PSG
Real Madrid
Shakhtar Donetsk
Malmo
Real Madrid will qualify without any trouble from this group. The only potential surprise I can see in this group would be Shakhtar pushing PSG hard for that 2nd spot. A nice story from this group is Zlatan Ibrahimovic returning to his hometown to face Malmo. The Swedes didn't look too defensively sound against Celtic in the play-off round and are very much up against it in this group even for a shot at 3rd place.
- Real Madrid
- PSG
- Shakhtar Donetsk
- Malmo
Group B:
PSV
Manchester United
CSKA Moskva
Wolfsburg
Manchester United get very lucky yet again with a group they should walk. Who qualifies with them however isn't as clear cut. You could make a case for any of the three. PSV have lost their main threat from last season, too United while Wolfsburg are set to lose their star player in Kevin de Bruyne. Wolfsburg do still have their main striking threat of Bas Dost and should he start firing he could be the difference in the Wolves going through.
CSKA Moskva came from behind against Sporting CP to book their place and they could be a dangerous side to underestimate in this group.
- Manchester United
- Wolfsburg
- CSKA Moskva
- PSV
Group C:
Benfica
Atlético Madrid
Galatasaray
Astana
Atlético will be firm favorites to top this group with the quality they have added over the summer. 2nd place looks like being between Benfica and Galatasaray. The Portuguese champions have lost coach Jorge Jesús while Galatasaray were particularly poor last season in the champions league. It leaves us with the newcomers from Kazakhstan in Astana. Overcoming APOEL in the play-off round should serve as a warning to group rivals that they are not to be taken easily. However they don't poses the quality to finish in the top 2 and 3rd place might be beyond them.
- Atlético Madrid
- Benfica
- Galatasaray
- Astana
Group D:
Juventus
Manchester City
Sevilla
Borussia Monchengladbach
A very interesting group it has to be said that pits Spain, England, Germany and Italy together. Juventus began Serie A with a defeat to Udinese at home and have lost Pirlo, Vidal and Tévez from last season while Manchester City have started like a train in the premier league. With City chasing De Bruyne from Wolfsburg it's difficult to imagine that with the quality they possess that they won't finish in the top 2.
Sevilla are back in the champions league following back-to-back Europa league titles and will be a dangerous side particularly at home. They have done some very good transfer business and the signing of Fernando Llorente from Juve gives them extra firepower. Borussia Monchengladbach looked good at times last season and did meet Sevilla in last season's Europa league. The Germans were unlucky in that tie and will be stubborn opponents in this group. However their poor start to the Bundesliga could be a factor.
- Manchester City
- Sevilla
- Juventus
- Borussia Monchengladbach
Group E:
Barcelona
Bayer Leverkusen
Roma
BATE Borisov
Barcelona to qualify with ease. Leverkusen overcame Italian opposition in the play-off round in Lazio and will face another Roman side in Roma. It should be an interesting fight between those two for 2nd place. Leverkusen's loss of striker Huen-min-son has weakened them but Roma haven't impressed at all in 2015 so the head-to-heads will be key. BATE have qualified again but looked short of quality in last season's group so expect more of the same from the Belorussians.
- Barcelona
- Bayer Leverkusen
- Roma
- BATE Borisov
Group F:
Bayern Munich
Arsenal
Olympiacos
Dinamo Zagreb
A very predictable group. Bayern Munich should be topping this with Arsenal in 2nd. Olympiacos and Dinamo Zagreb haven't a hope of qualifying from this.
- Bayern Munich
- Arsenal
- Olympiacos
- Dinamo Zagreb
Group G:
Chelsea
Porto
Dynamo Kyiv
Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Chelsea have basically been given a bye into the last 16. Behind them Porto look too strong, even after selling Danilo and Jackson Martínez in the summer. Dynamo Kyiv and Maccabi Tel-Aviv will fight it out for the Europa league berth and I expect the Ukrainians to finish 3rd.
- Chelsea
- Porto
- Dynamo Kyiv
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Group H:
Zenit St Petersburg
Valencia
Lyon
Gent
A group that is actually kind of hard to call. Zenit fell at the group stage last season and despite being Russia richest club, have yet to make any impact on the champions league.
Valencia are back and having just about seen off Monaco, Los Che will fancy their chances in this group. As will Lyon who pushed PSG to the Ligue 1 title last season till April and have kept the likes of Lacazette and Fekir.
Belgian champions Gent complete the group and could jump into the reckoning if other sides underestimate them which is possible.
- Zenit St Petersburg
- Valencia
- Lyon
- Gent
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