Bucharest rivals Steaua and Rapid have been drawn to meet in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.
Steaua, the 1985-86 European champions, are bidding to win their second major continental title 20 years after their first.
Schalke 04, the only former champions left in the UEFA Cup, will meet Levski Sofia in the last eight while Sevilla face Zenit St Petersburg and Middlesbrough take on Basel.
Rapid coach Razvan Lucescu was unhappy at being paired with Steaua.
"Steaua is the worst possible opponent because they are the strongest team remaining in the UEFA Cup," he said yesterday.
Gigi Becali, Steaua's controversial owner, was far more upbeat. "I'm very happy because we'll meet Rapid. I mean it's an accessible opponent. Steaua have a 90 per cent chance to qualify (for the semi-finals)."
Steaua reached the last eight by beating Real Betis 3-0 on aggregate. Rapid went through on the away goals rule after a 3-3 aggregate draw with Hamburg SV.
Sevilla sporting director Ramon "Monchi" Rodriguez told the club's website he was pleased to avoid Schalke.
"There are positives and negatives to the tie. We already know Zenit. We have experienced their climate, the city and so on. But the negative is that we have a very busy playing schedule ahead and a journey of five hours."
Sevilla were in UEFA Cup Group H with Zenit earlier in the competition - Zenit winning 2-1 at home.
M'Boro face Basel
English club Middlesbrough, who knocked out Roma on Wednesday, will fancy their chances of keeping their European dream alive against Swiss league leaders Basel.
"Both teams will be delighted to have avoided the big three (Schalke, Sevilla and Zenit)," Boro boss Steve McClaren told the club's website.
"We would like to think this draw gives us an opportunity, as long as we take it. Basel are a good team with a good history in Europe."
The first legs of the quarter-finals will be played on March 30, the second legs on April 6.
The draw was also made for the semi-finals on April 20 and 27.
The winners of the Rapid-Steaua tie will play Basel or Middlesbrough and the winners of the match between Levski and Schalke take on Sevilla or Zenit.
The final is in Eindhoven on May 10.