Schalke boss Mirko Slomka said he can't wait to face the star-studded Barcelona squad in the Champions League quarter finals. "In terms of image and reputation, for me Barcelona are European football icons – even more so than Real Madrid. The club and our many supporters have always wanted to play against such a top team and now we cannot wait to make this dream a reality." "Of course, it is an excellent match for our fans too because every Barcelona player is a superstar," said Slomka to UEFA.com after the draw. "But with the supporters behind us, we are capable of playing a very good game and getting a result to take to the return in Barcelona." On the other side Barcelona sporting director Aitor Beguiristain was happy with this comfortable draw as the 2006 European Champions avoided any of the continent big guns. "Schalke are possibly one of the teams you would prefer to face at this stage, and the important thing is that we play the return leg at home which is a real positive for us. We have to be serious because only the great teams reach the quarter-finals."
