Champions League first round draw
Arsenal will renew their Champions League rivalry with Barcelona after being pitted against the favourites to win the competition during Friday's draw in Switzerland.
Barcelona knocked the Gunners out at the quarter-final stage last season and beat them in the final in 2006. They currently sit top of La Liga, having recently trounced arch-rivals Real Madrid 5-0 in El Clasico.
However, the outcome of the draw will come as no surprise to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who predicted who his opponents would be on Thursday.
"I know who we will get," Wenger said. "If I say we want Barcelona, you won't believe me. I don't even think about it. I hope we get who I feel we will get."
Tottenham, top scorers in the group stage, also face a stiff test, against AC Milan, in their first experience of the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Milan are currently six points clear at the top of Serie A and with plenty of Champions League experience in their ranks.
At his press conference on Friday, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said: "It's a great draw. I would have taken AC Milan before the draw. Whoever you draw is going to be tough. They're leading the league, the top team in Italy. It's a fantastic game to look forward to. It's a great challenge for us."
Chelsea were given arguably the easiest draw of the round, up against Danish champions FC Copenhagen.
Copenhagen coach Sol Solbakken feels the game will be "very difficult" for his side but is hopeful they can cause an upset.
"We have not been beaten at home in the Champions League and we have played Barcelona and Manchester United," he told Sky Sports News. "Our best chance is to play out of our skins to keep the second game interesting. Football is football and anything can happen - no-one thought we could come this far."
Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said: "There's no easy games at this stage and we'll be very careful. They're a very, very good side and well clear in their domestic league going into the break, so they are a very good side and we'll be aware of that, but it's not far to travel and we'll be happy."
Holders Inter, now managed by Rafa Benitez, will face Bayern Munich in a rerun of last season's final, while Manchester United play Marseille.
Inter president Massimo Moratti said: "It's an interesting draw. For them it will be a way to avenge that defeat [in the final last season].
"We have faced Bayern many times and it is an historic showdown but it's early days to make a judgement. We will have to wait and see in which conditions physically and psychologically both teams arrive to the games.''
Lyon will be looking for a repeat of last season when they take on Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, Valencia will play Schalke and Roma have to overcome Shakhtar Donetsk.
There will be two games on each matchday. The matchdays are:
First Legs: February 15 & 16 and 22 & 23
Second Legs: March 8 & 9 and 15 & 16
Arsenal will renew their Champions League rivalry with Barcelona after being pitted against the favourites to win the competition during Friday's draw in Switzerland.
Barcelona knocked the Gunners out at the quarter-final stage last season and beat them in the final in 2006. They currently sit top of La Liga, having recently trounced arch-rivals Real Madrid 5-0 in El Clasico.
However, the outcome of the draw will come as no surprise to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who predicted who his opponents would be on Thursday.
"I know who we will get," Wenger said. "If I say we want Barcelona, you won't believe me. I don't even think about it. I hope we get who I feel we will get."
Tottenham, top scorers in the group stage, also face a stiff test, against AC Milan, in their first experience of the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Milan are currently six points clear at the top of Serie A and with plenty of Champions League experience in their ranks.
At his press conference on Friday, Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said: "It's a great draw. I would have taken AC Milan before the draw. Whoever you draw is going to be tough. They're leading the league, the top team in Italy. It's a fantastic game to look forward to. It's a great challenge for us."
Chelsea were given arguably the easiest draw of the round, up against Danish champions FC Copenhagen.
Copenhagen coach Sol Solbakken feels the game will be "very difficult" for his side but is hopeful they can cause an upset.
"We have not been beaten at home in the Champions League and we have played Barcelona and Manchester United," he told Sky Sports News. "Our best chance is to play out of our skins to keep the second game interesting. Football is football and anything can happen - no-one thought we could come this far."
Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said: "There's no easy games at this stage and we'll be very careful. They're a very, very good side and well clear in their domestic league going into the break, so they are a very good side and we'll be aware of that, but it's not far to travel and we'll be happy."
Holders Inter, now managed by Rafa Benitez, will face Bayern Munich in a rerun of last season's final, while Manchester United play Marseille.
Inter president Massimo Moratti said: "It's an interesting draw. For them it will be a way to avenge that defeat [in the final last season].
"We have faced Bayern many times and it is an historic showdown but it's early days to make a judgement. We will have to wait and see in which conditions physically and psychologically both teams arrive to the games.''
Lyon will be looking for a repeat of last season when they take on Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid, Valencia will play Schalke and Roma have to overcome Shakhtar Donetsk.
There will be two games on each matchday. The matchdays are:
First Legs: February 15 & 16 and 22 & 23
Second Legs: March 8 & 9 and 15 & 16
