Real draw PSG in round of 16
Defending champions handed tough task
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid will resume their bid for a first European Cup treble in 42 years against Neymar’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after the big-spending duo were on Monday drawn together in a mouthwatering Champions League last-16 clash.
No club has won the European title three years running since Bayern Munich in the mid-1970s, underlining how big an achievement it would be if Madrid – 12-time winners overall – won the trophy again in the final in Kiev in May.
Challenging them for the title will be a record five English clubs through to the last 16, with Chelsea facing the most challenging hurdle in the shape of La Liga giants Barcelona.
Emilio Butragueno, a Real director and former striker, regretted that one of the favorites would be eliminated so soon in the competition.
“For the potential of the two teams, luck has worked out this way and one of the two teams will be out at the last-16 stage, which we think is a bit soon taking into account they are two of the contenders for the title,” Butragueno told BeIN Sports.
PSG made waves in the transfer market in the close season when they signed Brazilian star Neymar for a world-record 222 million euros ($261.5 million), followed closely by great French hope Kylian Mbappe, who will cost 180 million euros when his loan deal becomes permanent next summer.
Barcelona will be wary of Chelsea, the English club enjoying four wins to three in their 12 previous Champions League meetings, their most recent coming in the semifinals in 2012 as the London side marched to the title.
“It is a good tie. The factor of playing the first leg away can always help you a little,” said Barca Director Guillermo Amor. “We are very optimistic. We are confident and want to keep going in this competition.”
English Premier League leaders Manchester City play Basel, who have had some fine results against English sides in recent years, while five-time winners and Bundesliga tabletoppers Bayern Munich drew Turkish giants Besiktas.
England’s three-time champions Manchester United face Sevilla, five-time winners Liverpool will be up against twotime former champions Porto, and Tottenham Hotspur take on last year’s beaten finalists Juventus.
Juve Vice President Pavel Nedved dubbed Spurs a “very solid team.”
“Juventus have been there [the finals] twice in the last three years. It’s something that definitely does not happen to everyone, and for now we think of Tottenham and nothing else.”
Unfancied Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk will play Roma to round out the eight ties, with first legs set for February 13/14 and 20/21, and second legs March 6/7 and 13/14.