The draw for the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals has been made at UEFA Headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
It is as follows -
FC Barcelona v Atletico de Madrid CF
Real Madrid CF v Borussia Dortmund
Paris St Germain v Chelsea FC
Manchester United v FC Bayern Munich
Ties to be played as above on 1 & 2 April 2014
Reverse ties to be played on 8 & 9 April 2014
On paper, this should be one of the very best quarterfinals lineups in Champions League history, but Barcelona v Atletico Madrid is my pick of a very very mouth watering feast of football.
Both sides are going hammer and thongs in La Liga and have been superb all season. With Real Madrid now have stolen a march on them in the league, this is really a chance for both of them to perhaps gain some confidence as a thrilling La Liga season draws to a close. Spanish sides have never met so early in the Champions League before so this will be a first.
The other ties are pretty even in my opinion with no clear favourites. Even Bayern Munich aren't necessarily favourites at Old Trafford to win - as Manchester United showed against Olympiakos, even when they're not at their best, they're still tough to beat at home and Bayern will be fully aware of that.
On the other hand, Bayern have gone to Old Trafford many times, particularly during the Ferguson era and gotten the results they've been after, and with the Bundesliga title possibly set to be sown up before the tie, the German champions could be very much focused on this, while United will be under pressure to get a good start - winning the Champions League is likely to be the only way they can play in the competition next year and perhaps being underdogs may very well help.
Borussia Dortmund could struggle to get a result at the Bernabeu with Real Madrid so good at home this year, while PSG will have to be wary of Jose Mourinho's mastermind when they host Chelsea - could Mourinho's European experience trump Laurent Blanc's Parisien flair and talent?
Can't wait for this. Should be a beauty!
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