After Paris Saint-Germain initially drew Manchester United for their Round of 16 matchup, technical issues resulted in the draw needing to occur all over again. As a result, PSG would see themselves matched up against Real Madrid the second time the UEFA officials went through with the draw.
Los Blancos originally drew SL Benfica, so it’s understandable their disappointment. They had a matchup in which they were the heavy favorite to now one that could see their Champions League hopes end early.
Following the Round of 16 draw, Emilio Butragueño, the vice-president in charge of sports affairs for Real Madrid, spoke to the media, where beIN Sports shared his disappointment on behalf of the Spanish club.
“It is surprising, regrettable, and very difficult to understand what happened today. This was followed by millions of fans watching the draw as well as everyone in the sport. We are aware of what this competition means for the club and for our fans,” Butragueño said.
“We are also aware of the difficulty of our opponent and the quality of their players. We have confidence in our team; we are convinced that they will play two great games. Meetings that will surely be great meetings for football, for the supporters, with the hope that we will be able to be present in the quarter-finals.”
🎙️ Emilio Butragueño, director de relaciones institucionales del @realmadrid:
💥 "Lo que pasó hoy es muy sorprendente, lamentable y muy difícil de entender teniendo en cuenta que todo el planeta estaba viendo el sorteo".#UCLdraw #UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/L75UsuZcGl
— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) December 13, 2021
