Jose Mourinho will be looking to complete his Chelsea trophy collection with Champions League glory this season, and will find out the club’s group-stage opponents this afternoon.
The Premier League champions, knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 last season, are the only English club in pot one for the draw in Monaco following the changes to seeding rules.
But these changes are not necessarily good news for the Blues, who are now subject to facing some pretty illustrious opponents from pot two, as well as the minnows in pots three and four.
Here, fanatix analyses what the best and worst possible outcomes would be for Mourinho’s men…
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Pot Two: Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester City, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Porto, Valencia
Chelsea actually only have five possible opponents in pot two as Champions League rules dictate that they cannot play any of their Premier League rivals until at least the first knockout stage.
Nobody enjoys playing Diego Simeone’s Atletico, but it is their city rivals Real Madrid who every team from the top pot will be looking to avoid. Los Blancos are the 11/2 third favourites to lift the trophy.
Their La Liga rivals Valencia, back in the competition for the first time in three years after their play-off victory over Monaco, probably represent the the best draw should Mourinho look at the bigger picture.
There is little to choose between Los Che and Bayer Leverkusen – Porto are formidable at home and more difficult foes – but drawing Valencia would ensure that they would not get Sevilla from pot three.
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