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‘Chelsea can go all the way in the Champions League’

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Chelsea must now be taken as genuine contenders to win the Champions League, according to former Blues star Glen Hoddle.

Chelsea are showing the proper mettle needed and they could yet surprise everyone and claim an unexpected Champions League win, says Glen Hoddle.

The Blues advanced to the semi-finals of the competition, with a 2-1 aggregate over Porto. Mehdi Taremi scored the winner for Porto in the return leg but it was too late to affect the outcome of the tie in anyway.

In the semis, Chelsea will take on the winner between Real Madrid and Liverpool, and it could likely be the Spanish giants, based on their 3-1 aggregate lead ahead of the return leg. Blues boss Thomas Tuchel has spoken about this as well.

However, former Blues star Hoddle has changed his earlier stance of criticism and now believes his former side can go on to win the competition.

He said on BT Sport: “I think 80-odd thousand at the Bernabeu, no thank you, but at that training ground [where Madrid would play], I fancy Chelsea.

“I think Chelsea can go all the way. Listen, Liverpool can still turn it around, let’s be fair – they haven’t got the 12th man they usually have at Anfield, but you never know.”

Speaking about Chelsea’s approach against Porto, Hoddle added: “Tonight, they went for experience at the back. Those three centre-backs weren’t going to do anything silly, they weren’t going to get forward, they weren’t going to leave themselves exposed, they were really experienced, those guys.

“If you get a goal, then that’s a big bonus, just make sure nothing happens at the other end. Unfortunately for Chelsea, something did happen right at the very end, but Porto lacked ambition, they lacked the intent.

“It didn’t happen when Chelsea didn’t really have that much space to counter them.”

Also on punditry duty alongside Hoddle, Rio Ferdinand was equally pleased with the way Chelsea approached the game against Porto. “These games can become tricky if you don’t approach them in the right manner. At this level, you will be punished.”

“There is quality on the pitch, so if you’re not professionally ready and concentrating on what’s in hand, you can get caught out.”

“But, you have to give it to this team today, and in the first leg, they were in tune with it and they put in a workmanlike and professional performance.”

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