Champions League – Why do Premier League teams dominate?

The last and only time five Premier League teams qualified for the knockout stages was in 2017, when Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham all qualified.

However, only two of those teams – Liverpool and Manchester City – managed to progress past the round of 16, while the Reds reached the final after eliminating City in the quarter-finals.

With five Premier League teams occupying the top eight places in the league stage this season, thus avoiding the possibility of facing each other in the last 16, there is a chance a record number of English teams will reach the quarter-finals.

The presence of multiple English clubs in the latter stages of the Champions League is nothing new, with four teams qualifying for the quarter-finals in both 2007-08 and 2008-09, as well as 2018-19 – resulting in an all-English final in 07-08 and 2018-19.

No other country has ever fielded four teams in the quarter-finals, and this year England could have had as many as six teams.

But the demands of playing in the Premier League alongside the Champions League take their toll, which is why many coaches were relieved to avoid playing the extra two games.

Warnock added: “I still think it will be very difficult for someone to go on and win the title, just because of how difficult the Premier League is every week – whether you’re fighting for the title or for a place in the top four.”

“It is clear that the English clubs are in a good position ahead of the knockout stages. Some of the other big clubs that we thought would reach the peak or start showing a better level – like Paris Saint-Germain for example – have not started yet.”