Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueno's facial expression didn't waver, but you could have excused him if it did. Inside, he would have almost undoubtedly been smiling, and probably rather thankful too.
Sat at the round-of-16 draw for the Champions League on Monday, Butragueno watched as the balls came out, knowing there were teams to crave and teams to avoid. Unlike the rest of the group winners, his Madrid couldn't draw heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain, but they could draw Juventus, inflictors of pain last season. Or Arsenal, a side capable of anything in a peculiar kind of way.