adminManchester United face the daunting challenge of knocking out Champions League holders Bayern Munich after being drawn against the German giants in the quarter-finals yesterday. The only other remaining Premier League team, Chelsea, face French champions Paris Saint-Germain after the balls were drawn by Luis Figo.
Elsewhere, in an all-Spanish tie, Barcelona take on surprise package Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid take on Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund to complete the draw.
David Moyes’ United side turned around a two-goal deficit against Olympiacos at Old Trafford to progress, but have a far tougher task if they are to reach the semi-finals.
Moyes, who has come under increasing pressure after a 3-0 thumping by Liverpool last weekend, will pit his wits against former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola at the Allianz Arena in the second leg.
Bayern, who knocked United out of the competition in the last time the two sides met in 2010 through a sensational volley from Arjen Robben, progressed top of a group containing Manchester City, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen. They then went on to ease past Arsenal over two legs in the round of 16.
Pep Guardiola-coached Germans have a sensational record in Europe in recent years. Beaten finallists in 2012 by Chelsea, they went on to win the competition last season by beating Dortmund in the Wembley final.
Jupp Heynckes led his side to a treble and thumped Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in last season’s semi-final.
Ominously for Moyes and United, Bayern dominated Italian giants Juventus at the same stage last season, winning 4-0 on aggregate.
But United fans will fondly remember one of the most glorious nights in their rich history came when they beat Bayern Munich in Barcelona in 1999 to snatch Sir Alex Ferguson’s first Champions League crown. But the treble-winning United in 1999 look a far-cry from Moyes’ team now, who sit seventh in the Barclays Premier League.
Meanwhile, Chelsea travel to Paris for their first-leg clash with PSG. A one-on-one showdown already earmarked as a must-see is the duel between Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Blues defender John Terry.
Chelsea have faced the French side twice in the competition before, both games coming in the same season 10 years ago.
In 2004, Chelsea travelled to Paris and won 3-0 in the group-stage game and drew 0-0 in the corresponding game at Stamford Bridge.
The tie will also see Jose Mourinho come up against his former striker Ibrahimovic, who he managed while at Inter Milan.
Ibrahimovic has spoken of his admiration for Mourinho, saying in his autobiography that he “was basically willing to die for” the Portuguese.
The Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain tie is the battle of two of the wealthiest clubs in Europe, and the Qatar-based PSG owners will reportedly pay their players a whopping £820,000 bonus if they overcome the London club and win the Champions League.
‘It’s a massive game,’ Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said. ‘We have a good balance between young and experienced players and, in our eye, the top coach in the world.
‘We have a top quality side but we know we’ll be playing a Paris Saint-Germain side that has some big individual players.’
Sportsmail’s Jamie Redknapp believes United will struggle to overcome Bayern to reach the next stage.
“It is the toughest draw you could wish to have,” Redknapp said of the holders Sky Sports News.
“Anybody’s beatable but at the moment are Man United capable of doing that? I don’t think so.
“Arsenal have proved that teams can go there (to the Allianz Arena) and get results but this year, they just look a better side.
“Listen, they’ve got nothing to lose. They are going to go there and all the pressure is on Bayern Munich now.”
The first batch of fixtures take place on April 1 and 2 with the second-leg matches coming the following week (April 8 and 9).
Draw
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund, Paris St-Germain vs Chelsea, Manchester United vs Bayern Munich. — Dailymail
Online Reporter