Barcelona face Arsenal in Champions League
Friday, 19 March 2010 17:47Champions League holders Barcelona were handed a quarter-final tie with Arsenal in today's draw in Nyon.
The Catalan giants, who beat Manchester United 2-0 in last year's final, beat the Gunners 2-1 in the 2006 showpiece.
There will definitely be a French side in the last four after Lyon and Bordeaux were paired together.
Bayern Munich will face Manchester United, who beat them in the 1999 final with two last-gasp goals, while Inter Milan will be up against Russians CSKA Moscow.
Barcelona or Arsenal will be waiting in the semi-finals for either Inter Milan or CSKA, while the winners of the French derby will face either United or Bayern.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge labelled the tie a 'tough but attractive draw', although he admits United will be expected to go through to the last four.
'Manchester are a team who are ranked right at the top,' he said on his club's website.
'We will have to push ourselves to our limits and possibly even beyond to go through. Manchester are the favourites, but that is where the attraction lies: to try to beat a favourite.'
The quarter-final first legs will be played on March 30 and 31 with the second legs scheduled for April 6 and 7.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL DRAW:
Lyon v Bordeaux
Bayern Munich v Manchester United
Arsenal v Barcelona
Inter Milan v CSKA Moscow
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL DRAW:
Inter Milan/CSKA Moscow v Arsenal/Barcelona
Bayern Munich/Manchester United v Lyon/Bordeaux
