The last-eight draw and who to avoid

Posted Friday, March 16, 2012 by The Sun

The last-eight draw and who to avoid
JUST CHAMPION ... Pep Guardiola holds the European Cup after Barcelona's success last year

CHELSEA have more than earned their place in the Champions League quarter-finals. Ahead of today's draw for the last-eight and semi-final pairings in Nyon, DAN KING runs the rule over their rivals for Euro glory...

BARCELONA

BOSS: Pep Guardiola

BIG THREAT: Lionel Messi continues to show why some rank him as the greatest-ever player.

VERDICT: Faltering in Spain but virtually faultless in Europe. Could become first side to retain the Champions League.

WHY CHELSEA WANT TO AVOID THEM: Simple. They are probably still the world's best team.

REAL MADRID

MANAGER: Jose Mourinho

BIG THREAT: Cristiano Ronaldo is leading Real towards La Liga and Euro glory.

VERDICT: Ronaldo and Co are the biggest threat to Spanish rivals Barcelona's hopes of another CL triumph.

WHY CHELSEA WANT TO AVOID THEM: Losing again in Europe to the man he forced out might be too much for Blues owner Roman Abramovich to bear.

BAYERN MUNICH

BOSS: Jupp Heynckes

BIG THREAT: Ex-Chelsea star Arjen Robben remains dangerous but Mario Gomez has 10 CL goals already.

VERDICT: The German title is slipping away but their 7-0 win over Manchester United's conquerors Basel proves they are no Euro mugs.

WHY CHELSEA WANT TO AVOID THEM: Always hard to beat, as Man City found out to their cost.

AC MILAN

BOSS: Massimiliano Allegri

BIG THREAT: Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, when he is firing, can be virtually unplayable.

VERDICT: The collapse at Arsenal suggests they are not mentally strong enough to go all the way.

WHY CHELSEA WANT TO AVOID THEM: Because they are just as capable of crushing teams, as they showed in the first leg against the Gunners.

BENFICA

BOSS: Jorge Jesus

BIG THREAT: Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo has hit four goals in seven CL games.

VERDICT: Real outsiders overall but their progress from Man Utd's group and getting this far shows they are dangerous.

WHY CHELSEA WANT TO AVOID THEM: Given the alternatives, this is one of the three draws that Chelsea would surely welcome.

MARSEILLE

BOSS: Didier Deschamps

BIG THREAT: Mathieu Valbuena has shown before that he can create and score goals from all areas.

VERDICT: Struggling in the French top flight and it is hard to see them repeating their tainted 1993 triumph.

WHY CHELSEA WANT TO AVOID THEM: Drawing them would be almost a no-win situation.

APOEL NICOSIA

MANAGER: Ivan Jovanovic

BIG THREAT: Brazilian Ailton, who operates just behind the main striker.

VERDICT: Ranked Europe's 112th best team at the start of the season but keep defying logic, so why stop now?

WHY CHELSEA WANT TO AVOID THEM: Losing to a team that spent only £200,000 on players last summer would be too embarrassing to bear.

THE pairings for the quarter-finals on March 27/8 and April 3/4 AND the semis on April 17/18 and 24/5 will be decided.

It is an open draw which means teams from the same country can be pitted against each other. Germany and Bayern Munich legend Paul Breitner, an ambassador for the May 19 final, will assist UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino in making the draw, which will begin at 10.45 GMT at UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland.