NYON, SWITZERLAND // The defending champions Inter Milan will face Bayern Munich in a re-run of last season's Champions League final after being drawn together in the first knock-out round.
Inter, who are in action in Abu Dhabi tomorrow against TP Mazembe in the Club World Cup final, beat Bayern 2-0 in Madrid in May to become European champions for the first time since 1965, but neither side has so far replicated last season's good form.
Inter are seventh in Serie A and only advanced as runner-up in the group stage, while Bayern topped a relatively weak group but is languishing in a distant sixth place in the Bundesliga.
"We're looking forward to these games," the Bayern vice chairman Karl Hopfner said. "I think we've got to make up for the past and I think the players are up for it."
Barcelona will meet Arsenal, a repeat of the 2006 final and, with four goals by Lionel Messi, outclassed 6-3 on aggregate in last season's quarter-finals, while Real Madrid play Lyon - the side that knocked the Spanish giants out at the same stage last season.
Last year's victory was Lyon's third straight defeat of Real in the Champions League, each time without conceding a goal.
"It will be very hard because Real will want to make up for last season," the Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas said. "It's a kind of revenge. It really will be special to knock them out two years in a row."
Seven-time European champions AC Milan will play Tottenham Hotspur, who won Group A ahead of Milan's city rivals Inter in their first appearance in the Champions League.
"I would have taken AC Milan before the draw," the Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp said. "They are leading the league in Italy but it has the makings of a great game over two legs. I'm looking forward to it."
Manchester United are drawn against Marseille, and Chelsea will meet FC Copenhagen.
"They're maybe the biggest club in Europe along with Real Madrid, historically speaking," the Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier said of United. "But I think the English will suit Marseille better than Barcelona's short passing game would.
"We'll need a strong defence against the famous Wayne Rooney and the others who play with him. It will be a good atmosphere at the Velodrome and I think we have our chances."
Copenhagen, the first Danish club to make it out of the group stage, are not expected to get past a team that reached the 2008 final and won last season's Premier League.
"We must try to create a small sensation at home so tension is maintained," the FC Copenhagen coach Stale Solbakken said. "But it will be difficult. Chelsea is probably among the three, four favourites to win it all."
Shakhtar Donetsk, who won the second-tier Uefa Cup in 2009, will play Roma, while Valencia face Schalke.
The first leg matches are scheduled for February 15, with the return games the following month.
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
