Beckham set for United return, Mourinho at Chelsea

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NYON, Switzerland, Dec 18, 2009 (AFP) - David Beckham is set to return to Old Trafford after Manchester United were drawn with AC Milan on Friday for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Premier League leaders Chelsea were drawn against ex-manager Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan as two former heroes of English football prepared for emotional returns to their old clubs.

England midfielder Beckham, who won the Champions League with United in 1999 before joining Real Madrid in 2003, will return to Milan in January for a second loan spell from Los Angeles Galaxy.

Beckham has not yet come up against the club where he made his name, with his return set for March 10.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told the club's official website: "We've come up against AC Milan many times in the quarter and semi-finals so it'll be a fantastic setting for two great clubs.

"We're very much looking forward to it."

Turning to Beckham, United's director of communications, Phil Townsend, told Sky Sports News: "He (Beckham) will get a fantastic reception, as players coming back usually do at Manchester United.

"He was a terrific servant for the club and we all hope he will be playing."

Teddy Sheringham, who scored for United in their 1999 Champions League final win over Bayern Munich, said of Beckham: "He'll be getting fit for that tie, he will want to play in that and go back to Manchester United, take all the adulation - and turn Manchester United over as well!"

Ex-England striker Sheringham added Beckham would receive a hero's reception.

"Without a doubt, he was a top player, an icon, the supporters will love him coming back to say his goodbyes and see him on the pitch."

Mourinho, who famously dubbed himself the 'Special One' when he guided Chelsea to Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006, left the London club early in the 2007/2008 season. He will return to Stamford Bridge on March 16.

Current Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, keen to avoid getting drawn into a 'war of words' with Mourinho, said: "I'm not ready to play mind games. I never will be ready to play these games.

"I have experience of what he (Mourinho) will do."

"I think that, for him, it will be an emotional game. He did a very good job here in Chelsea so to play against Chelsea won't be easy for him. He will do his best to win.

Ancelotti added: "It's difficult because I think that Inter are, at this moment, the strongest team in Italy. They are at the top of the table. It's difficult also for them, though, to play against Chelsea."

Arsenal face Portuguese side Porto as all three English clubs play the first leg of their ties away from home after winning their groups.

Arsenal secretary David Miles believes manager Arsene Wenger will be satisfied with drawing Porto.

"I think he will be relatively pleased," he said. "We have played Porto three times in four seasons so they are a team we know well."

Spanish clubs avoided the big names with reigning champions Barcelona drawn against German side Stuttgart and Real Madrid up against French club Lyon.

Real are top scorers in the Champions League having put 15 goals past their opponents, nine of them credited to Cristiano Ronaldo.

"It's an awesome team, they're a machine, we saw them against Olympique Marseille," said Lyon executive and former coach Bernard Lacombe.

German giants Bayern Munich meet Serie A club Fiorentina and CSKA Moscow were drawn with Spanish club Sevilla.

"That's a team we can handle. But in any case we mustn't underestimate them," said Bayern chairman Karl Heinz Rummenigge.

February 16, 2010 (second leg March 10):

AC Milan (ITA) - Manchester United (ENG)

Lyon - Real Madrid (ESP)

February 17 (second leg March 9):

Bayern Munich (GER) - Fiorentina (ITA)

FC Porto (POR) - Arsenal (ENG)

February 23 (second leg March 17):

Olympiakos (GRE) - Bordeaux (FRA)

Stuttgart (GER) - Barcelona (ESP)

February 24 (second leg March 16):

Inter Milan (ITA) - Chelsea (ENG)

CSKA Moscow (RUS) - Sevilla (ESP)