Champions League draw, Group A: Real Madrid, PSG clear favourites to advance

by
Toby Melville / Reuters

Zlatan Ibrahimovic vs. Cristiano Ronaldo? Bring it on.

Two of the highest-spending clubs will clash in the opening round of the the Champions League after Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain were drawn together into Group A.

The storylines heading into the first meeting between the two will overshadow any other pairing in the group stage, thanks to the star power the European giants have spent vast amounts of money on in order to reach the pinnacle of club football.

Two years removed from capturing its 10th European title, Real Madrid will be desperate to reach the final yet again following its disappointing semi-final exit last season against Juventus.

The Spanish giants have a new philosophy thanks to the introduction of Rafael Benitez as manager. Although the side is relatively unchanged from last season, Benitez's ability to correct the team's flaws and coax improvement following its trophy-less 2014-15 campaign will get all the attention.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain faces the task of being paired with yet another La Liga powerhouse, after the French side got lumped into a group with eventual tournament winner Barcelona last season.

Angel Di Maria is the latest addition to PSG's star-studded lineup following his transfer from Manchester United. The pairing gives the Argentine midfielder an opportunity to go up against his former team after his controversial transfer away from the Santiago Bernabeu in 2014.

It's going to be a major test for Laurent Blanc, as he attempts to deliver a Champions League trophy to the team's owners following the avalanche of money they've pumped into the Parisian side over the years to propel them into Europe's elite.

Picturing a scenario in which either Shakhtar Donetsk or Malmo finishes at the top of the group is nearly impossible. The only battle between those teams will be to determine which finishes third and gets to continue its continental journey in the Europa League.

One of the few interesting features to watch outside of the PSG-Real Madrid encounter will be Ibrahimovic's return to Malmo, where he began his youth and professional career.

His hopes of experiencing Champions League football at Malmo's stadium actually came true.

But seriously, are his otherworldly abilities - including his psychic powers - a surprise to anyone these days?

Predicted Finish

  1. Real Madrid
  2. Paris Saint-Germain
  3. Shakhtar Donetsk
  4. Malmo

The Digest

Champions League Preview: Group breakdowns, predictions and more

by
Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters

Welcome to theScore's collection of 2015-16 Champions League preview content, where you'll find everything you need to know about what should be another thrilling campaign in Europe's showpiece competition.

Detailed group breakdowns, predictions, and a bevy of other pieces that will have you more than prepared for the 2015-16 edition of the Champions League; it's all here.

Tournament Preview

Individual Group Breakdowns

Favourites, underdogs, and everything else you need to know about each section.

Is there even the slightest chance that either of the two behemoths occupying this group will falter and crash out early?

Can the Red Devils maneuver a group that is sneakily one of the trickiest in the competition?

Benfica or Galatasaray: Who will join Atletico Madrid in the knockout stage?

Manchester City. Juventus. Sevilla. Borussia Monchengladbach. Oh my. Chalk, or can Sevilla and Monchengladbach flip the script on their talent-laden counterparts?

Are we about to witness the first steps of a historic Champions League title defense?

Can Arsenal actually finish top of its Champions League group, or will the big red Bayern machine steamroll everything in its path?

Will Chelsea's horrid Premier League form translate into a shocking exit in Europe?

Be honest, are you even going to watch any of this group's matches?

Listicles

Betting Preview

In our betting preview, you'll find odds from various sportsbooks on the likelihood of each team advancing to the knockout stage. theScore's Gino Bottero, Gianluca Nesci, Carlo Campo, Armen Bedakian and Anthony Lopopolo examine the bets that can beef up your wallet.

Other Preview Content

Follow theScore's footy team on Twitter

Advertisement