4 EPL clubs in Champions League last 8 for the first time since 2009
Four English clubs are through to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2008/09.
Besides Liverpool, who clinched a 3-1 victory at Bayern Munich in their last-16, second leg tie yesterday morning (Singapore time), Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will also feature in the last-eight draw in Nyon, Switzerland, tonight (7pm, Singapore time).
Juventus, Barcelona, Porto and Ajax Amsterdam make up the rest of the quarter-finalists.
The latter two clubs are the weakest teams on paper, with the heavyweights likely to be keen to draw either, said BT Sport pundits Rio Ferdinand and Michael Owen.
Said Ferdinand: "I have to be honest. If I were one of the English teams, I'd be begging to get Porto or Ajax."
Owen chimed in: "There's no question. When you're in the dressing room, you're looking at the teams and you're thinking, 'Don't fancy Barcelona, don't fancy Juve, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United.
"There are some top teams in there, but there are one or two teams that you'd prefer to play."
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk picked his countrymen Ajax as the side he'd like to face.
He told Veronica TV: "I really don't care at all, but we will probably draw an English club again.
"Ajax? That would be a nice game. But it would be difficult because Ajax are doing fantastic in the Champions League."
Unlike the Round of 16, teams from the same country can be drawn to meet each other in the quarter-finals.
Hence, there's a high chance of at least one all-English quarter-final, just as in 2009 when Liverpool drew Chelsea.
The Reds lost 3-1 in the first leg at Anfield and drew 4-4 in the return leg at Stamford Bridge. The Blues then lost in the semi-finals to Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, who defeated Manchester United 2-0 in the final.
Owen believes that an EPL club will prevail this time around. He said: "I said at the start I thought it was an English year.
"Liverpool and Manchester City are the favourites.
"They're slightly ahead of everyone else at the moment."
Meanwhile, to avoid having teams from the same city play at home in the same week, Uefa said United will need to reverse their fixtures, should both Manchester clubs be drawn to play at home at the same time.
Uefa said: "Manchester City and Manchester United will not be able to play at home on the same night, nor on consecutive nights, following a decision made by the relevant local authorities.
"Therefore, should both clubs be drawn at home in the same week, the team having finished lower in the domestic league the previous season - in this case Manchester United - will be reversed in accordance with the Uefa Club Competitions Committee principles."
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: LAST EIGHT
- Ajax Amsterdam
- Barcelona
- Porto
- Juventus
- Liverpool
- Manchester City
- Manchester United
- Tottenham Hotspur
*Draw at 7pm tonight (S’pore time)
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