Group E
Liverpool (English runners-up) Lyon (French third-place getters) Fiorentina (Italian fourth-place getters) Debrecen (Hungarian champions)
Olympique Lyon and Fiorentina meet again in the Champions League group stage (like last season), alongside five-time European champions Liverpool. It makes for an even group.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has proven himself astute in this competition and despite his side’s over-reliance on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, the Reds should get through 
The French club, who’ve proudly qualified for their tenth successive Champions League campaign, lost influential Brazilian Juninho in the summer but have made some impressive additions with Lisandro Lopez, Michel Bastos and Bafetimbi Gomis. And Claude Puel’s side has been playing some neat football so they’ll feel confident of getting through this group.
Fiorentina are, of course, a chance too and will feel they’ve learnt from last season’s mistakes. Alberto Gilardino is the key man for Viola, but the loss of Felipe Melo hurts their chances. Hungarian champions Debrecen may struggle to avoid bottom spot, with their boss Andras Herczeg probably not experienced enough to cause any damage.
Prediction for progression; Liverpool & Lyon
Group F
FC Barcelona (Spanish & European champions)
The Champions League’s only group full of champions promises to be a cracker. Barca and Inter are the hot favourites, but the tricky pair from the East creates an uncomfortable group.
Barcelona and Inter being drawn together also means Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto’o will return to their respective former clubs almost immediately after their summer moves. Ibra seems to have settled well at Camp Nou, with two goals in two La Liga matches so far and if he integrates quickly into Barca’s system, alongside superstar Lionel Messi, they’ll go close to another European title.
Jose Mourinho was brought to Milan to end Inter’s European problems and after failing to improve things last season, ‘the Special One’ will need to work fast. Eto’o is a good addition 
That leaves Dynamo and Rubin to battle it out for third. Interestingly, Dynamo made the semi-finals of the Champions League over a decade ago when Andriy Shevchenko was in their side and the Ukrainian star is back in Kiev nowadays.
Champions League first-timers Rubin may be plucky, with Gurban Berdiyew’s side the masters of the counter-attack, but they’ll find it tough.
Prediction for progression; FC Barcelona & Internazionale
Group G
FC Sevilla> (Spanish third-place getters)
Group G offers up probably this season’s weakest four, considering the favourites in this group finished third in Spain’s La Liga last term.
Indeed, Sevilla look to have clearly the best side in this group, with Jesus Navas running the show in midfield behind Fredi Kanoute, Luis Fabiano and gun signing Alvaro Negredo. The 2006 and 2007 UEFA Cup winners could be a smoky to do some damage amongst Europe’s elite.
Scottish champions Rangers will probably take a leaf out of local rivals Celtic’s book, and hope solid home form gets them through, while Stuttgart have a vastly weakened side from the one which came third in the Bundesliga last term with superstar Mario Gomez off to Bayern. Stuttgart have bought in new players, in the shape of Aliaksandr Hleb and Pavel Pogrebnyak but they’ll take time to settle in and time they don’t have.
Unirea Urziceni are another side in their maiden Champions League campaign, but they should acquit themselves reasonably under Romanian legend Dan Petrescu. Unirea will be hard to break down and play on the counter-attack, but it seems they’re a little goal shy and this could be their undoing.
Prediction for progression; FC Sevilla & VfB Stuttgart
Group H
Arsenal (English fourth-place getters) AZ Alkmaar (Dutch champions) Olympiacos (Greek champions) Standard Liege (Belgian champions)
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal are the clear standouts in this group, but there’s plenty of clubs here willing to play some football which presents the viewers with an intriguing group.
The Gunners, who seem to be regulars in the latter stages of the Champions League these days, were humbled comfortably by Manchester United in last season’s semi final and need to make improvements. But looking at this group, with their quality in Cesc Fabregas, they should cruise against side who may play into their hands.
Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar will ruffle their feathers though and they promise plenty of goals, as Mounir El Hamdaoui and Moussa Dembele are quality in attack. AZ haven’t lost much of their Eredivisie winning squad from last season but boss Louis van Gaal has left.
Greek giants Olympiacos may see this group as an opportunity to fulfill their potential in Europe and inventive Brazilian midfielder Dudu will be central to their hopes. The Greeks though have experienced a bit of drama of late, with a few changes in manager, but they should be strong at home as per usual and capable of a few shocks away.
Finally, Standard Liege get their debut run in the Champions League, having missed out last season in the qualifying round. Oguchi Onyewu’s departure leaves a big hole and the side perhaps lack the killer instinct required at this level.
Prediction for progression; Arsenal & Olympiacos