There are three other teams expected to compete for the trophy, all perennial champions of their countries – Juventus (eight Italian titles in a row), Bayern Munich (seven consecutive German titles) and Paris St-Germain (six of the past seven French leagues).
Juventus whose last Champions League title came in 1996 – have added youth and dynamism to their squad, with £67.5m Netherlands center-back Matthijs de Ligt the most notable recruit. That signing was especially important, following the loss of captain Giorgio Chiellini to a long-term knee injury.
Three free transfers came in – Arsenal and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, Paris St-Germain and France midfielder Adrien Rabiot and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, a Juventus legend who only left a year ago for PSG. And of course, they have the Champions League’s greatest goalscorer in Ronaldo.
Their squad is so large that midfielder Emre Can and forward Mario Mandzukic has been left out of the 22-man Champions League selection completely.
Horncastle said: “Sarri said the squad was too big in the summer. He said: ‘We have got six players too many and we have to sell players.’ They were unable to. This is on the club – not Sarri. They went bullish at the start of the transfer window and could not sell Paulo Dybala or Mandzukic. It’s been a real problem for them.”
Bayern Munich, who host Red Star Belgrade on Wednesday, go into a season without Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery on the wings (or in the treatment room) for the first time in a decade.
For a while, it looked as if they would not sign replacements, but Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Perisic have boosted their options.
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French World Cup-winning full-backs Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard were their other two big-money signings, but the expected overhaul did not quite materialize.
Where to start with Paris St-Germain? Is this the season they finally get their act together in Europe? That is what people have been wondering for about seven years.
The French giants look no closer to achieving their owners’ goal of being crowned European champions and seem to be going backward. They have gone out in the last 16 for the past three years, having reached four consecutive quarter-finals before that.
They are without Neymar, who failed to get a move to Barcelona this summer, for half of the group stage because of a ban following his reaction to last year’s collapse against Manchester United. He was booed relentlessly on his return to the team at the weekend.
But they have added forward Mauro Icardi to their frontline this summer, as well as finally investing in holding midfielders – Ander Herrera and Idrissa Gueye.
Is there a way back for Neymar at PSG?
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