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The Champions League trophy that all the teams are chasing.
The Champions League trophy that all the teams are chasing. Photograph: Sebastien Nogier/EPA
The Champions League trophy that all the teams are chasing. Photograph: Sebastien Nogier/EPA

Champions League draw: who can the Premier League five meet in last 16?

This article is more than 6 years old
We break down the record-breaking achievements of the English quintet in the Champions League and look ahead to who they could meet in the next stage

Five English teams are in the last 16. Is that a record?

Yes it is. Never before have so many clubs from one country reached this stage of the tournament. It became possible to enter five teams only from 2015-16, when the Europa League winners were awarded a Champions League place. Spain had five clubs in the 2015-16 group stage after Sevilla won that tournament but only three progressed. Manchester United’s Europa League triumph last season put them in the Champions League with Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool. Liverpool won a play-off against Hoffenheim to make it five English clubs in the group stage.

When is the last-16 draw and how does it work?

It takes place on Monday from 11am GMT and you will be able to follow it on the Guardian’s website. Group winners are seeded and will face a group runner-up but teams from the same nation cannot play one another and nor can teams who were in the same group.

Where did the Premier League clubs finish in their groups?

Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham won their groups. Chelsea finished second. Only once before have four clubs from one country reached the last 16 as group winners: in 2006-07 when Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United did it.

So there aren’t many possibilities for Chelsea in the draw then?

Correct. They know they will face Paris St-Germain, Barcelona or Besiktas – and it is fair to assume they hope to land the Turkish club, who finished top of a group that also included Porto, RB Leipzig and Monaco. Chelsea have the greatest probability (44%) of facing Barcelona, though, because Barcelona cannot be drawn against Juventus, who were in their group, Real Madrid or Sevilla.

The group winners will have it easier then?

Not necessarily. Bayern Munich, Juventus and Real Madrid finished as runners-up so they lie in wait, although Tottenham came out of Madrid’s group and so cannot play them in the last 16. The other non-English clubs that went through in second place are Basel, Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk and Porto.

So who can Manchester United get?

One of Bayern, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar, Porto or Real Madrid.

How about Liverpool?

They will face Basel, Bayern, Juventus, Shakhtar, Porto or Real Madrid.

And Manchester City?

One of Basel, Bayern, Juventus, Sevilla, Porto or Real Madrid.

And finally Tottenham?

They can meet Basel, Bayern, Juventus, Sevilla, Shakhtar or Porto.

Aquí tenéis TODAS LAS PROBABILIDADES de TODOS LOS ENFRENTAMIENTOS que se pueden dar en el sorteo de 1/8 de UCL que se celebrará el lunes. Es el SORTEO MÁS CONDICIONADO EN LA HISTORIA del torneo: Chelsea sólo tiene 3 rivales posibles y un 44% de opciones de jugar contra el Barça. pic.twitter.com/J0kMSjvd4E

— MisterChip (Alexis) (@2010MisterChip) December 6, 2017

When will those ties take place?

The group winners will be away in the first legs on 13-14 and 20-21 February and at home in the second legs on 6-7 and 13-14 March.

Have four clubs from one country made the quarter-finals before?

Yes, twice – and involving English clubs each time. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United got that far in 2007-08; then Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United repeated the trick the following season.

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