Alan Pardew: "Obviously we're really pleased with the draw.
"The second leg being at home gives us perhaps a slight advantage.
"For our fans, Portugal is accessible for them and they'll look forward to that. Lisbon is a fantastic city - I bet they're online now getting their flights. I hope so.
"They're top of the league, they're going well. It's a fantastic history, perhaps even greater than our own.
"Everyone wanted this win (against Anzhi Makhachkala).
"It's great to play with other top clubs. We proved that we are a good side because it is the quarter-finals, but we can do better."
I think Pardew underestimates Benfica when he says "It's a fantastic history, perhaps even greater than our own".
European champions twice; 32 league titles; cup winners 24 times.
Errr ... think they may just have a better record than us.
List of S.L. Benfica honours ...
Primeira Liga: 32 – Record
1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1944–45, 1949–50, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1993–94, 2004–05, 2009–10
Taça de Portugal: 24 – Record
1939–40, 1942–43, 1943–44, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1992–93, 1995–96, 2003–04
Taça da Liga: 4 – Record
2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
Supertaça de Portugal: 4
1980, 1985, 1989, 2005
Campeonato de Portugal: 3
1929–30, 1930–31, 1934–35
Campeonato de Lisboa: 10
1909–10, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1917–18, 1919–20, 1932–33, 1939–40
Taça de Honra de Lisboa: 18
1919–20, 1921–22, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1987–88
Taça Ribeiro dos Reis: 3
1963–64, 1965–66, 1970–71
European competitionsEuropean Champion Clubs' Cup: 2
1960–61, 1961–62
Latin Cup: 1
1950
Iberian Cup: 1
1983