FOR THE first time in history, six clubs from the same country are competing in the same Champions League season. All six are English. Five of them went straight through the league phase without breaking a sweat, but now only one English club remains, topping the Champions League betting as the semi-finals get underway.
Let’s take a look at how all of England’s teams have done in this year’s spectacle at the top of European football.
Arsenal
Arsenal have been the standout English club in this season’s competition and remain the last one standing. They won all eight of their league phase games, conceding just four goals and topping the table. They saw off Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 on aggregate in the round of 16, with Eberechi Eze scoring a stunning long-range volley and Declan Rice adding a second in a 2-0 home win that sent them through comfortably. They then beat Sporting CP 1-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals to reach the last four for the second consecutive season, a first in the club’s history. Mikel Arteta’s side now face Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals, with Champions League tips being weighed up ahead of the contest.
Liverpool
Liverpool’s European campaign came to an end at the quarter-final stage at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. Arne Slot’s side lost the first leg 2-0 in Paris and were unable to turn it around at Anfield, where Ousmane Dembele scored twice late on to seal a 4-0 aggregate win for the holders. Liverpool had
their moments, including a penalty that was overturned by VAR, but PSG were clinical when it mattered. It was the second consecutive season PSG had knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League.
Manchester City
City’s campaign ended at the round of 16 with a heavy 6-1 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid. Having only squeezed into the top eight on the final matchday of the league phase, they were always facing a difficult path. Madrid were simply too good across both legs, and City’s defence, which had been patchy for much of the season domestically, could not cope. For Pep Guardiola, it represents the earliest European exit of his City tenure since 2018.
Chelsea
Chelsea finished sixth in the table and were drawn against PSG in the round of 16, but had no answer for the reigning champions. They lost the first leg 5-2 in Paris, with PSG scoring three times in the final 20 minutes to take control of the tie. The second leg at Stamford Bridge was even more sobering. PSG won 3-0 on the night to complete an 8-2 aggregate victory, with Chelsea’s errors playing a significant part. Liam Rosenior’s side were outclassed across both legs.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham surprisingly finished fourth in the table, despite poor form in the Premier League. The round of 16 tie against Atletico Madrid is one of the most dramatic of this season’s knockout stage. Kinsky’s Champions League debut in the first leg at the Metropolitano ended in disaster, as Atletico scored three times in the opening 15 minutes and the goalkeeper was substituted off. Spurs lost 5-2 in Madrid. They recovered with a 3-2 win in the second leg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which was their first and only victory of 2026, but it was not enough to prevent elimination on a 7-5 aggregate.
Newcastle United
Newcastle’s campaign was one of the more unexpected storylines of the competition. They finished 11th in the league phase, sending them into the knockout playoffs, which they qualified in style, beating Qarabag 9-3 on aggregate, and made a genuine impression before running into Barcelona in the last 16. The Catalan side were ruthless, beating Newcastle 8-3 on aggregate across the two legs. It was a harsh lesson in the gap that still exists between Eddie Howe’s side and Europe’s elite, but reaching the last 16 for the first time in the club’s history was still a landmark achievement.
Article written by Ella Atkins
