How we rank the 32 2014/15 Champions League teams.
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The group stage draw for the 2014/15 Champions League draw has been made, with the obligatory groups of death for some of Europe’s biggest clubs mixed in with a couple of debutants who have never made this stage before.
This is how we rate the 32 clubs competing in the competition this season:
32) NK Maribor – The Slovenian champions dumped out Celtic in the qualifiers but are a complete unknown at this level.
31) Ludogorets Razgrad – Bulgarian side Ludogorets qualified in dramatic after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Steaua Bucharest, but they are inexperienced in the Champions League despite a fine Europa League run last season.
30) Malmo – The Swedish side have a strong European pedigree, having made finals of the European Cup in the past, but this is their first foray into the group stage since it was rebranded.
29) BATE Borisov – Belarusian champions BATE are perennial group stage qualifiers but struggle in matches outside of Borisov.
28) APOEL Nicosia – The Cypriot club are regular group stage qualifiers and even made a quarter final a few years ago, but it is hard to see them replicating that this time around.
27) Anderlecht – Belgian champions Anderlecht are regular group stage participants but no longer the European force that they once were.
26) CSKA Moscow – The Russian side’s regular qualification ensured them a position as third seed, but an inability to play outside of Moscow holds CSKA back massively and a tough draw should see them out swiftly.
25) Sporting Lisbon – Portuguese outfit Sporting Lisbon have returned to the competition after a short absence, but after losing their manager and best defender this summer they could struggle.
24) FC Schalke 04 – German side FC Schalke made it to the knockout stages last season, but they don’t seem to be any stronger and will still be reeling from the shellacking that was handed out to them by Real Madrid.
23) Shakhtar Donetsk – Ukrainian team Shakhtar are regular participants in the knockout stages of the competition, but the volatile political situation in the region has left a number of the club’s players unsettled in Donetsk.
22) Ajax – Dutch outfit Ajax will once again consider themselves to have been unfortunate to be drawn in a difficult group, which will make progression tough for Ronald de Boer and his side.
21) FC Basel – Basel are one of Europe’s most underrated outfits, having beaten Chelsea home and away in last season’s competition, but the Swiss champions need to find more consistency if they are to progress this year.
20) AS Monaco – Ligue 1 runners-up AS Monaco return to the competition after a long absence, but Leonardo Jardim’s side have started the new season in poor form and look set to lose striker Falcao, to add to the departure of James Rodriguez to Real Madrid.
19) Olympiakos – Greek champions Olympiakos made it to the knockout stages of last season’s competition but will find it much tougher this year in a group including Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
18) Bayer Leverkusen – Leverkusen endured an absolute thrashing at the hands of Manchester United last season, but there is a bus about a young side under new management this season and Bayer will feel confident of progressing.
17) FC Porto – Porto endured a frustrating 2013/14 season, crashing out of Europe earlier than they would’ve liked and also falling down to third in the Portuguese league, but a young and exciting side should improve on that this season.
16) Athletic Bilbao – Basque side Athletic Club haven’t qualified for the Champions League for a number of years, but they have an exciting side and they ease with which they dispatched Napoli in qualifying was particularly impressive.
15) AS Roma – Serie A runners-up AS Roma had a superb 2013/14 season as they ran Juventus close for a significant amount of the season, but Rudi Garcia will have been frustrated by an extremely difficult group stage draw.
14) Galatasaray – Turkish champions Galatasaray made it the knockout stages of last season’s competition before succumbing to Chelsea and, despite a tough group, they will hope to progress under the management of former Italy boss Cesare Prandelli.
13) Zenit St. Petersburg – Zenit were fortunate to make it out of their group last season and were thrashed by Borussia Dortmund in the last 16, but some exciting signings coupled with the management of Andre Villas-Boas make them a genuine threat
12) Benfica – Despite a tough pre-season and the loss of a number of key players, Benfica are seasoned European opposition, with Jorge Jesus having taken them all the way to last season’s Europa League final before a heartbreaking penalty defeat. A kind draw means that they should progress.
11) Liverpool – The Reds finished second in last season’s Premier League, but Brendan Rodgers and his side are largely new to the Champions League and should be happy with progression out of their group.
10) Juventus – One criticism of former Juventus boss Antonio Conte, despite three successive Serie A title, was the fact that the Old Lady hadn’t done better in the Champions League. They will be hoping to improve under Massimo Allegri, having kept hold of Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba.
9) Manchester City – Premier League champions Manchester City made it out of the group for the first time last summer before succumbing to Barcelona but, despite their increased competition experience, City have once again been given a tough group draw.
8) Arsenal – A succession of tough knockout draws have meant that Arsenal haven’t troubled the latter stages of the Champions League for a number of years, but Arsene Wenger’s men are seasoned continental campaigners and a real threat.
7) Borussia Dortmund – Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund are not quite the side that reached the final of the Champions League in 2013, but they are still tough opposition for anyone, as shown against Arsenal and Real Madrid last season.
6) Paris Saint Germain – PSG now have to be considered as genuine players at the top table of European football, although Parisians were disappointed with how their side meekly surrendered to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season and will be hoping to make it to at least the semi-finals this year.
5) Atletico Madrid – Despite making the final last year, it will be hard for Diego Simeone’s La Liga champions to emulate their success having lost a number of key players, although they are likely to remain an awkward and frustrating team to play against.
4) Barcelona – There is still some doubt as to how the new era at the Nou Camp will pan out, with new manager Luis Enrique unproven at this level – on paper, however, Barca are as strong as anyone and will feel that they are capable of winning yet another European crown.
3) Bayern Munich – Despite the humbling that they received at the hands of Real Madrid last season, Bayern are still a fantastic team and no one will want to draw Pep Guardiola’s side, who boast attacking threats across the park and a defence bolstered by Mehdi Benatia.
2) Chelsea – Chelsea were comfortably dispatched in the semi-finals last year by a tough Atletico Madrid side, but manager Jose Mourinho will feel that he has strengthened enough, largely with players from the Vicente Calderon, to expect a real tilt at a second Champions League crown for the club this season.
1) Real Madrid – As reigning European champions, Real Madrid have to begin the season as favourites to claim an 11th European Cup – although Carlo Ancelotti and his side must be careful not take their eyes off the ball in a bid to regain the La Liga title. The signing of James Rodriguez adds even more creativity to an irresistible Bernabeu attack.