Good news for Barça today as we have been drawn with Schalke 04 in the Champions League quarter finals. The first game will be in Germany on Tuesday 1st April with the second leg in Camp Nou on Wednesday 9th April. If Barça reach the semi finals they will play the winners of Roma and Manchester United with the first game being played at Camp Nou on Wednesday 23rd April and the second leg being played away on Tuesday 29th April. All games will kick off at 8.45pm Spanish time. In our readers poll 49% chose Schalke as the team they most wanted to face. Schalke qualified for the quarter finals after beating Porto on penalties thanks to a fine performance from their young goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. In the group stage they came second to Chelsea in Group B which saw Rosenborg and Valencia eliminated. They are currently in fifth place in the German Bundesliga. While a lot of things can happen in football I can’t help looking towards what would be a fantastic semi-final with Manchester United. If Messi and Toure etc are all fit by then it should be one hell of a cup tie. Of course, we must remain cautious as there are no easy teams at this stage of the competition.
Champions League quarter-final draw:
1 Arsenal v Liverpool
2 AS Roma v Man Utd
3 Schalke 04 v FC Barcelona
4 Fenerbahce v Chelsea
Champions League semi-final draw:
Arsenal/Liverpool v Fenerbahce/Chelsea
Schalke/Barcelona v AS Roma/Man Utd
25 responses so far ↓
Shahenshah // Mar 14, 2008 at 13:33
Goddamn
wow
Good fortune is shining upon us. We dont get the english till the semi final. Thats enough time to settle down till Messi comes back. Schalke is good but not that dangerous.
Interestingly enough, the stage is set for possibly yet another arsenal vs barca final.
Shahenshah // Mar 14, 2008 at 13:35
However I must say, nothing will satisfy me more if we beat the crap out of these English teams.
Barca Fan_Miki // Mar 14, 2008 at 13:36
It couldn’t be better i think Schallke is strong club but not stron enouf it should be an easey task for Barca !!!!!
Taras // Mar 14, 2008 at 13:41
Nic:
Can you tell me why everybody here says that Fabregas is not welcome at Barca and that he should get down on his knees to get back?
Justin // Mar 14, 2008 at 13:46
So it looks like we will play Man U in the semi final. We are Semi Final number 2 and have been drawn at home. Does this mean that the first leg will be at the Nou Camp on Wednesday 23rd April? About to book flights with a mate so just want to make sure
Thanks
Blaugrana // Mar 14, 2008 at 13:51
Shalke04 are a EAZY team we fail this 1 than i don’t know i just wana b in the final,
Nic // Mar 14, 2008 at 13:52
Justin I’m still trying to get confirmation of the dates. If Barça get through the semi will be on either the 22nd or 23rd of April. As soon as I get confirmation I’ll post it.
Taras - I didn’t mean to ignore your question, I know there are a couple of others I didn’t reply to. Sometimes this blog can be a very busy hobby. First, it was me who said the Fabregas comment, not everybody. Basically I don’t like to sign players after they have chosen to leave. We did this with Gerard a few years ago and he proved to be a terrible signing. If someone chooses to leave then we should not go chasing after them.
Nic // Mar 14, 2008 at 13:55
Dates now confirmed -
Schalke-Barça Tues 1st April
Barça-Schalke Wed 9th April
Barça/Schalke - Man United/Roma Wed 23rd April
Man United/Roma - Barça/Schalke Tues 29th April
Taras // Mar 14, 2008 at 14:22
Nic:
Sorry, I just got really interested. In the article “Fabregas, Lampard and the Webster Ruling” I have seen many comments saying similar things about Fabregas.
Justin // Mar 14, 2008 at 14:39
Many thanks Nic. We have booked our flights.
The scramble for tickets if it does, as expected, turn out to be a Barca v Man U semi final will be just like the Chelsea games a few years ago. Hopefully members will get two tickets so I should be fine.
Nic // Mar 14, 2008 at 15:10
I know I shouldn’t be looking to the semi final but if it does turn out to be a Barça-Man United semi final you might be interested to know that Man United have to play away to Chelsea on April 26th which would be between the two semi final games.
John // Mar 14, 2008 at 15:29
Will settle with the draw we have received… Schalke are not the strongest.. we should win… It gives us 5/6 weeks to get into a good run, focus the team, and prepare for the return of Messi…. But we have to beat Schalke first… If they dont then Rijkaard has to go….!!!
Schwalker-Schalke // Mar 14, 2008 at 16:21
Jeez…Before the draw we must have been the most popular club in the world and now suddenly every Barca fans love us.
I feel like a big titted blond teenage beauty all of a sudden…LOL
Red Ranter // Mar 14, 2008 at 16:25
Nic, looks like the draw was rigged!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/2008/03/14/mystery-as-champions-league-draw-appears-on-internet-two-hours-early-89520-20351088/
Nic // Mar 14, 2008 at 16:43
Hi Schwalker- Welcome to fcbnews. Hope we have two great games.
Hey Red Ranter - that is indeed very suspicious. Looking forward to meeting your lot in the semis. That’s if Roma don’t get revenge for last season’s 7-1
Speeka // Mar 14, 2008 at 17:00
If it was rigged, then it was by Chelsea, once again they get the easiest draw.
blaugranaboy // Mar 14, 2008 at 17:57
this was a great draw for us. its the easiest we could have gotten besides fenerbache, who i rate the easiest. but even so schalke should be no problem at all. german league is rather poor in general, and only being 5th says little. hopefully roma take out united and then a third CL looks a juicy prospect.
Hilal // Mar 14, 2008 at 19:01
I wouldnt pin your hopes on Roma…..Man utd put 8 past them over two legs last year and they are a lot stronger this time round. Chances are we are going to face Man utd in the semis if we get past Shalke. If we get Messi and Yaya back and we avoid any further injuries we should be able to take them, either way it is going to be the tie of the tournament!! Was hoping for a Man utd v Barca final but now it looks more likely to be against Arsenal if we make it that far……there are going to be some cracking games this season!
Taras // Mar 14, 2008 at 23:19
Mancini said he is leaving Inter and I think he is a good coach and that he would be perfect replacement for Rijkaard. What do you think?
NateW // Mar 15, 2008 at 2:55
mancini actually retracted his resignation. He said he acted in the heat of the moment .. moratti (the club president) backed him
i find that he has soo much talent under his command yet his team seems to under-perform in europe, i think mancini’s best run was the quarterfinal stage ..
also one of his serie A titles (05/06) was awarded with the scandals and the other serie A title (06/07) came the following year, ac milan and fiorentina with points deducted.
inter still play good football but frank has more achievements.
ROB // Mar 15, 2008 at 7:46
who migth replace messi???? schalke wow were lucky but chelsea will be intense.. GOOD LUCK TO BARCA
The Evil that Men do // Mar 15, 2008 at 7:47
I was hoping we got one of the English sides so Barca could knock them out, hopefully Roma and Fernabache clean up the mess.
BARCA 4 LYF // Mar 15, 2008 at 11:47
Barca 4 Lyf first we’ll finish Schalke off then Man utd are gonna die!
layi // Mar 16, 2008 at 0:11
schalke is a relatively easier opposition than the rest but we shouldnt underestimate considering what we are goin through. i hope for the best
e10 // Mar 16, 2008 at 2:40
Taras forget Mancini, he is not capable of replacing Rijkard and the things Rijkard has achieved with this great team.
As for the draw, this is great news for us Barca supporters. Schalke is nothing like the english powerhouse teams but shouldn’t be underestimated.
Barca is very capable of advancing to the semi-final and hopefully we see a great tie between Barca & Man utd.
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