Javier Tebas on Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain: “Didn’t they want more interesting games?”

La Liga president Javier Tebas has spoken about the botched Champions League draw that began with Real Madrid facing Benfica in the last 16 and ended with them getting Paris Saint-Germain. The draw had to be redone after a mistake was made, excluding Manchester United’s ball from one of the pots.

“Maybe Real Madrid are right and the whole draw shouldn’t have been repeated,” he said in comments carried by Cope. “It was a shame. I don’t know if it was human or technical error, and maybe Real Madrid are right and the whole draw shouldn’t have been repeated. But this is a personal opinion. Didn’t they want more interesting games? Well, this is more interesting than playing Benfica would have been.”

Tebas is referring to the Super League fiasco of last season, when 12 of Europe’s biggest clubs tried to establish a new, closed competition that would have seen them face each other more often than they do now. Madrid were key to that project, while Tebas was a vocal opponent from the jump.

Madrid, as Tebas alluded to, will be facing PSG in February, while Atletico Madrid will lock horns with Manchester United. Villarreal, the other Spanish side to make it to the last 16, play Juventus. The other ties are Manchester City v Sporting Club de Portugal, Bayern Munich v Salzburg, Liverpool v Internazionale, Chelsea v Lille and Benfica v Ajax.