SO.. WAS IT A GOOD OR A BAD DRAW FOR OUR PREM CLUBS?

MAN CITY

CITY will be delighted with their draw. Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Shakhtar’s style and they did beat City last season. But it was in a freezing cold dead rubber in Kharkov and the Ukrainians have been weakened since. Lyon finished third in Ligue 1 last season and have Nabil Fekir, who almost joined Liverpool, but lack the quality to trouble City. Hoffenheim were third in the Bundesliga, but Liverpool smashed them in qualifying last season.

LIVERPOOL

IT’S not easy but Liverpool will be quietly satisfied at being drawn in Group C. Of course Paris SaintGermain are top quality – with a forward line boasting the two most expensive players in football history – but they are often flaky. From there, it gets easier. Liverpool beat Napoli 5-0 in pre-season, and there is little to fear about the Italians. And Red Star, who are several levels below the rest in the group, could struggle to register a point.

TOTTENHAM

SPURS find themselves in glittering company – the only club in the group not to have lifted the European Cup. But they showed last season – when they took four points off Real Madrid – they are not scared by reputations and will fancy their chances of going through. Barca are hot favourites but are not quite the force they were while Inter and PSV are decent but don’t look in the same class as Mauricio Pochettino’s talented squad.

MAN UNITED

UNITED will feel their draw could have been much easier after they were grouped with Juventus, Valencia and Young Boys. Juventus, who have a monopoly on Serie A, are a force again in the Champions League and have been strengthened by United old boy Cristiano Ronaldo. Valencia were also one of the strongest sides in pot 3 and finished third in La Liga to show they are on the rise again. Young Boys will be the cannon fodder of the group.