Life for Jose Mourinho in charge of Manchester United shows no signs of getting easier as the Premier League side drew a star-studded PSG team in the Champions League last 16.
United crashed out of the competition at the hands of Sevilla at this stage last season, and few will be backing Mourinho’s men this time around after they lost to Liverpool Sunday to remain struggling in sixth in the league.
The French club, desperate to win a first Champions League title, topped Group C ahead of Liverpool and Napoli and remain unbeaten at home this season.
Fellow Group C qualifier Liverpool face a mouthwatering tie against German side Bayern Munich, which continues to struggle this season under new coach Niko Kovac.
The defending Bundesliga champion sits in third place, nine points behind early leader Borussia Dortmund — although Bayern has enjoyed considerably more success in the Champions League.
Bayern topped Group E ahead of Ajax, Benfica and AEK Athens and is unbeaten in the competition so far this season.
Spain’s two biggest clubs will have been left breathing a sigh of relief, drawing two of the weaker sides left in the Champions League.
Real Madrid suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat by CSKA Moscow at the Bernabeu – its worst home defeat in European history — but still won Group G ahead of last season’s semifinalist Roma.
La Liga rival Barcelona faces an entertaining Lyon side which has already caused one upset in the Champions League this season, beating Group F opponent Manchester City at the Etihad and qualifying for the last 16 undefeated.
Atletico Madrid, however, faces the daunting prospect of a round-of-16 tie against Juventus – and another meeting with Cristano Ronaldo.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico side may have thought they had seen the last of the Portuguese star when he joined the Italian giant from Real last summer.
But Ronaldo, who bagged 22 goals in 31 games in the Madrid derby, will return to the Spanish capital to try to haunt Antoine Griezmann and Co. once again.
