Football writer Ben Bloom looks at the remaining Premier League sides in Europe and what to expect in the knockout stages.
European competitions reach the quarter-final stage this week and five of the seven Premier League teams that began continental campaigns are still standing.
Arsenal and Aston Villa face daunting tests against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, while Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United’s hopes of salvaging something from a disappointing season lie in the UEFA Europa League.
Chelsea, meanwhile, hope to lift UEFA Conference League silverware.
The quintet are also battling in aid of other Premier League teams. If Premier League clubs secure one quarter-final first-leg victory this week or two draws (across all three UEFA competitions) England will secure a top-two finish in the UEFA coefficient table and receive an additional fifth Champions League spot next season.
Here is everything you need to know…
Champions League quarter-final ties
Arsenal v Real Madrid
First leg: Arsenal v Real Madrid, Tuesday 8 April, 20:00 BST
Second leg: Real Madrid v Arsenal, Wednesday 16 April, 20:00 BST
Just a fortnight after Arsenal's women's team brilliantly turned around a two-goal first-leg deficit to beat Real Madrid in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals, the Gunners' men look to complete a club double over the Spanish giants.
The two sides have met at this stage once before – the only matches between them – in 2006, when a sensational solo Thierry Henry goal was enough to secure a 1-0 win at the Bernabeu before a goalless draw in the return leg sent Arsenal through.
Mikel Arteta made a raft of changes to his side for their 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday, suggesting he is prioritising Europe over an unlikely Premier League title success.
That should mean plenty of fresh legs, including a potential start for Bukayo Saka, who has been working his way back to fitness after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
With Gabriel ruled out for the season, Jakub Kiwior could be given the formidable task of shackling Kylian Mbappe, as well as the might of Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior.
The Frenchman has scored 33 times in all competitions this season, although Real are not in the best form, losing to relegation-threatened Valencia on Saturday to fall four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona.
While Arsenal have breezed through to this stage, Real have struggled in this season’s Champions League, requiring a knockout round play-off win over Manchester City before squeezing past Atletico Madrid on penalties in the last 16.
They also conceded four and required an extra-time equaliser to draw and advance on aggregate against Real Socieded to the Copa del Rey final last week.
However, Real have not lost a UEFA Champions League quarter-final since 2003/04, winning their last 12 two-legged matches at this stage.
Asked this week if it will be the biggest match of his managerial career, Arteta said: “100 per cent. That’s why I came into football.”
Paris Saint-Germain v Aston Villa
First leg: PSG v Aston Villa, Wednesday 9 April, 20:00 BST
Second leg: Aston Villa v PSG, Tuesday 15 April, 20:00 BST
The last time Unai Emery met Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique, the now Villa boss was in charge of the French club and Enrique was at the Barcelona helm.
In a 2016/17 Champions League last-16 tie, Emery’s PSG won the first leg 4-0 before capitulating in the closing minutes of a 6-1 defeat in the reverse fixture to crash out.
Four-time Europa League winner Emery has this season guided Villa through their first appearance in Europe’s top competition since 1982/83, while Enrique this week wrapped up one of the earliest ever Ligue 1 title wins.
Now four-time reigning French champions, PSG have not lost in the league this season and are bidding to become only the seventh side from Europe’s top five leagues to go an entire season unbeaten.
Marco Asensio played 12 times in the league for PSG earlier this season but – unlike in the Premier League – the loanee is eligible to face his parent club under UEFA rules, having joined Villa in February.
In fact, Villa experienced the reverse earlier this Champions League campaign, when Samuel Iling-Junior played against them while on loan at Bologna.
Villa won that match, but there is precedent for players punishing their parent clubs, with Philippe Coutinho scoring twice and assisting once in Bayern Munich’s 8-2 win over Barcelona while on loan from the Spanish side in the 2019/20 quarter-final.
Thibaut Courtois also helped Atletico Madrid beat Chelsea while on loan in the 2013/14 Champions League semi-finals.
Villa will come into this fixture bouncing having shown excellent form winning their last seven matches in all competitions.
Europa League quarter-final ties
Lyon v Manchester United
First leg: Lyon v Man Utd, Thursday 10 April, 20:00 BST
Second leg: Man Utd v Lyon, Thursday 17 April, 20:00 BST
Man Utd’s situation is largely similar to that of Spurs, already guaranteed to record their second-lowest or potentially lowest-ever Premier League points total and hoping the Europa League can provide another European campaign next year.
United have struggled for goals this season, offering little threat in their goalless draw against Man City on Sunday. Bruno Fernandes remains their only player to reach double figures for goals in all competitions this campaign.
The winner of seven successive Ligue 1 titles in the early 2000s, it has been six years since Lyon last finished in the top three domestically.
Currently fifth in the French table, having won four of their last five league matches, the French side are having to make do without manager Paulo Fonseca during domestic games, while the Portuguese boss serves a nine-month ban from matchday duties for angrily confronting a referee.
However, the rules do not apply to UEFA competitions, so he will be on the touchline on Thursday.
The last time Lyon played European football, in 2021/22, they fell at this exact stage of the Europa League against West Ham United.
Two years earlier they had matched their best-ever European achievement of reaching the Champions League semi-finals.
Tottenham Hotspur v Eintracht Frankfurt
First leg: Spurs v Eintracht Frankfurt, Thursday 10 April, 20:00 BST
Second leg: Eintracht Frankfurt v Spurs, Thursday 17 April, 20:00 BST
After four domestic matches without a win, Spurs defeated (and relegated) Southampton in their latest Premier League outing on Sunday.
In danger of their lowest league finish since placing 14th in 2003/04, the Europa League is deemed crucial to Ange Postecoglou’s season, offering the only remaining route to European football next season.
With a near-identical record to Spurs' in the league phase, Eintracht Frankfurt present a formidable challenge.
The 2021/22 Europa League winners sit third in the Bundesliga table, with an entertaining young side that break rapidly and have the ability to prey on any Spurs slip-ups.
The Germans saw off Ajax in the last 16, but lost to mid-table Werder Bremen on Saturday, continuing their inconsistent recent form.
Spurs last met Frankfurt in the 2022/23 Champions League group stage when they shared a goalless draw in Germany before Antonio Conte’s side won 3-2 at home.
Conference League quarter-final ties
Legia Warszawa v Chelsea
First leg: Legia Warszawa v Chelsea, Thursday 10 April, 17:45 BST
Second leg: Chelsea v Legia Warszawa, Thursday 17 April, 20:00 BST
Perhaps with one eye on this fixture, Enzo Maresca paid the price for starting without Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Marc Cucurella and Pedro Neto on Sunday, when Chelsea were unable to find a way past Brentford. It was a questionable decision that appeared to backfire.
Having breezed their way to the Conference League last eight when largely using a second-string side, it remains to be seen how strong a line-up Maresca opts for on Thursday.
With 15 league titles, Legia Warszawa are the most successful club in Polish football history. However, they have not triumphed domestically since 2020/21 and currently sit fifth in the standings.
After beating Norwegian side Molde in their last-16 tie, this is the furthest Legia Warszawa have gone in European competition for almost 30 years.
