Chelsea have the chance to avenge their shattering penalty shootout defeat to Manchester United in the 2008 final after being drawn to play them in the quarter-finals of the Champions League yesterday.
Favorites Barcelona will face Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine who beat them 3-2 at the Camp Nou in a group-stage match two years ago.
Nine-times winners Real Madrid will play Tottenham Hotspur, meaning a return to London for former Chelsea manager and current Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, while holders Inter will meet Schalke 04.
The winners of the Inter v Schalke match will play Chelsea or Manchester United in one semi-final, while Real Madrid will face Barcelona in the other semi if they both win their quarter-finals.
The quarter-final matches will be played on April 5/6 and April 12/13, with the semis on April 26/27 and May 3/4.
The final will be at Wembley Stadium on May 28.
Manchester United’s victory over Chelsea in Moscow in the final three years ago was on a night of relentless rain and high drama with the teams battling to a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
The game then went to penalties, with Chelsea skipper John Terry only needing to convert his to give his side victory, but he slipped on the wet surface and missed, his kick hitting the outside of the post. United went on to win the shootout 6-5.
Mourinho is bidding to become the first man to win the European Cup with three different clubs following his success with Porto in 2004 and Inter last year.
He guided Real into the last eight for the first time in seven years this week and will welcome the game against Spurs.
The London side, playing in the Champions League for the first time, lost to Real as holders of the UEFA Cup in 1985, their 1-0 defeat being the first time they had lost at home since they began competing in Europe in 1961.
Real director Emilio Butragueno, who played in the Real team who beat Spurs that night, said he was delighted to be going back to White Hart Lane.
“I think it is going to be a fantastic tie, but I am sure it will be difficult for us. Spurs have some great players, including Rafael van der Vaart who used to play for us. I am sure that will inspire him to have a great game,” he said.
Barcelona, the overwhelming favorites to lift the European Cup for the second time in three seasons, will be wary about facing Shakhtar, who have a good record against them. They have met the Ukrainian side six times, winning only twice.
Inter and Schalke are also old rivals, having met in the 1997 UEFA Cup final which Schalke won on penalties.
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