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Why Arsenal Want To Avoid Napoli, But Real Madrid Would Like To Meet Marseille - The Dream & Nightmare Scenarios For Every Club In The Champions League Last-16 Draw
With the pairings set to be decided in Nyon on Friday, Goal.com looks at which teams each of the remaining participants will be looking to avoid in the opening knockout round
16-Dec-2011 2:30:00 PM
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ANALYSIS
One of the biggest moments of the Champions League season is fast approaching, with Friday's draw in Nyon for the Round of 16 set to deliver some fascinating match-ups that will take place upon the resumption of the competition in mid-February.
Of all of the draws, this is often the most compelling, with many pairings which initially seem favourable to one side becoming the opposite by the time the game is played two months later.
And many of the outsiders will hope to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Arsenal and Inter, who have overcome the odds at this point before. The Gunners were given little chance against Real Madrid in 2006, but won at the Bernabeu on their way to the final, while the Italian side defied the doubters in 2010 by beating Chelsea home and away in the last 16 and eventually winning the competition for the first time in 45 years.
But for every club there are ties they would definitely relish and those they would rather not encounter. In that light, Goal.com's team of experts across the continent have analysed each club's potential opponents in the last-16 draw and picked out the dream and nightmare scenarios for every side.
One of the biggest moments of the Champions League season is fast approaching, with Friday's draw in Nyon for the Round of 16 set to deliver some fascinating match-ups that will take place upon the resumption of the competition in mid-February.
Of all of the draws, this is often the most compelling, with many pairings which initially seem favourable to one side becoming the opposite by the time the game is played two months later.
And many of the outsiders will hope to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Arsenal and Inter, who have overcome the odds at this point before. The Gunners were given little chance against Real Madrid in 2006, but won at the Bernabeu on their way to the final, while the Italian side defied the doubters in 2010 by beating Chelsea home and away in the last 16 and eventually winning the competition for the first time in 45 years.
But for every club there are ties they would definitely relish and those they would rather not encounter. In that light, Goal.com's team of experts across the continent have analysed each club's potential opponents in the last-16 draw and picked out the dream and nightmare scenarios for every side.
| SEEDED CLUBS |
| APOEL |
 |
Dream draw: |
Basel |
| Nightmare draw: |
AC Milan |
|
| Two years on from a winless first campaign, fans of Ivan Jovanovic's side must still be pinching themselves after they topped Group G. Anything is a bonus from now on, but with Basel one of their potential adversaries they'll harbour desires of making the final eight. Star attractions though Milan might be, surely they couldn't defeat the seven-time winners ... could they?! |
||
| ARSENAL |
 |
Dream draw: |
Basel |
| Nightmare draw: |
Napoli |
|
| With a fearsome strikeforce, a typically solid Italian defence and the confidence of qualifying from the toughest group ahead of Manchester City and Villarreal, Napoli will be the team Arsenal would most like to avoid. Their weakest potential opponents are perhaps Basel, who find themselves in unknown territory as the first Swiss team to ever reach the last-16 stage. | ||
| BARCELONA |
 |
Dream draw: |
Olympique Lyonnais |
| Nightmare draw: |
Zenit St Petersburg |
|
| Pep Guardiola's side shouldn't have a problem advancing, but they won't fancy a long and arduous trip to Russia in the middle of winter, with such sorties having proved tricky in the past. Lyon may not be the weakest of the seven possible opponents, but Barca would love to show Real Madrid how easy it is to beat OL, a constant thorn in the capital club's side in recent years. | ||
| BAYERN MUNICH |
 |
Dream draw: |
Basel |
| Nightmare draw: |
AC Milan |
|
| Having survived the 'Group of Death', an easy tie against Basel would suit Bayern Munich. The Bavarians have a good record against Swiss sides and would prefer to avoid a trip to Moscow or St Petersburg in the February cold. There is no real 'nightmare' draw for Bayern, with Milan the only potential opponents with a real European pedigree. | ||
| BENFICA |
 |
Dream draw: |
Olympique Marseille |
| Nightmare draw: |
AC Milan |
|
| Out of all the teams who finished in second place in the group stage, Milan are without doubt the strongest side and they should prove to be too hot for Benfica to handle. After successfully dealing with Marseille in the 2009-10 Europa League, the Eagles would be more than happy to get the French side again. Didier Deschamps’ side should be well within Benfica’s reach in the last 16. | ||
| CHELSEA |
 |
Dream draw: |
Basel |
| Nightmare draw: |
Napoli |
|
| Milan have the greater European pedigree and are two places ahead of Napoli in Serie A, but Chelsea’s stuttering defence would be more vulnerable to the counter-attacking menace of Walter Mazzarri’s side. Despite accumulating four group stage points against Manchester United, Basel have risen so quickly they could suffer from vertigo in the knockout stage. | ||
| INTER |
 |
Dream draw: |
Basel |
| Nightmare draw: |
Bayer Leverkusen |
|
| Inter's main concern is that they take no opponent lightly, with last season's quarter-final thumping by supposed underdogs Schalke still fresh in the mind. Their experience in Europe should see them past most of their potential opponents, though Leverkusen's suitability to a higher-paced approach could cause their older legs a degree of trouble. |
||
| REAL MADRID |
 |
Dream draw: |
Olympique Marseille |
| Nightmare draw: |
AC Milan |
|
| Following embarrassing eliminations against Monaco and Lyon in recent years, Madrid feared facing French sides, but they now appear to be thriving against their northern neighbours. A clash with Marseille should therefore appeal, but Jose Mourinho's men will have seen Barca's recent hard-fought 3-2 against AC Milan, and will be keen to avoid such a test in the round of 16. | ||
| NON-SEEDED CLUBS |
| AC MILAN |
 |
Dream draw: |
Benfica |
| Nightmare draw: |
Real Madrid |
|
| Having already negotiated a group containing Barcelona, the last thing Milan need is to be thrown together with Real Madrid as well. With the home leg first, the Rossoneri will need to rack up a comfortable advantage, and they'll fancy their chances of building a lead should they meet Benfica, who they've never lost against. |
||
| BASEL |
 |
Dream draw: |
APOEL |
| Nightmare draw: |
Barcelona |
|
| Having upset the odds with their matchday six win over Manchester United which knocked out the English champions, Heiko Vogel's men will surely be hoping for no other tie than a clash with fellow shock merchants APOEL. The Cypriots apart there is a long list of daunting potential ties, with victory over Barcelona surely the most least likely result imaginable. |
||
| BAYER LEVERKUSEN |
 |
Dream draw: |
Inter |
| Nightmare draw: |
Real Madrid |
|
| After their failure to win Group E, there is no real 'dream' draw, but a tie with Inter would ensure low pressure on Leverkusen, and their pace on the wings could cause trouble for the ageing Italians. However, a meeting with Madrid, who have been phenomenal in Europe this term, would be a near-death sentence, and on Bayer's minds will be their defeat in the final of 2002. | ||
| CSKA MOSCOW |
 |
Dream draw: |
APOEL |
| Nightmare draw: |
Barcelona |
|
| Quarter-finalists two years ago, CSKA will believe they can make it to the last eight again if they draw either of APOEL and Benfica, while the weather factor will ensure nobody relishes the first leg in February. With no recent record to speak of against Madrid or Barcelona it will be hard for them to tackle either, with the reigning champs likely to give them their toughest ride. | ||
| NAPOLI |
 |
Dream draw: |
Chelsea |
| Nightmare draw: |
Real Madrid |
|
| After handling Manchester City masterfully, the Azzurri will believe they can compete with a Chelsea side who are more exposed to pace and guile than previously. Though nobody wants to play Barcelona, Madrid's style would force the Italian side to change their approach a little more, and they look much less convincing outside of their comfort zone. |
||
| OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS |
 |
Dream draw: |
APOEL |
| Nightmare draw: |
Bayern Munich |
|
| There are not many tougher sides in the draw than the Bavarians, particularly for the French outfit, who have suffered at their hands regularly in recent seasons. Indeed, the French side have also had trouble against Benfica and Barcelona of late. Lyon aren't a club habitually associated with cup shocks, so a pairing against Cypriot minnows APOEL would go down nicely. | ||
| OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE |
 |
Dream draw: |
Bayern Munich |
| Nightmare draw: |
Inter |
|
| Marseille's greatest moment came in Munich when they won the competition in 1993, and a trip back to the city may just inspire them after a mediocre campaign to date. Having already seen Inter beat Lille twice, Didier Deschamps would probably like to avoid the Italians in the round of 16, as the Nerazzurri would be adept at stifling OM's physical approach. | ||
| ZENIT ST PETERSBURG |
 |
Dream draw: |
Benfica |
| Nightmare draw: |
Real Madrid |
|
| Having qualified from the tightest group of all in the first round, Zenit will be hoping to progress from another tight contest, and Benfica offer the best opportunity to do just that. Two defeats against Madrid summed up a disappointing 2008-09 group campaign, and with the Spaniards now regaining their footing on the continent, another hammering is to be avoided. |
||
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