Joe Cole has backed Chelsea to overcome Manchester City in the Champions League final this weekend, with Timo Werner scoring in extra time to get Thomas Tuchel’s side over the line.
City, the newly-crowned Premier League champions, head into the final as favourites but the blues will no doubt be encouraged by their record against Guardiola’s side under Tuchel.
Since Frank Lampard was sacked in January, Tuchel steered Chelsea to victory over City in their FA Cup semi-final meeting before coming away from the Etihad with a 2-1 victory in the Premier League.
However, Chelsea’s recent drop in form will be a huge concern for their German coach given they have lost three of their last four games ahead of their trip to Porto’s Estadio do Dragao.
Former Chelsea winger Cole expects City to have majority of possession on Saturday but can see his former club nicking it against the run of play in the dying moments of extra time in the final.
‘I’m going to go with 1-1 at full-time,’ he told JOE. ‘And I’m going last moments of extra time, Chelsea on the break, Manchester City have dominated possession, Timo Werner goes and sticks it in. ‘2-1 Chelsea in extra time.’
Owen Hargreaves, who brought an end to his playing career at City in 2012, believes Guardiola – a two-time winner with Barcelona – will be victorious after years of disappointment in the competition.
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‘I think it feels like fate for City,’ the ex-Man City and England midfielder said when asked for his prediction for the Champions League final.
‘It feels like their destiny. As good as Pep is and he hasn’t won one of these for a long time, he will want to mark this occasion.
‘I don’t think he’ll tinker with it this time around. With the defence he has and the goalkeeper I think you can pretty much guarantee who is going to play.’
Hargreaves added: ‘Phil Foden has had such an amazing season. He did it against Dortmund when they needed something special, he rose to the occasion and since then he’s probably been their best player.
‘He’s a bit like Joe [Cole] as a kid, gets on the ball and he just makes it happen. Phil plays without that fear.
‘He’ll embrace this occasion whereas I think some of the older players will be a bit fearful of it going pear-shaped. The young ones are like: “Go on, give me this platform!”’
Asked for his prediction, Hargreaves replied: ‘I think City win 2-1. ‘Phil and Riyad [Mahrez] score and I think Kai Havertz pops up with a beauty.’
