Joe Cole makes Champions League prediction after Arsenal, Barcelona and PSG wins

Joe Cole has revealed his tip to win the Champions League after Arsenal, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain impressed in the quarter-final stage.

Arsenal will take a commanding lead to the Bernabeu for next week’s return leg after thumping holders Real Madrid 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

Real have consistently found a way in recent editions of the Champions League but will need a miracle to overturn a three-goal deficit against the Premier League runners-up.

In Tuesday’s other quarter-final first leg, Serie A side Inter Milan edged out German giants Bayern Munich 2-1 thanks to Davide Frattesi’s late winner at the Allianz Arena.

The excitement kept on coming on Wednesday as Barcelona thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-0 to put one foot in the semi-finals, while PSG outclassed Aston Villa.

Barca’s brilliant form this season has put them top of the La Liga table and they were at their dynamic best to all but eliminate Bundesliga side Dortmund, who reached last year’s final.

Paris Saint-Germain have often fallen short in the knockout stages of the Champions League but also look well-placed to reach the semis after a 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Parc des Princes.

After watching the first legs of the four quarter-finals, ex-Premier League star and England midfielder Cole believes PSG are the team to beat in this season’s Champions League.

‘Aston Villa played well by the way, they were on it last night,’ Cole told TNT Sports. ‘But PSG are just steamrolling teams, they really are. I think it’s their year, I really do.’

Asked whether he gave European champions Real Madrid any chance of pulling off a stunning comeback against Arsenal, Cole added: ‘I don’t. Arsenal are well set up to hold them off.

‘There will be pressure but I’ve watched Real Madrid a few times this year and I think there’s something missing.

‘You never want to write them off but there is something missing from the team, it needs a bit of freshness in the summer.

‘I know Kylian Mbappe is scoring loads of goals but I there’s still something slightly missing. I think Arsenal have already done it.’

PSG ‘favourites’ to win Champions League?

Paris Saint-Germain had already secured the Ligue 1 title ahead of their quarter-final tie against Aston Villa.

The French giants have come close to winning the Champions League in recent years, often falling short deep into the knockout stages.

But there is a sense PSG are more than a sum of their parts now several superstars have departed and they eliminated Premier League champions-elect Liverpool in the last round.

Speaking after another impressive win over their former manager Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, Rio Ferdinand declared PSG his ‘favourites’ to win the competition.

‘They played with a real authority tonight,’ the Manchester United hero told TNT Sports. ‘They played like they’ve won this tournament many times before.

‘I have them as favourites right now. The way I saw the man-handle Liverpool over two legs and dominate this game here.

‘They took this tie away from Aston Villa with that performance. They’re favourites for me.

‘This is a different PSG team that we’ve ever seen in this competition. Over the years they’ve had players who can define game with moments. They’ve still got that but they’ve also got control and tempo.’

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