Man United get Bayern in Champions League quarters
Defending champions Bayern Munich drew Manchester United in a repeat of the classic 1999 Champions League final as a star-studded quarter-final draw was made in Nyon on Friday.
Four-time champions Barcelona will play the first leg at the Nou Camp against La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid in an all-Spanish blockbuster while Chelsea tackle Paris Saint-Germain with the first leg in the French capital.
Real Madrid continue their quest for a record-extending 10th European Cup against 2013 finalists Borussia Dortmund.
Runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern will relish the chance of taking on a United side that snatched a 2-1 victory from the jaws of defeat in the 1999 Barcelona-hosted final.
United meanwhile have seen a stuttering season under new coach David Moyes burst into life earlier this week when they defeated Olympiakos 3-0 to set up the Bayern match.
With United 12 points behind Manchester City and the fourth and final Champions League spot in the Premier League, winning the competition maybe their most realistic chance of qualifying for next season.
The first leg will be played at Old Trafford.
“What an exciting tie – a repeat of the 1999 Cup Final so everyone will be looking forward to the challenge it presents,” said Manchester United general secretary John Alexander.
“We will take heart from the performance of the other night (3-0 win over Olympiakos) and I am sure we will be well prepared for the task ahead of us.
“We have a fantastic squad of players and hopefully they can pull it all together on the night.
“If we can do well in the first leg, we’ll certainly have chances in the second leg to get some away goals,” continued Alexander.
Bayern defender Philipp Lahm warned against complacency despite United’s domestic struggles.
“We can’t allow Man Utd’s current position in the Premier League table to affect our mindset for this game,” the veteran German international said.
“We’ll need all our strength but we have a good chance of reaching the semi-finals.”
First leg matches will be played April 1/2 with the return fixtures slated for April 8/9 before the draw for the semi-finals on April 11.
The final will be played at Benfica’s Stadium of Light on Saturday May 24.