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There is a reason PSG are the bookies’ favourites.

I mean, anybody who watched them in the Champions League last season knows exactly why.

After years and years of endless pain in this competition, PSG are just finally got their hands on the trophy they have craved for over a decade. In some style, too.

It was one hell of a journey. They swept aside Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Arsenal before embarrassing Inter Milan in Munich in May. PSG showed that they are a completely different team these days.

Gone are the days when they were a team stacked with superstars that had little cohesion. These days, Luis Enrique has a well-oiled pressing machine that fights together as one.

They were the best team in the competition by far last season, which is mental considering they nearly didn’t even make the play-offs at one stage. Once they got going in the knockouts, there was no way of stopping them.

Now, after the final, I was certain that it was the beginning of a dynasty. However, their performances against Chelsea in the Club World Cup final and Spurs in the Super Cup (although they won it) have given me a few doubts about them.

Defending Big Ears is ridiculously tough, so many of the best sides in European history have failed to do it.

But can PSG become the new Real Madrid?

Liverpool fans will know exactly where the Champions League final is being held here. It was once their home.

Nope, it’s not Anfield…

The Champions League final is being held at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, which is a beauty of a ground.

Now, I imagine some of you are very confused at how a stadium in Hungary was once home for Liverpool, am I right?

Well, during the knockout stages in 2021, Liverpool were forced to play both legs of their round of 16 tie with RB Leipzig at the Puskas Arena due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They loved it there as they won both games 2-0.

Will we see the Reds there in May?

Ooooft.

The stage is ready for the Champions League draw in Monaco, and boy, does it look gorgeous.

I wonder what special guests will stumble upon it later?

For fans of Premier League clubs, I would imagine the last post has made them feel a bit pants.

Why? Well, most will just want to fly through the group stage with next to no problems. The big teams won’t allow them to do that.

However, footballers don’t think in the same way.

Going by this video posted by Chelsea, players want the biggest and best teams in the group phase.

There are a lot of Barcelona and Real Madrid shouts in here.

This Champions League draw is going to be tasty, I can feel it.

Last year the group phase gave us some absolute crackers, many of European football’s biggest teams faced off earlier than they used to.

Liverpool against Real Madrid is a game that comes to mind.

Anyway, it will be similar this year. Six of the non-English teams in pot one will have to face two Premier League teams this league phase.

There are six English sides in the competition this year with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea all in pot one. With two teams from the same country not allowed to face each other, it throws pot one into a bit of a madness.

Barcelona, Bayern, Dortmund, Inter, PSG, and Real Madrid will all have to play two of the six Premier League clubs.

We could see some monstrous games…

POT 1

POT 2

POT 3

POT 4

Here at Daily Mail Sport, we love to build suspense.

This Champions League draw is a big deal, so we want you all to be pumped about it. It would all be a bit boring if you clicked on here to see the results of the draw straight away, right?

If you said no, then I have taken that to heart…

Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is that you have a little bit of time to go until the draw actually takes place in Monaco.

The show starts at 5pm UK time, and even then, it seems to take UEFA a gazillion years to actually start pulling balls out of the hat. Still, as long as Rod Stewart isn’t doing it, I’m happy (please tell me you get that joke).

So, for the next 70 minutes or so, you are going to have to put up with my blabbing as I try to get all of you guys excited for the draw.

I can already hear the famous music…

‘Du du du du du du du du,’ just imagine that but in the tune of the Champions League anthem. I know, written out, it looks weird, but when you’re singing it in your own head it makes sense.

Today, European football’s premier competition returns, properly.

Well, sort of. The group stage isn’t starting yet, but this afternoon we will find out who each of the 36 teams in the second incarnation of the league phase will be facing.

I imagine, as this is now the second season of the new format, you know exactly how this works, right?

No? Well, don’t worry, for those of you who are still confused, we will have you covered.

Now, let’s get crackalacking, people!