Champions League draw: Rating Leicester, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Celtic’s chances

Updated 25/08/2016 at 21:24 GMT

Leicester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Celtic are the five British representatives in the Champions League group stage. But how will they fare in their respective groups? We take a look…

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino shake hands before the game

Image credit: Reuters

LEICESTER CITY

Group G opponents: Porto, Club Brugge, FC Copenhagen

It’s a group that would still look mediocre if it had ‘Europa League’ prefixed to it. However, the draw gods have had their say and it’s looking rather rosy for Leicester City. In fact, it’s probably the perfect path to the last 16 of the Champions League.

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Porto’s triumph of 2004 is a distant memory, Brugge have failed to clamber into the knockout stages since the competition rebrand and FC Copenhagen were only founded in 1992. Still, it won’t be a casual stroll. You can bet they’re also celebrating in Portugal, Belgium and Denmark. All four teams have a realistic shot of qualification from arguably the most open group.

Prediction: Leicester to squeak through behind Porto.

Leicester players celebrate with the Premier league trophy after winning the league and the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Everton at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on May 7, 2016

Image credit: AFP

ARSENAL

Group A opponents: Paris Saint-Germain, FC Basel, Ludogorets Razgrad

Arsenal fans probably crept closer to their TV/smartphone when they were pitted against PSG. But just as another humiliating chapter eked closer, Basel and Ludogorets arrived in Group A to leave Arsene Wenger’s side with a far more agreeable task.

It’s the latter side against whom maximum points are a priority. Not that it’ll be simple. The Bulgarians took a point off Liverpool at home in the 2014-15 edition and briefly led Real Madrid in the same season. So before everyone gets too excited, remember two things: a) second spot is far from assured, and b) it’s Arsenal.

Prediction: We know how Arsenal roll – scrape through in the second, get obliterated in the last 16.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi is fouled by Arsenal's Mathieu

Image credit: Reuters

TOTTENHAM

Group E opponents: CSKA Moscow, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco

A similar tale to Leicester: very, very fortunate. A marathon trip to the Russian capital in September aside, this is a highly promising draw for Tottenham, especially so given they were plucked from pot three. They could have drawn Barcelona; they got CSKA Moscow. They could have drawn Borussia Dortmund; they got Bayer Leverkusen.

Tottenham made an instant impact in the Champions League on their last adventure – remember Gareth Bale in the San Siro, Maicon?! – and are well-equipped to storm into the knockout stages again.

Prediction: Group winners.

Tottenham Hotspur's Bale scores against Inter Milan during their Champions League Group A soccer match in Milan

Image credit: Reuters

MANCHESTER CITY

Group C opponents: Barcelona, Borussia Monchengladbach, Celtic

A statistic gathered minor momentum in the aftermath of the Champions League draw. Pep Guardiola, for all his talents as a manager, has a low-key record against Borussia Monchengladbach manager Andre Schubert: played two, won none.

Two games is hardly the most convincing of sample size, but it does at least illustrate City’s task may be slightly trickier than anticipated. Barcelona will be the group’s runaway victors, barring disaster, while Celtic will undoubtedly turn their stadium into a menacing cauldron for the ‘southerner’ invasion. Expect ‘Group of Death’ to feature in pre-match montages.

Prediction: Ignore the above. City to finish a comfortable second.

Manchester City v Steaua Bucarest

Image credit: AFP

CELTIC

Group C opponents: Barcelona, Manchester City, Borussia Monchengladbach

Oh dear.

Celtic’s return to the Champions League looks set to end in wounded pride and a dangerously negative goal difference. Barcelona cruised past them in pre-season. Not alarmed? It was Barca’s first match; Celtic were supposedly up to speed after playing competitive qualification matches. If rusty giants can ease beyond you, the task is probably too great. Manchester City are better than them, Borussia Monchengladbach are too.

The crowd may grab them a point or two at home – surely another memorable night at Celtic Park is in store – but the cold reality is the other three teams are better.

Prediction: Celtic will be outstanding throughout, at least according to Brendan Rodgers, but this journey is ending in last place.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri and Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers before the match.

Image credit: Eurosport

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