The draw for this season’s UEFA Champions League final 16 has taken place and it definitely produced some mouthwatering encounters to sit up for. These video games will happen on February twenty fourth & twenty fifth with the return legs two weeks in a while March tenth & eleventh. Right here is the total draw because it was drawn in Nyon, Switzerland:
Chelsea v Juventus
Villarreal v Panathinaikos
Sporting Lisbon v Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid v FC Porto
Lyon v Barcelona
Actual Madrid v Liverpool
Arsenal v Roma
Inter Milan v Manchester United
The present champions Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson face their previous good friend, the previous Chelsea supervisor, Jose Mourinho and his Inter Milan facet who had been knocked out by Liverpool final yr on the similar stage. Mourinho had made it clear he wished to attract one of many English “massive 4” golf equipment and he definitely obtained his want, with the primary leg to be performed on the San Siro. The sport at Previous Trafford will little question revive recollections of Mourinho’s well-known celebration, as he ran down the touchline again in March 2004 when his Porto facet scored a final minute equaliser that despatched United crashing out of the Champions League. In fact Mourinho and Porto went on the elevate the trophy that season beating Monaco within the ultimate.
Sir Alex Ferguson can also be wanting ahead to the tie as properly. Ferguson believes it will likely be very attention-grabbing to come back up towards Mourinho as he has a personality with persona. Opposite to what used to go on between the 2 when Mourinho managed Chelsea, Ferguson additionally stated that he has all the time obtained on properly with the now Inter Milan supervisor. It did not take lengthy for Mourinho to additionally begin the psychological phrase video games by speaking up Man Utd. He acknowledged that he wished to be drawn towards one of the best and that he obtained the European champions. Man Utd may be topped World Membership Champions in Japan this weekend too. In the meantime one other of the English groups, Liverpool, had been drawn towards the present Spanish champions Actual Madrid and their new supervisor, ex Tottenham boss, Juande Ramos. The previous Tottenham supervisor has solely simply taken over on the Bernabeu and can little question be wanting ahead to his return to England with the 9 instances winners Actual Madrid. Liverpool have the perceived benefit of the second leg at Anfield on account of ending their group on high. The tie is a repeat of the 1981 Paris ultimate, which the English facet received 1-0 because of a objective by defender Alan Kennedy. That was the final time these two giants of European soccer have met in a aggressive sport 호두게임.
The draw additionally supplied Italian coach Claudio Ranieri the prospect of an emotional return to London and Stamford Bridge, towards his former membership Chelsea, final yr’s crushed finalists. Ranieri is now the supervisor get Italian giants Juventus. Ranieri was a well-liked determine at Stamford Bridge earlier than being changed by non-other than Jose Mourinho in 2004. This regardless of Ranieri guiding them to the Champions League semi-final, the place they misplaced to Monaco, who as talked about above had been then crushed by Mourinho and Porto. Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal can have the primary leg at dwelling as they tackle AS Roma. The Arsenal supervisor believes the Gunners, identical to each different workforce now left within the competitors, has probability of lifting the trophy in Rome come Might. Regardless of each these tough ties for Arsenal and Chelsea, they may have breathed an enormous sigh of aid because the draw was made as they might have been paired with the present favourites Barcelona. They’ll have been extraordinarily blissful to have averted the Catalans nonetheless, as talked about above each Arsenal and Chelsea face tough ties towards AS Roma and Juventus respectively.
The “unfortunate” workforce to attract Barcelona had been the French champions Lyon and waiting for the sport, their sporting director Bernard Lacombe admitted that they had been very anxious. Lyon could not have been handed a tougher sport.
The Spanish workforce Villareal, which completed second within the group phases behind Manchester Utd, had been handed, what on paper at the least, seems to be one of many simpler ties. They’ll face the Greek facet Panathinaikos which pipped Inter Milan to high cease of their Group. So, Panathinaikos will equally be relived they did not end second, as Utd would have been awaiting them. Former champions, and I believe a darkish horse for this season’s cempetition, Bayern Munich, will play the Portuguese workforce Sporting Lisbon and within the ultimate tie of the spherical one other Portuguese workforce Porto will go face to face with one other Spanish workforce, Athletico Madrid.
There actually are some nice video games to sit up for in early 2009. Little doubt there will likely be loads of drama and some shocks, the UEFA Champions League by no means disappoints as soon as it has entered the sudden dying knock-out phases.