Draw picks Chelsea return for Mourinho
Friday, December 18, 2009
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UEFA Champions League holders FC Barcelona will take on VfB Stuttgart while FC Internazionale Milano coach José Mourinho will be reunited with Chelsea FC after the first knockout round draw.
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UEFA Champions League holders FC Barcelona will take on VfB Stuttgart in the first knockout round after the draw was made on Friday in Nyon, Switzerland.
Madrid meet Lyon
Like all the group winners, Barça will be at home in the second leg of their tie as they continue their bid to become the first team in the UEFA Champions League era to lift the trophy two years running. Real Madrid CF, aiming to play in the 22 May final at their own Santiago Bernabéu home, have been drawn with Karim Benzema's former club Olympique Lyonnais.
Mourinho reunion
Arguably the highlight of the round sees José Mourinho return to Chelsea FC when his FC Internazionale Milano team take on the club now coached by former AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti. The Rossoneri also have English opposition in the shape of Manchester United FC, who they beat in the 2006/07 semi-finals on their way to winning the trophy.
Road to Madrid
For the first time this year, the fixtures in the last 16 will be held over four weeks with half the ties on 16/17 February and 9/10 March and the others on 23/24 February and 16/17 March; for a schedule click here. At 12.00CET on Friday 19 March the draw for the remaining rounds will be held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, with the quarter-finals on 30/31 March and 6/7 April, the semis on 20/21 and 27/28 April and the final on Saturday 22 May.
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