BARCELONA DRAW MAN CITY IN BLOCKBUSTER CLASH

Game by game guide to the second round

Barcelona v Manchester City

After their feats of escapology in emerging from Group E, Manchester City will welcome just being in the draw for the knockout stages. Their late heroics against Bayern Munich and away win against Roma will also have bolstered confidence that they can beat anyone on their day.

Much will depend on the fitness of injured striker Sergio Aguero, whose hat-trick against Bayern in the penultimate game was crucial.

Lionel Messi of Barcelona is challenged by Sergio Aguero of Manchester City last season. Source: Getty Images

A Barcelona side that includes the great Lionel Messi represents a tough assignment and City will need a good result at the Etihad Stadium to take to the Camp Nou if they are to have any chance of denying Barca a place in the last eight for the first time since 2007.

But if they can get their best players fit and firing, they can certainly hope to improve on their showing against the Catalan side last season. Beaten 4-1 on aggregate over two legs, the sending-off of Martin Demichelis turned the tie. Has Manuel Pellegrini learned from that experience?

“We have tried to improve at the back. We are more solid than last season,” said Man City director of football Txiki Begiristain, a former Barcelona player and director. “The only reason to be happy is that I can go home.”

Arsenal v Monaco

The number crunchers revealed that Bayern Munich were the team Arsenal would be most likely to face in Monday’s draw, but Arsene Wenger’s side managed to avoid the German champions and find themselves up against Monaco instead.

For Wenger it is a return to the club he coached for seven years between 1987 and 1994 guiding them to a Ligue 1 title and a Coupe de France triumph during his time there, launching the careers of Arsenal heroes Thierry Henry and Emmanuel Petit in the process.

The French side are down in sixth in their domestic competition and despite having former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov within the ranks, it’s a game for which the Gunners will be favourites to progress despite having to travel to Monaco for the second leg.

Arsene Wenger is going back to the club he made his name at. Source: Getty Images

Chelsea v Paris Saint-Germain

Jose Mourinho had said he would welcome facing PSG but the French champions represent the toughest draw possible for Chelsea after the Londoners topped their group.

PSG boast a number of world-class performers including Thiago Silva, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani as well as former Chelsea player David Luiz in defence. There is also the promising talent of Marco Verratti in midfield to consider.

But Mourinho’s confidence might be explained by their quarter-final triumph over PSG in March. Although Chelsea required a late Demba Ba goal to progress on away goals, the current Premier League leaders are an improved outfit since that game and with the second leg at Stamford Bridge once again, that could prove a key advantage for his team.

Paris Saint Germain's defender David Luiz will play his former Chelsea teammates. Source: AP

Bayern Munich v Shakhtar Donetsk

German giants Bayern, who advanced through the toughest group ahead of Manchester City and Roma, play Shakhtar Donetsk.

Bayern will face Shakhtar Donetsk. Source: AP

“Shakhtar Donetsk is a good draw, and we are clearly favourites. But we’ll treat them with huge respect, and at least it’s a new experience for us,” Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. Bayern have eliminated Arsenal at this stage in the past two seasons.

Travel could be Bayern’s biggest hurdle. As a result of political unrest in Ukraine, Donetsk have been forced to abandon their home and are training 600km away in Kiev and play “home” games a further 400km away in Lviv.

Juventus v Borussia Dortmund

Juventus will face Borussia Dortmund in a repeat of the 1997 final which produced one of the biggest Champions League upsets. Back then, Dortmund beat the heavily favoured defending champions 3-1.

Real Madrid will meet a familiar opponent in Schalke. Source: AFP

Real Madrid v Schalke

Defending champion Madrid will play Schalke a year after a 6-1 rout in Germany sparked a 9-2 aggregate victory.

Schalke are coached by Roberto Di Matteo, who was in charge of Chelsea when they were crowned kings of Europe.

“The balls come out as they come out, of course, we are the outsiders, but there is always the old football saying; “form beats class”,” said Schalke board member Peter Peters optimistically.

Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid

The draw against last year’s runners-up was welcomed by Leverkusen’s coach Roger Schmidt.

“Atlético are a great draw and very attractive opposition. We are looking forward to two really interesting matches against the Champions League finalists of last year.

“Even though they have continuously improved in recent years, we think we have our chances.”

Basel v Porto

This meeting of outsiders shapes a dream draw for both teams. Basel did well to eliminate Liverpool from their group and finish second behind Real Madrid, while Porto cruised their group with only Shakhtar Donetsk taking any points off them. Striker Jackson Martinez is Porto's main man, a big strong forward coveted by several European rivals.