“No draw possible,” David Taylor said, and at that moment Arsene Wenger might have been forgiven for thinking: “No win possible.” Taylor, Uefa’s general secretary, took several minutes before kick-off in Nyon today to explain to the audience of yawning club representatives how the draw works. So many restrictions, caveats and complexities, such bureaucracy makes you long for the no-nonsense simplicity of the FA Cup.

Despite standing in front of a desk with multiple goldfish bowls containing dozens of balls, Taylor explained why no draw was possible. The only three clubs left for Arsenal to face were Chelsea, Seville and AC Milan. Wenger’s men couldn’t play Chelsea – same country. Or Seville – they’d just come from the same group. So Milan, the holders, conquerors of Manchester United and Liverpool last season, it is.

It will be the first meeting between the clubs, aside from the 1995 European Super Cup, and it will be fascinating: Milan’s pragmatism and experience against Arsenal’s youthful exuberance. Top of the Barclays Premier League, with memories of a win in Real Madrid’s Bernabeu in 2006 still fresh, Wenger’s side should not fear opponents who are mid-table in Serie A and who they should be able to outpace though not outsmart.

Still, Wenger’s concern at the pitfalls of finishing second in the group stage and so facing a top seed proved well founded. Seville, who topped Arsenal’s group, have an appealing tie against Fenerbahce.

No one appeared to have travelled to Switzerland from Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea will be delighted by the news of a trip to Olympiacos, who are joint-top of the Greek league. This is their first appearance in the last sixteen since 1998-99 and they are eminently beatable.

The Greeks have some familiar names. Portsmouth and Newcastle United fans will remember Lomana LuaLua, the flamboyant striker, fondly; Leeds United supporters’ memories of Raul Bravo, the defender, will be less rose-tinted.

Liverpool’s tie with Inter Milan is hard to call, though the Milanese – top of Serie A - have the edge because the second leg is in the San Siro. We know all about their encounters with Inter’s city rivals, but Liverpool have only faced Inter once before, in the semi-finals of the 1964-65 European Cup. Inter won the first leg 3-0 so reached the final despite going down 3-1 at Anfield.

When they drew Manchester United, Lyons’ representatives looked green, as queasy as many of us will feel after too much turkey on Christmas Day. The sides met in the 2004-05 group stages, United winning at home and drawing away. Top of Ligue 1, the French side are regular European participants and dominant domestically but that has not translated to continental success and United will feel confident of progression against opponents who are good but not great.

Celtic, of course, will not feel so bullish. They ran AC Milan close in last season’s knock-out stage but Barcelona is a nightmare draw – albeit a very glamorous nightmare. The teams met in the 2004-05 group stages and the Scots will be encouraged by their draw in the Nou Camp, though not by their 3-1 capitulation at home.

Overall, while the prospect of every British side reaching the next round seems highly remote, so does the chance of none making the quarter-finals.