Titleholders Barcelona will have to again face seven-times winners AC Milan in the Champions League quarter-finals after a draw which also cleared the way for a final against their eternal rivals Real Madrid.
Rank outsiders APOEL Nicosia, taking Cypriot football into unchartered territory, were handed a glamorous last-eight tie on against Real as they continued what chairman Phivos Erotocritou described as "a dream."
Bayern Munich, whose 7-0 demolition of FC Basel in the last 16 made them another team to be feared, must overcome lone French side Olympique Marseille if they want to keep up their hopes of reaching the May 19 final in their own Allianz Arena.
They would then have to face Real in the semi-finals, assuming the Spaniards avoid an unlikely upset defeat by APOEL in Cyprus on March 27.
The winners of the Barcelona and Milan tie will take on Chelsea or Benfica, who were paired in the other two legged quarter-final to be played this month and next.
Barca and Milan have already clashed in the group stage this term with a 2-2 draw at Nou Camp followed by a 3-2 win for the Catalans at San Siro in a match where both teams had already qualified.
APOEL have already surpassed expectations by becoming the first Cypriot team to reach the last eight and Erotocritou was reluctant to predict an even greater upset than their round-of-16 elimination of Olympique Lyon.
"We have beaten teams like Zenit (St Petersburg), like Porto, we will try," he said. "I know chances are minimal but we have got quality players and we will give it a try."
TOO FRENZIED
He said record nine-times winners Real would face an atmosphere in the first leg in Nicosia that even APOEL officials found too frenzied.
"Unfortunately, it is too passionate to be honest, sometimes we suffer because of that. But this is how we are," Erotocritou added.
Former Real striker and current director Emilio Butragueno said: "APOEL have been a wonderful surprise for everyone. We have to be extremely respectful, they are a good team.
"With the support of their crowd it's going to be very difficult for us, we have to be focused on every detail. You never know in football."
Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay, whose side got past Napoli in thrilling fashion on Wednesday after extra time, was happy to travel for the first leg against the Portuguese.
"It's good we have the away game first and we can build a foundation from there," he said.
Marseille assistant coach Guy Stephan, whose side left it late to overcome Inter Milan in the last 16, told L'Equipe TV: "It's going to be a very important tie that will weigh on the end of our season. We'll have the disadvantage of playing the first leg at home.
"But we have a strong case having already beaten a German club this season. And Borussia Dortmund lead the Bundesliga ahead of Bayern. We also showed against Inter that we had a lot of resources in the final minutes."
Quarter-final first legs will be played March 27/28 with second legs April 3/4. Semi-final first legs are scheduled for April 17/18 with second legs April 24/25.
