Football news - Sorry Klopp, you'll miss out again!' - View from Europe on Champions League draw

FC Barcelona (aka Lionel Messi) wants this Champions League and has the team, the ambition and the route to be a champion again. It is the best team, even over the competitive Juventus, who now have Cristiano Ronaldo, the other clear frontrunner of the tournament. The English teams will be very tough, sure, but they are still one step behind the quality concept of Barcelona and the winning spirit of Juventus. In any case, this is a great Champions League to enjoy match by match, maybe the last one with Messi and Cristiano on top.

All this is most predictable, but it is also true that if something is showing this season it is that equality leads to unexpected ends. That will be the option of the other six without Barcelona and Juventus. Be careful with the joyful play of Ajax, the dangerous attack of Liverpool and the quality ideas of Guardiola's team.

Sorry, Jürgen Klopp, but you will stay without a major title this year – again!

Liverpool will advance against Porto, but find their master in a reinvigorated Barcelona with a mesmerising star called Lionel Messi, who’s a very good player, we heard!

On the other side of the draw we’d like to see Pep Guardiola’s squad advance to the semis, playing against a Ronaldo-driven Juventus – and succeeding - so everything’s set up for a huge showdown between Manchester City and FC Barcelona in the final in Madrid. And it will be the stage for Guardiola’s third title, because his squad simply has depth and quality, is perfect in his tactics and has the right amount of talent.

For us, Juventus is now the main favourite because they already had the spirit but they now have the secret weapon, with CR7. Barcelona are not very impressive at the moment. Even in front of OL, which made a very bad clash, Barça were not as cool as expected. It seems when they face a tougher opponent (such as Liverpool), their limits will explode.

For the rest, there is a complicated draw for Ajax even if our French romanticism wants them to carry on after their match against Real. The main outsider: Manchester City. Because of Guardiola. But we don’t know yet if the have the guts to go all the way. The possible semi against Juventus might be the top confrontation of this season.

How can you bet against Cristiano Ronaldo. Five Champions League titles and a hat-trick to drag his new side through to the last eight, while the defence of the trophy by the team he left behind ended with a whimper.

And Juventus - a fine team before his arrival - can rest their secret weapon, sure in the knowledge that Serie A is all but sewn up for another year. This is not a luxury the English teams can afford as they battle amongst themselves for the Premier League title and top-four places.

As for Barcelona, their Liga form is not as convincing as it should be for Champions League winners in waiting.