Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City superstars also rated…
Group A)
Atletico Madrid
Koke: Diminutive Spanish midfielder with an eye for a telling pass, Koke will be backed up by excellent new signings Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic.
Juventus
Paul Pogba: The French dynamo provides industry, thrust and goals in midfield – although Arturo Vidal will be equally as important if he stays.
Olympiakos
Javier Saviola: The Argentine is ageing, but provides creativity and goals for the Greeks.
Malmo
Enoch Adu: Battling Ghanaian midfielder is strong in the tackle and passes the ball simply.
Group B)
Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo: The Ballon D’or holder scored a barbaric 17 goals in last season’s tournament triumph!
FC Basel
Marco Streller: The skipper holds the ball up superbly, and has a knack of scoring important goals in Europe.
Liverpool
Raheem Sterling: Arguably the best teenager in world football, Sterling’s pace and trickery is even more essential to Liverpool since Luis Suarez’s departure.
Ludogorets
Cosmin Moti: Already earned cult status after scoring a goal in the qualifying round, and then aving two penalties in the shoot-out!
Group C)
Benfica
Enzo Perez: The classy Argentine starred in the World Cup, and ticks over play in the Benfica midfield.
Zenit St Petersburg
Hulk: The Brazilian powerhouse cuts in from the right and bags goals on his left.
Bayer Leverkusen
Lars Bender: Bender’s combative nature and discipline provides his side with a platform at the base of midfield.
Monaco
Joao Moutinho: With Falcao set to leave, the Portuguese metronome will need to control games in the midfield in this highly unpredictable group.
Group D)
Arsenal
Aaron Ramsey: Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are bigger names, but nobody has played better for the Gunners than the sublimely talented Welshman over the past 12 months.
Borussia Dortmund
Marco Reus: Easily Dortmund’s best player, Jurgen Klopp’s side has done excellently to keep hold of the world-class winger.
Galatasaray
Wesley Sneijder: One of the best playmakers of his generation, Sneijder makes the Turks tick.
Anderlecht
Matias Suarez: Equally adept on the wing or up top, Suarez provides goals and assists aplenty.
Group E)
Bayern Munich
Philipp Lahm: The club captain controls the midfield in Pep Guardiola’s system, barely ever giving the ball away.
Manchester City
Yaya Toure: The barnstorming Ivorian is incomparably powerful and dynamic, and loves to burst through midfield and score and assist goals.
CSKA Moscow
Seydou Doumbia: Lethal in Russia, Doumbia is a quick and selfish striker, very dangerous if given time and space.
Roma
Kevin Strootman: The Dutchman isn’t 100% fit yet, but has the ability to develop into a world-leading midfielder if he fulfils his potential.
Group F)
Barcelona
Lionel Messi: Neymar and Luis Suarez will be backing up the greatest player of the modern generation.
PSG
Zlatan Ibrahimovich: The giant Swede is seemingly getting better with age, and would love to win his first Champions League this season.
Ajax
Daley Blind: If Ajax can keep hold of their skipper, they’ll have one of the World Cup’s most impressive performers marshalling their midfield.
Apoel Nicosia
Constantinos Charalambidis: Inspirational Greek captain will fight until the end of this group, but his side will surely ultimately fail to progress.
Group G)
Chelsea
Eden Hazard: The Belgian wing sensation scores goals, and will form a deadly attacking force alongside new signings Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa.
Schalke
Julian Draxler: One of the most talented young playmakers in world football, Draxler can dribbler, pass and create.
Sporting Lisbon
Nani: The flying winger is spending the season on loan at his boyhood club.
Maribor
Tavares: Brazilian striker, score the winner against Celtic in the qualifying round.
Group H)
Porto
Jackson Martinez: Porto have kept hold of the goal-crazy Colombian striker.
Shakhtar Donetsk
Douglas Costa: The pick of the silky Brazilian playmakers on the Ukrainian’s books.
Athletic Bilbao
Aymeric Laporte: One of the best young centre-backs in the world, strong performance from Laporte in this season’s competition could earn him a mega money move to a European heavyweight.
BATE Borisov
Andriy Yakovlev: Ukrainian midfielder with a tenacious tackle and outstanding work-rate.
SEE MORE:
Falcao transfer
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