Every 2018/19 Champions League group ranked from least to most exciting

The 2018/19 Champions League group stage has been drawn!

This year’s draw proved to be quite an exciting one, with more than one group that, in another year, could be considered a ‘group of death.’ There are so many great and interesting match-ups and returns and narratives baked into the different groups that we couldn’t resist ranking every 2018/19 Champions League group from 1-8, not by quality but by how much they excite us (and a little by quality). Who falls where? Read on and find out!

8. Group G

Champions’ procession

This group is by far the least exciting because it honestly looks like it’ll play out as a procession for three-time defending Champions Real Madrid. Now, one could reasonably argue that after winning the damn thing three times in a row, Los Blancos should just be given a bye into the knockout rounds as a reward and, well, Uefa have basically given them that.

Frustratingly, Roma are also just way too good for CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen so should cruise through as runners-up as well.

7. Group E

Titles galore

This is another group where one side (in this case Bayern) will likely cruise through without breaking a sweat. The main (and probably only) thing providing neutrals with a sense of intrigue is the Ajax-Benfica showdown for the runners-up spot. Ajax are overflowing with brilliant young talent and seeing them back in the big time with a genuine chance of making the knockout rounds is very exciting!

6. Group D

Free-for-all

At first glance, this group is pretty dead. There’s no star team, not even any super interesting smaller sides (though Yacine Brahimi is always box office). But that’s why this group is actually pretty exciting; it’s four teams who could all conceivably win the group, so they will all be compelled to give it a go.

5. Group A

Men against boys

It’s almost like Lucien Favre knew this was coming. Borussia Dortmund’s main transfer business this summer was to sign two midfield enforcers in Axel Witsel and Thomas Delaney; and he’ll need them as his side of plucky youngsters face up to the juggernaut that is Europa League champions Atlético Madrid. Diego Simeone’s men will be looking to maul the inexperienced Monaco and Dortmund sides, while Brugge will be happy if they pick up a point. Watching skilful youngsters such as Jadon Sancho and Christian Pulisic face off with the Atleti behemoth will be so much fun.

4. Group F

Everyone’s got a chance

This is a group where everyone has a chance of qualification. Not winning the group, mind you. Manchester City will breeze through, and if they lose a game until the last round of dead rubbers it’ll be a surprise. But the runners-up spot is genuinely open to all three of the remaining sides. You’d expect Lyon to make the best go of it, but Shakhtar always find a way to be relevant and Julian Nagelsmann’s tactical nous will give Hoffenheim a genuine chance.

3. Group H

Homecomings and headaches

It’s a shame there’s no “H” in the word narrative, because my goodness, this group is packed to the gills with #narrative. Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United, Paul Pogba’s return to Juventus, Andreas Pereira’s return to Valencia, Antonio Valencia playing against Valencia in Valencia, Gonçalo Guedes with the chance to upstage his agent Jorge Mendes’ two biggest clients (and his countries two most famous living sports figures) in Cristiano, who incidentally could be the one to hammer home the decisive nail in the two-time Champions League winner José Mourinho’s Manchester United coffin. There’s the Gary Neville Juventus meme, too, and hell, even Young Boys are getting in on the act, as this draw sees them take on The Old Lady twice! Coo coo ca-choo, Mrs. Robinson!

2. Group C

Epic atmosphere abound

This group has PSG, the ultimate soulless megaclub, taking on three historic sides who are absolutely steeped in both tradition and a relentless atmosphere at home. Every game outside of Paris will be raucous, and to be fair even Paris can get loud when it wants to, so this is the group where you may struggle to hear the commentators.

On the field, it represents a chance for Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel to go head-to-head, which is always fun. Liverpool’s brilliant counter-attacks get a chance to face off against the mighty Neymar and Kylian Mbappé. It also has Carlo Ancelotti going back to PSG, where he had his biggest failure as a coach (failing to win Ligue 1 with moneybags PSG). You’d expect PSG and Liverpool will progress, but nothing is settled.

1. Group B

The Group of Death!

Group B for brutal. B for “bye bye PSV.” B for big games. This group is an absolute Beast. The brilliance from each of the teams in undeniable; three of the teams have won the Champions League before (even better, they’ve won The Treble before) while Spurs – the only team that hasn’t – have competed at the top end of the Premier League for the last three years despite paying wages straight out of 2005.

Barcelona are the favourites here and with good reason: they have Leo Messi. But Spurs are a supremely well put-together side whose manager, Mauricio Pochettino, hates Barcelona with a passion (he’s a former Espanyol player). When he managed in Spain, Pochettino always gave the Blaugrana hell, so expect those games to be immense.

Spurs showed last season that they could handle Real Madrid, can they give Barça the same kind of treatment? Kane vs. Piqué? Dier vs. Coutinho? Dele vs. Umtiti? Eriksen vs. Busquets? Trippier vs. Alba? Messi vs. everyone? Count us in! Now, PSV aren’t especially tied to anyone, but they’re a really good side with a brilliant winger, Hirving Lozano, who could pull off a damaging result at home.

Inter are finally back in the Champions League and recall that they are the side against whom Gareth Bale announced himself on the world stage with an incredible hat-trick playing for Spurs way back in 2010; that’s the same year they beat Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona to reach and win the Champions League final. Inter are one of the few sides left that Messi has played against and never beaten or scored against. He will want to rectify that and it could make for a couple of blockbuster games of football.

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