Real Madrid to face PSG
Real Madrid versus Paris SaintGermain. Cristiano Ronaldo versus Neymar. Historic achievement versus burning ambition.
Two-time defending Champions League winner Madrid was drawn on Monday (Tuesday NZ Time) to play the tournament’s standout team in the last 16, made possible because the 12-time champions finished second in their group while PSG won its group.
‘‘They (PSG) are really very strong in every department of the field,’’ Madrid director Emilio Butragueno said. ‘‘But I have to underline, we are the holders and our players, they always rise to the occasion.’’
PSG bought Neymar from Barcelona for a record €222 million (NZ$379 million) fee in the offseason with a specific aim of winning a first European title. Madrid won six European Cups before PSG was even formed in 1970.
Neymar scored in five straight wins as PSG finished ahead of Bayern Munich in its group, finishing with a competition record of 25 goals in the group stage. Ronaldo scored in all six of Madrid’s matches to set another Champions League record.
Barcelona, which leads the Spanish league unbeaten despite the loss of Neymar, was drawn to face Chelsea in a meeting of recent champions. The English club is one of the few opponents Lionel Messi has failed to score against.
With eight former winners in the lineup, another clash of European champions pits Liverpool against Porto.
Also, it was: Basel v Manchester City; Sevilla v Manchester United; Juventus v Tottenham; Bayern Munich v Besiktas; and Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma.
The first legs will be played from February 13-21, with the return matches from March 6-14. The final will be played at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, on May 26.
Madrid and PSG met in the group stage two seasons ago when the French team’s leader was Zlatan Ibrahimovic. They drew 0-0 in Paris and Madrid won 1-0 at home.
Barcelona and Chelsea will renew a rivalry that has included intense semifinals in 2009 and 2012. Each took a turn to advance at the other team’s stadium and go on to win the title.
Tottenham’s reward for topping its group is a pairing with Italian champion Juventus, the Champions League runner-up in two of the past three seasons.