Skip to main content

Beckham set for Old Trafford return

David Beckham could be set for a return to his old stomping ground of Old Trafford.
David Beckham could be set for a return to his old stomping ground of Old Trafford.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Champions League last 16 draw sets Old Trafford return for David Beckham after AC Milan are pitched against AC Milan
  • Jose Mourinho will face his former club as Inter take on Chelsea
  • Real Madrid will play French side Lyon while Barcelona take on Stuttgart
  • Liverpool draw Unirea Urziceni in Europa League last 32 and Juventus face Ajax

(CNN) -- Manchester United have been drawn against seven-time European champions AC Milan in the draw for the first knockout stage of this season's Champions League.

The heavyweight pairing throws up the prospect of Milan's David Beckham returning to Old Trafford to play against his former club.

Soccer icon Beckham, who is on loan at Milan from LA Galaxy, was part of United's Champions League winning side in 1999.

"We've come up against AC Milan many times in the quarter and semi-finals so it'll be a fantastic setting for two great clubs," Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson told the club's official Web site.

"We're very much looking forward to it."

Friday's draw in Nyon in Switzerland also threw together English Premier League leaders Chelsea against Inter Milan, coached by Jose Mourinho, who led the Blues to back-to-back titles during his spell in England.

Moody Mourinho needs makeover

Defending champions Barcelona will need to beat Bundesliga Stuttgart over two legs to reach the quarterfinals, while Spanish rivals Real Madrid were drawn against French powerhouses Lyon.

The third English side in the draw, Arsenal, have been paired with Portuguese champions Porto.

We're very much looking forward to it
--Alex Ferguson

Other ties see Greek champions Olympiakos face their French counterparts Bordeaux, CSKA Moscow of Russia against La Liga hopefuls Sevilla and German giants Bayern Munich play Serie A Fiorentina.

The first leg of the ties will be on February 16 and 17 with the returns on March 9 and 10.

In the second-tier Europa League Dutch side Ajax and Serie A Juventus were drawn together in a repeat of the 1996 Champions League final.

Juventus won that clash on penalties, but since then both sides have struggled to make an impression in the higher reaches of European football.

The winner over two legs faces a tough last 16 clash against either Premier League Fulham or Shakhtar Donetsk of the Ukraine, who are effectively the defending champions after claiming last season's UEFA Cup before it was revamped as the Europa League.

Five-time European champions Liverpool and Unirea Urziceni of Romania, who were both eliminated from the Champions League, were paired while AS Roma of Italy will meet Greek side Panathinaikos.