Iberian duel for Barça and Benfica

FC Barcelona and SL Benfica will meet in a mouthwatering UEFA Champions League quarter-final – a tie which is a repeat of the 1960/61 European Champion Clubs' Cup final and which sees former Barça star Ronald Koeman take his current team back to his old club.

Favourites' tag
The reigning champions of Spain and Portugal have proud European traditions, not least having lifted the famous trophy once and twice respectively. After disposing of Chelsea FC, Barcelona are many people's favourites to go all the way to the 17 May final in Paris, and Frank Rijkaard's side will get to play the second leg at the Camp Nou on 5 April after first travelling to the Estádio da Luz on 28 March.

'Great draw'
Benfica coach Koeman, who captained the Catalan outfit to European Cup glory in 1992, gave the following reaction: "It is a great draw for us, and very special for me personally because of the happy years I spent at Barcelona. I've already received phone calls from the many friends that I left there and that's nice. Barcelona have a history of success and have a very good team."

Difficult task
José Veiga, the Eagles' general manager, added: "Barcelona are one of the greatest European teams, if not the greatest. However, with just eight teams left in the competition we cannot afford to pick our opponents. It will be very difficult but sometimes things aren't as hard as they seem. I believe we can go through to the semi-finals because we have a great side."

'Passionate tie'
Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés said: "They are a proper team and they will not be easy opponents. They had a tough tie in the last round, but didn't concede a goal against Liverpool [FC] and won well at Anfield. They deserve as much respect as we do. It will be a passionate tie. You can't say they aren't a big team and they must be good because they are in the quarter-finals."

First meeting
In that 1960/61 showpiece, the Lisbon club's 3-2 victory meant they became the first side other than Real Madrid CF to win the competition, although it was Barcelona who had the pleasure of eliminating the then five-time winners in the first round. The final, played in Berne, was also the teams' very first meeting in UEFA competition.

Significant contest
It was Barça who prevailed the next, and only other, time the clubs were drawn together, in the group stage that immediately preceded the final of 1991/92 tournament. Barcelona earned a 0-0 draw in Portugal before a 2-1 home success. The four points taken from those encounters were to prove pivotal as Barcelona ultimately claimed the trophy for the first time, with a 1-0 victory against UC Sampdoria. Koeman scored the only goal in extra time.

Poor record
Benfica do not have a particularly impressive record in Spain, having played there on six occasions and won just once. That sole triumph was a 2-1 defeat of Real Betis Balompié in the 1982/83 UEFA Cup first round. In the third round of the same competition in the 1999/00 campaign, Benfica suffered their heaviest loss in UEFA competition, succumbing 7-0 at RC Celta de Vigo. Against Spanish visitors, Benfica have lost only once, however – 1-0 at the hands of Villarreal CF in this season's group stage.

Imperious form
Meanwhile, Barcelona have shown imperious form at home against Portuguese opposition. After losing their first match against guests from their neighbouring country in the 1972/73 UEFA Cup, 1-0 to FC Porto, Barça have won eight games in a row, keeping clean sheets in five of them. The Catalan side have not fared so well across the border, losing four and drawing two of their first six outings. However, they have prevailed on their last two trips to Portugal, most recently a 2-0 success at Porto in the 1999/00 European Cup second group stage.