Barca draw Arsenal in Champions League last 16

Arsenal’s reward for completing a great escape is a Champions League last-16 clash with Barcelona as the two clubs were paired together in yesterday’s draw.

However, it is the game between the pacesetters in Spain and Arsenal that most catches the eye. Then said in terms of logistics, but I think he meant football-wise.

“Both are great clubs and they have great ambitions”.

“As always, we have respect for the opponnent”. We are used to playing PSG.

Arsenal have been drawn against Barcelona in the round of 16 of the Champions League.

“There is not much we don’t know about Paris”, said Chelsea general secretary David Barnard.

“We were hoping for a good draw today and it’s probably the tie of the round”, Miles said.

Real Madrid will face Roma, who scraped into the last 16 behind Barcelona by virtue of their superior head-to-head record against Bayer Leverkusen.

“We are certain to see a sporting spectacular”, Albert Soler, the Barcelona director, said.

Despite losing twice to Juventus in Group D, they finished first and are therefore seeded, meaning they will this time avoid Barca, in addition to Bayern and Real.

Dynamo Kyiv provide the opposition for Manchester City.

“They are a strong side, but they like to play football and it is just 11 vs 11. We are improving and gaining experience in the competition so we hope to do well”.

Also, it was: PSV Eindhoven vs. Atletico Madrid; Dynamo Kiev vs. Manchester City; and Benfica vs. Zenit St. Petersburg. Newcomers Gent will face Germany’s Wolfsburg.

The Gunners were pitted against Barca in Monday’s draw, with the first leg at the Emirates Stadium due to be played on February 23 and the return game at the Camp Nou on March 16.

City’s only previous meeting with Kiev came in the UEFA Cup’s last 16 in 2011 and was memorable for the antics of a certain Mario Balotelli. Chelsea have drawn Paris Saint-Germain for the third successive year, a very hard tie against the club whose draw at Stamford Bridge with 10 men for most of the game last season was a foretaste of the problems that have beset Jose Mourinho this season.

Two seeding pots have been formed after the group stages, with the group winners in pot 1 and the runners-up in pot 2.

Spurs will be looking to make amends against Fiorentina, after the Italian team ended their Europa League challenge last season with a 2-0 win at White Hart Lane that sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Barcelona, as you would expect, casually strolled into the round of 16 by topping their group with 14 points.

The Gunners also exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage after a 6-3 loss to the Catalian side in 2010.