Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka believes his team will beat
Juventus in their Champions League last-16 clash - and that
Manchester United and Arsenal will have similar success against
Italian opposition
United face Inter Milan, while Arsenal take on AC Milan and
Anelka is confident it will be the English sides who reach the
quarter-finals rather than their Serie A counterparts.
However, the France forward is well aware that Chelsea will have
to contain the threat of his former international team-mate David
Trezeguet who is back playing after a lengthy injury lay-off.
"It's really bad news for us," Anelka told Gazzetta dello
Sport. "I admire David, a goalscorer like few others, he was born
to score. If you give him half a chance in the area he will take
it.
"It's going to be a very tough match, Juve are a really top
team. Against Italian sides it's always hard, tactically they're
the best in Europe.
"If Chelsea don't find their feet, don't score a goal, we will
be risking a lot. We have to score in the first leg, and especially
not concede, so we can play for it all in Turin.
"Juve are right up there with Inter. (Alessandro) Del Piero is
an inexhaustible talent. (Pavel) Nedved, (Gianluigi) Buffon...all
of them.
"To beat this Juve, Chelsea have to put the maximum effort
in."
He added: "If I had to bet though I think it will end 3-0 to the
English sides. Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal will all
progress.
"Just look at history. But anything can happen."
Anelka currently heads the Premier League goalscoring charts
with 14 - needing three more to match his season's best at
Manchester City and Arsenal.
However, Chelsea have shown signs of faltering in the league and
the recent 3-0 loss to Manchester United saw them slip to third
spot.
Anelka knows the team cannot afford any more mistakes.
"We're two points off United and Liverpool, the race is very
open," he said. "But it is a very hard race.
"Up until now we've had bad games against United, Liverpool and
Arsenal. It's obvious that we can't continue dropping points
against our direct rivals, otherwise we can say goodbye to the
title.
"On February 1 at Anfield we have to absolutely beat
Liverpool."
Recent reports have hinted that Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe
Scolari's job could be on the line, but Anelka insists the former
Portugal coach is the right man for the job.
"He's Brazilian: he wants good football, attacking football,
which is ideal for me." added the 29-year-old. "But he has only
just arrived in England. He's still learning, English football is
not like that of Brazil or Portugal."
