen gives us the lowdown on the Champions League knockout stages, Zinedine Zidane's leadership and why Louis van Gaal is lucky to still be at Manchester United.
Interview:Corey Pellatt
Barcelona are the favourites to lift the trophy again in May. How much chance do you give Arsenal of causing an upset and overcoming Messi, Suarez and Neymar?
I don’t give them much chance. If you’re going to beat Barcelona, you’ve almost got to admit defeat and say ‘they are a better footballing team than us and if we go head-to-head we get beat’ – you’ve got to stick numbers at the back, Chelsea showed us how to do it a few seasons ago. You’ve just got to put numbers behind the ball and counter-attack.
Speaking as a striker who scored goals at the highest level, do you think Olivier Giroud is good enough to win big games like this for Arsenal?
I do rate Giroud. I can understand that if you’re an Arsenal fan and you look around and see Messi at Barcelona, Ronaldo at Madrid, Aguero at City…you think Giroud’s not in that league, and I admit that, but he’s very good. He’s harshly criticised.
Arsenal needed players in other positions more than his over the years but he’s taken the brunt of it. He scores a lot of goals and he’s a big lad that brings other people into play. I understand what you’re saying and if Arsenal did get a world-class player it’d enhance the team but I do like him. I’d feel it’s harsh to bring someone else ahead of him.
Chelsea are probably as weak as we’ve seen them in the Abramovich era. Will PSG see them as ideal last-16 opponents if they’re to finally make a genuine assault on Europe?
I think they’re a really good team and you could almost put them with the big three of Madrid, Barca and Bayern. If they go deep into this tournament you’d have to say they’re the real deal – they certainly look it in their domestic league – but they haven’t done it in Europe yet, have they? They breezed through qualification so we’ll see if they’re in that top group.
I'm sure he [zlatan] could still cut it but he'd be an awful lot of money and whether he'd be worth that money is debatable.
It looks likely that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will leave Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, do you think he still represents a smart acquisition for a Premier League team?
I’m sure he could still cut it but he’d be an awful lot of money and whether he’d be worth that money is debatable. I figure you could spend that money and get something that’d last a little bit longer. His record is phenomenal in terms of the titles he’s won and the clubs he’s played for, it’s mindblowing. I still don’t put him in the league of Suarez, Messi or Ronaldo but I’m sure he’d do a great job for a top team – I just wouldn’t be in any rush to buy him.
Another player in the headlines and set for a new club this summer is John Terry – how have you felt seeing that situation play out?
I always get uncomfortable at the end of great players’ careers when they’ve been at a club for so long, I must admit. I think Manchester United have done it impeccably over the years, look at the way Sir Alex Ferguson managed the likes of Scholes and Giggsy...not only managed from a playing point of view but off the field as well, finding roles coaching for them or elsewhere within the club. I think they had it absolutely spot on.
Then you watch with sadness when you see Steven Gerrard being a player at Liverpool for so long and that ending in a way that I don’t think anyone was happy with. I don’t think fans are happy losing an icon like that. The likes of Frank Lampard and John Terry have been synonymous with Chelsea for so long, I just hope everything is amicable and people keep their dignity. Chelsea have every right to be ruthless but I hope it ends well.
Do you think we’ve seen anything to suggest Manchester City can make a bigger impression in Europe than in previous years?
No, I don’t think so. Inevitably they probably will go further but I don’t think it’s because they’re all of a sudden a different team – they qualified with a game to spare but not convincingly. They’ve been given a pretty good draw so they’re looking good to make the quarterfinals but I don’t think it’s because of any change. The players have stayed pretty much the same and there’s not too much tactical difference but they’ll probably go the furthest out of all the British teams.
What’s the first thing Pep Guardiola needs to do when he steps off that plane and becomes Man City manager in the summer?
I think centre half is a big problem, Kompany doesn’t look like he’s going to stay fit for a long period of time and he’s at that age where injuries pile up. I think City more than anyone – because they play an expressive style of football – expose their centre halves. I think they can get unfair criticism and other clubs that play a defensive way can have their centre backs lauded for nothing at all, really. If you’re going to play that way you need your centre halves to have a bit of pace. I’d be more interested to see how they play and how Pep sets them up – it’ll be fascinating to see.
What do you make of Zinedine Zidane’s impact at Real Madrid?
Good and I’m pleased that he’s doing well; obviously I played with him during my time there and the fans are right behind him, it’s the type of dream appointment that everyone wants to see work out. He was an attacking player himself so it’s no surprise they’ve scored loads of goals under his reign already. But as we all know, in Spain, you’ve got only four or six meaningful games a season where you’re tested and he hasn’t had any of those yet.
When you were playing with him in Spain, did you see leadership qualities in him?
I wasn’t sure whether he’d go into management or not. He certainly had a lot of respect but he didn’t say too much and when people don’t say too much you’re naturally a little wary of what they’re thinking. He’s certainly a nice fella and he made me feel very welcome there, the crowd idolises him. He’s got so many things going for him so if he has got a real knack for being a good manager, it’ll be great for everyone. He possesses things that you just can’t teach.
How will Leicester City do in next season’s Champions League?
It’s going to be the most fascinating thing to see develop because they’ve basically qualified haven’t they? They’re gonna be in the Champions League! I’ll be fascinated to see how they do it – are they going to consolidate everything and just grow organically or say we’re here, let’s stay here for a long time and splash all this cash because – in all honesty – you’d be a brave man to say Leicester are safe from relegation next season. They could get relegated if they stick to what they’ve got.
I’d be surprised if Louis van Gaal is manager next season...I don't know what's positive about it, really."
Your old club Manchester United won’t be in the knockout stages of the Champions League, but they are in the Europa League. How seriously do you see Louis van Gaal taking it?
I think they’ll take it reasonably seriously, the manager’s under pressure so he can’t just go and play his kids and get knocked out. They’re out of the League Cup, they’re not going to win the League and I don’t think they’ll make the top four – what have they got to play for? They’ve got to give the Europa League a go.
As someone who played at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson, are you as dismayed by the current set up as other United legends?
Yeah, I’d be surprised if Louis van Gaal is manager next season. If you look at what he’s done since he’s been at the club...in his first season he got knocked out of the FA Cup by Arsenal, he got knocked out of the Capital One Cup by MK Dons 4-0 and he scraped into fourth place for the Champions League. Some people saw that as success but I saw that as bare minimum.
This season, he’s been knocked out of the Champions League in an average group, knocked out by lower league opposition in the Capital One Cup again and they’ve got no chance of the Premier League. In amongst all that, you watch them and it’s rubbish. I don’t know what’s positive about it, really.
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