The English clubs were not protected from meeting each other as has been the case in previous rounds, so this time around, anything was up on offer. The draw was held in Nyon and featured all the traditional big four English teams for the second successive year.

There will be at least one English semi-finalist in this year's Champions League, as Liverpool were drawn for their annual meet against Chelsea, with the first leg played at Anfield. It was the worst possible outcome for Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, who said before the draw: "Clearly I'd like to avoid English teams at this stage because we know each other so well, but it doesn't matter in terms of the other teams."

Steven Gerrard, the joint-top scorer in the Champions League with seven goals alongside with Miroslav Klose in this year's campaign, was braver than his manager, saying: "We're not running scared of anyone. We'll take who we get and believe that we're going to go through".

Defending champion Manchester United's luck with easy draws held true and their opponent, Porto, is widely seen as the weakest of the last eight, posponing any clash with another English club until the semi-final. That is, provided that Arsenal dispatch Villareal in their tie.

"The English sides' performances [in Europe] have shown yet again that the Premier League is the best league in the world," United defender Nemanja Vidic told the club's website. "To have all four in the quarter-finals again is a big achievement for English football."

Barcelona did not get their wish either. Manager Pep Guardiola said before the draw that "it would be nice to taste success against one of the English clubs", but instead their opponent will be Bayern. Should Barcelona clear that hurdle, they will face the winner of the Liverpool-Chelsea clash.

The first legs will be on April 7-8, and the return legs a week later.