Savoury clashes for Europe's elite

THOUGH brave faces were plentiful in public, one suspects that behind the scenes, the power brokers of the Premiership must be left a little bewildered by the imprint of Lady Luck at Nyon, Switzerland, yesterday.

The draw for the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League was one of the most memorable in years, with three of the eight ties featuring two former winners of the European Champions League.

Real Madrid come up against Juventus, Chelsea face Barcelona, Manchester United take on AC Milan and Arsenal will play four-time champions Bayern Munich.

Only Liverpool, who also meet German opponents in the form of Bayer Leverkusen, will be relieved.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was accentuating the positive of the permutations. This was the draw he wanted - a return to Barcelona, where he worked under Louis van Gaal and Bobby Robson.

Mourinho was assistant coach at the Nou Camp when Chelsea last played Barcelona in the Champions League, the Blues losing 6-4 on aggregate.

"I left the club in 2000 as assistant coach and will go back as European champion and manager of Chelsea. It is a fantastic feeling for me. I wanted to play Barcelona because they are a top team, a top club that wants to win by playing good football."

And there was little dent to his confidence about playing the La Liga leaders.

"We can beat them and I don't fear Barcelona. They won't fear us. That's the beauty of this stage of the competition. Nobody is the underdog. It is 51-49 to us," he said.

Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez believes the Londoners will benefit from Mourinho's knowledge of the Nou Camp.

"I know him very well, he has a very special character and taught me a lot when he was here as a trainer," he said. "It is going to be an interesting match as he also knows a lot about Barca. Chelsea are going to be a difficult team because they have some of the best defenders in Europe and also are very strong in attack."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said their meeting with Bayern must not allow the Gunners lose focus on domestic matters.

"For us it is important that on February 22 our belief is high and therefore we have to forget this Champions League game and focus on the championship," Wenger said.

"Because to go into the Bayern game in good condition, it means you have to be in a good position in the championship. Bayern are a big club, experienced in the Champions League and they have won it many times."

And, with holders Porto facing Inter Milan, the Arsenal manager feels the sides who progress on to the quarter-finals will fancy their chances of going all the way to Istanbul.

"It will be a fantastic round for everybody. Everybody will think, if we get through here, four big teams are out, so it could be a very interesting one for the guys who survive."

Arsenal went into the draw as the unbeaten winners of their opening group, and Wenger said: "I believe we are not as dreadful as everybody says in Europe. We have not won it, and I concede that, but when I saw the announcement, they said there were only three teams who have not lost a game - , it was Inter Milan, Juventus - and who? - Arsenal. We are right in the top eight of Europe, but we have never made that decisive step.

An interesting sideshow to that tie could be the presence of German goalkeepers in both goals with Bayern's Oliver Kahn and Arsenal's Jens Lehmann rivals for a place in the national team.

Alex Ferguson's gut-feeling was realised - leaving the Manchester United boss to face AC Milan for the first time in his career.

However, he will get the chance to play Carlo Ancelotti's big-name outfit, including former United favourite Jaap Stam, at Old Trafford on February 23 before travelling to the San Siro for the away leg on March 8.

United's two previous encounters with the Serie A giants have both ended in defeat, both at the semi stage in 1958 and 1969, but Ferguson is looking forward to gaining revenge.

"I had a feeling we were going to get AC Milan," he said. "They have had a fantastic spell under Carlo Ancelotti's influence and are a very experienced team, one of the most experienced in Europe.

"We have never played against AC Milan while I've been manager but if you look back over the years to our matches against Juventus in particular, we have enjoyed some of the greatest moments of all in Europe against Italian opposition and we are really looking forward to it."

Liverpool look to have been given the kindest draw of all the Premiership's representatives having been paired with Bayer Leverkusen. And Reds manager Rafael Benitez said he was glad his side had avoided one of three Serie A teams.

The tie also gives Liverpool a chance for revenge as they were knocked out of the competition by the Germans on a 4-3 aggregate at the quarter-final stage in 2002.

Benitez said: "They're a good team but it is better to play against a German side than an Italian one. They are more difficult."

The first leg will be at Anfield and Benitez said: "I would have preferred to have been away first of all but if the supporters get behind us I am sure we can get a good result. We have two months to prepare and I am sure the team will improve. We will be stronger as we will have more players available after injury."