History favours Madrid or United

It bodes well for Real Madrid CF and Manchester United FC that whenever they have met previously in the European Champion Clubs' Cup the winner of the tie has gone on to savour eventual success in the competition.

Class of 2003
Most recently, in 2000, the Spanish side defeated the then UEFA Champions League holders 3-2 at Old Trafford to earn a place in the last four following a 0-0 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu. FC Bayern München then met a similar fate as did Valencia FC in the final, beaten 3-0 at the Stade de France. The Madrid class of 2003 contains the same core as the one which denied United three years ago, save for a midfield strengthened by Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane and a new partner for Raúl González in the shape of Ronaldo.

Wait over
Zidane, whose wait for a UEFA Champions League winners' medal ended at Hampden Park last May following a 2-1 victory against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, said of the quarter-final draw:  "I'm glad not to be playing another Spanish team so this is a good draw from my point of view. I don't mean Manchester is easier but the way they play, open and with spaces, is better for us." Madrid may have avoided FC Barcelona and Valencia CF, but United, who have coasted through the two group stages, will provide formidable opposition.

'Strong United team'
Zidane agrees. "All games are difficult from now on," he added. "You have to play them and win them. If we want to carry on in the competition we have to beat Manchester United. This is a very strong United team." The French maestro would rather have played the first leg away but instead United will visit the Spanish capital on 8 April ahead of a return on 23 April.

Holy Grail
Madrid first accounted for United in the 1956/57 season en route to their second European Cup triumph, but the Red Devils responded with a victory of their own in the semi-finals of the 1967/68 competition, advancing 4-3 on aggregate. With SL Benfica beaten 4-1 at Wembley in the final, Matt Busby's quest for the Holy Grail was over.

'Worst scenario'
Sir Alex Fergsuon's fledglings won the Champions League in 1999 and the Scot would like nothing better than to add to that tally on 28 May, the date of the Old Trafford final. United assistant club secretary, Ken Ramsden, did not dwell on a tough draw - "the worst scenario is not to be in it" - but instead looked forward to the coming together of two great clubs.

'Tremendous quality'
He told uefa.com: "We have a great friendship with Real Madrid and have great respect for what they achieved. But we want to beat them - it's that simple. When you look at the tremendous quality of the teams at this stage it doesn't matter who you play. If you're going to be successful you have to beat the likes of Real Madrid." If United do that, they will meet either FC Barcelona or Juventus FC in the last four.