Champions League group-stage football returns this evening with 36 teams vying to be crowned the best in Europe come next May.
It's the second year of UEFA's reformatted competition, but the verdict on the 'Swiss model' remains very much out as to whether it delivers on the promise of more footballing intrigue or further bloats the calendar in the name of extra cash.
The first match week at least gets off to a strong start with plenty of big-name teams going head-to-head as UEFA appear to have front-loaded many of the glamour ties.
Liverpool v Atletico Madrid (live on RTÉ2/Player), Bayern Munich v Chelsea, Paris St Germain v Atalanta and Juventus v Borussia Dortmund are among the highlights of an opening set of fixtures that is spread across three days (the Europa League starts next week, with the Conference League commencing in early October).
With the current format remaining in place until at least 2027, the expanded group stage will again see 144 games being played before just 12 of the 36 teams are eventually eliminated and the knock-out phase begins.
There’s a bloated feel to the group phase, with all teams playing eight games and, as last year’s competition illustrated, the expanded format removes much of the jeopardy for the Europe’s larger clubs.
Both Manchester City and, eventually, competition winners Paris St Germain were able to overcome terrible starts to last season’s group stage and eventually secure their progress to the knockout rounds with final-day results.
City, in particular, were major beneficiaries of the more forgiving format, winning just three of their eight group games and still progressing, while few remembered PSG’s early stumbles when they lifted the trophy in Munich.
The defending champions are among the favourites to win the competition again, but have been handed plenty of early tests, with Bayern, Tottenham and Newcastle all visiting the Parc des Princes, while Luis Enrique’s men also face a trip to Barcelona.
PSG grew into the competition as they became a genuine European force last season and Enrique is working with much the same squad this time around, just adding centre-back Ilya Zabarnyi and goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.
The decision to bring in Chevalier for Gianluigi Donnarumma raised many eyebrows, particularly given how important Donnarumma was for PSG last season, but Enrique’s desire for a goalkeeper more comfortable with the ball at his feet seems to have carried the day.
Donnarumma’s new club get their campaign underway against Italian champions Napoli in what is a test for Pep Guardiola’s men and an early reunion for Manchester City and Kevin De Bruyne.
Guardiola’s rebuild at City remains a work in progress, and while a more direct approach, with Erling Haaland as a battering ram, should again be enough for them to get out of the group stage, they may again be found lacking when it comes to two-legged ties against the big guns.
City’s opponents Napoli are a much more intriguing prospect, returning to Europe’s top-tier competition as Scudetto champions.
De Bruyne’s arrival on a free transfer was the most high-profile arrival but Antonio Conte's club strengthened in all the right places during the summer, signing central defender Sam Beukema and striker Rasmus Hojlund and improving their weaker left flank with Noa Lang and Miguel Gutierrez.
It’s probably too much of an exaggeration to label the Serie A champions as dark horses, but a kind group fixture list for a club where everyone is pulling in the same direction marks them out as contenders.
Liverpool will also go into the competition fancying their chances of being involved in the latter stages.
Having added their 20th league title to the trophy cabinet, Arne Slot is eying up a seventh European Cup and has all the tools at his disposal to claim it.
A frankly ridiculous summer transfer window has seen Slot add expensive quality to almost every area of his squad and the Liverpool boss looks poised to give Alexander Isak his first game in a red shirt in Wednesday’s clash with Atletico Madrid.
That fixture is a great early test for Liverpool, who have struggled to break down teams that defend in a low block so far this campaign, and with or without an Isak short on match fitness, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Atleti get a result at Anfield.
Liverpool have some testing fixtures as they face Real Madrid and travel to Inter Milan, Galatasaray and Marseille but, given the nature of the group stage, it’s difficult to see how they don’t book knockout football, where they can thrive.
Liverpool’s Premier League rivals Arsenal will fancy their chances, particularly after Mikel Arteta hailed them as "the best in the competition" following last season’s semi-final defeat to PSG.
The Gunners got the better of PSG in the group stage last term, but for all of Arteta’s bluster they were well beaten over two legs in the semi-final by the eventual champions.
Having added the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, Arteta has been backed to the hilt by the Arsenal suits this season, this is the time for him to deliver.
A fairly benign group fixture list certainly aids the cause, with their two toughest fixtures against Atletico and Bayern Munich both coming at home.
Arsenal's North London rivals Tottenham are also the beneficiaries of a generous fixture list and could be surprise contenders.
Securing their place in this season's Champions League by beating Manchester United in the Europa League final, Spurs proved that they have what it takes to dig out results in knockout European football. With games against the likes of Bodo/Glint, Slavia Prague, Copenhagen and Monaco to come, they look likely to be involved in the competition well into the new year.
Under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs were able to lift European silverware playing a defensive style of football that went against much of what their manager preached. Thomas Frank is far more pragmatic and comfortable with adapting his team with an opponent-specific style of play, all of which should suit the Champions League.
Elsewhere in the competition it will be the usual suspects looking to add this term's European Cup to their haul.
Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as always are going to be in the running when it comes to lifting the trophy, while Chelsea's surprise Club World Cup win marks them out as a potential contenders.
Of that quartet, right now reigning La Liga champions Barcelona look to be the more likely challengers with a young, talented squad that has already won major silverware.
Barca's opening two games against Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain should be fascinating and will tell us a lot about where they are, particularly after their dramatic semi-final exit to Inter Milan last season.
Barca boss Hansi Flick has an incredible record in the Champions League, previously winning the competition with Bayern and suffering just four defeats since the 2020/21 campaign.
The Catalans, along with Liverpool, are the outright favourites for the competition and, given how close they were to last year's final - and just how much Flick has improved the young squad since taking over in 2024 - the Camp Nou, if they get it finished - looks to be the most likely destination for the European Cup this season.
Watch Liverpool v Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday from 7.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app
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