Nations bidding for first eleven

When Arsenal FC take on FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final at the Stade de France, they will be playing for national pride as well as the glory of their clubs, as the match will decide which country has won the most European Champion Clubs' Cups.

Ten apiece
Liverpool FC's triumph against AC Milan a year ago – their fifth overall - meant England joined Italy and Spain on ten victories apiece in Europe's premier club competition, with Germany and the Netherlands trailing on six. Spain were given a significant head start when Real Madrid CF won the first five finals, subsequently increasing their total to nine.

Wembley win
A second Spanish winner did not arrive until 1991/92, when Barcelona claimed their only title to date at the one-time European home of Arsenal, Wembley. The golden era for English sides came between 1976 and 1981 when they lifted the trophy six times in a row, with three successes for Liverpool, two for Nottingham Forest FC and one for Aston Villa FC. Manchester United FC sealed England's other two triumphs, meaning Arsenal would be the nation's fifth different champion.

Final specialists
Barcelona's progress ensures the 20th appearance by a Spanish team in the European Cup final, four behind Italy. English clubs have proved specialists when it comes to finals, with their ten trophies coming from only 12 attempts. German sides have participated in more finals – 13 – but have won less than half.

Paris precedent
The only teams from England to return as runners-up were Leeds United AFC, who lost in 1975 to FC Bayern München, and Liverpool, whose defeat by Juventus in 1985 was overshadowed by the Heysel disaster. Surprisingly, this is only the second Anglo-Spanish final, with the sole precedent also coming in Paris. It went the way of the English, with Liverpool beating Real Madrid 1-0 in 1981.

London pride
Although fans of rival clubs Tottenham Hotspur FC and Chelsea FC might disagree, Arsenal are helping to put London on the map. They are the first side from the English capital to reach this stage, making it the largest city to have a European Cup finalist. Had Arsenal lost their semi-final to Villarreal CF, the Spanish town would have become the second-smallest ever represented at the final, behind Monte Carlo, home to AS Monaco FC.

Slight return
Despite their famous names and illustrious histories, Arsenal and Barcelona are remarkably short on continental silverware, with just one European Cup between them. That tally will be doubled on 17 May when one of the two will recover some ground on their domestic adversaries.