CHELSEA have been faced with the monstrous task of taking down Barcelona in the Champions League round of 16.
To make matters worse for the Blues, they have a nightmare set of fixtures sandwiched between the two clashes with the La Liga giants.
Antonio Conte’s side will kick off their Champions League knockout attempt on February 20.
Since they finished second in their group in the previous round, the first leg will be played at Stamford Bridge.
Four days later they visit Old Trafford to challenge Manchester United who currently sit right above Chelsea in the table in second.
But the worst of it will still be to come when they head to the Etihad a week later. Conte’s side will visit Man City with the hope of clawing back some of their huge 11-point lead in league that they now have after beating United 2-1 on Sunday.
Chelsea will have a small reprieve before heading to Nou Camp when they return home to face lowly Crystal Palace.
The Eagles currently reside at the bottom of the table, but if Saturday’s game against West Ham tells them anything – it’s they can’t take games against the struggling teams for granted.
The Blues fell 1-0 to the Hammers in their last game after Marko Arnautovic stunned them with a goal after six minutes. They will also be seeking revenge when they host Palace who beat them 2-1 in their first meeting in October.
The second leg of the Champions League will see Chelsea in action in the Catalan city after a short four-day turn around. Also handed a tough draw is Tottenham who face some difficult competition before their first leg of the European competition’s first knockout stage.
The Spurs will face Juventus in Italy on February 13.
But before they head off Mauricio Pochettino’s men will play at home against United and Arsenal with a trip to Anfield in between.
From The Sun
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