Champions League - Italian job for Premier giants

Eurosport - Sat, 20 Dec 09:00:00 2008

Manchester United will face Jose Mourinho's Internazionale in the last 16 of the Champions League following the draw in Nyon.

FOOTBALL Internazionale Inter Milan Jose Mourinho - 0

It is one of three Premier League versus Serie A clashes, with Arsenal facing Roma and Claudio Ranieri returning to Chelsea with his Juventus side.

Five-times champions Liverpool also face a daunting task as they meet Real Madrid, now under the stewardship of former Tottenham manager Juande Ramos.

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson said: "It will be interesting to come up against Jose again. He is a character with a good personality and I have always got on well with him.

"He knocked us out of the competition when he was at Porto, so I hope we have the luck they had in that tie this time around."

When asked a question about previously stating his desite to draw the defending European champions, Inter boss Jose Mourinho said: "Yes, my wish has been granted.

"I want to face the best and Manchester is a team of champions with a super coach like Alex (Ferguson). We will have lots of motivation for this tie."

England head coach Fabio Capello reacted by describing the draw as "diabolical".

Capello - who coached Milan to european glory in 1994 - said: "The Champions League draw has been diabolical. I didn't expect the three Italians teams to be drawn with English teams.

"But they are games that will bring numerous suggestions and impossible predictions. It will be difficult for Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United but it will be equally difficult for Roma, Juve and Inter."

Draw in full:

Chelsea v Juventus

Villarreal v Panathinaikos

Sporting v Bayern Munich

Atletico Madrid v Porto

Olympique Lyon v Barcelona

Real Madrid v Liverpool

Arsenal v AS Roma

Internazionale v Manchester United

* First legs to be played on February 24 and 25.

* Second legs to be played on March 10 and 11.

Eurosport

Comment 353 - 372 of 372

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  1. it is unquestionably real that chelsea ll drop juventus­ nomather how hard they fight but the match to watch out­ for is mns u vs inter,particularlly the home of man­ u,what a right time for jose to prove himself once­ again that he can beat man u anytime,anyday.What a day­ to expect!(yinka akomolafe,fountain Hotel,Ado Ekiti)

    From akomolafe a, on Sat 3 Jan 5:11PM

  2. agurmalilian..........you are a joke.for one youre not­ the 'smartest' as you cant spell........­ einstein.......either youre being very ironic or just a­ TOOL! just want to bring the fact chelsea have never­ won a major european competition as of­ late...........and you just cant handle the free kick­ marvel that is alex del piero....... jog on sunshine x

    From alex d, on Sat 3 Jan 12:49AM

  3. Italy vs. England! :D
    Gooooo Italy! Juve and Inter­ final! (Y)

    From Asko, on Fri 2 Jan 1:49PM

  4. man utd will be the champions once again....there is no­ doubt in it...................

    From sajith_shadow, on Fri 2 Jan 10:03AM

  5. all juves fans should go and sleep, because chelsea is­ going to teach them what they did not know, they think­ they are smart, but i want to bring to their notice­ that we are smatest than them.
    The blues for real /­ life
    From
    Love band

    From Lilian, on Wed 31 Dec 12:57PM

  6. LIVERPOOL IS A F..KING TEAM WITH STETVIE-G-STRING AS A­ CAPTAIN.... WTF LIVERPOOL IS ????

    From andy_777, on Wed 31 Dec 6:33AM

  7. HAHA!!!! LIVERPOOL GOING TO GET TRASRSHED FROM REAL­ MADRID .... HAHAHA !!!! NEVER WALK ALONE IT SEEMS!!!

    From andy_777, on Wed 31 Dec 6:26AM

  8. Itailan soccer is the most boring thing on this earth­ english and spanish soccer leagues ftw..

    From crazypana13, on Wed 31 Dec 1:56AM

  9. muhahaha, no gerrard for liverpool...this couldnt be­ easier than this way...ha, why dont they leave thier­ goals empty...?
    Real will go on confidently with­ Huntelaar

    From Dave, on Tue 30 Dec 6:49PM

  10. english faans are so biased! and english commentators..­ . they act extremly suprised whenever an english team­ loses. its mega annoying to listen to them... if they­ cud be any more up their own @#$% they would be looking­ threw their mouths.
    i watch all of the leauges weekly­ and the most entertaining and beautiull with best goals­ etc is the italian league.
    this year and these matches­ will proove that.

    From darkshine622, on Tue 30 Dec 6:34PM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    i dont care whatever club they give to man utd,the­ european champs will deliver and they are heading to­ the final again,after that lifting the trophy is the­ next destination.THERES ONLY ONE UNITED.UNITED FOR­ LIFE.

    From fairdove, on Mon 29 Dec 1:43PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    i personaly think this year is gonna be for Real Madrid­ Chealsea Man U and Arsenal
    the other teams beh and­ maybe liverpool can do something other than tghat no­ way Inter they lost to Pana and finished second in­ their group when Pana was last at the start..

    From crazypana13, on Sun 28 Dec 3:04AM

  13. TO... cicciovilone, (comment number 372).
    Why do you­ say English fans are arrogant? Please explain and­ justify your statement.
    English fans respect Italian­ clubs and their players..(and you have many foreign­ players also).
    Please don't confuse arrogance with­ confidence.
    You sound quite a bitter person...but­ we're not bitter, and I wish you on behalf of all­ English fans..A nice Christmas. Peace.

    From Troika, on Tue 23 Dec 4:08PM

  14. just remember what's really English Premier­ League:

    No english players
    No english coaches
    No­ english money
    No english owners
    Only fantastic­ supporters....

    Now let's remeber what is english­ national side:

    Failed to qualify for world cup­ 94
    failed to qualify for euro 2008
    1/8 finals­ '98
    quarter finals 2002
    quarter finals 2006 (do you­ remember enlgand-ecuador??? i do, one of the owrst­ match i've ever senn)

    No doubt: english fans are­ so arrogants, the'll never win and only­ speak...c'mon italy!!!!

    From cicciovilone, on Tue 23 Dec 11:43AM

  15. MAN UTD WILL WIN THE CHAMO LE AUE AGAIN AND BEA INER.

    From cheeky c, on Tue 23 Dec 9:18AM

  16. MAN U WILL WIN THE CHAMPO LEAGUE again AND BEAT INTER.

    From cheeky c, on Tue 23 Dec 9:16AM

  17. I think barca will win champions league coz this season­ their on fire!!!!!!!!

    From bilal_ramadan2003, on Mon 22 Dec 4:08PM

  18. ALL PREMIER LEAUGE SHUT UP AND DON'T SPEAK COZ THE­ ITALIAN KINGS ARE COMING TO BEAT ALL YOU :)­ LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL :)

    From carlo, on Mon 22 Dec 3:28PM

  19. Billy "James&quot you dont come from­ manchester and need to go back to school

    From Paul T, on Mon 22 Dec 10:55AM

  20. FYI darkshine622 all the english teams have english­ players and last time i checked Inter only has 2­ players in the starting 11 and their manager isn't­ Italian either os get your freakin facts straight. And­ just to put things in context for you English clubs­ have a good record against Italian clubs if you look at­ the past few seasons of the CL. Milan have been the­ most effective beating MANU & Liverpool the rest­ have been all been beaten when they faced an Endlisg­ side.

    From Dex Genius, on Mon 22 Dec 8:46AM
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