Friday, March 20, 2009

United handed plum draw as Chelsea draw Liverpool

Holders Manchester United were handed arguably the plum pick of the Champions League quarter-finals draw after being pitted against 2004 champions FC Porto here Friday.

For the second year in a row four English teams feature in the last eight with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool also looking for a quick and comparatively easy passage to the semi-finals.

While 2006 finalists Arsenal were drawn to play Spanish side Villarreal, semi-finalists the same year, an all-English quarter-final will see Liverpool take on Chelsea at Anfield before travelling to Stamford Bridge a week later.

In the other quarter-final 2006 winners Barcelona welcome Bayern Munich to the Nou Camp before playing the second leg in Germany.

Quarter-finals draw:

Match 1

Villarreal (ESP) v Arsenal (ENG)

Match 2

Manchester United (ENG) v FC Porto (POR)

Match 3

Liverpool (ENG) v Chelsea (ENG)

Match 4

Barcelona (ESP) v Bayern Munich (GER)

Semi-finals

Manchester United (ENG) or FC Porto (POR) v Villarreal (ESP) or Arsenal (ENG)

Barcelona (ESP) or Bayern Munich (GER) v Liverpool (ENG) or Chelsea (ENG)

Quarter-final matches played on 7/8 and 14/15 April

Semi-finals - 28/29 April and 5/6 May

Final - Rome May 27