So accustomed are Manchester United to looking like the men who broke the bank at Monte Carlo that a Champions League quarter-final against Monaco, Glenn Hoddle's old club, smacks of type-casting. It may not turn out to be that easy a draw for Alex Ferguson's team next March, but it is the one United would have chosen.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, could not have wanted to encounter Atletico Madrid and Juninho, who have already knocked out Leicester City, in the UEFA Cup at this stage. And while Real Betis will be meeting a rather different Chelsea side in the Cup Winners' Cup to the one beaten in the semi-finals by Real Zaragoza three seasons ago, Ruud Gullit's team will be as wary as Villa of Spanish opposition, especially if Alfonso is on form in the spring.
For Manchester United, however, the outlook abroad looks as sunny as it does at home. Yesterday's draw could hardly have been kinder. As Martin Edwards, the United chairman, observed: "Monaco would have been one of the opponents we'd have picked, so clearly we are pleased."
United have avoided Real Madrid, the team most likely to deny Ferguson his ambition of bringing the European Cup back to Old Trafford 30 years after Sir Matt Busby's triumph. Madrid play Bayer Leverkusen and the remaining German threat will be halved once Borussia Dortmund, the present holders and United's conquerors in last season's semi-finals, have met Bayern Munich. Juventus, who could still haunt United despite losing a group game at Old Trafford, have to face the Ukrainian dark horses, Dynamo Kiev.
Monaco's presence in the last eight, against many expectations, should be enough to put Manchester United on their guard. The team that twice outplayed Newcastle United in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals last season before winning the French championship by a dozen points was then broken up in a summer sale.
Arsenal signed Emmanuel Petit and Gilles Grimandi, Sheffield Wednesday snapped up Patrick Blondeau, and Brazilian striker Sonny Anderson went to Barcelona for £13 million. That appeared to have put paid to Monaco's chances, yet their coach, Jean Tigana, has kept the momentum going.
Again leading the French league, Monaco are now one win short of Auxerre's 1984 record of eight consecutive victories. As well as the explosive pace of Thierry Henry, the Champions League's top scorer so far with six goals, United's defenders will have to cope with the finishing of David Trezeguet and the Nigerian Victor Ikpeba. John Collins, who moved to Monaco from Celtic the summer before last, continues to stiffen Tigana's midfield.
In winning Group F, Monaco produced some formidable form at home, beating Leverkusen 4-0 and Lierse, the Belgian champions, 5-1 in the Louis II Stadium. Their only defeat came in their opening match, when they lost 3-0 to Sporting Lisbon in Portugal. United may have cause to be grateful that the return leg is at Old Trafford.
Manchester United last encountered French League opposition on their way to winning the Cupwinners Cup in 1991, winning 2-0 in Montpellier after being held 1-1 at home. Twenty years ago they drew the opening leg of a first round tie 1-1 in St Etienne but were then thrown out of the tournament by UEFA because of crowd trouble, only to be reinstated on condition the return game was played at least 300km (188 miles) from Old Trafford. Eventually, the match went on at Plymouth and United won 2-0.
