City defend title before major changes kick in

Manchester City begin their defense of the Champions League title tomorrow (HK time) when the group stage kicks off under its current format for the last time.

Unveiled by Uefa in 2021, clubs involved in the new-look competition will increase from 32 to 36 beginning next year, with participants going into a single league in which teams will play eight games - up from the current six.

Just as it has done for the past two decades, the Champions League will begin this week with a group stage featuring eight sections of four teams. The top two teams in each will advance to the last 16.

Major clubs and international competitions keep expanding, and there is recognition that the Champions League group stage is getting stale.

The financial rift between the continent's powerful clubs and the rest is growing all the time, especially by awarding a portion of prize money based on the position of teams in Uefa's own club ranking.

City should stroll through to the last 16, as they bid to retain the trophy won in June by beating Inter Milan 1-0 in the final in Istanbul.

Record 14-time winners Real Madrid loom as contenders though Carlo Ancelotti's team find themselves in a difficult group alongside Napoli, Braga and newcomers Union Berlin. Bayern Munich have added Harry Kane to their attack, while Paris Saint-Germain lost Neymar and Lionel Messi but kept Kylian Mbappe.

Arsenal hope to impress on their return to the Champions League for the first time since 2016/17, while Saudi ownership has propelled Newcastle United into the competition after two decades.