Great Champions League one-nation knockout ties

Milan's meeting with city rivals Inter in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League semi-finals was the 24th time two teams from the same nation have faced off in the knockout stages (in addition to the eight occasions when sides from the same nation met in the final itself).

Were these the most entertaining one-nation encounters in the knockout phase?

Liverpool 1-3 Chelsea
Chelsea 4-4 Liverpool (Chelsea win 7-5 on aggregate)
2008/09 quarter-finals

"I have been involved in some dramatic games but this was one of those where everyone has made a lot of errors and that's why it was so attractive," said Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink. Chelsea were in control after a 3-1 win at Anfield, but quick-fire first-half goals from Liverpool's Fábio Aurélio and Xabi Alonso at Stamford Bridge gave Rafael Benitez's side hope. Didier Drogba and Alex struck back early in the second period before a manic spell at the end of the match where both teams scored two goals each within 14 minutes, with Chelsea eventually progressing. They lost on away goals to Barcelona in the semis.

Lyon 3-1 Bordeaux
Bordeaux 1-0 Lyon (Lyon win 3-2 on aggregate)
2009/10 quarter-finals

Lyon after completing their quarter-final victory against BordeauxAFP via Getty Images

The only time two French teams have ever met in the knockout stages ended with Lyon edging an entertaining quarter-final. Les Gones took a two-goal advantage into the second leg after a 3-1 win at home, but Bordeaux reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time through Marouane Chamakh. The home team piled the pressure on, but Lyon doggedly held on to reach the semi-finals for the first time in their history. "It was very hard," Lyon defender Jean-Alain Boumsong told UEFA.com. "We needed to show all of our character." His side lost 4-0 on aggregate to Bayern in the next round.

Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona
Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid (Barcelona win 3-1 on aggregate)
2010/11 semi-finals

This tie is remembered for Lionel Messi scoring one of the great Champions League goals in the first leg. Having put his side 1-0 up with a close-range finish, the Argentinian then waltzed past four Real Madrid players before finishing from a tight angle. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said afterwards: "We are lucky to have Messi; at the age of 23, he's the third top scorer in our club's history and that's impressive. It's the beauty of our attacking style." The Catalan side earned a 1-1 draw in the return at the Camp Nou to book a place in the final, where they beat Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley Stadium.

Barcelona 2-1 Atlético
Atlético 2-0 Barcelona (Atlético win 3-2 on aggregate)
2015/16 quarter-finals

In a tie which swung back and forth, Barcelona came from behind to win the first leg 2-1 courtesy of two goals from Luis Suárez. However, Atlético put in a brilliant performance in the return at the Vicente Calderón, Antoine Griezmann opening the scoring to bring the scores level on aggregate before converting a late penalty to win the tie. "I'm so proud of the team," Griezmann said. "We were up against one of the best sides in the world." Atlético went on to beat Bayern in the semis before agonisingly losing to cross-city rivals Real Madrid in the final.

Tottenham 1-0 Man City
Man City 4-3 Tottenham (agg: 4-4, Tottenham win on away goals)
2018/19 quarter-finals

Heung-Min Son gave Tottenham the advantage in a cagey first leg but the return proved a very different affair. Raheem Sterling's opener got City level early in the return leg only for Son to strike twice before Bernardo Silva equalised on the night and Sterling got his second in a breathless opening 20 minutes. Sergio Agüero edged City in front on aggregate but Fernando Llorente had the final say to send Spurs through. Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said: "This is why we love football. We showed great character and great personality. It was an unbelievable game." His team beat Ajax in the semis before losing to Liverpool in the final in Madrid.

Milan 0-2 Inter
Inter 1-0 Milan (Inter win 3-0 on aggregate)
2022/23 semi-finals

Milan had won both previous Champions League ties between these city rivals but Simone Inzaghi's men were quick out of the blocks to deny them a hat-trick. Edin Džeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan struck in the first 11 minutes in the first leg at San Siro and Stefano Pioli's men never recovered, their fate sealed by Lautaro Martínez's 74th-minute effort in the return. "In the next few days we will realise what we have achieved," said Inzaghi. "For us it was a dream but we have always believed in it. It was an extraordinary path. Winning a derby in the semi-final like this brings great satisfaction."

How many one-nation Champions League knockout ties have there been?

There have been 24 knockout ties in the Champions League involving teams from the same country.

10 all-English
7 all-Spanish
4 all-Italian
2 all-German
1 all-French

How many city derbies have there been in the Champions League knockout stages?

Six Champions League knockout ties have featured teams from the same city.

3 Milan (Milan vs Inter: 2002/03 semi-final, 2004/05 quarter-final, 2022/23 semi-final)
2 Madrid (Madrid vs Atlético: 2014/15 quarter-final, 2016/17 semi-final)
1 London (Chelsea vs Arsenal: 2003/04 quarter-final)

All the one-nation Champions League knockout ties

Bayern 0-1agg Dortmund (1997/98 quarter-finals)
Bayern 6-0agg Kaiserslauten (1998/99 quarter-finals)
Valencia 5-3agg Barcelona (1999/2000 semi-finals)
Barcelona 1-3agg Real Madrid (2001/02 semi-finals)
Milan 1-1agg Inter (2002/03 semi-finals, Milan win on away goals)
Chelsea 3-2agg Arsenal (2003/04 quarter-finals)
Milan 5-0agg Inter (2004/05 quarter-finals)
Chelsea 0-1agg Liverpool (2004/05 quarter-finals)
Chelsea 1-1agg Liverpool (2006/07 semi-finals, Liverpool win 4-1 on penalties)
Arsenal 3-5agg Liverpool (2007/08 quarter-finals)
Liverpool 3-4agg Chelsea (2007/08 semi-finals)
Liverpool 5-7agg Chelsea (2008/09 quarter-finals)
Man United 4-1agg Arsenal (2008/09 semi-finals)
Lyon 3-2agg Bordeaux (2009/10 quarter-finals)
Chelsea 1-3agg Man United (2010/11 quarter-finals)
Madrid 1-3agg Barcelona (2010/11 semi-finals)
Barcelona 1-2agg Atlético (2013/14 quarter-finals)
Atlético 0-1agg Madrid (2014/15 quarter-finals)
Barcelona 2-3agg Atlético (2015/16 quarter-finals)
Madrid 4-2agg Atlético (2016/17 semi-finals)
Liverpool 5-1agg Man City (2017/18 quarter-finals)
Spurs 4-4agg Man City (2018/19 quarter-finals, Spurs win on away goals)
Milan 2-1agg Napoli (2022/23 quarter-finals)
Milan 0-3agg Inter (2022/23 semi-finals)