Juve handed Arsenal test
Friday 10 March, 2006
Channel 4 wrote:
Patrick Vieira will return to Highbury after Juventus were paired with Arsenal in today’s draw for the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Frenchman, who joined the Italian side from the Gunners in the summer for £14m, will take on his former teammates for the first time as they battle it out for a place in the semi-finals of the competition.
The Turin giants, who just shaded past Werder Bremen in the last round, will travel to London first before welcoming back Thierry Henry, a Delle Alpi flop, in the return.
Milan, last season’s runners-up, will face French champions and current Ligue 1 leaders Lyon in the last eight.
The Rossoneri will use the game to get a closer look at Lyon defender Cris who is understood to be on the Italian club’s wish list.
Inter have been handed the simplest task on paper in the form of Villarreal, even if the Italian outfit will firstly have to overcome Ajax on Tuesday following the 2-2 draw in Amsterdam.
The other tie sees Barcelona, conquerors of Chelsea, take on Fabrizio Miccoli’s Benfica outfit after their success over Liverpool.
That game will also be a special occasion for Benfica boss Ronald Koeman after his goal gave Barca a European Cup Final win over Sampdoria in the 1990s.
The draw for the semi-finals also took place in Paris on Friday, with Juventus set to face Inter if both progress.
Milan or Lyon will obviously take on the winners of the Benfica-Barcelona tie in the other semi-final.
Quarter-Finals - March 28/29 and April 4/5
Arsenal v Juventus
Lyon v Milan
Inter/Ajax v Villarreal
Benfica v Barcelona
Semi-Finals - April 18/19 and 25/26
Arsenal or Juventus v Inter/Ajax or Villarreal
Lyon or Milan v Benfica or Barcelona
The Frenchman, who joined the Italian side from the Gunners in the summer for £14m, will take on his former teammates for the first time as they battle it out for a place in the semi-finals of the competition.
The Turin giants, who just shaded past Werder Bremen in the last round, will travel to London first before welcoming back Thierry Henry, a Delle Alpi flop, in the return.
Milan, last season’s runners-up, will face French champions and current Ligue 1 leaders Lyon in the last eight.
The Rossoneri will use the game to get a closer look at Lyon defender Cris who is understood to be on the Italian club’s wish list.
Inter have been handed the simplest task on paper in the form of Villarreal, even if the Italian outfit will firstly have to overcome Ajax on Tuesday following the 2-2 draw in Amsterdam.
The other tie sees Barcelona, conquerors of Chelsea, take on Fabrizio Miccoli’s Benfica outfit after their success over Liverpool.
That game will also be a special occasion for Benfica boss Ronald Koeman after his goal gave Barca a European Cup Final win over Sampdoria in the 1990s.
The draw for the semi-finals also took place in Paris on Friday, with Juventus set to face Inter if both progress.
Milan or Lyon will obviously take on the winners of the Benfica-Barcelona tie in the other semi-final.
Quarter-Finals - March 28/29 and April 4/5
Arsenal v Juventus
Lyon v Milan
Inter/Ajax v Villarreal
Benfica v Barcelona
Semi-Finals - April 18/19 and 25/26
Arsenal or Juventus v Inter/Ajax or Villarreal
Lyon or Milan v Benfica or Barcelona
