Former England goalie David James feels Real Madrid will have their backs up against their backs when they play Paris Saint-Germain in the first match in their Champions League Round of 16 matches on Tuesday at the Parc des Princes.
Although he has praised Real Madrid for their rich history in the competition and their top players on the pitch, James, the Former Manchester City and Liverpool shot-stopper declared that PSG is an exceptional team and could challenge the 13-time champions if their stars-studded front trio consisting of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr are at their peak.
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“We talk about a top-quality team of Real Madrid, but there’s going to be dangers for their team regardless of the player they play or whether the opposition’s performance improves or doesn’t. PSG could win this game because they’re special; however, it does not mean Real Madrid isn’t a good team. They have the potential to score. However, PSG has players that can score and, therefore, even if you (the opponent) score, they’ll have the capability to play,” David James told during a press event organized by Sony Sports Network.
“At their very best, I’m able to say that PSG will prevail in this game; however, Real Madrid will all their experiences are accustomed to being in this scenario. But this time, Mauricio Pochettino has got the defensive aspect that they play. If Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar are performing at their peak, they’ll cause problems for Real Madrid,” he added.
The beauty of European football
In the course of the discussion, James also spoke about his former team Manchester City, who were defeated by Chelsea in the semi-final game of the Champions League last year.
Manchester City, a dominant force in the domestic league in the past decade or so, has had a hard time getting them the sought-after Champions League trophy.
In response to a question about the reasons behind the inability of them to replicate that performance in European continental tournaments, James said: “If you take a look at the results, there’s a lot that has been going right for the team. I don’t think that things have been wrong with them due to the intensity of competition within the Champions League, the quality of the opponents, and the example of Real Madrid dominating for four years. It’s part of the appeal of European football that a team can win their league in their home country; however, not be able to do so in Europe. However, every season that passes through and without Champions League, the questions will be asked.”
“There are teams that are part of the EPL such as Liverpool that can compete with Manchester City for all the championships and achieve four awards and surpass their successes. There’s nothing wrong with them. However, they’re certainly having a difficult time winning the last trophy,” he added.
