[Domains4u]

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon claimed the controversy between the English champions and Barcelona was behind them after the two teams were paired in the last 16 of the Champions League.


Last season's quarter-final matches between Chelsea and the Spanish giants was marred by bad blood, following incidents at both the Nou Camp and Stamford Bridge.


In a draw pitting some of Europe's biggest clubs together, Chelsea and Barcelona were the first teams out of the pot in Nyon.


It immediately evoked memories of the 5-4 aggregate win for Jose Mourinho's men earlier this year but Kenyon insisted on Sky Sports News: "We want to put that behind us now. We want to look forward.


"We had two fantastic games against them last year. Memorable.


"Even in rehearsal we got Barcelona so I didn't think lightning would strike twice.


"But at this stage in the competition you expect to get a big team and we have got one.


"At the moment they are as hot as we are in the UK."


Barca's sporting director Txiki Beguiristain was as diplomatic as possible regarding the prospect of meeting Chelsea, and told Sky Sports: "People will remember what happened last season.


"They are at a good level, they are first in the Premier League and we are first in La Liga and we hope this season that we can beat Chelsea.


"The most important thing is the show. Last year was a great show for world football, and this can be the same.


"But we hope we will have improved a little bit, and we can win."


Barclays Premiership rivals Arsenal will face a Real Madrid side struggling to keep up with Barcelona in the La Liga title race while holders Liverpool take on Benfica.


Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein dubbed the tie with David Beckham's Real - the first-ever meeting between the clubs in European competition - `showbusiness'.


"Pure showbusiness. It's fantastic," Dein told Sky Sports News. "It's one of the draws of the round.


"We have never played Real Madrid before in Europe but, of course, they are one of the great teams of Europe.


"Never under-estimate Real Madrid because they are one of the very best."


The Arsenal-Real Madrid showdown has been given added spice by the continuous speculation linking Arsene Wenger with the manager's job at the Bernabeu and Thierry Henry with a move to Spain.


But of Wenger, Emilio Butragueno, the Madrid vice-president, said: "He's a great coach. He is Arsenal's coach and we have an excellent relationship with Arsenal.


"We have respect for him, of course. He is under contract so we will not interfere at all because of that relationship between the clubs."


Rangers chief executive Martin Bain is refusing to take anything for granted despite receiving a favourable draw with Villarreal in the last 16 of the Champions League.


The Light Blues have never played Villarreal in European competition before but the Spaniards finished ahead of Manchester United in their group.


Bain told Sky Sports News: "We avoided some of the big, big names in the draw with respect to Villarreal.


"It is a tie we are looking forward to but, at this stage, it is going to be difficult whoever we play.


"There are differences of opinion over the best draw - do you want a big name like Barcelona? To draw Villarreal, our odds have now shortened.


"We have to keep believing at Rangers and we are delighted to be in the last 16.


"It was a new experience but everybody at Rangers feels this is where we should be in terms of progressing and improving year on year.


"Everybody remembers the 1992-1993 season when we did really well in this competition. So we will look forward to it."


But Bain is now expecting unprecedented demand for tickets at the away leg in the El Madrigal Stadium, which has a capacity of just 26,000.


He added: "With a 26,000 capacity, there will certainly be a demand on our ticket allocation.


"But Villarreal will be tough, they topped Manchester United's group with two wins and fourdraws - unbeaten."

[Daz]

i personally think its a great draw!