Champions League: PSG drawn against Chelsea, Arsenal to play Barcelona
The Gunners will be hoping to end a five-year losing streak at the round-of-16 stage.
Barcelona are the current holders of the cup and have won the Champions League three other times in their history, one against Arsenal in the 2006 final where Barcelona won 2-1.
Arsenal’s scorer Olivier Giroud, left, Per Mertesacker wave to their fans after the Champions League Group F soccer match between Olympiakos and Arsenal at Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus port, near Athens, Wedne…
Everybody wanted to avoid Barca and Bayern so we are not so lucky but Bayern will not be glad they drew Juve. It will be interesting to see how Juventus supporters take to one of their former star players lining up against them when the two teams meet on February 23, 2016.
Return legs are on 8-9 and 15-16 March.
Barcelona director Albert Soler certainly believes the tie will produce a feast of football. “Arsenal fit that category”, he said. “Arsenal are a great team and I am sure we will have difficulties against them”.
“The fans will enjoy themselves, we’re two sides with a similar understanding of the game”.
Some Twitter users picked up club secretary David Miles’ rather muted response to facing Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
“Yeah, I mean Barcelona are full of great players”.
David Luiz celebrates scoring the late equalising goal last March
Chelsea were once again drawn against Paris Saint-Germain, the team that knocked out Jose Mourinho’s men last time around.
Barca could have faced the Gunners, PSG, Juventus, PSV, Gent or Dynamo Kyiv after topping Group E. The draw eventually paired them with Arsene Wenger’s side, who finished second in their group behind Bayern Munich following a 3-0 victory over Olympiacos.
“It’s a nightmare draw for [Chelsea and Arsenal]”, he said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. They did not start brightly in their league but they have recovered.
“We could have got more hard opponents, but also easier opponents”.
So what do you think of the latest Champions League draw?
“We were in a very complicated group and we did very well to come through it without too much difficulty”. If we go into it thinking we’re favourites, things won’t turn out well.
“We know what can happen if you have 10 poor minutes on a European night”.
Manchester City, the third English side in through to the knockout stages, will play Dynamo Kyiv in a tie for which the game in Ukraine must be played behind closed doors.
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