Nyon, Switzerland (dpa) - Title holders Real Madrid have been paired
with Schalke in Monday's draw for the last 16 of the Champions League
while Bayern Munich take on Shaktar Donetsk.
As a non-seeded team, Schalke would have expected a tough task but
may have winced at being drawn with 10-time winners Real. At the same stage of last season's competition, Real dismantled them 6-1 in the first leg in Germany en route to a 9-2 aggregate victory.
"We have have a good experience against Schalke last season," Real board member and former striker Emilio Butragueno said. "There were stronger opponents but 90 minutes in Germany can be dangerous."
Schalke responded bullishly, welcoming the challenge of facing Real once more.
"You always want to test yourself against the best in the world. Now we'll see whether we can do it or not," the Schalke twitter feed quoted full-back Dennis Aogo saying.
Striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was also confident the team would perform better than 12 months previously.
"I'm delighted. Real are one of the best sides in the world and I've never played against them," he said. "I think we'll do better than last year. The cards have been reshuffled."
Real went on to triumph in the final against Atletico Madrid and their city rivals also face German opponents in the shape of Bayer Leverkusen.
"In this phase of the Champions League there are only difficult and very difficult opponents," said Bayer chief executive Michael Schade. "Atletico is from the very difficult category. We are quite clearly outsiders, you have to be realistic.
The 2013 champions Bayern Munich meet Shakhtar Donetsk for the first time ever, although the Ukrainians will be unable to play their home leg in their own city due to the current political situation in the country. Instead the first leg will take place in Lviv.
"Shakhtar Donetsk is a good draw and we'll certainly be favourites, but we'll show great respect in both matches," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club homepage. "Shakhtar played some very good games in the group stages. It's definitely going to be a new experience for us."
The draw made at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, created a repeat of the 1997 final between Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, won by the Germans, and the 1993 UEFA Cup final which went to the Italians.
"Juve have a lot of international experience and are strong opponents," Borussia chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke said. "But when it comes to the knock-out stage, you know that you'll meet ambitious opponents.
"Regardless of the situation of both teams in the domestic leagues, it is a 50-50 game," he added in reference to Dortmund's lowly Bundesliga position and Juventus leading Serie A.
Manchester City again take on Barcelona - the team who eliminated them at this round last season while another rematch is between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea who met at the quarter-final stage of the 2014 edition. The Londoners narrowly progressed through that tie on away goals.
"We now have plenty of confidence because we've beaten Bayern Munich and Roma," City director of football Txiki Begirstain said. "We have improved our squad and feel we are more solid and stronger than last season. It gives us confidence for this round."
Chelsea needed a late goal to edge out PSG last time but are not looking back.
"I think that's in the past," said secretary David Barnard. "Each match that comes along is a totally different scenario. We will take it right from the start."
PSG meanwhile believe they can go one better to eliminate the Premier League leaders.
"We know that it will be a difficult game like last season. We'll do everything to be ready for the two games against Chelsea," sporting director Olivier Letang said.
"Chelsea scored the second goal three minutes before the end of the game so the two teams were very close. Now we want to be well prepared to play against Chelsea and know Chelsea is a very good team."
Arsenal take on Monaco, a former club of coach Arsene Wenger, while Basel's reward for eliminating Liverpool in the group stage is a tie with Porto.
The final takes place at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on June 6, 2015.
As a non-seeded team, Schalke would have expected a tough task but
may have winced at being drawn with 10-time winners Real. At the same stage of last season's competition, Real dismantled them 6-1 in the first leg in Germany en route to a 9-2 aggregate victory.
"We have have a good experience against Schalke last season," Real board member and former striker Emilio Butragueno said. "There were stronger opponents but 90 minutes in Germany can be dangerous."
Schalke responded bullishly, welcoming the challenge of facing Real once more.
"You always want to test yourself against the best in the world. Now we'll see whether we can do it or not," the Schalke twitter feed quoted full-back Dennis Aogo saying.
Striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was also confident the team would perform better than 12 months previously.
"I'm delighted. Real are one of the best sides in the world and I've never played against them," he said. "I think we'll do better than last year. The cards have been reshuffled."
Real went on to triumph in the final against Atletico Madrid and their city rivals also face German opponents in the shape of Bayer Leverkusen.
"In this phase of the Champions League there are only difficult and very difficult opponents," said Bayer chief executive Michael Schade. "Atletico is from the very difficult category. We are quite clearly outsiders, you have to be realistic.
The 2013 champions Bayern Munich meet Shakhtar Donetsk for the first time ever, although the Ukrainians will be unable to play their home leg in their own city due to the current political situation in the country. Instead the first leg will take place in Lviv.
"Shakhtar Donetsk is a good draw and we'll certainly be favourites, but we'll show great respect in both matches," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the club homepage. "Shakhtar played some very good games in the group stages. It's definitely going to be a new experience for us."
The draw made at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, created a repeat of the 1997 final between Juventus and Borussia Dortmund, won by the Germans, and the 1993 UEFA Cup final which went to the Italians.
"Juve have a lot of international experience and are strong opponents," Borussia chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke said. "But when it comes to the knock-out stage, you know that you'll meet ambitious opponents.
"Regardless of the situation of both teams in the domestic leagues, it is a 50-50 game," he added in reference to Dortmund's lowly Bundesliga position and Juventus leading Serie A.
Manchester City again take on Barcelona - the team who eliminated them at this round last season while another rematch is between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea who met at the quarter-final stage of the 2014 edition. The Londoners narrowly progressed through that tie on away goals.
"We now have plenty of confidence because we've beaten Bayern Munich and Roma," City director of football Txiki Begirstain said. "We have improved our squad and feel we are more solid and stronger than last season. It gives us confidence for this round."
Chelsea needed a late goal to edge out PSG last time but are not looking back.
"I think that's in the past," said secretary David Barnard. "Each match that comes along is a totally different scenario. We will take it right from the start."
PSG meanwhile believe they can go one better to eliminate the Premier League leaders.
"We know that it will be a difficult game like last season. We'll do everything to be ready for the two games against Chelsea," sporting director Olivier Letang said.
"Chelsea scored the second goal three minutes before the end of the game so the two teams were very close. Now we want to be well prepared to play against Chelsea and know Chelsea is a very good team."
Arsenal take on Monaco, a former club of coach Arsene Wenger, while Basel's reward for eliminating Liverpool in the group stage is a tie with Porto.
The final takes place at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on June 6, 2015.
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