Euro teams react to Champions league ties

Bayern Munich players

Bayern Munich players: another silverware won

Reaction from the clubs involved in Monday’s Champions League last 16 draw:

Manchester City (ENG) v Barcelona (ESP)

Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini: “I think Barcelona will be very concerned that they have drawn us. They are not the team of two years ago.”

Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain: “It’s a wonderful draw and these are two big teams so it’s going to be great, great matches.”

Barcelona coach Gerard Martino: “If you had said to us a few years ago that we would have to play a tie in Manchester we would have thought about United, but now City are a very difficult opponent. They have world renowned players and it is a tie that has everything.”

Olympiakos (GRE) v Manchester United (ENG)

Olympiakos defender Avraam Papadopoulos: “Manchester United are a very experienced team (but) we have a good chance against them.”

Bayern Munich players after they won the Champions League last season
Bayern Munich players after they won the Champions League last season

Manchester United secretary John Alexander: “If you look at the ties Arsenal and City got, that shows why you have got to win the group. Whoever came out of the pot would have been a good one to draw. United are a big club in Greece so we will have a good following over there.”

AC Milan (ITA) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)

AC Milan sporting director Umberto Gandini: “Atletico are a very dangerous team going forward but it could have been a worse draw for us, that’s for sure.”

Atletico Madrid director Clemente Villaverde: “People say Milan are going through a difficult time, but it is still Milan. We are not speaking about any other club, they have a fantastic history and after this dip they are going to fight to win in whatever competition they are in.”

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Bayer Leverkusen (GER) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

Bayer Leverkusen sports director Rudi Voeller: “We’ve never played Paris, which makes the match even more interesting.”

PSG coach Laurent Blanc: “We avoided (Manchester) City, which was the terrible (draw) along with Arsenal. We’ll prepare for this match as we should, in a professional manner.”

Galatasaray (TUR) v Chelsea (ENG)

Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata: “We play against Galatasaray, we have (Didier) Drogba at the Bridge again. He’s been one of the most important players in Chelsea’s history and someone I was lucky to play with, the season when we won the Champions League.”

Schalke 04 (GER) v Real Madrid (ESP)

Real Madrid director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno: “It is true that in theory there were stronger rivals, but that is only in theory. We know that we have always found it tough against German teams, it has been very difficult for us to win in Germany.”

Zenit St Petersburg (RUS) v Borussia Dortmund (GER)

Borussia Dortmund general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke: “It won’t be easy, they have some very good players. But when I look at the opponents of the other three German clubs, we’ve done very well.”

Arsenal (ENG) v Bayern Munich (GER)

Bayern captain Philipp Lahm: “It’s a prestigious tie but a tough opponent. It was the hardest draw amongst the second-placed teams. Arsenal are certainly not a team you’d hope to face.”

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