FCBARCELONA.CAT
Main menu
Content menu
Football
23.12.2008 15:40
Lineker: “Barça are favourites for the Champions League”
David Carabén/Jaume Marcet
Gary Lineker is convinced that Barça is one of the favourites to win the Champions League. The ex-Barça striker thinks the current team “is very strong in defence and in attack”.
Linker played three seasons at Barça and has not forgotten his time at the club. He is now one of the top pundits in English football.
Looking good
Lineker, who Terry Venables signed for Barça in 1986, has assessed the current team for Barça TV. ”I see virtually all their games on TV and they’re looking good,” he said. “They’re playing fantastically and are stronger in defence and attack than last season when they already had some really good players.”
The Champions League
Lineker thinks that Lyon, Barça’s opponents in the last 16 of the Champions League, “are a good side but there are worse ones you could get such as the English clubs, and I reckon Barça will get through to the quarter-finals.”
As for the teams most likely to win the competition, Lineker has few doubts. “In England we see Barça as being the big favourite,” he said. “Another team I quite fancy is Manchester United.”
However, he also pointed out that in a knock-out tournament like the Champions League any side can spring a surprise.
To view this content you need the latest version of the Flash Player
Camp Nou hero in the 1980s
Gary Lineker came to Camp Nou after being signed by Terry Venables with the reputation as one of
the best goalscorers around at the time after heading the list at the World Cup in Mexico in 1986.
In his three seasons at the club he won the Spanish Cup under Luis Aragonés and the Cup
Winners’ Cup with Johan Cruyff. His goals and friendly personality made him into a hero for
the Barça faithful.
