Barney has signed off. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Here are some more things to read:
• Are Manchester United title contenders? The case for and against
• Europa League draw: Liverpool face Besiktas in last 32
• Banning football fans from drinking alcohol in sight of the pitch is unfair
XMongo asks:
Will David Luiz make Mourinho rue the day he sold him?
Guardian staff It seems unlikely. In fact how Chelsea try to play on the very obvious weaknesses of a player Mourinho knows so well will be fascinating to watch. Could go either way that one. All that seems certain is that either way there will be hugging, shirt swaps, tears and annoying selfies.
XMongo asks:
Barney, which is your favourite derby of the draws: the Wengerderby, Luisderby, 1997-final-rematch or the Yayaderby?
Guardian staff I like the 97 tribute match. If only because it brings back memories of that Del Piero backheel. Dreamy. Let's not forget the David Luiz Plate Final also brings an exciting collision of natural gas and oil reserves: the fuel off.
Liam Britnell asks:
Could the Barça draw for Manchester City actually have been quite a bit worse? Barça going through a “dodgy” patch of sorts, and with many political discussions going on at the Catalan club, should City fancy their chances?
Guardian staff I agree. It's not the worst. No real disaster to lose to one of the big names, but as good a chance of an upset as they're likely to get.
Soontomove asks:
The closest tie seems to be Juve/Dortmund. How do you see it, Barney? Also, Barcelona are vulnerable, especially if they go behind. Do you think Manchester City can exploit that?
Guardian staff I agree Barcelona are vulnerable. But then so are City, and they're facing a hyper-talented attack. I would also agree with my colleague Jacob Steinberg here that City's biggest advantage may be in a straight manager-off Pellegrini versus Luis Enrique. Still a huge stretch to impose themselves on a team with Messi, Suarez, Neymar and (the other ones) in it.
FellatioNelson asks:
In our parochial EPL frame of reference Chelsea have looked like world beaters. But suddenly when you see their name next to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich it looks a bit different. They’re still a long way behind that calibre, right?
Guardian staff Personally don't think Chelsea have looked world beaters exactly. Hull-beaters. Everton-beaters. they're a good team though, just behind Madrid a bit on sheer weight of star names. Imagine Mikel as Madrid's backup in central midfield, or the 36 year old Drogba getting a game in attack. But the first XI plus Mourinho can beat anyone at home. Will be fascinating to see how he'd approach a superior set of players with this passing, attacking Chelsea team. Might be a total change of tack. And we will surely see Drogba and a bit of long ball against PSG after last season. They didn't - and indeed may still not - like Demba Ba up em.
Ardit’ Dragusha asks:
Do Arsenal have what it takes to beat Monaco?
Guardian staff Yes. I believe this is their year
(to narrowly beat a weak Monaco team)
StevenIlott asks:
Arsenal’s problem in the past few years has been an inability to maintain a high level of performance over two legs. One quarter of the tie is often their downfall. Can the same be expected against Monaco, or are the limitations of the French side sufficient to dispel Arsenal’s strange crisis of confidence against the giants of Europe? It’s clear to me that Monaco will try to make things difficult for Arsenal at the Emirates, but such lack of ambition may play into Wenger’s hands. Furthermore, do you think the shallower learning curve of an easier route to the last eight will help Arsenal if and when they do eventually encounter a team of indisputable excellence and grandeur, or will the same errors be made? Will much depend on Arsenal’s domestic form come February and March?
Guardian staff This Arsenal team right now would probably progress in a horrible mess of fits and starts and near complete collapse, all rescued in the end by 20 really good minutes somewhere along the line. But by the time they play I really think they might be a little more grooved. There's so much talent in attack. The tweaks required to prevent them being caught at the other end are relatively minor. It's probably not even to do with personnel, just how the players press without the ball, as they did well against Newcastle, how the midfield covers, the fullbacks not always being caught both upfield at the same time. If they can just tighten a little I'd see Arsenal as dangerous floaters once they've stumbled hilariously past Monaco
Abrakadabraaa asks:
What do you make of Dortmund’s chances. The league is probably out of question for them now, so can they be considered as dark horses this year given they invest all their energy in pursuit of Champions League title?
Guardian staff I don't see why not. They still have an excellent manager and some fine players and a style of play that works. Whether they can score enough goals is another matter. Then again if Bundesliga teams can shut them down there's no reason why the best in Europe can't. The lost to 2-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates when it might have been more. I just think the forward line lacks what Reus might give them when he comes back, some real top top top top quality. Worthy also-rans this year.
NameonYorful asks:
How good are the English teams compared to the others, I mean Real and Barça aside, of course. And are Bayern really still contenders?
Guardian staff Of course Bayern are contenders. They're a team of incredible wealth and quality with a brilliant manager. They're well ahead of Barcelona and Luis Enrique. English clubs I'd say Chelsea are in the second tier with a decent chance of getting to the final, but maybe not the same depth of star quality as the very best. It's easy to see why. Too much flux, not enough genuine A-list players, no home backbone of proper home grown talent in any of the top teams.
Shane88 asks:
Jurgen Klopp’s problems at Dortmund this season highlights just how difficult it is to achieve genuine, long-run consistency. Liverpool and Tottenham’s failings this season and last highlight just how difficult it is to continue producing results having lost top class players. Is it not time Wenger’s achievements during the last 5-10 years of consistent Champions League qualification and progression from the group stages are given more credit? Or do you think they are generally afforded the credit they deserve by fans, pundits and the media?
Guardian staff Wenger gets credit in the media and from the more sensible pundits. Unbroken consistency may not be as exciting as spikes of dramatic achievement, but given that any kind of real success in modern football is pretty much impossible outside of a small coterie of clubs he has arguably done as well as he possibly could. But let's not have that discussion again. It goes nowhere. And it makes my brain bleed.
XMongo asks:
Do you think Wenger will be pleased that Arsenal have drawn just about the easiest opposition they could have, or in fact will he be secretly annoyed at the prospect of having to lay an extra two games before one of the real European Elite school and humiliate his side? As a Gooner I fear this might ruin his carefully worked scheme to finish fourth every season by giving them hope and misery at unexpected times of the year.
Guardian staff He will be pleased. Last eight in Europe is a real possibility and that would present him with unarguable evidence of progress, never mind it just involved beating a team with Ricardo Carvalho, 45, in defence.
Having said that I think Arsenal might look quite a decent team by the Spring.
Isn’t making use of fraggle DNA against WADA guidelines? How do PSG/David Luis get away with it?
Guardian staff There was an advert for an airline in Brazil at the World cup that featured David Luiz in a pilot's outfit, grinningly ushering you towards your waiting plane. I'm a nervous flyer anyway. But I still can't imagine a more nightmarish vision of air travel.
Who is your money on in the big sprint race, Barney? Mertesacker v Berbatov over possibly up to 30-plus yards if we’re lucky. And the five in Berba’s head don’t count.
Guardian staff Berbatov is not slow. He just doesn't run much. Man Utd players would often comment on how he's actually quite quick once he's taken the fag out of his mouth, remembered where his wallet is, tied his laces etc
Interested to know your thoughts on how Arsenal will contrive to mess this up over the course of two legs? Do you think we’ll go a classic “switch off in the first leg at home, conceding three early goals before coming back in the second leg and losing narrowly on goal difference”? Or do you think we’ll go “Peak Arsenal” and lose the tie over two legs despite dominating both matches but losing to two highly effective counterattack goals as Per Mertesacker looks forlornly back from his position as auxiliary centre-forward?
Guardian staff I think this time Arsenal will go through to the last eight, thereby confusing their fans even more, forcing the angry ones to find even more minute and pedantic reasons to be angry. Luckily though I think they're saving it up for a zany 4-3 aggregate defeat by Porto in the next round
Updated
Cryogenic asks:
How does the draw affect City and Chelsea’s persuit for the title, if any? Would making an early exit really benefit City? ITV should do their utmost to get Henry for the Monaco/Arsenal game. Heck, take Townsend’s job why don’t you?
Guardian staff I don't think the draw affects City in the title race at all. They've been this way before in both competitions. If they go out then it's same again for the rest of the season. If they go through it will be such a huge boost for the team and the manager, the owners, everyone really, that it's hard to see any negative there. Would love to see them give the Barca a real go this time, properly get stuck into that Barca midfield and defence, try and impose their superior physicality. Might lose more heavily but just defending is unlikely to work. Also if I were Pellegrini I'd get get Sergio Aguero fit and then encase him in carbonite for the next three months
Barney is online and waiting for your questions...
Guardian staff Hello. Sorry I'm a couple of minutes late. I've just hot-footed it from the Football Weekly studio. Welcome to the CL draw webchat. And what a fascinating draw it is. Now... Those questions
Barney will be online from 1pm GMT to answer your questions
In the meantime, here is the full draw and your predictions for the eight ties:
Paris Saint-Germain v Chelsea
Manchester City v Barcelona
Bayer Leverkusen v Atlético Madrid
Juventus v Borussia Dortmund
Schalke v Real Madrid
Shakhtar Donetsk v Bayern Munich
Arsenal v Monaco
Basel v Porto
Drop your questions into the comments section below
That's the end of the webchat! Thanks for all your questions. It's an interesting draw. And remember - whatever happens in the spring it was all predicted with unerring accuracy to the very last goalscorer here.