Barcelona faces Milan in Champions again
Source: Agencies |
March 17, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
TITLEHOLDERS Barcelona will have to again face seven-times winner AC Milan in the Champions League quarterfinals after a draw which also cleared the way for a final against its eternal rival Real Madrid.
Rank outsider APOEL Nicosia, taking Cypriot football into unchartered territory, was handed a glamorous last-eight tie against Real as it continued what chairman Phivos Erotocritou described as "a dream."
Bayern Munich, whose 7-0 demolition of FC Basel in the last 16 made it another team to be feared, must overcome Olympique Marseille if it wants to keep up its hopes of reaching the May 19 final in its own Allianz Arena.
The four-time champion would then have to face nine-time winner Real, assuming the Spaniards avoid an upset defeat by APOEL, in the semifinals.
The winner of the Barcelona and Milan tie will take on Chelsea or Benfica, the Portuguese side trying to recapture past glories, after it was paired in the other two legged quarterfinal to be played this month and next.
Barca and Milan, which met in the 1994 final which the Italians won 4-0, have already clashed in the group stage this term with a 2-2 draw at Nou Camp followed by a 3-2 win for the Catalans at San Siro in a match where both teams had already qualified.
"If you want to be champion of Europe you have to beat the best and Milan is without doubt among them," Barca coach Pep Guardiola said. "Milan have seven European Cups on their curriculum, all their players are of exceptionally high quality and it will be a very tough tie.
Excellent team
"They are an excellent team in every way, very strong defensively and with quality in midfield and up front that is extremely high. Their players have come through a great number of battles and they know what they are about."
In the Europa League, Athletic Bilbao was rewarded for eliminating Manchester United by being drawn to play Schalke in the quarterfinals. Atletico Madrid, the 2010 winner, will play at home first against Hannover in another Spain-Germany clash.
Spain's third challenger, the 2004 UEFA Cup winner Valencia, will travel to the Netherlands for the first leg against AZ Alkmaar. Sporting Lisbon is at home first against Metalist Kharkiv of Ukraine. First-leg matches are played March 29, and second legs on April 5.
In semifinals, it will be Atletico Madrid or Hannover vs AZ Alkmaar or Valencia; and Sporting Lisbon or Metalist Kharkiv vs Schalke or Athletic Bilbao.
Rank outsider APOEL Nicosia, taking Cypriot football into unchartered territory, was handed a glamorous last-eight tie against Real as it continued what chairman Phivos Erotocritou described as "a dream."
Bayern Munich, whose 7-0 demolition of FC Basel in the last 16 made it another team to be feared, must overcome Olympique Marseille if it wants to keep up its hopes of reaching the May 19 final in its own Allianz Arena.
The four-time champion would then have to face nine-time winner Real, assuming the Spaniards avoid an upset defeat by APOEL, in the semifinals.
The winner of the Barcelona and Milan tie will take on Chelsea or Benfica, the Portuguese side trying to recapture past glories, after it was paired in the other two legged quarterfinal to be played this month and next.
Barca and Milan, which met in the 1994 final which the Italians won 4-0, have already clashed in the group stage this term with a 2-2 draw at Nou Camp followed by a 3-2 win for the Catalans at San Siro in a match where both teams had already qualified.
"If you want to be champion of Europe you have to beat the best and Milan is without doubt among them," Barca coach Pep Guardiola said. "Milan have seven European Cups on their curriculum, all their players are of exceptionally high quality and it will be a very tough tie.
Excellent team
"They are an excellent team in every way, very strong defensively and with quality in midfield and up front that is extremely high. Their players have come through a great number of battles and they know what they are about."
In the Europa League, Athletic Bilbao was rewarded for eliminating Manchester United by being drawn to play Schalke in the quarterfinals. Atletico Madrid, the 2010 winner, will play at home first against Hannover in another Spain-Germany clash.
Spain's third challenger, the 2004 UEFA Cup winner Valencia, will travel to the Netherlands for the first leg against AZ Alkmaar. Sporting Lisbon is at home first against Metalist Kharkiv of Ukraine. First-leg matches are played March 29, and second legs on April 5.
In semifinals, it will be Atletico Madrid or Hannover vs AZ Alkmaar or Valencia; and Sporting Lisbon or Metalist Kharkiv vs Schalke or Athletic Bilbao.
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