Chelsea must step up against Barca: Conte

Dec 11, 2017 - 2:57 PM Manager Antonio Conte insists Chelsea must be positive about the Champions League draw which sees his side face five-time European champions Barcelona.

Having finished second in their group behind Roma, the Premier League champions were hoping for a potential last-16 tie against Besiktas but instead came out against Lionel Messi's band of superstars.

"It's a draw. Our reaction must be positive," Conte said at his press conference on Monday ahead of Tuesday's Premier League clash at Huddersfield.

"When you are in this stage you must be ready to face every team. In this case we must be ready to face Barcelona.

"When you play against Barcelona you must put 120 per cent at home and away if you want to hope to go to the next round."

The first leg takes place at Stamford Bridge on February 20 - and is scheduled to be followed by Premier League matches at Manchester United (February 24) and Manchester City (March 3) - with the second leg at the Nou Camp on March 14.

Conte's immediate focus is on the Premier League after last Saturday's loss at West Ham saw the Blues slip 14 points behind City as the Italian dismissed past battles with Barca.

But he will hope to invoke the memory of their remarkable win over the Catalan giants in 2012, when goals from Ramires and Fernando Torres saw them reach the Champions League final on away goals despite the earlier dismissal of John Terry.

"The past is the past. Now it's the present, another story. It's totally different," he said.

Tottenham were also handed a questionable reward for finishing ahead of Real Madrid in their qualifying group as they were paired with last year's runners-up Juventus.

But Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool will be relatively content after being paired with Basel, Sevilla and Porto respectively.

The remaining three ties pit Real Madrid against Paris Saint-Germain, Shakhtar Donetsk with Roma, and Bayern Munich against Besiktas.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16 DRAW:

First legs February 13-14 and 20-21, return matches March 6-7 and 13-14.

* Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur

* Basel v Manchester City

* Porto v Liverpool

* Sevilla v Manchester United

* Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain

* Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma

* Chelsea v Barcelona

* Bayern Munich v Besiktas

Source: AAP