“[Lionel] Messi, Neymar, [Luis] Suárez, you could go on, but we have our own world class players and I am sure they will be fantastic games in London and in Barcelona”.
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In the 2006 final, the Catalan club won 2-1 thanks to a late Juliano Belletti goal, and in 2010 Arsenal lost 6-3 on aggregate in the quarterfinals.
Arsenal and Chelsea face familiar foes in the Champions League after they were once again drawn against their European nemeses Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayern ambassador Franz Beckenbauer, speaking at the draw, said his club’s clash with Juventus would be “a mouthwatering tie”.
Also, it was: PSV Eindhoven vs Atletico Madrid; Dynamo Kiev vs Manchester City; and Benfica vs Zenit St Petersburg.
Newcomers Gent will face Germany’s Wolfsburg.
It is the game between the pacesetters in Spain and Arsenal which most catches the eye, however.
Now to the Round of 32 of the UEFA Europa League draw, where England’s Manchester United have been paired with Danish champions Midtjylland.
Barcelona director of sporting institutional relations Albert Soler said he was looking forward to “a very attractive game”.
“So that was the only team out of that batch of teams they could have got that I didn’t want them to get”. I think most Arsenal fans would have wanted to avoid them but it’s up to us to put on a performance. “This is the 16th consecutive season that we’ve reached the last 16 of the Champions League so that in itself is a testament to Arsene Wenger and his players over the years”.
Arsenal secretary David Miles was quick to admit that the draw was not what Arsenal fans had hoped for. Barcelona are the standard for all of Europe’s great clubs, even for an individual as stubbornly single-minded as Wenger, and beating the greatest attacking team on the planet would be the kind of achievement that many believe is well beyond him now. A year before in the quarter-finals, Chelsea edged past the French outfit also on the away goals rule.
Barcelona, as you would expect, casually strolled into the round of 16 by topping their group with 14 points.
Meanwhile, ex-Real Madrid and Spain striker Emilio Butragueno, now a club director with the La Liga giants, admitted the draw could have been worse for Rafael Benitez’s side.
Though the Gunners’ style of play is admired by Enrique’s side, they feel it suits their style of play and those within the Camp Nou feel they’ve been handed a good draw. The advantage is we know them well, but they know us too. They are a strong side, but they like to play football and it is just 11 v 11. “We are improving and gaining experience in the competition so we hope to do well”, Begiristain added.
The games will be between February 16 and March 16.
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Valencia v Rapid Wien.
