Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United will continue their defense of the Champions League title against Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan after the teams were drawn to meet in the next round yesterday.
Mourinho, who tussled regularly with United during a three-year stint with Chelsea and won the 2004 title with FC Porto, will welcome the Red Devils to San Siro on Feb. 24 before taking his team to England two weeks later.
The meeting between the Serie A leaders and the Premier League champions was just one of three pitting English and Italian clubs against each other in the round of 16.
Chelsea, last season’s runner-up, will come up against former coach Claudio Ranieri after being drawn against Juventus, while Arsenal will play AS Roma.
Bayern Munich, who won the last of its four titles in 2000, were handed a meeting with Sporting Lisbon, while Real Madrid will meet Liverpool.
Spanish league leaders Barcelona will meet Lyon, Atletico Madrid come up against FC Porto, and Villarreal were drawn against Panathinaikos.
United’s meeting with Inter is arguably the most glamorous thrown up by the draw at UEFA headquarters. United beat Inter in the quarter-finals on their way to the 1999 title, but have fared less well in Milan since — going out to AC Milan twice in the past four seasons.
United and Inter, which have won the European crown just five times between them, have dominated their domestic leagues recently and Mourinho is well known to United fans.
He famously celebrated his Porto team’s shock progress past United at the same stage in 2004 by running up and down the Old Trafford touchline to the ire of the home fans.
After winning the title, Mourinho went to Chelsea and led the Blues to two Premier League titles. His run of just one loss in 10 matches against United included a 1-0 win in the 2007 FA Cup final.
“Mr. Mourinho knows English football very well, and this can help us,” Inter managing director Ernesto Paolillo said. “We have the right number of players, and the right quality of players to reach the final.”
Ranieri will be greeted much more warmly, with Chelsea fans getting the chance to show their appreciation for the man who was fired despite reaching the Champions League semi-final in 2004.
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