Arsenal draw Barcelona and Chelsea face PSG in Champions League last-16
Meanwhile, Manchester City fans will be unable to travel to Kyiv after the Ukrainian club was ordered to play its next European game behind closed doors due to crowd racism and disturbances during October’s group game against Chelsea.
“Like last season, we hope to qualify”, said the Brazilian. It’s vital to get a good result there.
And Miles, who was in Nyon for the draw, revealed his family told him not to bother coming back if Arsenal were paired with Barca.
The main nightmare for the Premier League 2015-16 point leaders are Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr.as they are now considered as the most risky attacking combinations in the world.
The Champions League draw produced some familiar pairings Monday with defending champion Barcelona facing Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain again taking on Chelsea. Last year PSG eliminated Chelsea at the same stage of the competition and the year before went on eliminating the French in the Quaterfinals.
The Brazilian defender’s goal proved decisive in a 2-2 draw as, with the sides locked at three goals apiece on aggregate, PSG went through on away goals. “We are ambitious, we have two-and-a-half months to prepare”, PSG sports director Olivier Letang said.
Another clash between two of Europe’s inform teams sees Juventus and Bayern Munich face each other, while ten-times champions Real Madrid were drawn against Roma.
The rest of the ties, which see all eight group winners at home in the second legs, feature two-time runners-up Atletico Madrid against 1988 champions PSV Eindhoven, with Benfica, twice former winners, meeting Zenit St Petersburg.
Gent, in their first participation in the competition, will take on Wolfsburg.
While many are predicting Arsenal to exit the Champions League, they will be hopeful that they can compete against the La Liga champions.
Barcelona director Albert Soler certainly believes the tie will produce a feast of football.
“Football fans will enjoy themselves, we’re two sides that play similar styles with a similar understanding of the game”. They will be two hard games but we knew that we would meet tough opposition in this tournament. We have a lot of respect for them.
“We know the Chelsea players and we know that they’re going to give everything to get past the last 16 – but we will too”.
Blanc was speaking before PSG begin their defence of the French League Cup with a last 16 tie at home to Saint-Etienne on Wednesday.
Juventus may come to regret losing their group stage finale, leaving Manchester City, who will take on Dynamo Kyiv, with the better draw on paper.
That might just give Arsenal the edge they need in what looks like being a very open race for top spot. “We are improving and gaining experience in the competition so we hope to do well”, Begiristain added.
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