Bayern face tricky Juve challenge

Barcelona take on PSG; Real face Galatasaray

Four-times winners Bayern Munich will face resurgent Juventus in the pick of the Champions League quarterfinals following the draw made in Nyon on Friday, with favourites Barcelona paired with Paris St Germain.

Bayern, beaten finalists last season when Chelsea lifted the trophy, will first host the Serie A champions who are back in the quarterfinals after a seven-year absence.

“That is certainly not a dream draw for us,” Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told reporters about meeting the twice European champions.

“Statistically we have not had good experiences with Juventus. It will be difficult and we will need to have two good days against them to reach the semis.”

Juve director Pavel Nedved said: “Bayern are one of the hardest teams that we could have faced. We have to approach the tie positively. I'm proud that Juve are among the top eight sides in Europe and the only Italian side in the draw.”

Barcelona, who overhauled a 2-0 first leg deficit to beat AC Milan in the last 16 this week, will face rising force Paris St Germain with the first leg in France.  PSG’s former Barca frontman Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to miss the first leg through suspension.

Leonardo, sports director at the Qatari-backed Ligue 1 leaders, told TV channel BeIN Sport: “We are going to play against the best team -- not just because of what they did this week, but because of what they have been doing in the past years.

“It is not easy but no draw would have been easy anyway. Paris deserves to be part of the big party.”

Nine-times winners Real Madrid will take on Galatasaray in a tie which pits Jose Mourinho, coach of the Spanish side, against his former Chelsea player Didier Drogba. Real are at home first.

Real director Emilio Butragueno told Sky Sports: “We need to get a very good result at home because we know that their fans will make it very difficult there.”

The first legs will be played on April 2 or 3 and the second legs on April 9 or 10.
Chelsea face Rubin
European champions Chelsea were left contemplating a long trip to Russia’s Rubin Kazan in their second leg following the Europa League quarterfinal draw.

Lazio and Fenerbahce, who have both been in trouble with UEFA over fan behaviour, were paired in another tie while Tottenham Hotspur, the only one of the quarterfinalists to have won the trophy, face FC Basel with the first leg in London.

The first legs will be played on April 4 and the second legs on April 11.

Europa League quarterfinal draw: Chelsea vs Rubin Kazan; Tottenham Hotspur vs Basel; Fenerbahce vs Lazio; Benfica vs Newcastle United.

* Malaga vs Borussia Dortmund

*Real Madrid vs Galatasaray

*Paris St Germain vs Barcelona

* Bayern Munich vs Juventus

Note: First legs to be played on April 2 and 3, second legs on April 9 and 10.