Chelsea, Liverpool in fifth all-English clash

For the second year running, all four English teams who had started the Champions League campaign have advanced to the quarter-finals.

Indeed this is no mean feat when considering that countries like Italy do not have a single team in contention as in the previous round, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United saw off Roma, Juventus and Inter respectively.

The other four clubs still in contention hail from Spain (Barcelona and Villarreal), Portugal (FC Porto) and Germany (Bayern Munich).

Rafael Benitez has also followed in the footsteps of Arsene Wenger, Guus Hiddink and Alex Ferguson, following his team's 4-0 annihilation of Real Madrid at Anfield as Liverpool claimed an impressive double over the La Liga giants.

Such outstanding records, once again, highlight the quality of the English Premier League.

In the history of the Champions League, there were 11 occasions in all where three clubs from the same country reached the last eight.

This happened to England (2000-01, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09), Germany (1997-98), Italy (2004-05 and 2005-06) and Spain (1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03).

Italy figured so badly this season that they could lose one of their teams in the Champions League next season with Germany earning the extra slot.

With four teams in the hat, it was almost impossible that an all-English quarter-final could be avoided. Liverpool were eventually pitted with Chelsea for the fifth time in six years.

Chelsea first played an English side in the Champions League in 2004 when they edged out Arsenal in the last eight.

Since the start of the UEFA club competitions in the 1950s, English sides have played each other on 15 occasions, seven of which the last five years.

From the first pairing in 1963-64, Liverpool were involved in nine 'derbies'. They are followed by Chelsea on seven.

All-English clashes

2003-04 (quarter-final): Chelsea-Arsenal 1-1, 2-1 (3-2).
2004-05 (semi-final): Chelsea-Liverpool 0-0, 0-1 (0-1).
2005-06 (group): Liverpool-Chelsea 0-0, 0-0.
2006-07 (semi-final): Chelsea-Liverpool 1-0, 0-1 (1-1) (Liverpool win 4-1 on penalties).
2007-08 (quarter-final): Arsenal-Liverpool 1-1, 2-4 (3-5).
2007-08 (semi-finals): Liverpool-Chelsea 1-1, 2-3 (3-4).
2007-08 (final): Man. United-Chelsea 1-1 (Man. United win 6-5 on penalties).

Liverpool are still undefeated in the tournament this season and their fine showing against Real Madrid could serve them in good stead for the next round. Chelsea, meanwhile, went down only once, away to Roma 1-3 in the group phase.

United vs Porto

Holders Manchester United will be keen to become the first club to retain the Champions League title. They tackle FC Porto in the last eight of the competition next week.

Porto won the silverware in 2004 with a 3-0 victory over Monaco in Gelsenkirchen.

After the final coach Jose Mourinho left the club to take over at Chelsea. In the second knock-out round of that competition, the Red Devils encountered Porto and we all remember Mourinho's famous run across the Old Trafford turf after his side won the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

After a 1-2 loss in Porto, Alex Ferguson's side could only manage a 1-1 draw at home.

The two sides previously met in the quarter-final of the same tournament in 1996-97 and after a 0-0 away draw, United won emphatically 4-0 at home.

In 1977-78, in the second round of the Cup Winners' Cup, the Mancunians beat Porto 5-2 at Old Trafford but lost the return 0-4 to bow out 6-5 on aggregate.

Porto have lost twice in the group stage and in the first knockout round they drew twice against Atletico Madrid and only went through on the away goals rule.

On the other hand, United are still undefeated. The Red Devils will be at home in the first leg.

Yellow submarine

Arsenal will start away against Villarreal at the Stadio el Madrigal.

The Gunners have lost twice on their way to the quarter-finals − away to Porto 0-2 and 0-1 to Roma.

The defeat to Roma sent the tie to a penalty shoot-out and the Londoners won 7-6.

Villarreal, with ex-Gunner Robert Pires in the side, were defeated once, 0-2 away at Celtic.

In the second round they saw off Panathinaikos. Pires spent six years at Arsenal, gaining winners' medals for two championships and three FA Cups.

The winner of this tie will play the victor from the quarter-final between Man. United and Porto.

Before playing Barcelona in the final of 2006, Arsenal had edged out Villarreal 1-0 on aggregate. On Spanish soil, Villarreal failed to convert a last-minute penalty on that occasion.

Juan Roman Riquelme missed the penalty and goalkeeper Jens Lehmann became the Londoners' hero that night. In their tie against United in the group phase, Villarreal featured in two 0-0 draws at home and away.

UEFA Cup

Manchester City will play Hamburg in the quarter-finals. The Germans are managed by ex-Tottenham manager Martin Jol.

Hamburg beat Aston Villa in the group phase of the competition this season. Against modest Aalborg in the previous round, City needed a penalty shoot-out (4-3) to reach the last eight stage of the competition.