With only 8 teams – Barca, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich, Atletico, Man City, Benfica, and Wolfsburg – remaining in this season’s Champions League, the draw for the quarter-finals was held on Friday.
The result produced some very interesting encounters, as reigning champions the Blaugrana were paired against fellow Spanish side Atletico Madrid in a repeat of the 2013/14 clash at this exact same stage in which Los Rojiblancos eliminated Messi and Co 2-1 on aggregate.
The other exciting match-up from Friday’s draw will see England’s mega-rich side Manchester City take on France’s mega-rich side PSG in a clash which has already been dubbed "El Cashico".
Elsewhere, 10-time winners Real Madrid, having gotten past Italian side Roma in the previous round to book their spot in the last 8, will take on Germany’s Wolfsburg in what can (easily) be presumed as a walk-in-the-park tie for Zinedine Zidane’s boys.
Bayern Munich, who earned their ticket into the quarter-final after a thrilling 4-2 comeback win against Serie A giants Juventus, will have to overcome Portuguese giants Benfica if they wish to make it into the semi-finals in Pep Guardiola’s last season in charge at the Allianz Arena.
IN FULL: The Champions League 2015/16 quarter-finals
And the UEFA Champions League quarter-final draw is out!Thoughts?
Posted by LiveSoccerTV.com on Friday, March 18, 2016
See how Twitter reacted to the draw.
Barca vs Atletico: Spanish heavyweights lock horns
1 - Barcelona have won just one of their last 6 Champions League games against Spanish teams (D3 L2). Battle.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 18, 2016
.@FCBarcelona fans, how did you feel when you saw @Atleti come out of the pot? #UCL #UCLDraw https://t.co/cMgSMblJBP
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 18, 2016
Barca Atletico looks a good game! pic.twitter.com/Si8H57FIw6
— Jessamine (@JessHumphrey7_) March 18, 2016
Godin won't play the first match vs Barca
— MascheranoStats (@MascheranoStats) March 18, 2016
Barça plays against Real Madrid, 3 days later against Atleti. We need to rest our players against the weaker team, the UCL is too important.
— Mert (@BallCirculation) March 18, 2016
Barca will win CL again this season.
— Abdul Asad (@Being_Asad_) March 18, 2016
MARK MY WORDS.
Fav this.#RoadToMilano
Good for @FCBayern, great for @VfL_Wolfsburg, tough for @FCBarcelona & difficult for @PSG_inside & @MCFC #UCLDraw pic.twitter.com/c5DJ0nnYx1
— Lothar Matthäus (@LMatthaeus10) March 18, 2016
On CL. Atletico used to know how to play Barcelona (under Tata specially when they KOd them in the CL) but AM have lost the last 6 vs FCB
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) March 18, 2016
Champions League run to the semifinals for Real Madrid and Barcelona, compared: pic.twitter.com/B4AO4Hyu4f
— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) March 18, 2016
Fewest goals conceded in the Champions League this season:
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) March 18, 2016
Atletico (3)
PSG (3)
Real Madrid (3)
Barcelona (5) pic.twitter.com/dRCREtl44y
"El Cashico" - Mega-rich sides PSG and Man City to face off
Sickkkkkk! I been waiting for this tie for ages. El Cashico https://t.co/5oOXfkh3ww
— Culture Connoisseur (@TweetsOfIsaac) March 18, 2016
PSG vs ManCity
— Mustafa Mansour (@m0m3030) March 18, 2016
El Cashico is finally happening
3 - Ligue 1 sides have progressed in their last three CL knockout ties vs Premier League opposition. Cordiale.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 18, 2016
PSG v Man City: Zlatan @ibra_official has been knocked out of CL QF in 7 of previous 8 occasions @MCFC @PSG_inside
— Infostrada Sports (@InfostradaLive) March 18, 2016
Graphical representation of PSG v Man City... pic.twitter.com/mSUzewpgpG
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) March 18, 2016
You've got to get past me first @MCFC. Bring it on #UCLDraw pic.twitter.com/Vgus5iNaFx
— Dream Team (@dreamteamfc) March 18, 2016
Early preview of Man City vs PSG.pic.twitter.com/5wpv9zFmjb
— Football Super Tips (@FootySuperTips) March 18, 2016
PSG v Man City in the Champions League... pic.twitter.com/UjuTlgt6Ev
— TheODDSbible (@TheOddsBible) March 18, 2016
Real Madrid and Bayern already through to the semis?
When Real Madrid draw Wolfsburg…then watch #Barca get paired with Atletico Madrid in the #UCLDraw pic.twitter.com/W50ocsmDkz
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) March 18, 2016
Goals in all competitions this season:
— Real Madrid Stats (@RMadrid_Stats) March 18, 2016
> Real Madrid: 109
> The BBC: 77
> CR7 + Benz: 63
> Wolfsburg: 57
OFFICIAL: Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are already through to the semi finals.
— Äyälä_grafix (@ayala_madrid_) March 18, 2016
Bayern have won four of their six matches against Benfica, drawing the other two. #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/abHWDrQ03W
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 18, 2016