The UEFA Champions League quarter-finals seem set to have a different look to recent seasons – and the English clubs involved could be making history.
For the first time, five teams from a single country have reached the round of 16 (something generally only possible after a format change for 2015/16), and all of this Premier League quintet are still in the running to make the last eight. That would break their own record from 2007/08 and 2008/09, when Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United got to the quarter-finals; this time minus the Gunners, the other three could be accompanied by Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
That was during a five-season spell of English dominance in the quarter-finals but since 2011/12 the Spanish Liga has been supreme. Indeed, in the past four campaigns Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid formed Spain's trio of quarter-finalists, with the winners emerging from among their number; Atlético are absent this time, though Sevilla may yet be part of another Spanish treble if they oust Manchester United, and Barcelona see off Chelsea to cut the Premier League contingent.
UEFA.com sees which nations have had the most quarter-finalists since the number of entries for the top leagues was increased to four in 1999/2000 – with only France and Italy intruding on the Anglo-Spanish duopoly – and whether those countries were able to convert that advantage into appearances in the very later stages.
One-nation UEFA Champions League finals
2015/16: Spain – Real Madrid 1-1 Atlético Madrid (aet, 5-3 pens)
2013/14: Spain – Real Madrid 4-1 Atlético Madrid (aet)
2012/13: Germany – Bayern München 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
2007/08: England – Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (aet, 6-5 pens)
2002/03: Italy – AC Milan 0-0 Juventus (aet, 3-2 pens)
1999/00: Spain – Real Madrid 3-0 Valencia