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Andoni Zubizarreta: 'Barcelona can retain Champions League'

Former Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta backs the Catalan outfit to retain the Champions League title this season, and also tips Athletic Bilbao for success.

Former Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has suggested that the Catalan outfit are capable of retaining the Champions League this season.

No team in the modern era has successfully defended the European Cup, but Barca have been tipped by many to lift the trophy once again following their success last season.

Zubizarreta believes that another title is a real possibility and has also backed another of his former teams, Athletic Bilbao, to win the Europa League title.

"Barca and Athletic Bilbao can win the Champions League and Europa League. But it will be very difficult. The group stage is easy when you don't have to play it," Zubizarreta told beIN Sports.

"The Champions League is a very demanding competition. There are other competitions, travel, the knockout rounds. And there are some extraordinary teams in the Premier League, and Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain."

Zubizarreta, who represented Barcelona as a player between 1986 and 1994, was relieved of his sporting director role in January of this year.

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Marcel Desailly of AC Milan in action during a Series A match against Verona on September 2, 1996
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona12110140112933
2Real Madrid1173121111024
3Atletico MadridAtletico126511871123
4Villarreal116322019121
5Osasuna126331716121
6Athletic Bilbao125431812619
7Real BetisBetis125431210219
8Mallorca12534109118
9Rayo Vallecano114431210216
10Celta Vigo125161820-216
11Real Sociedad124351010015
12GironaGirona124351517-215
13Sevilla124351217-515
14AlavesAlaves124171419-513
15Leganes122551216-411
16Getafe12174810-210
17Espanyol123181122-1110
18Las PalmasLas Palmas122371321-89
19Real ValladolidValladolid12228924-158
20Valencia11146817-97


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