After an exciting Champions League draw, the group stage is set and is already proving to be one of the most exciting years yet. Some teams have an easy road to the knockout stage, but there are some that will need some serious luck to even grab a win in their group. Let’s dive in and take a deeper look at the groups this season. 

Group A

Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, Rangers

Difficulty: 7.5/10

Arguably one of the powerhouse groups of the tournament, it will be interesting to see who takes home the glory of Group A. While Liverpool have been showstoppers in the Champions League, a very sluggish and slow start in the Premier League has us question whether they are going to have the power to take on Group A. Who could be the dark horse of this group? When we look at who is performing the best in their league this season, we would have to go with Napoli. They’ve been off to a hot start and sit atop of the Serie A table, but are definitely not the first choice on taking the group. This relatively difficult group is looking to be one of the most entertaining and relatively uncertain of the tournament. 

Group B

Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Club Brugge, FC Porto

Difficulty: 4.5/10

While Group B is not necessarily full of easy stunners and super power clubs, there will definitely be some tight and exciting games. If there were to be a front runner in this group Atletico Madrid is looking like the top choice. Sitting in the top third of the La Liga, Atletico Madrid is proving that they are in fact a threat coming into the group stage. If you’re looking for a second place team to make it out of the group stage, this is really where you’re going to have a major toss up. Bayer Leverkusen are definitely hitting the struggle bus already, sitting in the bottom third of the Bundesliga table, they will have to make a stark turn around if they want to make it out of their group. Club Brugge and FC Porto are both sitting in third place of their respective leagues, which means that it could be a total toss up between the two. While the group isn’t full of powerhouse clubs and players, they will offer some exciting matches.

Group C

Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, FC Viktoria Plzen

Difficulty: 9.5/10

Definitely the most exciting and difficult group of the tournament, Group C is packed with all the action and drama that we have come to love and expect every year. A repeat of one of the most talked about match-ups from last season, Barcelona and Bayern Munich return with new players and inter-team transfers that will give us a crazy match-up. After the embarrassment last season, Barcelona are looking to turn things around with some of the biggest new players and Bayern Munich transfer Robert Lewandowski. However, Bayern Munich have signed some big name players during the transfer window like Sadio Mane who is already cementing his legend at the club. If Inter Milan want to make a statement in this tournament they need to come out and completely topple over Barcelona or Bayern. Beating just one of these teams could send them over the top and into the knockout stage. As for Viktoria Plzen they’ll be relying on a miracle to get them through the group of death. Any win in this group would be something for the club to ride home about. 

Group D

Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille, Sporting Lisbon, Tottenham Hotspur

Difficulty: 4/10

One of the less challenging and more predictable groups of the Champions League, we see a Premier League powerhouse tasked with taking on a lower-half of the table Frankfurt and Ligue 1 runner-ups Marseille. This group should pretty much be a walk in the park for Tottenham, with Marseille following close behind. While Sporting Lisbon has performed highly in the past, their lack of superstar players and big league experience does not seem to give them the upper hand. I don’t have super high expectations for upsets or game-changing moments in this group, but once kick-off begins anything can happen. 

Group E

Chelsea, Dinamo Zagreb, Red Bull Salzburg, AC Milan

Difficulty: 5/10

After a relatively rocky start to the season, the Blues are looking to dominate Group E with ease. After finishing in third last season, the Premier League giants need to assert their dominance in their group quickly and passionately. If they cannot send a message in Game 1 then AC Milan and Salzburg will be able to sneak in and get out of their group. Dinamo Zagreb, while in a decent spot in their league, the club has struggled to make it to this point making me believe they’re not a serious contender in the group. My serious prediction of this group is a Chelsea first position and AC Milan following closely behind.

Group F

Celtic, RB Leipzig, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk

Difficulty: 3/10

If you’re looking for a pretty much set winner and second place team to get out of the group stage, Group F is exactly what you’re looking for. There is really no contest on who the group winner should be with Real Madrid signing some of the biggest players in the game this off season. After the departure of Tyler Adams, RB Leipzig is looking to take on the Champions league challenge and make a name for themselves in the tournament. When it comes to Celtic and Shakhtar Donetsk they really will have to pull off a miracle to make it out of the group stages. Upsetting Real Madrid and taking down the German superstar is going to be a huge task for both clubs. 

Group G

Borussia Dortmund, FC Copenhagen, Manchester City, Sevilla

Difficulty: 7.5/10

Premier League Champions Manchester City are looking to cement their football legacy with a Champions League title. While their group looks relatively simple, Dortmund and Sevilla are serious threats to the title holders. The German and Spanish sides made some huge signings during the off season that could see them upset and take Manchester City out of the competition this season. As for FC Copenhagen, they barely qualified for the tournament and don’t appear to pose a serious threat to the major league clubs. While I believe that City will take the Group G title, it really is a complete toss up between who will get the second spot out of the group. 

Group H

Benfica, Juventus, Maccabi Haifa, Paris Saint-Germain

Difficulty: 6.5/10

Arguably one of the more evenly matched groups of the group stage, we’ll definitely be seeing some pretty tight and exciting games out of this group. PSG and Juventus are setting out to be the frontrunners of the group with some of the biggest and best players in the game. Whether you’re fans of the French and Italian sides, it’s pretty undeniable that players like Mbappe and Di Maria are some of the game’s biggest players. Benfica is definitely a team to watch during the group stages, while they lost Nuñez over the transfer window, they are still a totally high quality team that can surprise even the world’s biggest fans. 

With the group stage set, we now know that this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting group stages we’ve ever seen. Who will be the star of the group stage? Who is going to shock us the most? Who is making it to the end? Stay tuned for all the latest news and hot takes of the Champions League season!