Champions League Draw Predictions: Battle of Britain leads the way

The Champions League is back in action with some tasty looking draws made for the 2022/23 campaign as 32 teams start their bid to reach next year's final in Istanbul.

Erling Haaland will return to Dortmund, Robert Lewandowski returns to Bayern and Rangers return to the group stages with a battle of Britain showdown with Liverpool.

Tottenham fans think they've been handed a dream draw and Chelsea will also fancy their chances, as they've all avoided one huge group of death.

Let's look at the eight groups and work out who will make it through to the knockout stages.

Full group draw

Group A: Ajax, Liverpool, Napoli, Rangers
Group B: Porto, Atlético, Leverkusen, Club Brugge
Group C: Bayern, Barcelona, Inter, Viktoria Plzeň
Group D: Frankfurt, Tottenham, Sporting CP, Marseille
Group E: AC Milan, Chelsea, Salzburg, Dinamo
Group F: Real Madrid, Leipzig, Shakhtar, Celtic
Group G: Man. City, Sevilla, Dortmund, Copenhagen
Group H: Paris, Juventus, Benfica, Maccabi Haifa

Group B

Winners odds: Atletico Madrid 10/11 | Porto 3/1 | Bayer Leverkusen 10/3 | Brugge 9/1

There's no love lost between Atletico Madrid and Porto after their incredible battle in the final group game last season saw the Spaniards progress at the Portuguese side's expense. Back bookings when they meet again.

Only Real madrid and Barca can better Porto's 25 group stage appearances, so they have bags of experience, but Leverkusen can run them close for second spot here, as I fancy Atletico to have enough to win the group.

Only Lewandowski scored more Bundesliga goals than Patrick Schick last season as Leverkusen banged in a club record 80, so back him to score his first Champions League goals and Moussa Diaby to weigh in with a few.

Predicted finish: 1. Atletico 2. Leverkusen 3. Porto 4. Brugge

Group D

Winners odds: Eintracht Frankfurt 11/2 | Spurs 1/2 | Sporting 7/1 | Marseille 11/2

Tottenham's fans are moving from hype to hysteria almost after a dream draw handed to them by Yaya Toure (who is on Spurs' coaching staff these days!) pitted them against Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt.

Spurs have qualified from four of their previous five group stages, but although Antonio Conte has won plenty he's been dumped out at this stage in his last two attempts.

Frankfurt were the top seed everyone wanted - yes, they won the Europa League but they finished 11^th in the Bundesliga and lost a couple of their best players in the summer.

I fancy they'll be battling it out for the Europa League spot here with Marseille, who are hardly a form horse in this competition having lost 11 of their last 12 group stage games.

It'll be lively down in the south of France, and all three away games will have crackling atmosphere's for Spurs, but Conte has more than enough in his squad now to top this section.

Prediction: 1. Tottenham 2. Sporting 3. Marseille 4. Frankfurt

Group F

Winners odds: Real Madrid 1/5 | RB Leipzig 5/1 | Celtic 14/1 | Shakhtar Donetsk 50/1

What a draw for Celtic to return to the group stages, as both Old Firm sides make it to this stage for the first time since 2007 as the Bhoys will welcome Real Madrid to Glasgow.

The odds tell you Celtic have no chance, and they've won just three of 21 games against Spanish sides in Europe, but we've seen sides such as the mighty Barcelona beaten at Celtic Park a decade ago, so funny things can happen when their famous old stadium is bouncing.

Even RB Leipzig, who should claim second spot here and reached the semis just a couple of years ago, found Rangers too hot to handle at Ibrox in the Europa League last season.

So even with Timo Werner back the German won't relish a return to Glasgow. It's more hope than expectation with Celtic though, who may get a result or two but third is likely the best they can do.

Prediction: 1. Real Madrid 2. Leipzig 3. Celtic 4. Shakhtar

Group H

Winners odds: PSG 1/3 | Juventus 5/2 | Benfica 12/1 | Maccabi Haifa 150/1

This group's been overlooked a bit but while it's another two-horse race it's a fascinating battle between Juventus and PSG for top spot, with the Italians looking to get back to being regular challengers for the title.

Experienced French coach Christophe Galtier is the latest man charged with winning the Champions League for PSG's Qatar owners, but you have to wonder if he'll have the clout to make tough calls with Neymar, Mbappe and Messi in the dressing room.

Mbappe was even handed some sort of unofficial sporting director role as part of his new deal, so once again PSG look like an army of huge names being left to themselves on the pitch - which given their talent they could well do.

Juve have only managed to finish fourth in Serie A the last couple of years so perhaps Max Allegri will be preoccupied with winning the Scudetto back, but he's also led them to two Champions League finals, and lost them both, so the motivation is obvious.

In Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic they have a man who could challenge the top scorers in the competition this season, and everyone wants to see how Paul Pogba performs back in more friendly surroundings.

Juve could well upset the odds here and pinch this one.

Benfica look destined for the Europa League after losing Darwin Nunez.

Prediction: 1. PSG 2. Juventus 3. Benfica 4. Maccabi