Champions League Draw: Teams Learn Their Fate

Champions League Draw: Teams Learn Their Fate

Champions League Draw: Teams Learn Their Fate

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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16 DRAW

  • Stuttgart vs Barcelona
  • Olympiakos vs Bordeaux
  • Inter Milan vs Chelsea
  • Bayern Munich vs Fiorentina
  • CSKA Moscow vs Sevilla
  • Lyon vs Real Madrid
  • FC Porto vs Arsenal
  • AC Milan vs Manchester United

-Reactions-

Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas:

“It is a very difficult draw,” he said to Eurosport. “It is a privilege to play against Real. They are a great team and the final will be played in Madrid, so we know that they will be motivated.


“We have had the privilege to play four times against Real [in the Champions League] and we have never lost.


“They are a wonderful team. There is no favourite, but we have the opportunity to progress.

“We did not want to return to Barcelona.”

FC Bayern Munich Coach Luis Van Gaal

“I’m not unhappy, it could have been a lot worse. Fiorentina are a typical Italian team, well organised, with a good coach and a world-class player in Adrian Mutu. We’ll concern ourselves with them two or three weeks beforehand.

“Last season’s results against Fiorentina count for nothing now. We’ve beaten Juventus, and I think the players will continue to be confident after that.”

Samuel Eto'o, Inter Milan:

“The match is not for two months. A lot of things can change in such a long period of time.


"Whether it be the condition of individual players or the collective, it could be very different in mid-February.

"Chelsea? They are a very strong team, but from this point forward all the sides are competitive.”


Bordeaux President Jean-Louis Triaud:

“Olympiacos? I don’t know what to say. They should be happy with the draw, too, because we are not a mega name, even if we did get into the pot early.

“The draw is favourable, but it will be good when we know the outcome of the two matches. It is useless to brag at this stage of the competition.


Olympiakos Coach Zico:

“Bordeaux were one of the most impressive teams in the group stage, they finished ahead of Bayern and Juventus.

“They have several players in the French national team, two Brazilian players I know well and a coach who is doing an excellent job. They are a balanced and organised team, but our task will be just as tough as with any of the other seven opponents we could have drawn.

“I believe we will see two high-quality matches and, as both teams have reached this stage of the competition, they have an equal chance to get through.”

Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger:

“It is a 50/50 game. Porto are always in there and always difficult to play against.

"The little advantage is that we have the second game at home but it’s important that we negotiate well our first game and try to score away from home. It’s a difficult draw.

"Last season we had a very good game at home and away we lost 2-0. But it’s the Champions League, it’s a cup game now, it’s form of the day and I believe it’s feasible. Difficult but feasible.”

Arsene Wenger previews his team’s clash with Porto