Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola believes another two meetings with Real Madrid will be a “gift” for football fans worldwide.
The two fierce rivals go head-to-head in La Liga this weekend before meeting in the Copa del Rey final, and they now face the prospect of a two-legged Champions League semi-final showdown following Barca’s 6-1 aggregate win over Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Catalan giants now need Madrid to see off Tottenham in their quarter-final tie, which is looking incredibly likely as Jose Mourinho’s men take a 4-0 lead into tonight’s second leg at White Hart Lane.
And Guardiola is relishing the prospect of having to tackle Madrid in Barcelona’s pursuit of glory in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
The 40-year-old told his club’s official website: “This is a gift that any sports person would be delighted to accept.
“In this situation, all we can do is thank the players, and treat what's happening as a gift. (It's) the chance to compete with the most powerful team.
“No matter how many times we play them, they are still the most powerful team in every sense - the strongest, the ones in the best form, the ones with an unstoppable squad.
“We shall accept the challenge and go for it.”