Barcelona draw Milan, Ronaldo to face United
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Article summary
Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Old Trafford for the first time since leaving Manchester United FC for Real Madrid CF while FC Barcelona were paired with AC Milan in the round of 16 draw.
Article top media content
Article body
FC Barcelona will face AC Milan in a rematch of the 1994 UEFA Champions League final while Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Manchester United FC for the first time following today's round of 16 draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
Round of 16 draw
Galatasaray AŞ (TUR) v FC Schalke 04 (GER)
Celtic FC (SCO) v Juventus (ITA)
Arsenal FC (ENG) v FC Bayern München (GER)
FC Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) v Borussia Dortmund (GER)
AC Milan (ITA) v FC Barcelona (ESP)
Real Madrid CF (ESP) v Manchester United FC (ENG)
Valencia CF (ESP) v Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA)
FC Porto (POR) v Málaga CF (ESP)
The ceremony was conducted by UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino and UEFA director of competitions Giorgio Marchetti, assisted by final ambassador Steve McManaman, a two-time winner of this tournament with Real Madrid.
His former employers will travel to Old Trafford – where Ronaldo scored many of his 118 goals in 292 appearances for the Red Devils before leaving for the Santiago Bernabéu in a world-record €94m deal in 2009 – for the second leg in March, with the first instalment taking place in Spain the previous month.
Madrid's Liga rivals Barcelona renew acquaintances with Milan, a team they played in the group stage and quarter-finals last season. More famously, they went head-to-head in the 1994 Athens showpiece, Daniele Massaro scoring twice in a 4-0 victory for the Rossoneri.
With the final being held a few miles away from their north London base, Arsenal FC have particular incentive to go all the way to Wembley, but they must first overcome last term's runners-up FC Bayern München if they are avoid a third successive elimination at this juncture. Málaga CF, the only club in the last 16 yet to grace this stage before, were paired with FC Porto.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain FC, whose 15-point haul was the highest in the group stage, will tackle Valencia CF and Celtic FC play Juventus. Galatasaray AŞ meet FC Schalke 04, whose fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund take on FC Shakhtar Donetsk.
Seeded group winners will be away in the first legs on 12/13 and 19/20 February and at home in the return matches on 5/6 and 12/13 March. The draw for the quarter-finals will be made at 12.00CET on 15 March and the tournament concludes at Wembley Stadium on 25 May.
