Chelsea won't win Champions League, says Tottenham's Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp has written off Chelsea's chances of winning the Champions League but says he hopes Roberto Di Matteo's men reach the final because that would distract them from the Premier League and improve Tottenham Hotspur's prospects of competing in Europe's elite tournament next season. Chelsea's 1-0 first-leg victory over Barcelona this week has raised the possibility that whoever finishes fourth in the Premier League, which is the position that Tottenham currently occupy, may not secure a Champions League spot. That is because, if Chelsea were to be crowned European champions, they would automatically gain entry to next season's tournament as holders and take up one of England's four available qualification places. Fourth spot, in that instance, would then be good enough only for a berth in the Europa League. Redknapp, however, believes that scenario will not arise as Chelsea, despite having the ability to knock out Barcelona, would lose to either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the final. What is more, having to contest such a final would, said Redknapp, hinder Chelsea's attempt to overtake Tottenham in the Premier League, where they currently sit in sixth place, two points behind both Spurs and Newcastle United. "I'll be rooting for Chelsea [against Barcelona]," said Redknapp. "From our point of view, if we keep Chelsea in it and they've got a Champions League final to prepare for as well [as the Premier League and the FA Cup final], then they've got a lot on their plate, haven't they? "I think they can beat Barcelona. They were fortunate the other night and defended with their lives but you wouldn't put it past Chelsea scoring in Barcelona. Barça are open to concede. If Chelsea get an away goal, then it's game on. But if they beat Barcelona, I still couldn't see them beating Real Madrid. "I think Real will beat Bayern but even if they [Chelsea] were to play Bayern, that would be a difficult game with Bayern being at home in Munich. So I still couldn't see them winning it. But I'd like them to be in it because they'd surely have to have one eye on the final." Redknapp, then, still expects a top-four finish to equate to Champions League qualification and suggested that for Spurs to achieve that would be to upset the odds because "I wouldn't say we've got a stronger squad than Chelsea – no way – or a stronger squad than Liverpool". Redknapp believes four victories from Spurs' remaining five matches, starting at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, will be enough for his team to fulfil their ambitions. Meeting that target, however, will entail shaking off the poor form that has resulted in them winning only one of their last eight league matches and enduring an embarrassing 5-1 defeat by Chelsea in last Sunday's FA Cup semi-final.