The reunion everybody wants to see

Chelsea-Barca is a modern rivalry, only 12 years old, but it has seen more fireworks in recent seasons than a New Year’s Eve in Sydney, more drama than a run on Broadway and more disciplinary hearings than Joey Barton could even dream of; and as things stand a re-run could definitely be on the cards.

Barca are level at 0-0 against AC Milan, the team who knocked out Arsenal, as they prepare for their second-leg quarter-final match at the Camp Nou tomorrow; while Chelsea take a 1-0 lead against Benfica to Stamford Bridge where, of course, they produced such a stunning and powerful comeback against Napoli in the last round.

Harry Redknapp’s entire season as Tottenham manager will be shaped by whether his team can beat Chelsea in an FA Cup semi-final in two weeks’ time and stay ahead of their London rivals in the top four of the Premier League; but such is the power of the Champions League that even he will be cheering Roberto Di Matteo’s side against Benfica on Wednesday in the hope of setting up a tie that an entire continent wants to see.