Arsenal keep England's flag flying high

After the elimination of Champions Cup holders Liverpool along with Chelsea, Manchester United and Everton, Arsenal were left to battle alone against the other remaining seven clubs in the quarter-finals of UEFA's elite tournament.

The draw pitted former Gunners skipper Patrick Vieira and his side Juventus to clash with Arsenal for a place in the last four of the competition. The Londoners will play their first leg at home next Tuesday with the second leg in Turin on April 5.

In the last 16, Arsene Wenger's team edged out crack side Real Madrid with a splendid performance at home and away to progress 1-0 on aggregate.

While the Gunners marched on in Europe, the remaining English sides all fell by the wayside.

It is indeed ironic for Wenger to be the sole survivor among the English Premier League managers when he lambasted the tournament after Arsenal's exit to Bayern Munich in the last 16 last year. Wenger added that the outcome in the final was like Coventry winning the FA Cup.

But this time, Rafael Benitez, who led Liverpool to that remarkable triumph in Istanbul, was the first to congratulate the Gunners and said that they could go all the way and lift the silverware as his side did against Milan.

Arsenal have a favourable record against Italian sides.

Against Juventus, on the two previous occasions the sides met, the Londoners held the upperhand.

They eliminated Juventus in the last four of the 1980 Cup Winners' Cup and one victory each in the 2002 Champions League group.

The entire list of results between Arsenal and Italian teams reads:

1970-71: (Fairs Cup first round) vs Lazio (away) 2-2 (home) 2-0 (aggregate 4-2).

1979-80: (Cup Winners' Cup semi-final) vs Juventus (home) 1-1 (away) 1-0 (2-1).

1993-94: (Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final) vs Torino (away) 0-0 (home) 1-0 (1-0).

1993-94: (Cup Winners' Cup final in Copenhagen) vs Parma 1-0.

1994-95: (Cup Winners' Cup semi-final) vs Sampdoria (home) 3-2 (away) 2-3 (5-5). Arsenal won 3-2 pens.

1999-2000: (Champions League group match) vs Fiorentina (away) 0-0 ('home' at Wembley) 0-1 (1 pt).

2000-01: (Champions League group match) vs Lazio (home) 2-0 (away) 1-1 (4 pts).

2001-02: (Champions League group game) vs Juventus (home) 3-1 (away) 0-1 (3 pts).

2002-03: (Champions League group match) vs Roma (away) 3-1 (home) 1-1 (4 pts).

2003-04: (Champions League group match) vs Inter (home) 0-3 (away) 5-1 (3 pts).

From a total of 19 encounters Arsenal won nine, drew six and lost four.

Wounded quartet

This season Liverpool were admitted in the Champions Cup from the first qualifying round after UEFA decided that the holders should defend the silverware even if they did not finish among the top four in the domestic league.

Everton were knocked out by Spanish team Villarreal in the third qualifying round and Manchester United failed to reach the knock-out phase for the first time in ten years.

Chelsea had the misfortune to be paired with competition favourites Barcelona for the second year running. The failure to finish at the head of their group (went to Liverpool) meant the Blues were drawn against one of the section winners.

Since the Champions League was introduced, no club has succeeded in retaining the trophy.

1992-93: Olympique Marseille - did not compete following bribery scandal in domestic competition.

1993-94: Milan - finalists.

1994-95: Ajax - finalists.

1995-96: Juventus - finalists.

1996-97: Borussia Dortmund - semi-finalists.

1997-98: Real Madrid - quarter-finalists.

1998-99: Manchester United - quarter-finalists.

1999-00: Real Madrid - semi-finalists.

2000-01: Bayern Munich - quarter-finalists.

2001-02: Real Madrid - semi-finalists.

2002-03: Milan - quarter-finalists.

2003-04: FC Porto - last 16.

2004-05: Liverpool - last 16.

Where they finished

Since the start of the new format in 1992-93 English clubs have fared as follows in the competition (sides that failed to go past the qualifying stage are not included):

1992-93: Leeds (second round).

1993-94: Manchester United (second round).

1994-95: Manchester United (group phase).

1995-96: Blackburn Rovers (group phase).

1996-97: Manchester United (semi-finals).

1997-98: Newcastle (group phase); Manchester United (quarter-finals).

1998-99: Arsenal (group phase); Manchester United (winners).

1999-00: Arsenal (first group phase); Chelsea, Manchester United (quarter-finals).

2000-01: Arsenal, Manchester United (quarter-finals); Leeds (semi-finals).

2001-02: Arsenal (second group phase); Liverpool (quarter-finals); Manchester United (semi-finals).

2002-03: Liverpool (first group phase); Arsenal, Newcastle (second group phase); Manchester United (quarter-finals).

2003-04: Manchester United (last 16); Arsenal (quarter-finals); Chelsea (semi-finals).

2004-05: Arsenal, Manchester United (last 16); Chelsea (semi-finals); Liverpool (winners).

2005-06: Manchester United (group phase); Chelsea, Liverpool (last 16). Arsenal to contest quarter-finals.