UEFA Champions League

MU drawn against Chelsea


Former England striker Gary Lineker draws teams for the Champions League quarter and semifinals at UEFA headquarters in Nyon yesterday. Photo: AFP

Manchester United and Chelsea are set to clash in the Champions League quarterfinals after being drawn in a rematch of their 2008 European final here on Friday.
Holders Inter Milan will meet Schalke 04 with tournament favourites Barcelona playing Shakhtar Donetsk.
Premier League leaders United will travel to reigning English champions Chelsea for the first leg and will have the home advantage at Old Trafford for the return leg.
United beat Chelsea on penalties in the final in Moscow three years ago.
Chelsea have never won the Champions League and are desperate to do well in Europe as they sit nine points behind three-time European winners United in the Premier League.
Chelsea or United will go on to face either Inter Milan or Schalke, while Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona could be set for a semifinal showdown should they advance.
Barcelona are drawn to meet Ukrainian newcomers Shakhtar Donetsk as Real Madrid take on surprise English side Tottenham, who dumped seven-time winners AC Milan out of the tournament in the last 16.
Tottenham, who reached the European Cup semifinals in 1962, look to have a tough task against the record nine-time winners but can take heart from the fact that Real have not won any of their last five meetings with English teams.
Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid have not won the competition since 2002, and the Portuguese coach will be bidding to not only guide them back to the top in Europe but to become the first man to win the Champions League with three different clubs.
Mourinho led Porto to the title 2004 and guided Inter to victory last season before moving to Spain where he has managed to get Real through to the last eight for the first time since 2004.
Should the Spanish clubs advance they could meet four time in less than a month. They are also due to play in the Spanish league on April 17 and in the King's Cup final on April 20.
Inter Milan, meanwhile, are on paper favourites against Schalke 04, after eliminating Bayern Munich in the last round.
And the Italian club's general manager Ernesto Paolillo admitted he was relieved.
"Let's say we're a little relieved, some bigger dangers, on paper, like Real Madrid and Barcelona were avoided," he said.
"But we mustn't slacken and we must remain wary, these matches which seem less fascinating can be deceptive. The eight teams who have arrived at this level are very strong."
Schalke captain Manuel Neuer said: "Meeting the titleholders is a big challenge but maybe also a good omen because Schalke 04 already achieved a good result at the San Siro in the UEFA Cup final in 1997.
"Starting with the match away is an advantage but at the same time you have to remember what happened in the last 16. Inter lost at home against Bayern Munich which didn't stop them from qualifying by winning 3-2 in Munich."
The quarterfinal first legs will be played on April 5 and 6 and the return matches the following week on April 12 and 13.

DRAW
Quarterfinals (April 5/6 and April 12/13)
Real Madrid (ESP) v Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
Barcelona (ESP) v Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Chelsea (ENG) v Manchester United (ENG)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Schalke 04 (GER)
Semifinals (April 26-27 and May 3-4)
Inter Milan or Schalke 04 v Chelsea or Manchester United
Real Madrid or Tottenham v FC Barcelona or Shakhtar Dontesk
Final
May 28 at Wembley, London

Comments

UEFA Champions League

MU drawn against Chelsea


Former England striker Gary Lineker draws teams for the Champions League quarter and semifinals at UEFA headquarters in Nyon yesterday. Photo: AFP

Manchester United and Chelsea are set to clash in the Champions League quarterfinals after being drawn in a rematch of their 2008 European final here on Friday.
Holders Inter Milan will meet Schalke 04 with tournament favourites Barcelona playing Shakhtar Donetsk.
Premier League leaders United will travel to reigning English champions Chelsea for the first leg and will have the home advantage at Old Trafford for the return leg.
United beat Chelsea on penalties in the final in Moscow three years ago.
Chelsea have never won the Champions League and are desperate to do well in Europe as they sit nine points behind three-time European winners United in the Premier League.
Chelsea or United will go on to face either Inter Milan or Schalke, while Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona could be set for a semifinal showdown should they advance.
Barcelona are drawn to meet Ukrainian newcomers Shakhtar Donetsk as Real Madrid take on surprise English side Tottenham, who dumped seven-time winners AC Milan out of the tournament in the last 16.
Tottenham, who reached the European Cup semifinals in 1962, look to have a tough task against the record nine-time winners but can take heart from the fact that Real have not won any of their last five meetings with English teams.
Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid have not won the competition since 2002, and the Portuguese coach will be bidding to not only guide them back to the top in Europe but to become the first man to win the Champions League with three different clubs.
Mourinho led Porto to the title 2004 and guided Inter to victory last season before moving to Spain where he has managed to get Real through to the last eight for the first time since 2004.
Should the Spanish clubs advance they could meet four time in less than a month. They are also due to play in the Spanish league on April 17 and in the King's Cup final on April 20.
Inter Milan, meanwhile, are on paper favourites against Schalke 04, after eliminating Bayern Munich in the last round.
And the Italian club's general manager Ernesto Paolillo admitted he was relieved.
"Let's say we're a little relieved, some bigger dangers, on paper, like Real Madrid and Barcelona were avoided," he said.
"But we mustn't slacken and we must remain wary, these matches which seem less fascinating can be deceptive. The eight teams who have arrived at this level are very strong."
Schalke captain Manuel Neuer said: "Meeting the titleholders is a big challenge but maybe also a good omen because Schalke 04 already achieved a good result at the San Siro in the UEFA Cup final in 1997.
"Starting with the match away is an advantage but at the same time you have to remember what happened in the last 16. Inter lost at home against Bayern Munich which didn't stop them from qualifying by winning 3-2 in Munich."
The quarterfinal first legs will be played on April 5 and 6 and the return matches the following week on April 12 and 13.

DRAW
Quarterfinals (April 5/6 and April 12/13)
Real Madrid (ESP) v Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)
Barcelona (ESP) v Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Chelsea (ENG) v Manchester United (ENG)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Schalke 04 (GER)
Semifinals (April 26-27 and May 3-4)
Inter Milan or Schalke 04 v Chelsea or Manchester United
Real Madrid or Tottenham v FC Barcelona or Shakhtar Dontesk
Final
May 28 at Wembley, London

Comments

কোনো মহামানব দেশের গণতন্ত্রের সমাধান দেবে বিশ্বাস করার কারণ নেই: আমীর খসরু

তিনি বলেন, একটা বিশেষ গোষ্ঠী সুবিধাভোগী জনগণের ভোটাধিকারের বিরুদ্ধে গিয়ে গণতন্ত্রকে সংস্কারের মুখোমুখি করছে।

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