PSG will have ‘easy’ preparation but Chelsea draw not simple – Blanc

Spanish league leader Barcelona, chasing a sixth title, prevailed 2-1 in the 2006 final at the Stade de France in Paris and also triumphed in the knockout phase in 2010 and 2011.

Barcelona are regarded as the best club team in the world at this moment, with the strike force of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi working in harmony as one of the best front threes in the history of football. “We must have maximum respect for Arsenal“, Soler said.

Contrast that with Chelsea, who seem capable of losing any match they play this season and frequently do – most alarmingly with last weekend’s reversal at home to Bournemouth.

First legs on Feb 16-17 and Feb 23-24.

Second legs will be played from the 8th-9th and the 15th-16th of March.

First legs on Feb 18, return legs on Feb 25.

Twice out of those five times, Arsenal were knocked out by Barcelona at the same stage of the competition.

PSG are strong contenders for both Ligue 1 and the Champions League but Blanc believes they have to take it one step at a time.

Arsenal Secretary David Miles commented on the situation at a press conference.

The Gunners would be convinced they could replicate that display again when Barcelona come to visit, with the first game of the tie being in London and crucial to their hopes of progressing.

On Monday morning, the UEFA Champions League draw saw Paris Saint-Germain drawn against Chelsea for the third year running.

Meanwhile, Arsenal secretary David Miles admitted that drawing Barcelona was the last thing fans would have wanted after scrapping through the group stage with a 3-0 win at Olympiacos.

The draw also saw record 10-time winners Real Madrid matched up against Roma, while Manchester City will meet Ukrainians Dynamo Kiev for a place in the quarterfinals.

Indeed, Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer has noted that the Italian champions are peaking at the right time. They did not start brightly in their league but they have recovered.

“Juventus are a very attractive opponent, whom we all know very well”, he said. “But we are the reigning champions and that gives you an edge”.

“They [Kiev] have a good side and it will be hard for us”.

Last season’s beaten finalists, Juventus, face Bayern Munich in another intriguing match up while the other Serie A qualifiers, Roma, also have a tough route to the quarter-finals, via Real Madrid. Arsenal pretty much have made all the mistakes they could have in the group stage and that would serve as a learning curve for them.