This seasons competition promises to be be as exciting as ever. Detailed below are the group pairings and bolded are the teams who I believe will progress from each group. I have previewed and ranked those teams further below. Enjoy the 2012/13 Champions League!
Group A: Paris Saint Germain, Dynamo Kiev, Porto, Dinamo Zagreb
Group B: Arsenal, Schalke, Montpellier, Olympiacos
Group C: AC Milan, Zenit St Petersburg, Malaga, Anderlecht
Group D: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, Ajax Amsterdam
Group E: Juventus, Chelsea, Shaktar Donetsk, Nordsjaelland
Group F: Bayern Munich, Valencia, Lille, BATE Borisov
Group G: Barcelona, Benfica, Celtic, Spartak Moscow
Group H: Manchester United, Galatasaray, Sporting Braga, CFR Cluj
16. BENFICA Artur- Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Melgarejo- Martins, Rodrigo - Aimar, Salvio, Nolito- Cardozo
The Portuguese champions are unlucky to be drawn with Barcelona however they have enough class to get past Celtic and Spartak. A second round showing is the best they can hope for however, particularly after losing their playmaker Axel Witsel. That is of course unless Aimar can roll back the years and assist Salvio and Cardozo with goals. The defensive pairing of Luisao and Garay is solid but their distribution can be found wanting at times. 15. DYNAMO KIEV Shokovskiy- Danilo, Betao, Mikhalik, Taiwo - Veloso, Vukojevic - Yarmolenko, Kranjcar, Gusev - Brown
With technically gifted players from Eastern Europe like Kranjcar and Vukojevic mixing with gifted players like Taiwo,Veloso and Brown and local superstar Yarmolenko in the mix, Dynamo can be a very dangerous opponent on their day.
14. GALATASARAY Muslera - Eboue, Cris, Gokhan, Ceyhun - Melo, Altintop - Bulut, Elmander Riera - Baros
The one team that everyone in Europe fears playing away, Galatasary will be hoping to progress from a relatively easy group and cause surprises in the second round. Some very experienced footballers like Baros, Eboue and Melo are mixed with Turkish stars like Bulut and Altintop to make them a formidable opponent. 13. SCHALKE Fahrmann - Uchida, Papadopoulos, Howedes, Fuchs - Barnetta, Holtby, Draxler, Afellay - Farfan, Huntelaar
A typically competitive German team, Schalke has done well to add Barnetta and Afellay to their midfield to complement highly rated local talents Holtby and Draxler. if their forwards Huntelaar and Farfan can continue their impressive form from last season then Schalke will be a hard team to beat.
12. ZENIT ST PETERSBURG Malafeev-Anyokov, Alves, Lombaerts, Criscito- Zyryanov, Witsel, Semak, Denisov - Hulk, Kerzhakov
The Russian champions are made up of half of the Russian national team and some serious European talent. Having scored the double scoop of the European transfer market in securing the services of the Belgium playmaker Axel Witsel and Brazilian striker Hulk, they are sure to make an impression on this years Champions League. Add the wily brains of Italian coach Spaletti and Zenit can cause some surprises. 11. AC MILAN Abbiati - Abate, Bonera, Acerbi, Antonini - Nocerino, DeJong, Boateng, Montolivo - Pato, Robinho
Much has been said about the loss in quality for the Rossoneri after the transfers of Ibrahimovic and Silva, but perhaps not enough on the potential quality of some of their signings. Montolivo proved at the Euros what a good midfielder he is and De Jong has been added to balance the midfield. Up front they can choose anyone of the following proven strikers-Robinho, Pato, Bojan and Pazzini. As long as Milan get their defensive pairing right in the centre they should be good enough to progress in top spot from their group. 10. PARIS SAINT GERMAIN Douchez - VanDerWiel, Sakho, Silva, Maxwell - Varatti, Motta, Pastore - Menez, Ibrahimovic, Lavezzi
A team made up with the wealthy contributions of the Arab world, PSG are bound to cause serious concerns for anyone if the team manage to click. Experienced Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti is the right man for the job but come the decisive months of February through to April it will be up to the superstars to deliver. The forward line of Pastore, Lavezzi and Ibrahimovic is one that promises lots of excitement and goals in upcoming matches. 9. CHELSEA Cech- Ivanovic, Luis, Terry, Cole - Lampard, Mikel - Hazard, Oscar, Mata - Torres
The defending champions won the Champions League last year with a lot of luck and playing very defensively with athletic players. Their involvement in the transfer market this season has resulted in a squad full of quality and flair, but should their game plan change from last season it will be interesting to see if they can still beat the best in Europe at their own game. Nonetheless Hazard and Oscar will show their worth this season.
8. ARSENAL Sczezny - Sagna, Martesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs - Arteta, Wilshere, Cazorla - OxladeChamberlain, Gervinho, Podolski
It seems that no matter who they lose over the summer Arsenal still seems to put together a team capable of competing with the best. Cazorla in the midfield and Podolski up front are fantastic signings and fit the Arsenal mould of playing slick fast football. If Wilshere can return from injury the same player they will be very dangerous once again and continue their fine record of Champions League football. 7. MANCHESTER UNITED DeGea - Smalling, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra - Valencia, Carrick, Scholes, Kagawa - Rooney, Van Persie
Alex Ferguson's men don't need any introduction, they are always a tough team to beat in Europe and last years shock exit will have them primed for a better showing this time round. Adding Van Persie to the attack next to Rooney could see some serious fireworks in front of goal. Should new signing Kagawa be given the right role to flourish United should get to the quarters. Their defence however is a problem that will surely be exposed at the pointy end of the competition. 6. VALENCIA Alves - Pereira, Ruiz, Rami, Cissokho - Gago, Albelda -Feghouli, Piatti, Guardado - Soldado
A team that can regularly provide a stern test for Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain has to be respected in the Champions League. Feghouli has started the season well and the addition of tricky Mexican Guardado provides width in attack. The Argentinian Gago is a deep lying playmaker that can give rhythm to a team and can create moves for the likes of Soldado and Piatti to finish off. Their fine style of fast decisive attacking moves with the ball on the ground continues and they will be a match for anyone on their day. Underestimate them at your peril. 5. BORUSSIA DORTMUND Weidenfeller - Pisczek, Hummels, Subotic, Schmelzer - Bender, Gundogan - Blaszykowski, Reus, Gotze - Lewandowski
The
German champions showed their true class and potential when dismantling
Bayern Munich in last season's German Cup Final. A surprise loss to
Marseille meant that they didn't progress to the stage of the Champions League
last season that their talents deserved, however the addition of the hugely talented
Reus and the continual rise of Gotze will surely see them as the team
most likely to surprise the big 4. The midfield pairing of Gundogan and
Bender and the defending of Hummels provides a good base for the
attacking talents and Lewandowski has developed into one of the finest centre forwards in European football. If they can get out of the 'Group of Death' they can go all the way. 4. JUVENTUS Buffon - Lichsteiner, Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini - Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal, Asamoah - Vucinic, Giovinco
The Italian champions are back where they belong and they wont be shy with the experience at their disposal. Boasting most of the Italian team that did so well at the Euros, their chances will be finished off by the impressive striker Vucinic. Asamooah and Vidal also add athleticism to Pirlo's maestro like tempo in the midfield, and Lichsteiner is a constant threat on the right flank. Expect them to reach the semis and possibly a final showing should Conte the coach get through his touchline ban. 3. BAYERN MUNICH Neuer - Lahm, Dante, Badstuber, Alaba - Schweinsteiger, Martinez - Robben, Kroos, Ribery - Mandzukic
Bayern have added players where they needed them from last season. The arrival of Mandzukic is also a boost in attack and provides a more all round attacking threat to Gomez, however its new boy Martinez from Spain for a ridiculous amount of money who is expected to make the difference, a player with enough tactical maturity and distribution to cover the gaps in midfield whilst Schweinsteiger, Robben, Ribery and Kroos create havoc in the opposition half. Kroos in particular is a player that is developing into a fine midfield general. There is enough depth in the squad to see them at least reach the semis if not the final once more. 2. REAL MADRID Casillas - Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo - Khedira, Alonso - Ozil, Modric, DiMaria - Benzema
Real should have made last seasons final and you can bet that the whole squad will be aiming to make this right, after all everyone from the coach to the goalkeeper believe its their God given right since they play for Real Madrid. Undoubtedly they are a team with the players to win the Champions League, and should Ronaldo and Ozil manage to click with new boy Modric in the attacking third they should be better than any team in the competition, just about..1. BARCELONA Valdes - Alves, Pique, Puyol, Alba - Xavi, Busquets, Fabregas - Pedro, Messi, Iniesta
The most impressive team in the world over the last few years, their football is leaving a legacy and a blueprint for all teams to follow. The talents of the all conquering Spanish national team that includes Iniesta, Fabregas, Xavi, Busquets and Pique are nicely topped off by the finest player of the last 30 years: Lionel Messi. Guardiola may have gone but new coach Vilanova has maintained the 4-3-3 system and philosophy that has seen Barcelona become one of the greatest teams of all time. Bet against them if you wish, but come May 2013 another Barcelona triumph at Wembley is the most likely scenario!
