French international striker Karim Benzema is hoping his Real Madrid side are paired with Paris Saint-Germain when the draw for the last-16 of the Champions League is made later this month.

PA PhotosKarim Benzema wants to test himself against a French side

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After helping Jose Mourinho's men secure second place in Group D with a 4-1 victory at home to Ajax, Benzema, 24, turned his attentions to the knockout stage draw on December 20, which he hopes will give him the opportunity to come up against some familiar faces.

"I really want to play against PSG, because it's a French club, and I have many friends there like [Jérémy] Ménez, [Mathieu] Bodmer and [Blaise] Matuidi," the former Lyon forward said. "Actually, I speak to Jérémy on the phone every day."

While the upcoming draw would give Benzema the chance to renew acquaintance with former club and current international colleagues, he acknowledged Carlo Ancelotti's Group A winners, fuelled by talents such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, would pose a serious threat to Madrid's ambitions in the competition.

"We know that an encounter with PSG would be tricky, because even if they've had a few small problems in the league, they have had a good run in the Champions League," he added. "They deserve to be in the knockout stages."