With the hotly-anticipated new Premier League season firmly underway, the footballing barren spell we all endured over the dry summer months that left many a football fan gasping for a sip on a full-bodied top-flight cocktail, with its sobering effects of last-gasp winners, breathtaking goals, and dramatic headlines has been a thirst well and truly quenched by the commencement of the 2023-24 campaign.

Now that our craving for liquid football has been satisfied, with even Burnley adopting a Cruyffian style, attention naturally turns to our hunger and desire for more, with that appetising speciality being served up in September in the form of the Continent’s most renowned competition, the Champions League. As Europe’s best teams prepare to encounter one another again this term, there will undoubtedly be some thrills, spills, and controversies awaiting them during their respective Champions League journeys.

Read more: When Is The 2023/24 Champions League Group Stage Draw? Date, Time And Confirmed Teams

Arsenal

After six long years, the Gunners’ faithful can finally look forward to a return to Europe’s big time. It has been no secret that Mikel Arteta seems to have turned water into wine in North London, and has worked miracles in the past few seasons to deliver an Arsenal side that is capabale of mixing it with the continent’s very best, mounting serious title challenges, and posing a real threat to Pep Guardiola’s dominant, Manchester City.

Following a strong summer recruitment drive, where Arteta and Edu have landed the likes of Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, Kai Havertz, and David Raya, the North Londoners have ensured they are circumventing any risk of stagnation, and have their eyes firmly set on England’s ultimate prize. Enhancing areas Arsenal fans may have considered potentially hazardous, the Gunners are throwing down the challenge both domestically and continentally, with the Emirates set to play host to Europe’s elite and top-of-the-table showdowns during the 2023-24 campaign.

After finishing second last season, Arteta’s side find themselves in Pot 2, meaning they’ll be drawn in the same group as title winners from one of Europe’s top seven leagues. That said, the Gunners are set to avoid potential clashes with the likes of Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund, and Atletico Madrid who also share the same pot.

The Gunners display last term, and their rapid start to the 2023-24 campaign bodes well for their hopes of reaching the knockout stages and the latter reaches of the competition, and with a squad as talented, hungry, and eager as theirs, it may well be a case of other teams hoping to avoid them than the other way around.

• Best case scenario: Feyenoord, Red Star Belgrade, and Union Berlin
• Worst case scenario: Bayern Munich, AC Milan, and Lens.

Manchester City

The Sky Blues have entered the 2023-24 season on cloud nine following their triumphant, treble-winning campaign. Pep Guardiola’s team were simply impregnable last term, blowing teams away with their spellbinding brilliance on the ball, and high press off it. While the new season poses new challenges, including the very real danger of losing focus and motivation after the highs of the preceding season, the Cityzens will be seeking to retain their domestic and continental crowns, and who knows, mabe even have a second bite at the cherry as far as another treble win is concerned.

As the undisputed, best side in Europe, the Etihad tenants will be fearing no one ahead of this season’s Champions League draw. Ultimately, regardless of who they are pitted with, Man City will head into their group stage campaign as overwhelming favourites.

• Best case scenario: Porto, Red Star Belgrade, and Antwerp.
• Worst case scenario: Real Madrid, AC Milan, and PSV.

Read more: The 10 Hardest Champions League Groups Of All Time (Ranked)

Manchester United

The Red Devils have suffered a stuttering commencement to their 2023-24 season, after losing to Ange Postecoglou’s buoyant Tottenham, and scraping past Gary O’Neil’s predicted-strugglers, Wolves. Despite a vat from convincing start, Erik ten Hag will be hoping he can rectify the issues at hand swiftly, before murmurings of discontent begin to rear themselves at Old Trafford.

The stern Dutchman will be relying on the Glazers to pull their finger out as far as transfer funds are concerned, in order for strengthen prior to the closure of this summer’s transfer window. With the Theatre of Dreams set to stage Champions League football again after a two-year hiatus, the prospect of testing themselves against Europe’s best will be intriguing.

After a nervy opening to their new season, ten Hag will be looking to instil confidence into his side via notable European scalps. The North Westerners will want to establish themselves as a leading European force again, and they can certainly do that with an emphatic run in the tournament this season.

• Best case scenario: Feyenoord, Red Star Belgrade, and Antwerp.
• Worst case scenario: Bayern Munich, AC Milan, and Real Sociedad.

Newcastle United

When Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund completed their takeover of Newcastle United in October 2021, they pledged their unwavering financial support to the Geordie cause and promised they’d bring Newcastle back to not just the forefront of football domestically, but also continentally. Having already invested way over half a billion pounds in transfers, as well as securing a fourth-place Premier League finish, Eddie Howe’s side are on the rise and are due to make their long-awaited return to Europe’s big-time after a two-decade-long intermission.

With the acquisitions of Sandro Tonali, Tino Livramento, and Harvey Barnes, the Magpies are gradually compiling a roster that is worthy of Champions League football. Now St. James’ Park is a confirmed host to the continent’s greatest competition, the Tyneside faithful will be waiting with bated breath for the upcoming Champions League draw.

While many a Magpie will be holding out for the box office names, like the Bayern Munich’s, Real Madrid’s, and AC Milan’s of this world, the North Easterners will be quietly confident of their chances of progressing to the latter stages if the group stage draw is kind to them.

• Best case scenario: Feyenoord, Porto, and Red Star Belgrade.
• Worst case scenario: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and AC Milan.