Joe Cole does not believe Premier League champions Arsenal will win the Champions League this season.
Many pundits expect Mikel Arteta’s side to go one better after reaching the Champions League final last term.
The Gunners, who clinched their first Premier League title since 2004, went ahead in May’s Champions League final but failed to hold onto their lead before losing to PSG on penalties.
Arsenal kick-start their Champions League campaign on Wednesday night against Napoli and look well placed for another European challenge.
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Arteta bolstered his title-winning squad with the signings of Brazil star Bruno Guimaraes, England international Ezri Konsa and Greece winger Christos Tzolis over the summer.
The Gunners are yet to put a foot wrong in the Premier League, beating Coventry City, Aston Villa and Chelsea in their opening three games.
Arsenal have been installed as the joint-favourites to win the Champions League alongside Barcelona and PSG, but Cole believes their wait for the European trophy will go on.
Asked to reveal his Champions League prediction on the opening night of the competition, Cole said on TNT Sports: ‘I’ve gone for Real Madrid.
‘You look at Jose Mourinho going back there and the fact the final is at Atletico’s ground. The man is just a walking Hollywood story of a manager and I can just see him doing it.
‘A lot of people have written him off but I think he’s still top-drawer and actually is better suited working with that level of elite players.
‘I fancy them. Ultimately it’s about the players but you need that mix with the manager.
‘The only problem they need to solve is Kylian Mbappe but they can get him firing and get the team working around him. Vinicius staying was massive for the club as well.
‘I think there’s something in the air with Real Madrid, I fancy them in the Champions League this season.’
Mourinho’s Real Madrid kick-started their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Inter Milan on Tuesday night.
Los Blancos, who lost to Real Betis at the weekend to slip three points behind La Liga champions Barcelona, were far from at their best against Inter but took control through first-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Federico Valverde.
Inter got a deserved goal back on 77 minutes through Carlos Augusto but the Italian champions were unable to find an equaliser as Real Madrid held on for a narrow opening European win.
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