Anglo-Italian tie leads the way

Arsenal FC have been paired with Juventus in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals after today's draw in Paris, the first to take place in the host city of the final.

Exciting encounters
The tie, to be played on 28/29 March and 4/5 April, will mean a return to Highbury for Juventus midfielder Patrick Vieira. The other matches see Olympique Lyonnais take on AC Milan, SL Benfica meet FC Barcelona and Villarreal CF encounter either FC Internazionale Milano or AFC Ajax. The second leg of the Inter-Ajax contest will be held in Milan next Tuesday, with Inter having earned a 2-2 draw in Amsterdam in the first leg.

Final route
Today's proceedings at the Hôtel de Ville in the French capital, featured a straight draw involving all nine clubs without seedings or country protection. As well as the quarter-finals, the draw was also made for the semi-finals, meaning teams know whom they will face over two legs on 18/19 and 25/26 April should they progress. The final will take place at the Stade de France on 17 May.

Élite clubs
Of the seven clubs confirmed in the last eight, Benfica have reached this stage for the first time since 1994/95, while Villarreal are enjoying a magnificent run in what is their first term in club football's greatest tournament. Milan, Juventus and Barcelona are more seasoned contestants while Lyon have been quarter-finalists for three successive years. Arsenal, conquerors of Real Madrid CF, are England's sole representatives.