UNI-TED

By Chris,
March 20 2009

Manchester United supporters will be celebrating the outcome of the European Cup draw after the Red Devils were given a favourable route to Rome. It won’t be easy – not by any stretch of the imagination – but United have avoided some hugely difficult ties and will face FC Porto in the quarter-finals. Should the Reds see off the Portuguese outfit, they will face Arsenal or Villarreal in the semis.

Porto will provide a stern test - but must be considered one of the weakest teams left in the competition. United should therefore be delighted with the draw - and the fact that the Gooners or Villarreal will await the winners in the last four.

The Scousers and Chelsea, meanwhile, won't be so impressed with the two Premier League giants set to do battle once again in European competition. Let's hope they knock lumps out of eachother on the field - metaphorically, of course!

Elsewhere, much-fancied Barcelona will face Bayern Munich who stormed into the last eight with a 12-1 aggregate win over Sporting Lisbon.

The draw comes after an interview Sir Alex Ferguson gave to the New Statesman was published. Fergie claimed that to win the unprecedented "quintuple" United would need plenty of luck along the way - and we've certainly got a big wedge of it with this favourable draw.