الرئيسية
GENEVA (AP) — Champions League favorites Barcelona and Real Madrid
will line up alongside knockout stage newcomers APOEL and FC Basel on
Friday when the draw is made for the last 16 in club football's most
prestigious competition.
Like their Cypriot and Swiss
counterparts, Napoli and Zenit St. Petersburg will also being making
their debuts at this stage of the money-spinning Champions League.
Defending
champion Barcelona and nine-time winner Madrid are Spain's only
survivors from the group stage, while England has just Arsenal and
Chelsea instead of its customary four challengers.
Italy, however,
has three representatives, 2010 champion Inter Milan, seven-time winner
AC Milan and Napoli. Germany, France and Russia also have two clubs
left as the Champions League features a broader spread of teams than in
previous seasons.
APOEL is the first Cypriot team to progress this
far, while Portuguese club Benfica and Swiss champion Basel complete
the lineup.
Still, the quality and tradition is upheld by seven
previous champions who have combined to win 30 of the 56 titles since
Europe's signature club competition began in 1955.
Barcelona, a
four-time champion, will discover its next opponent while in Japan
playing in the Club World Cup, an honor it earned by beating Manchester
United in last year's final in London.
Man United is missing this time, exiting for only the second time in 16 tries after losing to Basel.
Basel
rewarded interim coach Heiko Vogel with a permanent contract this week
for its best performance since reaching the second group stage in
2002-03, the final season before UEFA introduced the current format.
will line up alongside knockout stage newcomers APOEL and FC Basel on
Friday when the draw is made for the last 16 in club football's most
prestigious competition.
Like their Cypriot and Swiss
counterparts, Napoli and Zenit St. Petersburg will also being making
their debuts at this stage of the money-spinning Champions League.
Defending
champion Barcelona and nine-time winner Madrid are Spain's only
survivors from the group stage, while England has just Arsenal and
Chelsea instead of its customary four challengers.
Italy, however,
has three representatives, 2010 champion Inter Milan, seven-time winner
AC Milan and Napoli. Germany, France and Russia also have two clubs
left as the Champions League features a broader spread of teams than in
previous seasons.
APOEL is the first Cypriot team to progress this
far, while Portuguese club Benfica and Swiss champion Basel complete
the lineup.
Still, the quality and tradition is upheld by seven
previous champions who have combined to win 30 of the 56 titles since
Europe's signature club competition began in 1955.
Barcelona, a
four-time champion, will discover its next opponent while in Japan
playing in the Club World Cup, an honor it earned by beating Manchester
United in last year's final in London.
Man United is missing this time, exiting for only the second time in 16 tries after losing to Basel.
Basel
rewarded interim coach Heiko Vogel with a permanent contract this week
for its best performance since reaching the second group stage in
2002-03, the final season before UEFA introduced the current format.