Emre Can eager to avoid English clubs in quarter-finals

Liverpool midfielder Emre Can has confessed that he would rather avoid a domestic rival in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The Reds made it through to the last eight of UEFA's showpiece competition for the first time since 2009 with a straightforward 5-0 aggregate win over Porto.

Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are all favourites to progress from their last-16 ties, meanwhile, and Chelsea are also still in the running as they are level at 1-1 with Barcelona ahead of next week's return leg.

Can would rather face a foreign club in the next round, however, telling reporters after Tuesday night's goalless second leg with Porto: "I prefer to not play an English team, but I don't care who.

"I think you are wrong if you play a Champions League game and you don't find motivation. I think it was OK, we did our job and we are through the round."

The quarter-final draw, which is so far comprised of Liverpool and Real Madrid, takes place in Nyon on Friday 16.