Champions League 2016-17 Round of 16 draw recap and reactions:
The draw featured some very good games for this season.
Man. City (ENG) v Monaco (FRA)
Real Madrid (ESP) v Napoli (ITA)
Benfica (POR) v Dortmund (GER)
Bayern (GER) v Arsenal (ENG)
Porto (POR) v Juventus (ITA)
Leverkusen (GER) v Atlético (ESP)
Paris (FRA) v Barcelona (ESP)
Sevilla (ESP) v Leicester (ENG)
Arsenal – Bayern Munich. For the 10th time since 2001, Arsenal and Bayern Munich will face each other. The tie usually turned in favor of the Germans who recently beat Arsenal in the Round of 16 {2012-13 and 2013-14}. Arsenal will try to avoid a seventh exit in the last 16 in a row.
Coach Arsenal, Wenger comments: “No team is super, super favorite and everybody can have a chance. The quality of the draw, or the luck of the draw, could have a part to play as well because we know now that after finishing top of the group, our second game is at home. So that gives you a psychological advantage and we just have to look at it and deal with it after.”
Coach Bayern Munich, Ancelotti: “We are looking forward to two interesting games. I have faith in my team and hope we can reach the quarter-finals. Arsenal have a very good team at the moment and a manager I hold in high esteem.”
Paris SG – Barcelona. Another exciting tie between the French and the Spanish champion. Barcelona won the previous ties in the knockout round in the last 16 and quarterfinals. So it would be a third tie over the last five years.
Al-Khelaifi, PSG president: “Once again we have drawn Barcelona, a team for whom we have a lot of respect. We played them six times in the last four seasons so this is becoming a classic UEFA Champions League fixture. They will be two great matches and our fans will be ready for them.”
Mestre, Barcelona vice-president: “PSG are an old acquaintance, a team who are hard to face. Until now we have been successful but every year is different and there are no easy teams in the Champions League. Their coach knows us well and knows the Spanish Liga.”
Real Madrid – Napoli: The Champions League reigning champions are off to Japan to play the Club World Cup and front office director Butragueño comments on the draw against the Italians: “We are going to have the first game at home and we have to get a good result. The second-leg is away and we know what the atmosphere will be like in their stadium.
For them it will be an extraordinary motivation to come up against Real Madrid. Napoli have a very good coach and have improved a lot in recent years. It will be a very difficult opponent. At home we have to be very solid, get a good result to take us to the draw for the quarter-final. We know that the Italian teams compete very well. They are used to withstanding pressure, playing tight and they play very well in these situations. We have to be very careful because it is sure that they will be a very dangerous opponent”.
Manchester City – AS Monaco: Monaco has been in superb form in France scoring rout after rout for an impressive total of 53 goals scored so far, the most in Europe all together and will come to City with no fear or inferiority complex. Pressure will be on Guardiola’s men to try to repeat last year’s run end in the semifinals:
Vasilyev, Monaco vice-president : “It’s tough. Manchester City is the favorite for this tie. We’re not under pressure, we’re going to play our best football. Against Arsenal, we weren’t favorites, and we caused an upset. It’s up to us to see if we can do it again. It’s a great game, so why not? We’re the best attack in Europe, we’re scoring goals, we have to go there without fear and play our game. What will be will be.”
