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Beckham set for Old Trafford return
Source: Agencies |
December 19, 2009, Saturday
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DAVID Beckham can look forward to a return to Old Trafford after AC Milan was drawn against his former club Manchester United in the last 16 of the Champions League in Nyon, France, yesterday.
The draw also pitted Jose Mourinho, now coach of Inter Milan, with his old club Chelsea.
Holders Barcelona were given a relatively straightforward task against Bundesliga strugglers VfB Stuttgart, while nine-time winner Real Madrid will face Olympique Lyon.
Arsenal drew a comparatively low-key matchup against FC Porto. In other draws, it was: Olympiakos vs Bordeaux; Bayern Munich vs Fiorentina; and CSKA Moscow vs Sevilla.
British bookmaker William Hill made Barcelona a 3-1 favorite to win the trophy, with Chelsea next at 9-2 and Real Madrid at 5-1.
Beckham, who is rejoining Milan on a short-term loan from LA Galaxy, had said earlier this week that he wanted to play against the English side he left in 2003.
"Seven years have gone by and I want it to happen," Beckham, who helped United win the Champions League in 1999, told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Me against United, great, no?"
Manchester United director of communications Phil Townsend welcomed the prospect of Beckham's return.
"He'll get a fantastic reception as players coming back usually do at United," Townsend told Sky Sports News. "Obviously he was a very popular player with the fans when he was there, a terrific servant for the club and we all hope he is playing for them."
AC Milan's organizational director Umberto Gandini told Sky television they were happy to have avoided a meeting with Chelsea, which coached by their former boss Carlo Ancelotti.
"But we'll be playing against a great team in United, last year's finalist, a team that plays great football and has this type of clash in their chromosomes," he said.
"They are a team that have many resources. Naturally, they are not the armored car (of the past), but they won their group easily, and up front and at the back they are very strong.
"But we also have our weapons to use. We'll have Beckham on our side - lots of ingredients for a great match."
Former Inter Milan and Portugal player Luis Figo, who has taken an ambassadorial role for the club, said Mourinho would relish the return.
"It's always good to go back to a place where you have been successful and I think it will be a difficult match for both teams," he told reporters.
"He brought them titles. I think the people love him and it will be an emotional return for him."
Barcelona's technical director Txiki Beguiristain was cautious about the draw against Stuttgart but he did allow himself a peek beyond the last 16. "We mustn't be too confident about this," he told reporters. "We must take it seriously. They will have time to prepare for the games against us and we must be ready."
"There are two clashes between Italian and English teams which will put two of the biggest sides in Europe out," he added. "That makes a potential quarterfinal even more attractive."
Real Madrid's tie against Lyon will see Karim Benzema, part of Real's massive off-season rebuilding program, play against his former club.
"It's a privilege to play against Real," Olympique Lyon Chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told Eurosport.
"We played them four times and never lost, winning twice and drawing twice. We will not be the favorites but playing the best team in the world is a fantastic opportunity. Anything can happen. We must make sure we have no regrets."
In the Europa League, Ajax and Juventus were drawn together yesterday for a rerun of the 1996 Champions League final.
Ajax will host the first leg of the two-legged round-of-32 match on February 18 before traveling to Turin for the return a week later.
Juventus beat Ajax in a shootout following a 1-1 draw in the 1996 Champions League final but the teams' fortunes have since waned.
Five-time European champion Liverpool and Unirea Urziceni, which were both eliminated from the Champions League, will face each other, while AS Roma will meet Panathinaikos.
The draw also pitted Jose Mourinho, now coach of Inter Milan, with his old club Chelsea.
Holders Barcelona were given a relatively straightforward task against Bundesliga strugglers VfB Stuttgart, while nine-time winner Real Madrid will face Olympique Lyon.
Arsenal drew a comparatively low-key matchup against FC Porto. In other draws, it was: Olympiakos vs Bordeaux; Bayern Munich vs Fiorentina; and CSKA Moscow vs Sevilla.
British bookmaker William Hill made Barcelona a 3-1 favorite to win the trophy, with Chelsea next at 9-2 and Real Madrid at 5-1.
Beckham, who is rejoining Milan on a short-term loan from LA Galaxy, had said earlier this week that he wanted to play against the English side he left in 2003.
"Seven years have gone by and I want it to happen," Beckham, who helped United win the Champions League in 1999, told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Me against United, great, no?"
Manchester United director of communications Phil Townsend welcomed the prospect of Beckham's return.
"He'll get a fantastic reception as players coming back usually do at United," Townsend told Sky Sports News. "Obviously he was a very popular player with the fans when he was there, a terrific servant for the club and we all hope he is playing for them."
AC Milan's organizational director Umberto Gandini told Sky television they were happy to have avoided a meeting with Chelsea, which coached by their former boss Carlo Ancelotti.
"But we'll be playing against a great team in United, last year's finalist, a team that plays great football and has this type of clash in their chromosomes," he said.
"They are a team that have many resources. Naturally, they are not the armored car (of the past), but they won their group easily, and up front and at the back they are very strong.
"But we also have our weapons to use. We'll have Beckham on our side - lots of ingredients for a great match."
Former Inter Milan and Portugal player Luis Figo, who has taken an ambassadorial role for the club, said Mourinho would relish the return.
"It's always good to go back to a place where you have been successful and I think it will be a difficult match for both teams," he told reporters.
"He brought them titles. I think the people love him and it will be an emotional return for him."
Barcelona's technical director Txiki Beguiristain was cautious about the draw against Stuttgart but he did allow himself a peek beyond the last 16. "We mustn't be too confident about this," he told reporters. "We must take it seriously. They will have time to prepare for the games against us and we must be ready."
"There are two clashes between Italian and English teams which will put two of the biggest sides in Europe out," he added. "That makes a potential quarterfinal even more attractive."
Real Madrid's tie against Lyon will see Karim Benzema, part of Real's massive off-season rebuilding program, play against his former club.
"It's a privilege to play against Real," Olympique Lyon Chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told Eurosport.
"We played them four times and never lost, winning twice and drawing twice. We will not be the favorites but playing the best team in the world is a fantastic opportunity. Anything can happen. We must make sure we have no regrets."
In the Europa League, Ajax and Juventus were drawn together yesterday for a rerun of the 1996 Champions League final.
Ajax will host the first leg of the two-legged round-of-32 match on February 18 before traveling to Turin for the return a week later.
Juventus beat Ajax in a shootout following a 1-1 draw in the 1996 Champions League final but the teams' fortunes have since waned.
Five-time European champion Liverpool and Unirea Urziceni, which were both eliminated from the Champions League, will face each other, while AS Roma will meet Panathinaikos.
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