English teams kept apart in Champions League

LONDON, Mar 9 (Reuters) The prospect of three English teams reaching the Champions League semi-finals increased today when Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United avoided each other in the quarter-final draw made in Athens.

Chelsea face Valencia, Liverpool will play PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United tackle AS Roma and AC Milan will meet Bayern Munich over two legs on April 3-4 and 10-11.

The draw for the semis was also made with Chelsea or Valencia meeting Liverpool or PSV while Roma or Manchester United will play Milan or Bayern.

The final takes place in Athens on May 23.

United will face Roma for the first time with the Italians at home in the first leg. Both teams saw off French opposition in this week's first knockout round, with United eliminating Lille and Roma doing well to beat Olympique Lyon.

''We respect Roma's last result beating Lyon,'' manager Alex Ferguson told United's official Web site (www.manutd.com).

''They have some great players like (Daniele) De Rossi and Mancini. Obviously, it's pointless looking beyond this game. We must concentrate on this game only and we are really looking forward to it.'' BATTLE RENEWED Liverpool, who knocked out holders Barcelona on Tuesday will renew battle with group rivals PSV, conquerors of last season's beaten finalists Arsenal, with the first leg in the Netherlands.

PSV and Liverpool drew 0-0 in Eindhoven in September before Liverpool beat the Dutch side 2-0 at home in November.

But PSV will be no pushover with coach Ronald Koeman the first to guide three different clubs through to the last eight after previously doing so with Ajax Amsterdam and Benfica.

Chelsea, who knocked out Porto this week, will be at home in the first leg against Valencia who beat Inter Milan on the away goals rule. It will be the first competitive meeting between the clubs.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon told Sky Sports: ''It's a good draw, it keeps the English teams away from each other until the next round -- that's good for the teams who are in it and for the competition.

''I guess the only thing you would say is that you'd rather be at home for the second leg...but overall you've got to be happy with the draw.

''It's a big, big competition, we've done well in it, we've never got to the final...and we stand a good chance.'' HIT JACKPOT Valencia midfielder Ruben Baraja told Spanish television station Antena 3: ''We have hit the jackpot. It is of fundamental importance that we got the away leg first.

''Chelsea are a team who play a similar defensive style to us. They don't rely on just one player, they have many great players who can win games for them, so it is a very tough draw.'' If Valencia get past Chelsea and Liverpool beat PSV, the Merseyside club's manager Rafa Benitez would face his old team in the semis.

The other quarter-final pits six-times European Cup winners AC Milan, who are in the last eight for the fifth successive season, with four-times winners Bayern Munich.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti told Italian Sky TV: ''Bayern Munich are always strong in the competition, they've got a great tradition.

''They're very strong, they're a muscular team. They had a poor period during the winter but now they're getting stronger again.

''I think it will be a very evenly balanced tie. Any team that has beaten Real Madrid must be in good form. It's one of the hardest teams we could have got from the draw.'' The draw also raised the possibility of another Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Liverpool, as happened in 2005 when the Merseyside club won 1-0 on aggregate before defeating AC Milan on penalties in the final in Istanbul.

If Manchester United get past Roma and Bayern overcome Milan that would bring together the teams who fought out an epic 1999 final which the Old Trafford side won in dramatic fashion.

There is also the possibility of an all-Italian semi-final if Roma and Milan both win.

The semis will take place on April 24-25 and May 1-2.

REUTERS DH BST1928