Sitting atop of the Premier League with a date in the Capital One Cup final on hand, this season wouldn’t have gone much better for the blues. While they were refuted last season in the Premier League and were stunned in the Champions League by Atletico Madrid, Chelsea have responded in brilliant fashion this season.
With a 7 point lead over 2nd place Manchester City in the Premier League table, only a catastrophe can prevent the blues from lifting the title in May. And as they’re just 1 win short in Capital One Cup to hand Jose Mourinho his first title since his re-union with the North London side.
Here are 5 reasons why Chelsea can win the UEFA Champions League this season: –
Premier League title race – done and dusted:
Although the Premier League title race has gone on to the wire over the last decade, this might become the most one sided title race in the Premier League history. While for other teams this might become a source of complacency in Europe, Chelsea – under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho – won’t sit back.
And even if the current form of Chelsea falls through in the Premier League this season, Manchester City are looking in no mood to trouble the Champions elect in their pursuit of the Premier League title.
Manchester City has won just 2 matches in 2015 in the Premier League, thus, helping Chelsea in their pursuit of Premier League title.
With just 2 wins in 2015, Manuel Pellegrini’s men have fallen way back of their own high standards this season. Thus, Chelsea can afford a slip and still they can enjoy a streamline journey to the Premier League title.
Players laden with big game experience:
And not only Jose Mourinho, Chelsea have the players that can run riot any opposition on its day. From the 15 man squad that they have named for the 2nd half of Champions League this season, 3 of them – Diego Costa, Felipe Luis and Thibaut Courtois – played in the Champions League final last season which indicates the big game experience Chelsea have at its disposal this season.
Of the 15 players that Chelsea has named for their Champions League squad, 3 played in the Champions League Final last season with Atletico Marid.
While he wasn’t the most influential player in the competition last season, Cesc Fabregas has all the abilities to be the World-beater in Champions League this season.
Although his playing time was limited at Barcelona amid the duo of Xavi and Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas has shown the world his class with some brilliant all round performances this season.
John Terry’s farewell season
Although the tradition was set by Didier Drogba as he won Chelsea the Champions League with his last kick against Bayern Munich, the former English Captain John Terry will strive hard to finish his Chelsea career on a high.
Being one of the most loyal servants of Chelsea football club alongside Frank Lampard over the years, Terry was handed a lifeline last season when Jose Mourinho extended his contract. However, there was no euphoria involved in the deal as Mourinho himself had kept Terry as a backup option.
But roll on 7 months from the day when Terry was handed his contract and the Chelsea skipper has rolled back the years with his performances. Scoring in back to back games for the first time and becoming the highest scoring defender of all times, John Terry has thrown aside the age barrier.
However, with players of the likes of Tomas Kalas and Kurt Zouma coming from the Chelsea youth ranks, this might be the last season for Terry at the Stamford Bridge.
And like his pal Didier Drogba who finished on a high – at-least for the time being – , John Terry would like to create history in the competition again.
Consistency
Looking at all the sides that are playing in Europe’s top 5 League this season, only Bayern Munich has achieved the same consistency that Chelsea has acquired this season.
However, as the German Bundesliga has the history of seeing one sided competitions, a similar thing is quite unheard of in the Premier League.
Looking at top 5 European Leagues, only Bayern Munich has enjoyed the same consistency as Chelsea this season.
When the Premier League will be kicked of next weekend after an interruption caused by the FA Cup, it will be almost 6 months that Chelsea will be on the top spot consistently.
And looking at their lead at the top of the table, another slip by Manchester City can finish the title race in the early stages of April.
Form of big teams in other European Leagues
Although Bayern Munich has been sweeping away teams for fun this season, the other 3 powerhouses i.e. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund have been out of form at specific portions this season.
While Real Madrid were unstoppable in the first half of this season, they are pegged back in the last half a month or so as the Santiago Bernabeau side has experienced more defeats in 2 months that they acquired in the previous 8 months of LA Liga.
Looking at Barcelona and although they have acquired their good form of late, the Camp Nou residents have a porous defense. Although they kept 8 successive clean sheets at the start of this LA Liga this season, their defensive form against the big sides has been shaky, to say the least.
In 4 matches that they have played against the top 3 sides of LA Liga this season, Barcelona has conceded 6 goals. Thus, when it comes to big matches, the Barcelona defense seems a far shout than the combative reign of Puyol and Pique at the helm.
Thus, if Chelsea manages to stay on the path for the remaining stages of this season, they have all the constituents to be the European Champions in May
5 reasons why Chelsea could win the Champions League this season
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