The Champions League is back.
BBC Sport previews the eight groups ahead of Tuesday and Wednesday's opening fixtures, paying particular attention to the first round opponents of the five British teams involved in the world's premier club competition.
GROUP A
Barcelona, Chelsea, Levski Sofia and Werder Bremen
It just had to happen. European champions and Premiership champions drawn against each other... again.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS
Group: Barcelona - 11/10; Chelsea - 6/5; Werder Bremen - 5/1; Levski Sofia - 40/1
Overall: Barcelona - 7/2 fav; Chelsea - 9/2; Werder Bremen - 50/1; Levski Sofia - 500/1
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But are Barca and the Blues bothered? They may insist they are but, realistically, it is a case of third time lucky for them as it is not sudden death this time.
They meet in the third and fourth rounds and, while that back-to-back format may ensure there are some feisty fireworks on and off the pitch, it also ensures there is time to get off to a good start beforehand and time to regroup and recover, if necessary, before progressing.
While Werder Bremen will have something to say about that, Levski Sofia, the first Bulgarian team to make the group stage, will definitely be making up the numbers.
First up for Chelsea:
Werder Bremen
Stamford Bridge, Tuesday 12 September
How did they get here: Werder Bremen were last season's highest scorers in the Bundesliga and a last-day win led to them leapfrogging Hamburg to finish second behind Bayern Munich.
Ones to watch: Miroslav Klose finished as the top scorer in the World Cup and will find support from fellow German internationals Torsten Frings and Tim Borowski and new arrival Diego in midfield - although the German trio are all carrying knocks.
Champions League record: They have reached the last 16 in each of their previous two campaigns, agonisingly going out last season when a late error from goalkeeper Tim Wiese gifted Juventus victory.
Recent form: Mixed bag. Have won two of their three Bundesliga games, scoring six goals in the process, but they have also conceded five times and were knocked out of the German Cup at the weekend by the might that is Pirmasens.
Did you know: Chelsea have not won any of their last three Champions League games - their worst run in the competition.
They say: "As a team, seven or eight players have stayed together now for two or three years, so they have grown together. Now they are very strong. Some days they can play very, very well. They are a team that thinks very offensively." Michael Ballack, Chelsea midfielder on Werder Bremen
GROUP B
Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Spartak Moscow and Sporting Lisbon
The two heavyweights from Germany and Italy, who qualified as domestic champions, are short-odds favourites to go through. No surprise there then.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS
Group: Inter Milan - 5/6; Bayern Munich - 6/4; Sporting Lisbon - 9/1; Spartak Moscow - 12/1
Overall: Inter Milan - 12/1; Bayern Munich - 18/1; Sporting Lisbon - 100/1; Spartak Moscow - 100/1
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But it may not be that straightforward, particularly for Inter, who have a host of new faces to bed in - Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Patrick Vieira, Hernan Crespo, Brazilian duo Maxwell and Maicon, Fabio Grosso... the list goes on.
Bayern's domestic form suggests they have come to terms with Ballack's departure to Chelsea but they will be wary of a penultimate-round match in Moscow before a mouth-watering final outing against Inter.
Spartak are well into their season so will look to hit the ground running if they are to make any inroads into the expected established order.
GROUP C
Bordeaux, PSV Eindhoven, Galatasaray and Liverpool
Five-time European champions Liverpool are expected to make light work of this group which is crammed with European middleweights.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS
Group: Liverpool - 1/2; PSV Eindhoven - 4/1; Bordeaux - 6/1; Galatasaray - 8/1
Overall: Liverpool - 12/1; PSV Eindhoven - 50/1; Bordeaux - 100/1; Galatasaray - 80/1
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But they will have to be on their mettle against a triumvirate of potentially doughty opponents, who will be scrapping to follow them through into the second stage.
On paper, PSV look best-placed to seal that second spot but they are now without Guus Hiddink and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.
Johan Micoud has returned to Bordeaux to give a thin squad some much-needed experience, while injuries to Tolga Seyhan and Orhan Ak will leave Galatasaray relying on their intimidating home support to help pick up points.
First up for Liverpool:
PSV Eindhoven
Philips Stadion, Tuesday 12 September
How did they get here? Hiddink bowed out of life as PSV boss with another Dutch championship which ensured a 10th consecutive Champions League campaign.
Ones to watch: Philip Cocu is the barometer for PSV and his experience will be needed as they look weaker than last season. Edison Mendez and Jefferson Farfan will have to be on song and what sort of a replacement will Patrick Kluivert be for Vennegoor of Hesselink?
Champions League record: Hiddink worked wonders in the last few years but PSV's 2005 semi-final is unlikely to be equalled, let alone bettered. They have lost only one of their last 16 European home matches but have not won on any of the last four occasions they have played host to English opponents.
Recent form: A solid if unspectacular start to the defence of their Eredivisie title, with two wins out of three and scoring six goals in the process but conceding three.
Did you know? PSV coach Ronald Koeman was in charge of Benfica when they eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League last season in the last 16.
They say: "It's a tough group and people are saying it is an easier one than some but these teams have a lot of experience in Europe and we have to be careful."
Rafael Benitez, Liverpool manager
GROUP D
Olympiacos, Roma, Shakhtar Donetsk and Valencia
D for dull. This quartet hardly set the pulse racing.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS
Group: Valenica - 1/1; Roma - 6/4; Shakhtar Donetsk - 8/1; Olympiacos - 8/1
Overall: Valenica - 20/1; Roma - 25/1; Shakhtar Donetsk - 125/1; Olympiacos - 125/1
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The only group that does not contain a former winner of Europe's premier trophy and, while none of these teams will get their hands on the silverware, a solid start and a crescendo of confidence may lead to one going to the last four.
Valencia are favourites to top the group and look the most likely to do just that after a 100% start to La Liga this term.
Roma and Olympiacos can also boast unblemished league campaigns after one and two games respectively and Shakhtar Donetsk are unbeaten after six games having conceded just one goal. D for dull? More like D for death.
GROUP E
Dynamo Kiev, Lyon, Real Madrid and Steaua Bucharest
There is a different flavour to the tournament this year with a higher proportion of eastern European teams involved than in recent years.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS
Group: Real Madrid - 8/11; Lyon - 6/4; Dynamo Kiev - 10/1; Steaua Bucharest - 18/1
Overall: Real Madrid - 7/1; Lyon - 14/1; Dynamo Kiev - 100/1; Steaua Bucharest - 250/1
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Two of the six, Dynamo Kiev and Steaua Bucharest, go head-to-head here but, in reality, they are playing for third place and a spot in the Uefa Cup.
Anything else would be a huge shock, with perennial French champions Lyon and Europe's most successful club Real Madrid fancied in many quarters to win the title, let alone the group.
They meet in the first round of matches and it promises to be an intriguing clash with Gerard Houllier's settled and solid Lyon side coming up against a new-look Real under the stewardship of Fabio Capello.
GROUP F
Benfica, Celtic, FC Copenhagen and Manchester United
From a home perspective, the Champions League kicks off with a mouth-watering prospect - another 'Battle of Britain', this time with Manchester United and Celtic squaring up to each other.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS
Group: Manchester United - 2/5; Benfica - 7/2; Celtic - 6/1; FC Copenhagen - 20/1
Overall: Manchester United - 9/1; Benfica - 80/1; Celtic - 80/1; FC Copenhagen - 400/1
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United are expected to stroll the group but will be wary - not least because of the manner in which they messed up a pretty similar "easy-looking group" last season.
For Celtic, never mind the Anglo-Scottish skirmish, they have to keep their eye on the bigger picture and set their sights on getting the better of Benfica, who are in a state of flux following a summer of upheaval in Lisbon.
FC Copenhagen beat one great European name, Ajax, to get this far but they will be hard pushed to match that against another three clubs boasting a rich history in continental competition.
First up for Manchester United/Celtic:
Manchester United v Celtic
Old Trafford, Wednesday 13 September
How did they get here? Manchester United invariably always are and finished second in the Premiership to book their spot. Celtic picked up their ticket when they won the Scottish Premier League title but qualification for the group stages was only guaranteed when Barcelona beat Arsenal in Paris in May.
Ones to watch: Where do you start for the hosts? Ryan Giggs is in a rich vein of form and Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes will be chomping at the bit having been suspended for the last three games. Celtic will not have to contend with the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo and boss Gordon Strachan will be hoping his new signings Thomas Gravesen and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink continue to shine.
Champions League record: Manchester United, the 1999 winners, failed to make it past the group stage last season - their worst performance since 1996. Celtic have failed to move beyond the group stage in each of their last three appearances.
Recent form: Sir Alex Ferguson's men are on fire. They top the Premiership, having played four and won four. Celtic might not be able to match those statistics but north of the border they also lead the way, having lost one of their six matches.
Did you know? Manchester United and Celtic have never met in a competitive match before. This latest 'Battle of Britain' may have added bite as Ferguson and Strachan, former manager and player, have had a frosty relationship, although they claim things have since thawed.
They say: "Not so long ago United beat Rangers and I got the shock of
my life at the gap between the two teams. The gulf was enormous. When you weigh up those things you have to say this fixture is going to be exceptionally tough for Celtic."
Lou Macari, former Manchester United and Celtic player
GROUP G
Arsenal, Hamburg, CSKA Moscow and Porto
Last season's beaten finalists have endured a poor start to the season and it is far from certain whether Arsenal will match the serene progress they made through to last year's final.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS
Group: Arsenal - 4/6; Hamburg - 5/2; Porto - 6/1; CSKA Moscow - 9/1
Overall: Arsenal - 14/1; Hamburg - 40/1; Porto - 80/1; CSKA Moscow - 80/1
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The Gunners are lucky in that while they have been drawn in a testing group, it is far from torturous, particularly as the trip to Moscow will come before Siberian winds and shivering snows engulf the Russian capital.
CSKA have never made much of a mark in the Champions League but the Russian champions have the advantage of having started their season and could upset the odds that have them as fourth favourites to qualify.
They, and Arsenal, will be helped by a raft of injuries at Hamburg and Co Adriaanse's departure as Porto boss on the eve of the season.
Next up for Arsenal:
Porto
Emirates Stadium, Tuesday 26 September
How did they get here? Champions of Portugal, and cup winners for good measure, this is the 10th time in 12 seasons they have been in the competition and the third time in success.
Ones to watch: Goalkeeper Vitor Baia is the only survivor from Porto's Champions League success three seasons ago, Rafael van der Vaart and Juan Pablo Sorin are both injured and Khalid Boulahrouz and Daniel van Buyten have moved on so a lot of responsibility now falls on Nigel de Jong in midfield and Joris Mathijsen and Vincent Kompany at the back.
Champions League record: They won the title by beating Monaco in 2004 under the self-styled 'Special One' Jose Mourinho. He refused to celebrate and moved on to Chelsea and Porto's fortunes have since dwindled as the squad broke up.
Recent form: They drew their opening Champions League match at home to CSKA Moscow, but on the domestic scene boast a 100% record after three games, scoring seven goals and conceding just one.
Did you know? Of those seven goals, two have been own goals and the other five have been split around five players. Or Since losing to Chelsea in 2004 Arsenal have gone 10 home games without losing a game. But that was at Highbury and not the Emirates Stadium. Or Porto did not win an away game in the Champions League last season.
They say: ""
GROUP H
AC Milan, AEK Athens, Anderlecht and Lille
AC Milan have happy memories of the venue for this season's showpiece final in Athens having beaten Barcelona 4-0 in the 1994 Champions League final.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ODDS
Group: AC Milan - 2/9; Lille - 9/2; AEK Athens - 12/1; Anderlecht - 20/1
Overall: AC Milan - 8/1; Lille - 80/1; AEK Athens - 125/1; Anderlecht - 250/1
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They lost to Barca in the semi-finals last season and since then have been caught up in the Italian match-fixing scandal, thrown out of the Champions League and then reinstated through the qualifiers.
There is no Shevchenko now so all eyes will be on Kaka and Andrea Pirlo - and the duo will have too much quality for their group rivals before the real challenge of earning a second match at AEK's ground on 23 May starts in the new year.
Who will follow them though in second place? Lille are favourites and will be looking to go one step further than the third-placed group finishes they notched in their last two Champions League campaigns.
Odds supplied by William Hill. Correct on 11 September.
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