UEFA Champions League Draws Announced

The Champions League draws for the round of 16 have been announced and the matches are fraught with a few emotional returns.

LA Galaxy's David Beckham, who has finalized the deal to play for Italian powerhouse club AC Milan had expressed a desire - prior to the final draws - for the Italian giants to square off against English champions and Beckham's old club, Manchester United.

Beckham had said, "Since I left [United] in 2003, I have not returned to play at Old Trafford. Seven years have gone by and I would like that to happen. Me against Manchester, it would be beautiful, wouldn't it?" His wish looks to be fulfilled, but will have to wait till the second leg to travel to Old Trafford as AC Milan looks to host the first of the two legs.

Amongst other returns, FC Inter coach Jose Mourinho faces a tricky game against former club Chelsea. Mourinho who is credited with laying the foundation for the powerful team that Chelsea has become today, will face a friendly welcome at Stamford Bridge in the second leg, but the same cannot be said for Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti, who goes to his old home San Siro, where city rivals of his former club AC Milan reviled him for the latter club's success in the past decade.

While these two are undoubtedly the fixtures to look forward to, other blockbuster fixtures see Bayern Munich play a Fiorentina team which seems to have hit top form. Lyon face off with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid in another promising clash, as former Lyon striker Karim Benzema joins the list of people returning to their former clubs. Arsenal seem to have got a more favorable tie against Porto and avoid all the above teams who are in very good form indeed. Reigning European champions FC Barcelona, who stand to become World champions, if they beat Argentine club Estudiantes, too face a comparatively easier fixture against Stuttgart

The list of fixtures is given below.

1. VfB Stuttgart (Germany) vs Barcelona (Spain)
2. Olympiakos (Greece) vs Bordeaux (France)
3. FC Inter (Italy) vs Chelsea (England)
4. Bayern Munich (Germany) vs Fiorentina (Italy)
5. CSKA Moscow (Russia) vs Sevilla (Spain)
6. O. Lyon (France) vs Real Madrid (Spain)
7. Porto (Portugal) vs Arsenal (England)
8. AC Milan (Italy) vs Manchester United (England)