English rivals await their fate

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With four Premier League clubs through to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League the question on fans' lips now is "Who do you want to play in the last eight"?

'Exciting tie'
The prospect of Liverpool FC meeting Manchester United FC or a London derby between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC, as in the last eight in 2003/04, is one for which the players would rather wait. Save it for the semis or Moscow is the general consensus. "They are all great sides who can pass the ball and mix and match it with any team in the world," said Chelsea captain John Terry. "Hopefully we can avoid them but if we are drawn together we have to beat them. We've missed out in this competition on a few occasions and we want to make the final step and get our hands on the trophy."

English rivals
Terry speaks from experience, Chelsea having been beaten by Liverpool in in the semi-finals in two of the past three seasons. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard concurs, telling uefa.com: "If that happens we'll deal with it at the time but it would be nice to avoid the English teams for as long as possible. It will be an exciting tie if we do draw one, that's for sure." Liverpool avoided United in the semi-finals last season, but once again the possibility of England's two most successful European sides facing off in continental competition for the first time looms large.

'Best league'
United striker Wayne Rooney is no rush to resume hostilities with their bitter rivals just yet. "At this stage of the competition it is always a difficult game whoever you get," he said. "It would be nice if we meet an English team further into the competition. It's better for English football if the four teams go further. This proves the Premier League is the best in the world and that's why it attracts the best players in the world."

Milanese bowed
It is the first time four sides from one country have reached the last eight and it is a measure of the Premier League's dominance that two sides were able to win in San Siro to advance. No English side had ever beaten AC Milan there before Arsenal knocked out the holders last week and Liverpool's victory against FC Internazionale Milano was their first in the famous stadium, albeit at only the second attempt.

Premiership strength
In 2003 three Italian teams reached the semi-finals, with Juventus and Milan ultimately contesting the final in Manchester. How the tables have turned. "It's grown, the Premier League's become really strong," Gerrard told uefa.com. "If you look at the competition this year it proves our league is the strongest and it's going to get even stronger. I know a lot of players around Europe want to play in this league so it is only going to get better which is great being English with everyone enjoying playing in the Premier League."

Financial riches
With the financial riches on offer, packed stadiums and the lure of European success, there is no doubting why the Premier League attracts the world's top players. But there is a downside to this success. In the second legs only two English players started in Liverpool's win at Inter, four in Chelsea's victory against Olympiacos CFP, none in Arsenal's San Siro triumph and four in United's defeat of Olympique Lyonnais. English football at club level may be thriving, but as England's failure to qualify for UEFA EURO 2008™ shows, the impact of so many foreign players may be taking a toll.

'Relish the chance'
That, though, is a matter for another day. For the moment, one man at least is looking forward to the possibility of facing off with the likes of Arsène Wenger and Rafael Benítez on an even bigger stage. "We will relish the chance to face another English team in the quarter-finals if that happens," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said. "But it doesn't really matter who you play in the quarter-finals, they're all going to be difficult games. The important thing is we are there."

Source: UEFA