Friday Mar 14 2008 13:16
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry admitted the Champions League quarter-final draw against
Arsenal was a tie he'd hoped to avoid.
Two of the four English clubs in the hat for the last eight were paired together with the first leg to be played at the Emirates Stadium on April 1 or 2 before a return at Anfield on April 8 or 9.
In between there will be a Premier League meeting of the two sides in north London and Parry admitted the draw was far from ideal.
The winner of the last-eight tie could also face English opposition in the semi-finals after being paired against the winner of the Schalke versus Chelsea clash.
"We'd hoped to avoid an English team but an all-English tie was bound to happen and it's happened to us," said Parry.
"We're also playing Arsenal in the league in between the quarter-final legs so that will be interesting. I don't think there will be any surprises for either side in those games.
"We'll take each match as it comes but, of course, we've noticed we might also face another English side in the last four as well."
Arsenal managing director Keith Edelman added: "I think we'd have preferred European competition.
"Liverpool are a great team and are fantastic in this competition and, with three games against them in a week, I'm sure the tactics in each tie will be under close scrutiny.
"It should make for compelling viewing and, after the way we played against AC Milan, we must have a lot of belief that we can go all the way."
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