This is not meant in any way as a slight against any of the six other teams who are still quite rightly enthusiastic about their Champions League prospects, but it cannot have escaped the attention of many that the draw in Nyon has created a bewitching collision course. The route to a possible final between Barcelona and Real Madrid has been cleared. Last season these sworn foes met in the semi-final, with the outcome in keeping with Barcelona's usual superiority these days, but such are the permutations this time, it is the final or nothing.

Barcelona have the tougher looking route, with a quarter-final against Milan and then a semi-final against Chelsea or Benfica. Real had to suppress their delight at drawing the courageous underdogs from Cyprus, Apoel, for their quarter-final. The semi-finals would pair them with the winner of Bayern's tie with Marseille.

Barcelona remain the competition favourites, given their dazzling form not just in this season's Champions League but over the recent run which has seen them hoist the trophy in three of the last six editions. Before the revolution begun by Frank Rijkaard in 2006 and taken on by Pep Guardiola in 2009 and 2011, it seems extraordinary to recall that the chasm on the European Cup leaderboard had Real Madrid on nine wins, with Barça stuck on just one.

A decade has passed since Madrid last won Europe's grandest prize, with Zinedine Zidane marking the occasion with a famously beautiful match-winner.

José Mourinho, naturally, is anything but overawed by the challenge of taking Real to title No10 while maintaining their lead in La Liga. It is worth noting that on each of his Champions League successes thus far, with Porto in 2004 and Internazionale in 2010, he has won the domestic league in the same season.

Of course, let's not get too presumptuous here. There are six other contestants intent on having a strong enough say to ensure the two favourites are tripped up somewhere along the line. The only dream final they are interested in has their name on one of the dressing rooms. Bayern Munich, of course, already have their name linked with the host stadium, the Allianz Arena . They look perfectly equipped to trouble Marseille, who come into the match with selection problems. Their No1 goalkeeper, Steve Mandanda, and the defender Souleymane Diawara will both be suspended for the first leg. Both were crucial performers as L'OM knocked out Inter in the last round.Containing the attacking threats of Mario Gomez, flanked by Arjen Robben and the former Marseille winger Franck Ribéry, looks a tall order. Also in Bayern's favour, the second leg is in Munich, where they have scored 15 goals from four matches.

Didier Deschamps is mindful that it is not the easiest draw they could have had. "We must believe, anyway," he said. "We beat Dortmund twice [in the group stage] even if it was not easy. They are five points ahead of Bayern. But Dortmund only discovered the Champions League this year, while Bayern are used to it."

If their meeting in the group stages is any evidence, the Milan-Barcelona match up may be closer than people think. Barca shaded it 5-4 on aggregate, and Milan made a statement of sorts by drawing 2-2 in the Camp Nou in the opening match of this campaign. It was a spirited display, with the equaliser from Thiago Silva coming in stoppage time. Milan's director Umberto Gandini was quick to note that he felt confident "because I think we have also improved since then". Maybe so, but that certainly wasn't the case when they had a fright as they went down 3-0 at Arsenal in the last round. Massimiliano Allegri was keen to make sure lessons were learned from that and it is hard to see that if Milan have something to cling to in the second leg they will be allowed to be as feeble again. Whether they can succeed where most fail miserably, in keeping tabs on Lionel Messi, will doubtless be the most significant thing of all. It will be an interesting tie, top, for Milan's kingpin, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has been invigorated by his return to Italy after a difficult year at Barcelona.

Chelsea will take two former Benfica players to the Estádio da Luz in David Luiz and Ramires, both of whom excelled during Chelsea's uplifting triumph over Napoli. If Roberto Di Matteo's team can maintain the level of performance they showed to bamboozle the Italians, Benfica will not relish a second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Although the Portuguese club topped Manchester United's group that is not as useful a barometer as it would normally be, given how often United have been unnerved in Europe this season. Benfica did a professional job on Zenit St Petersburg in the last round, although a helter-skelter game in the first leg showed a much more cavalier side to the Portuguese club.

Benfica's former player, and current director, Rui Costa is putting on a positive face. "We have our own threats and we do not fear anyone," he said. "We are prepared for anything. We have the energy and the will to go on in this competition."

It is safe to say that Apoel have the hardest task. Their vice-chairman, Antis Polydorou, reacted to the draw with the dry observation: "The ball is round." Indeed it is. Although, to paraphrase George Orwell, some balls are rounder than others. It would be a miracle were Apoel's ball not to go a bit flat against the combined forces of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuaín and Mesut Ozil. To be headed to the Bernabéu is a wonderful achievement for Apoel and one they deserve to relish, but it is hard to escape the feeling their home match in Nicosia is the one which has the better chance of a happy ending.

Fasten your seat belts. The road to Munich could be a memorable ride.