Real Madrid face formidable PSG test

Nyon, Switzerland : Holders Real Madrid will have to overcome a sizeable obstacle when the Champions League resumes in February after Monday’s draw pitted the 12-times winners against Paris St Germain.

Bidding for a third successive title in Europe’s elite club competition, Real paid a heavy price for not winning their group as they were drawn with the big-spending Parisians who were tipped as many people’s favourites ahead of the draw in Nyon.

Five-times champions Barcelona will face English champions Chelsea, one of five Premier league clubs in the draw.

Tottenham Hotspur, who topped their group ahead of Real Madrid thanks to a 3-1 victory at Wembley, will face Serie A champions and last seasons’ runners-up Juventus.

Manchester City, who clocked up a record 14th successive Premier League victory on Sunday, are now listed as favourites after being handed a last-16 clash with Swiss club Basel.

Five-times winners Bayern Munich, who finished below PSG in the group, will be happy with a two-legged clash with Turkish outsiders Besiktas.

Europa League champions Manchester United take on Sevilla, Liverpool will meet Porto and AS Roma’s reward for winning their group ahead of Chelsea is a tricky tie against Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Champions League has proved beyond even the vast riches available to PSG and last season they were stunned in the last 16 by Barcelona, losing the second leg 6-1 after beating the Spanish side 4-0 in the French capital.

A clash with Real is hardly what they would have desired at such an early stage but with Neymar and Edinson Cavani having scored six goals apiece in the group, they will be hopeful - if they can keep Real’s nine-goal Cristiano Ronaldo quiet.

“This could have been the final, given the power of the two clubs. The last 16 is a bit early, we could say. Logically, we are both challengers for the trophy,” Emilio Butragueno, Real’s director of institutional relations, said.