Champions League last eight: which nations dominate?

The UEFA Champions League quarter-finals have a nostalgic look this season as English clubs dominate after seven years of Spanish supremacy.

MEET THIS SEASON'S LAST EIGHT

Although England had as many as five round-of-16 participants last season, only two of those sides made it to the last eight, whereas this time all four English entrants have reached the quarter-finals.

Conversely, holders Real Madrid's loss to Ajax denied Spain a seventh straight season of having three quarter-finalists; the year before that run, 2011/12, Spain had also been the sole nation with two teams in the last eight.

Prior to that there had been five seasons of Premier League preponderance, including 2007/08 and 2008/09 when Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United all got to the quarters, the only previous instances of one country boasting four quarter-finalists.

In 2007/08 United went to win the trophy, beating Chelsea in the final, but that is the only time England have turned a quarter-final plurality into eventual victory. By contrast, Spanish sides emerged from their leading pack in each of the last five seasons as well as 1999/2000 and 2001/02; in all but one case, Real Madrid prevailed.

UEFA.com checks which countries have had the most quarter-finalists since the number of entries for Europe's top leagues was increased to four in 1999/2000 – with just France and Italy intruding on the Anglo-Spanish duopoly; and learns if those nations were able to convert that advantage into appearances in the very later stages.

Previous quarter-finals: who had the most entries?

In all lists eventual winners shown in bold

AFTER KNOCKOUT ROUND OF 16
2018/19: 4, England (Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur)
2017/18: 3, Spain (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Sevilla)
2016/17: 3, Spain (Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid)
2015/16: 3, Spain (Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid)
2014/15: 3, Spain (Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid)
2013/14: 3, Spain (Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid)
2012/13: 3, Spain (Barcelona, Málaga, Real Madrid)
2011/12: 2, Spain (Barcelona, Real Madrid)
2010/11: 3, England (Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur)
2009/10: 2, England (Arsenal, Manchester United), France (Bordeaux, Lyon)
2008/09: 4, England (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United)
2007/08: 4, England (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United)
2006/07: 3, England (Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United)
2005/06: 3, Italy (AC Milan, Internazionale Milano, Juventus)
2004/05: 3, Italy (AC Milan, Internazionale Milano, Juventus)
2003/04: 2, England (Arsenal, Chelsea), France (Lyon, Monaco), Spain (Deportivo La Coruña, Real Madrid)

AFTER SECOND GROUP STAGE
2002/03: 3, Italy (AC Milan, Internazionale Milano, Juventus), Spain (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia)
2001/02: 3, Spain (Barcelona, Deportivo La Coruña, Real Madrid)
2000/01: 3 England (Arsenal, Leeds United, Manchester United), Spain (Deportivo La Coruña, Real Madrid, Valencia)
1999/2000: 3: Spain (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia)

Three clubs from same nation in semi-finals

2016/17: Spain (Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid)2008/09: England (Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United)2007/08: England (Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United) 2006/07: England (Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United)2002/03: Italy (AC Milan, Internazionale Milano, Juventus)1999/2000: Spain (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Valencia)

• In half of the six previous occasions where three teams from the same country reached the semi-finals, a one-nation final has ensued. Only twice have those finals not needed at least extra time, and in 2013 that was only after a last-minute winner.

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