The top 32 clubs in Europe are all grouped up and ready to go for the start the new 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League season. Some big clubs got a pretty favorable draw, while others will have to work for their spot in the last 16. Before the group stage kicks off in earnest on September 15, let’s take a look at all eight groups and breakdown how each one will eventually shake out come December.
Meanwhile, another enormous tournament will start up in September – the Rugby World Cup. Find everything you need to know about that world class event with our previews of Pool A, Pool B, Pool C and Pool D.
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2015-16 Champions League Group Stage Preview
Schedule
Matchday
Date
Matchday 1
September 15-16
Matchday 2
September 29-30
Matchday 3
October 20-21
Matchday 4
November 3-4
Matchday 5
November 24-25
Matchday 6
December 8-9
Group A
Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Malmo
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Group A is as straightforward as it gets. Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are the overwhelming favorites to finish in the top two in the group and move on to the knockout round; it’s just a matter of what order the two finish in.
Real, the 2014 Champions League winners, will be the slight favorites, but the Parisiens have more than enough talent to push them hard for the top spot, especially after adding former Real star Angel Di Maria over the summer.
Shakhtar lost some key players over the summer, but they should still be favored to finish third – and get that Europa League place – over minnows Malmo.
Writer’s Prediction
Real Madrid
PSG
Shakhtar
Malmo
Group B
PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, Wolfsburg
Manchester United are by far the big winners of the draw after they landed a cakewalk of a group upon their return to the Champions League proper after a one-year absence. PSV will be much weaker after United bought their best player (Memphis Depay); Wolfsburg will be smarting after their talisman Kevin De Bruyne left for the other team in Manchester; and CSKA Moscow will be happy to escape with a Europa League spot.
Basically, it’ll take a disaster of epic proportions for United not to finish in the top two in this cream puff group.
Writer’s Prediction
Manchester United
Wolfsburg
CSKA
PSV
Group C
Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Galatasaray, Astana
Atletico Madrid also lucked out with a very manageable draw in Group C. Benfica figures to be the Spaniards’ biggest challengers in the group, but the Portuguese champions will have to undergo some transition with a new coach at the helm.
The Wesley Sneijder and Lukas Podolski-led Galatasaray look good on paper, but for some reason they can’t seem to translate their talent into wins in this competition. They’ll battle Benfica for the runner-up spot, while Kazakhstani champions Astana will be lucky to grab a point in their Champions League debut.
Writer’s Prediction
Atletico
Benfica
Galatasaray
Astana
Group D
Juventus, Manchester City, Sevilla, Borussia Monchengladbach
Group D = Group of Death? Pretty much. Last year’s beaten finalists Juventus lost a lot of key personnel in the offseason – Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo – but the Italian champs should still be favored to make it in the top two. Manchester City, meanwhile, have been manhandling teams to start the EPL season. After struggling in Europe in recent seasons, this could finally be City’s year.
Also, don’t sleep on Europa League champions Sevilla to spring a surprise on the big two. However, a return to the second-tier competition is more likely. Gladbach will be glad to grab that Europa League spot in this very competitive group, but they probably won’t.
Writer’s Prediction
Manchester City
Juventus
Sevilla
Gladbach
Group E
Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen, Roma, BATE Borisov
Defending champions Barcelona will be favored to top Group E, with the fearsome frontline of Leo Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez leading the charge. But the Spanish champions should be wary of the threat posed by both Roma and Bayer Leverkusen. Roma possess a lot of attacking quality in their side, while Leverkusen play the energetic pressing game that can give Barca some problems.
The two will be fighting for the right to join Barca in the last 16, with the loser having to settle for the Europa League. BATE better be ready to lose, which they will often do in this group.
Writer’s Prediction
Barcelona
Leverkusen
Roma
BATE
Group F
Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Olympiakos, Dinamo Zagreb
Do they even need to play the games in this group? Technically, they have to, but when they do, the result will very likely see Bayern finish in first, Arsenal in second, Olympiakos third and Dinamo Zagreb fourth. It would be a pretty significant surprise if Arsenal leapfrog Bayern and win the group, but it would be close to miraculous if even one of the two giants doesn’t advance past the group stage.
Writer’s Prediction
Bayern Munich
Arsenal
Olympiakos
Dinamo Zagreb
Group G
Chelsea, Porto, Dynamo Kiev, Maccabi Tel Aviv
Jose Mourinho should be smiling from ear to ear with this group. Despite a somewhat awkward reunion with his old team Porto – and his old goalkeeper Iker Casillas – Mourinho’s Chelsea will be huge favorites to top this very easy group. Porto will prove to be the toughest challenge for the English champs, while any resistance from Ukraine’s Dynamo Kiev and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv would be a welcome surprise.
Writer’s Prediction
Chelsea
Porto
Dynamo Kiev
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Group H
Zenit St. Petersburg, Valencia, Lyon, Gent
Depending on how you look at the world, Group H is either incredibly weak or incredibly competitive. There are no overwhelming favorites among the four, although Spanish side Valencia look like the best bet to top the group after spending tens of millions in transfers this summer. French club Lyon can also spring a surprise after holding onto their young stars, including sought-after striker Alexandre Lacazette.
That could very well see the “top seed” in Russian champions Zenit crashing out of the group stage. In any case, don’t be surprised with whatever result this topsy-turvy group ends up producing.
Writer’s Prediction
Valencia
Lyon
Zenit
Gent
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