Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson. - file

LONDON (AP)

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes England has the strongest league in Europe. It's hard to argue with that when a record four Premier League clubs are in today's quarter-final draw of the Champions League.

United will be joined by Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool in the draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, along with FC Barcelona, Schalke, AS Roma and Fenerbahce. The semi-final pairings will also be drawn.

It's the first time that four clubs from the same country have reached the final eight.

"I think the Premier League is the strongest in Europe," Ferguson said on Man U's official television network. "For a spell, it was the Spanish league - I remember about seven or eight years ago, they had three teams in the semi-finals and Spanish football was really strong, but I think the English game has reached that level."

Same country

There's a possibility that two English clubs could meet in the final in Moscow on May 21. The last time two sides from the same country contested the final was in 2003 when AC Milan defeated Juventus on penalty kicks.

Man United striker Wayne Rooney is hoping to keep the English clubs apart for as long as possible.

"It's better for English football if the four teams go further," he said. "This proves the Premier League is the best in the world and that's why it attracts the best players in the world."

This is the first time Fenerbahce have advanced this far in the competition after the Turkish club eliminated two-time UEFA Cup champion Sevilla in the second round on penalty kicks. Schalke are also a newcomer to the quarter-finals.

Several big names are absent - AC Milan failed to make the quarter-finals for the first time in six seasons after their elimination by Arsenal, while nine-time winner Real Madrid is out after losing to Roma.

Roma, which lost to Liverpool in the 1984 final, will be hoping to avoid Manchester United, where it lost 7-1 at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals last season.

Each Premier League club has a 40 per cent chance of being drawn against one of its domestic rivals.

"They are all great sides who can pass the ball and mix and match it with any team in the world," Chelsea captain John Terry said. "Hopefully, we can avoid them but if we are drawn together, then we have to beat them. We've missed out in this competition on a few occasions and we want to make the final step and get our hands on the trophy."