Wayne Rooney predicts Champions League winner after Chelsea beat Barcelona

Wayne Rooney has revealed his Champions League prediction after Chelsea’s impressive victory over Barcelona.

Chelsea thumped La Liga champions Barca 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to climb into the top-eight of the Champions League – where teams qualify automatically for the knockout stages.

Barcelona were one of the favourites to win the Champions League last season but conceded two late goals in a dramatic semi-final defeat to eventual runners-up Inter Milan.

Chelsea, meanwhile, were not even in Europe’s top cup competition last season, instead winning the vastly inferior Conference League.

Enzo Maresca’s side are showing signs they can not only compete but challenge for the Champions League, but Rooney believes another Premier League club have a ‘good chance’ of winning the competition.

Premier League leaders Arsenal boast a perfect record in Europe ahead of their clash with German champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.

The Gunners have not had the easiest run of fixtures but wins over Athletic Bilbao, Olympiakos, Atletico Madrid and Slavia Prague has put Arsenal on course for another deep Champions League run.

Arsenal’s perfect record will be put to the test on Wednesday as Bundesliga leaders Bayern – also yet to drop any points in the Champions League – visit the Emirates Stadium.

Before Mikel Arteta’s side try to make it five wins from five in Europe, Rooney has backed Arsenal to win the Champions League due to their strong squad and impressive recruitment.

After predicting Arsenal would lift the Champions League trophy, Rooney told MailSport: ‘I think they have got as good a chance as they’ve had for a long time.

‘The whole squad they’ve put together, I think it’s got good players obviously starting [and] good players on the bench to come in if they get injuries as well.

‘I think the recruitment has been really good, and they’ve been really strong in the Premier League. If they can take that form into the Champions League, they have a good chance.’

Arsenal have also been backed to win their first Champions League by John Obi Mikel, who won the competition with Chelsea.

‘This season I think it’s Arsenal’s to lose,’ he said on The Obi One Podcast. ‘If Arsenal and Mikel Arteta don’t win the Premier League… the squad, the depth they have, is frightening.

‘They have the best squad not just in the Premier League, not just in England, in world football right now. I bet you there’s no better squad depth than Arsenal’s.

‘We’re talking about the Premier League but I think they can go on to win the Champions League, this is how good Arsenal are.

‘It’s scary, I’m telling you, the squad they have, the players they have, there’s something there, I can feel it now, finally Arsenal are ready.’

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