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The UEFA Champions League draw proves both an exciting but nervous time for fans and players, as they wait to find out their opponents in the group stages of the Champions League. This draw can single-handedly determine a club's European campaign and even the fate of some players and managers.
The four English teams will look for favorable draws in this season's group stage, as they look to end a seven-year wait for an English champion, with Chelsea lifting the European Cup back in 2012.
Last season, however, proved to be one of English football's better campaigns in recent years, as Liverpool went all the way to the final, defeating Manchester City in the quarter-finals.
Although Tottenham fell at the last sixteen, their performances against Juventus showed plenty of promise, as many of the Spurs team got their first taste of knock-out football in the Champions League.
Last year's draws were rather kind to the English teams, as four of the five Premier League teams topped their groups. The 2018-19 draw, however, brought up some nightmare ties for the English sides, with Liverpool facing difficult assignments in PSG and Napoli and Manchester United having to progress a group containing Juventus and a resurgent Valencia.
Tottenham
Group B: Barcelona, Tottenham, PSV Eindhoven, Inter Milan
Tottenham's Champions League group features many similarities with the teams they were put up against last time around. This group contains an elite European giant in Barcelona and a very capable outfit in Inter Milan, who will look to establish themselves as a major threat in European competition once more.
Although PSV Eindhoven won the Eredivisie last season, finishing four points above former European champions Ajax, Tottenham should relish the opportunity of taking all six points from the Dutch side.
Spurs' first placed finish in a group containing Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund should put them in good stead ahead of their fixtures against Barcelona and Inter Milan in particular.
Although Mauricio Pochettino's side convincingly beat Madrid 3-1 at Wembley, their 1-1 remains one of English football's best performances away from Europe in recent years. Pochettino bravely went with an old-school 4-4-2 away from home, with Harry Kane and Fernando Llorente leading the line for Spurs, as they looked to press Madrid high-up the park.
Barcelona will most likely prove Tottenham's toughest test, with a formidable front-line consisting of the great Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Ousmane Dembele. The reinforcements of Phillipe Coutinho and Arturo Vidal add further strength to an already impressive line-up, with Vidal's steel and physicality adding a different dimension to Ernesto Valverde's side.
Inter Milan possess one of the continent's most prolific strikers in Mauro Icardi who scored 29 goals in 34 Serie A appearances, with World Cup finalists Ivan Perisic and Marcelo Brozovic more than capable of hurting a side.
The Italian side only scaped into this season's Champions League, finishing level on points with fifth-placed Lazio, as they benefitted from a superior head-to-head record.
Tottenham may discover problems in the knock-out stages should they get there, due to a lack of squad depth and no new signings.
Liverpool
Group C: PSG, Napoli, Liverpool, Red Star Belgrade
Liverpool's group, on the other hand, could not be more different from last season's one, with the Red's drawn up against the French champions, the Serbian champions and Italy's second best side.
PSG's threat requires little explanation, especially with the ruthless trio of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Edinson Cavani carrying the attacking threat for last year's Ligue 1 champions. The addition of Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon will add both quality and leadership; two absolute necessities for a deep run in Europe's premier club competition.
The combative but creative midfield of Marco Verratti, Lassana Diarra, and Adrien Rabiot creates an extra threat from deep. Liverpool will have a tough task winning the midfield battle, although the additions of Fabinho and Naby Keita should help in this department.
The vast improvements made by Andy Robertson and the world-record signing of Virgil van Dijk could prove the difference between PSG running riot and the Reds containing the fearsome trident. Trent Alexander Arnold passed the test provided by Leroy Sane with flying colours in last season's tie against Manchester City and will have his work cut out trying to stop Neymar.
Jurgen Klopp's team will face a tough assignment in Napoli, who gave City real trouble in both group-stage matches, despite losing both times. The pace and trickery of Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens caused problems for full-backs Fabian Delph and Kyle Walker on both occasions; a threat Liverpool have to contain if they are to find success.
The departures of Maurizio Sarri and Jorginho to Chelsea could hinder the Italian side's chances, although they have a master tactician and a former European champion in Carlo Ancelotti.
The addition of Alisson could make the difference, as Liverpool look to avenge last season's defeat in the final, as Lloris Karius made two glaring errors. The Brazilian's composure on the ball and concentration proved critical against Brighton as the Red's secured a 1-0 win.
Manchester United
Group H: Juventus, Manchester United, Valencia, Young Boys
Manchester United's group also looks considerably more challenging than last season, with no respite for Jose Mourinho's side after damaging defeats to Tottenham and Brighton over the last fortnight. Getting out of the group, however, is not an impossible task for the Red Devils, as United look to make it beyond the last sixteen of the Champions League for the first time since 2014.
United will have to contain a Juventus now lead by former United legend Cristiano Ronaldo, who served the Manchester club brilliantly for six years. Manchester United, therefore, know the threat the Portuguese winger carries better than anyone, as Ronaldo proved the difference between Real Madrid and United when he last played against his former club in a competitive fixture. Ronaldo's winner in a 2-1 win against Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford sent Madrid through after the first leg finished 1-1, with the striker also scoring the equalizer in that particular game.
Juve, however, possesses a team full of gifted players and title-winners, with Massimiliano Allegri's team winning the last seven editions of the Serie A. Allegri's tactical awareness helped the Italian champions overcome Tottenham in the last sixteen, as he brought on substitutions at half-time and changed formation to force Spurs' backward and overturn the tie.
Many in England associate Valencia with Gary Neville's disastrous four-month spell, although the Spanish side has rebuilt and regrouped admirably since then, as they finished fourth in La Liga last season and only three points behind Real Madrid. Valencia boasts two dangerous in Rodrigo and Goncalo Guedes, who has the pace and end product to cause United trouble, with Ezequiel Garay and Dani Parejo providing the experience needed to keep a team composed and focused.
United have a two-time Champions League manager in charge, with several quality players including Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku who would walk into most European sides.
They will have to take a more pro-active approach and attack teams if they are to finish top of the group and make a deep run in the competition. English teams such as Liverpool and Tottenham have won big Champions League games pressing and rushing the opposition into mistakes, with Man United showing signs of this in their 3-0 defeat on Monday.
Manchester City
Group F: Manchester City, Shakhtar, Lyon, Hoffenheim
Manchester City coasted through last season's Champions League group stage and topped the group with a game to spare. Pep Guardiola's side finished on fifteen points with a goal difference of nine, as City look to repeat last season's comfortable run to the last sixteen. Although Man City's opponents are unlikely to push them and challenge for the top spot, they do still carry a threat in their own regard.
Shakhtar Donetsk inflicted Pep Guardiola's first competitive loss in the 2017/18 campaign, as City lost 2-1 away in Ukraine. The trickery of players such as Bernard, Marlos, and Taison proved too much for their opponent's inexperienced defence, with the changed formation and the introduction of several youngsters contributing to their defeat.
French outfit Lyon have players who can hurt Manchester City, with dangerous attacking threats in the form of Nabil Fekir, Memphis Depay and Bertrand Traore, all of whom are very familiar to fans across England. Depay and Traore moved from Manchester United and Chelsea in search of game time and a chance to revive their young careers.
Nabil Fekir, on the other hand, looked to have signed for Liverpool in this summer's transfer window, after two clubs agreed on a fee and gave Fekir the green light. The move broke down due to the discovery of a persistent knee injury, leaving the French international's dream in tatters.
Hoffenheim could well find themselves in the Europa League after Christmas but have a fighting chance thanks to manager Julian Negelsmann, who led the German side to third place in the Bundesliga.
