After which there have been 4. After final week’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg ties, the line-up for the final 4 is full.
Arsenal, Barcelona, Inter and Paris Saint-Germain are the 4 groups nonetheless standing within the 2024/25 version, as golf equipment from 4 completely different international locations compete to win the continental competitors this time period.
However which nation’s groups have had probably the most appearances within the semi-finals of the Champions League or the European Cup?
Right here, a have a look at probably the most profitable nations in Europe’s premier membership competitors and which of their groups reached the final 4…
Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Sweden (two appearances)
CSKA Sofia in motion towards Ajax within the European Cup in November 1972. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Austria, Bulgaria, Poland and Sweden have every had groups within the European Cup semi-finals on two events.
Speedy Wien and Austria Wien have represented Austria within the final 4 of Europe’s premier membership competitors, whereas Bulgarian facet CSKA Sofia twice made the semi-finals.
Polish golf equipment Widzew Łódź and Legia Warszawa additionally made it to the penultimate spherical as soon as every, as did Swedish sides IFK Göteborg and Malmö.
As well as, two groups from the previous Czechoslovakia have featured within the European Cup semi-finals: Dukla Prague (now of the Czech Republic) and Spartak Trnava (Slovakia).
Ukraine (three appearances)
Dynamo Kyiv gamers rejoice a aim towards Bayern Munich within the 1999 Champions League semi-finals. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Two-time winners of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1974/75 and 1985/86, Dynamo Kyiv additionally claimed the UEFA Tremendous Cup in 1975.
The Ukrainian membership have featured in two European Cup semi-finals and as soon as within the final 4 of the Champions League, dropping out to Bayern Munich 4-3 on mixture within the 1998/99 version. Earlier than 1991, Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union.
Switzerland (three appearances)
Franco Cucinotta scores for FC Zurich towards Dynamo Dresden within the European Cup in March 1977. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
FC Zürich have featured twice in European Cup semi-finals, reaching the final 4 in 1963/64 and once more in 1976/77, dropping out to Actual Madrid and Liverpool respectively.
The one different Swiss facet to make it to the semi-finals of Europe’s premier membership competitors was Younger Boys, overwhelmed by Stade de Reims within the 1958/59 version.
Hungary (three appearances)
Vasas in motion towards First Vienna in July 1960. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Three Hungarian golf equipment have featured within the semi-finals of the European Cup, however all of these appearances had been a very long time in the past.
Vasas reached the final 4 means again in 1957/58, Győr made it to the semi-finals in 1964/65 and Újpest went out on the second-to-last hurdle in 1973/74.
Greece (three appearances)
Panathinaikos gamers line up for a group picture forward of a Champions League sport towards Hamburg in September 2000. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Panathinaikos are the one Greek membership to have reached the semi-finals of the European Cup or the Champions League, with the Athens facet having featured within the final 4 on three events.
Within the 1970/71 version, Panathinaikos made all of it the best way to the ultimate of the continental competitors, in the end dropping 2-0 to Ajax at Wembley.
Yugoslavia (4 appearances)
Pink Star Belgrade gamers rejoice with the European Cup after victory over Marseille within the 1991 last. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Pink Star Belgrade beat Olympique Marseille 5-3 on penalties to win the 1991 European Cup last in Bari.
The Serbian membership, recognized domestically as Crvena zvezda, has appeared in three European Cup semi-finals total. Metropolis rivals Partizan have performed in a single, making all of it the best way to the ultimate in 1966. Each groups represented Yugoslavia earlier than the break-up of that nation within the early Nineteen Nineties.
Romania (4 appearances)
Steaua Bucharest goalkeeper Helmut Duckadam makes a save within the 1986 European Cup last towards Barcelona. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Steaua Bucharest beat Barcelona on penalties in Seville to win the 1986 European Cup last after a 0-0 draw on the Sánchez Pizjuán.
In whole, Steaua have appeared in three European Cup semi-finals, with their metropolis rivals Dinamo Bucharest having additionally made it to the final 4 as soon as.
Belgium (4 appearances)
Membership Brugge gamers line up forward of a Champions League sport towards Sporting CP in December 2024. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
No Belgian membership has ever received the European Cup or the Champions League, however Membership Brugge did attain the ultimate in 1978, dropping out to Liverpool at Wembley.
In addition to the Bruges facet that season, Anderlecht have featured in two European Cup semi-finals, with Commonplace Liège additionally making it as soon as to the final 4.
Scotland (eight appearances)
Celtic in motion towards Leeds United within the 1970 European Cup semi-finals. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Celtic had been the primary British membership to win the European Cup, with the Glasgow giants taking the trophy because of victory over Inter in Lisbon in 1967.
Finalists once more in 1970, the Hoops have appeared within the final 4 on 4 events total. Dundee, Dundee United, Hibernian and Rangers have every performed in a single European Cup semi-final.
Portugal (11 appearances)
Porto gamers line up for a group picture forward of their Champions League semi-final first leg towards Deportivo La Coruña in April 2004. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Solely two Portuguese groups have reached the semi-finals of the European Cup or the Champions League.
Benfica, winners of the European Cup in 1961 and 1962, have appeared in eight semi-finals total. And Porto, champions in 1987 and 2004, have featured within the final 4 on three events.
Netherlands (14 appearances)
Ajax gamers rejoice a aim towards Tottenham within the Champions League semi-finals in Could 2019. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Ajax are four-time European champions and the Amsterdam facet have reached the semi-finals on 9 events, most lately in 2018/19.
PSV Eindhoven, European Cup winners in 1988, have featured in three semi-finals. And Feyenoord, champions in 1970, have twice made it to the final 4.
France (19 appearances)
Paris Saint-Germain gamers applaud their followers after victory over Aston Villa within the first leg of the groups’ Champions League quarter-final in April 2025. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Paris Saint-Germain will seem within the Champions League semi-finals for the fifth time after edging previous Aston Villa within the final eight.
Monaco have appeared within the semi-finals on 4 events, with Lyon, Marseille, Stade de Reims and Saint-Étienne having featured in two apiece. Bordeaux and Nantes have every performed within the final 4 as soon as. Marseille, champions in 1992/93, are the one group from France to have received the competitors.
Germany (36 appearances)
Bayern Munich gamers rejoice a aim towards Lyon within the Champions League semi-finals in August 2020. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Bayern Munich narrowly missed out on the Champions League semi-finals this time round, however the Bavarian giants have featured within the final 4 on 21 events and are six-time winners.
Borussia Dortmund, champions in 1997 and finalists in each 2013 and 2024, have reached the semi-finals 5 occasions. Hamburg have performed in three, with Borussia Mönchengladbach showing in two. Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Köln, Leipzig and Schalke have all featured as soon as within the final 4.
Italy (38 appearances)
Inter gamers rejoice a aim towards Bayern Munich within the groups’ Champions league semi-final second leg in April 2025. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Italy are the third-most represented nation within the semi-finals of the European Cup or the Champions League, with 38 appearances total.
That whole consists of 13 for seven-time winners AC Milan, 12 for twice-champions Juventus. Inter, triumphant on three events, will seem of their tenth semi-final this time period. Roma have made it to the final 4 twice, with Fiorentina a semi-finalist as soon as, having reached the ultimate means again in 1957.
England (48 appearances)
Georginio Wijnaldum (left) celebrates with Jordan Henderson (proper) and Trent Alexander-Arnold after scoring for Liverpool towards Barcelona within the groups’ Champions League semi-final second leg at Anfield in Could 2019. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
English groups have reached the European Cup or Champions League semi-finals on 48 events over time, with Liverpool and Manchester United main the best way with 12 appearances apiece within the final 4.
Chelsea have featured within the semi-finals eight occasions, with Manchester Metropolis that includes in 4 and Arsenal to participate within the final 4 for the third time after getting previous Actual Madrid within the quarter-finals this time period. Leeds United have been semi-finalists thrice, with two-time winners Nottingham Forest having appeared in two, together with Tottenham Hotspur. Aston Villa and Derby County have each made it to the final 4 as soon as.
Spain (62 appearances)
Actual Madrid and Barcelona gamers stroll out onto the pitch forward of the groups’ Champions League semi-final first leg on the Santiago Bernabeu in April 2011. (Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Actual Madrid are 15-time European Cup winners and Los Blancos have appeared in 33 semi-finals. Barcelona, champions on 5 events, are within the final 4 this time period for the seventeenth time.
Three-time finalists Atlético Madrid have appeared in six semi-finals, whereas Valencia and Villarreal have taken half in two apiece. Deportivo La Coruña and Actual Sociedad have been to at least one every.
