A fascinating clash of two of Argentine football’s biggest stars is foreseen in the Champions League last-16, after today it was announced that Lionel Messi’s Barcelona will meet Manchester City, the home of international colleague Sergio Aguero.
As well as the two attacking stars, Barcelona have former Argentina captain Javier Mascherano in the squad; for the Manchester club, meanwhile, lines up Albiceleste full-back Pablo Zabaleta.
Holders Bayern Munich will play Arsenal at the same stage for the second successive season while Chelsea hero Didier Drogba will make an emotional return to west London with current side Galatasaray following the draw.
Nine-times winner Real Madrid take on Schalke 04 and last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund will play Zenit St Petersburg, who scraped through with six points after winning only one of their six group games.
French champions Paris St Germain will play Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid were paired with AC Milan.
«Very tough, we are happy because we are here and we will fight for the trophy, but it’s true that it could be maybe better,» City director of football Txiki Begiristain, who held the same position at Barcelona and spent seven years as a player at the Spanish club, told Sky Sports.
Despite the tough draw, City will take confidence from their strong home form which has seen them score a remarkable 35 goals in eight home league matches this season, and their win over Bayern earlier this month, although it was not enough to finish top of their group.
«Barca is a champion side who are playing with confidence and they have that champion’s mentality which is going to make it tough for us,» Begiristain added.
«But we are playing well and creating a lot of scoring chances and that gives us a lot of confidence.»
FULL DRAW
FIRST LEGS
Feb. 18
Manchester City v Barcelona
Bayer Leverkusen v Paris St Germain
Feb. 19
AC Milan v Atletico Madrid
Arsenal v Bayern Munich
Feb. 25
Olympiakos Piraeus v Manchester United
Zenit St Petersburg v Borussia Dortmund (1700)
Feb. 26
Galatasaray v Chelsea
Schalke 04 v Real Madrid
SECOND LEGS
March 11
Atletico Madrid v AC Milan
Bayern Munich v Arsenal
March 12
Barcelona v Manchester City
Paris St Germain v Bayer Leverkusen
March 18
Chelsea v Galatasaray
Real Madrid v Schalke 04
March 19
Manchester United v Olympiakos Piraeus
Borussia Dortmund v Zenit St Petersburg
Source: Buenos Aires Herald