Champions League: Real Madrid meet Dortmund, Bayern take on United in QFs

Nyon SwitzerlandThe Champions League quarter final draw on Friday threw title holders Bayern Munich against archrivals Manchester United in one of the most high tension rounds the competition has seenNinetime champions Real Madrid earned a revenge meeting with Borussia Dortmund who dumped them out in last years semifinals Fourtime winners Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid in an allSpanish blockbuster while Chelsea tackle Paris SaintGermain in the battle of Europes nouveaux richeDortmund captain Sebastian Kehl called the draw crazyThese are the toughest quarter finals in history said Barcelonas sporting director and former player Andoni Zubizarreta These will all be big confrontationsRunaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern will relish the chance of again taking on a United side that snatched a 21 victory from the jaws of defeat in the 1999 finalManchester United midfielder David Beckham L kicks the ball past Bayern Munich forward Carsten Jancker during the 1999 Champions League final at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona PicAFPThe two teams have played each other nine times all in European competition and Bayern will definitely start this one as favouritesUnited have had a stuttering season under new coach David Moyes They burst into life this week when they defeated Olympiakos 30 to overcome a two goal deficit and reach the quarter finalsBayern defender Philipp Lahm warned against complacency despite Uniteds strugglesWe cant allow Man Utds current position in the Premier League table to affect our mindset for this game the veteran German international saidWell need all our strength but we have a good chance of reaching the semifinalsJose Mourinhos Chelsea bankrolled by Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich take on Paris St Germain who have become a force with Qatari financeThe Portuguese twotime European champion has never lost at the quarterfinal stages And his first Champions League game with Chelsea was in a 30 win over Paris St Germain in 2004 The two teams drew 00 at Stamford Bridge in the returnParis again host the first leg Getting the return leg is a small advantage for Chelsea so we will have to make the difference at home said Paris coach Laurent BlancParis St Germain reached the last eight last season with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm before going out against Barcelona on away goals The French side and Atletico are the two teams in the last eight who have never won the competitionCristiano Ronaldo goes into Reals match against Dortmund with 13 goals one short of Lionel Messis record for Champions League strikes in one seasonThe first leg is set for the Santiago Bernabeu Dortmund hobbled by suspensions and injuries have been handed a stiff test in their bid to return to the final after losing 21 against Bayern at Wembley last MayHowever Dortmund will take heart from the fact they knocked out Real last season 43 on aggregate in the semifinalsDortmunds Polish international striker Robert Lewandowski scored four goals in the first leg of that tie but is suspended for the Madrid match this seasonReal is a crazy draw commented Dortmunds KehlThe Spanish have a score to settle with us This season they are certainly stronger and they will be very determined on getting what they wantWe have a little advantage playing at Madrid first and anyway there are no easy opponents at this level of the competitionArgentinas Messi is on 67 Champions League career goals and just four short of the alltime mark held by Spaniard Raul as Barcelona take on Atletico MadridAtletico are one point ahead of Barcelona in La Liga with Real Madrid a further three clear at the top of the Spanish tableBarcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes said the first leg could be decisiveWe need to not concede at home to be able to have a better chance in the second leg he told a press conferenceThey are a team that presses with an intensity in the same style as their coach and I compliment everything that they are doing added ValdesFirst leg matches will be played April 12 with the return fixtures slated for April 89 before the draw for the semifinals on April 11The final will be played at Benficas Stadium of Light on Saturday May 24