Champions League returns - who are favourites and players to watch?

WHAT HAPPENED
The Champions League group stage gets under way on Tuesday, with the final scheduled for 5 June in Madrid. Paris St-Germain begin the defence of their title and are aiming to become the first side to win three consecutive Champions League trophies since Real Madrid’s run from 2015-18.

Five English clubs will take part this season, with Arsenal being discussed as pre-tournament favourites after finishing as runners-up last term.

KEY CONTEXT
- BBC Sport asked pundits Julien Laurens and Guillem Balague for their assessments of contenders and players to watch; their views and supporting observations feature prominently in this preview.
- Laurens expressed skepticism about a PSG three-peat and expects them at least to reach the semi-finals, while naming Arsenal and Bayern as strong candidates to contest the final and picking Arsenal as his tournament winner. He also voiced reservations about the José Mourinho-Real Madrid project.
- Balague emphasised PSG’s demanding style under Luis Enrique and noted an irregular start to their season; he expects PSG, Barcelona and Arsenal to be among the semi-finalists unless they meet earlier, with a fourth semi-final spot likely going to Bayern, Real Madrid or Manchester City depending on the draw.
- The BBC will run Champions League highlights on midweek nights: match-by-match clips on iPlayer and the BBC Sport platforms from 22:00 BST on Wednesdays, a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One at 22:40, plus extra highlights slots on the same week as fixtures.

WHY IT MATTERS
- A PSG victory would complete a rare three-in-a-row in Europe, a feat not achieved since Real Madrid’s recent dominance — making their defence one of the main storylines of the campaign.
- Arsenal’s progression to last season’s final and the experts’ support for their title credentials (including claims about their defensive strength) places them among the clubs to watch as genuine challengers.
- The competition features high-profile individual narratives that could shape outcomes: expectations have been placed on players such as Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at PSG, Harry Kane at Bayern, and in-form strikers like Donyell Malen at Roma. Emerging names mentioned include Como’s Nico Paz and Lens centre-back Ismaelo Ganiou.
- The group stage is also being viewed as a period for some teams to experiment and prepare for the latter half of the season, which may affect early results and form.

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Monitor PSG’s consistency across the group stage and whether they can sustain the standards needed for another deep run, a concern highlighted by experts.
- Follow Arsenal’s defensive performances and whether they can convert last season’s momentum into a title tilt, as well as how Bayern, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City fare relative to the draw.