The quarter-final draw is, essentially, the printing of the menu for a potential three-course meal at Europe's top table. For the seasoned Champions League sides, the last eight is the least that is expected; the "business end". For Spurs, well, we've already proved we're not just here to make up the numbers but who do we want as a starter?
Bill Nicholson quite famously said, "It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory."
If that is the Tottenham way, I'm unsure how to apply it , does it mean that we should hope for Barcelona and, if we go out, then getting to the quarters is an achievement in itself? Or does it mean that we aim to win the competition, and therefore hope for as kind a draw as possible?
First things first, it's a totally open draw, so we can draw anyone from; Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Man United, Real Madrid, Schalke and Shakhtar Donetsk - so I'm going to try to whittle them down to one ideal opponent.
Seeing as our European campaign thus far has been such a magical mystery tour, it'd be nice to avoid the English teams. I'd fancy our chances against Chelsea, but we play them at least twice a season and that's enough for now.
Spurs have raised their game for the top sides in the Champions League and certainly benefit from being the underdogs. Drawn with Shakhtar or Schalke, the English press will almost certainly paint us as favourites, which could work against us as we've had a tendency to underestimate teams this season. If we're going to go out to anyone, we'd all prefer they were as big as possible!
Above all else, we want to avoid Inter Milan. True, we've beaten them once already, and we know they don't like our attacking game. But, Inter have a new manager and won't make the same mistakes again, and if they end up knocking us out, it'll tarnish the memory of tearing them apart earlier in the competition.
That leaves Real Madrid and Barcelona. Both are as dangerous as each other and a cut above anyone we've faced so far. Both would represent two absolutely massive European nights and, even as I'm writing this, I'm changing my mind. The thought of Spurs v Real Madrid is a mouth-watering prospect; not only the greatest team in European history, but a team I really think we could beat.
I keep coming back to Bill Nick's quote and thinking that you enter Europe to pit yourselves against the very best.
It would be a shame to look back in years to come if we hadn't seen just how well we could stand up to the best football team on the planet - so roll on Barcelona.
*Please note, these are just the whimsical ramblings of a Spurs fan after nine days without a game. In truth, I'm chuffed just to be involved in the quarter-final draw and will happily take a draw against any of the teams involved
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