Bayern Munich (Germany)
Group gears: 1
European Football Links Ranking (End of 2021/22): 1
How they qualify: German champions
Last season: Quarter-finals (L 1-2agg vs Villarreal)
Champions League best performance: Six-time Champions League winner (1973/74, 1974/75, 1975/76, 2000/01, 2012/13, 2019/20)
Head coach: Julian Nagelsman
Nagelsmann, 35, succeeded Hoffenheim on October 28, 2015, becoming the youngest coach in Bundesliga history. In his first full season in charge, he led them to fourth place in 2016/17 and won a Champions League spot. He continued to impress in his two seasons at Leipzig before joining Bayern in the summer of 2021, where he won his first German Cup.
Main player: Joshua Kimmich
As Bayern's defensive and attacking metronome, Kimmich cemented his reputation as the core of the Bundesliga champions midfield last season. Now in his eighth full season in Munich, the 27-year-old is considered the club's future captain.
Summer signing: Sadio Mane
Mane, who was an integral part of liverpool's side, ended the Red Devils' 30-year wait for a top-flight title and reached three Champions League finals in five seasons, coming to Munich in hopes of filling the void left by Robert Lewandowski's departure for Barcelona.
The rookie to watch is Ryan Gravenberch
Gravenberch became a key player in the Ajax midfield under Tenhag, playing in 88 Eredivisie, Cup and European matches in his final two seasons in Amsterdam. Now only 20 years old, this elegant, powerful, intelligent and skilled Ajax Youth Development System product has everything it needs to reach its peak.
Did you know?
Bayern were the most attacking team in the group stage last season, with 22 goals, and they also extended their unbeaten record in champions League away games to 22 before losing to Villarreal in the quarter-finals.
Barcelona (Spain)
Group gears: 2
European Football Contact Ranking (End of 2021/22): 6
How to qualify: Spain runners-up
Last season: Group stage (third place), Europa League quarter-finals
Champions League best performance: Five-time Champions League winner (1991/92, 2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2014/15)
Coach: Harvey
Xavi is one of Barcelona's most acclaimed players, and after being named Ronald Koeman's successor, Xavi changed the team. After leading the club from ninth to second in La Liga last season, the former midfielder is expected to see major events in his first full season at the helm.
Key player: Pedri
Pedri will turn 20 in November, but since joining from Las Palmas, he has been a key player for the Barca machine over the past two seasons. The youngster has an elegant pass compared to Coach Harvey's former teammate Andrés Iniesta, who has the ability to pass and the vision to score goals.
Summer big signing: Robert Lewandowski, the ruthless Polish goalscorer, broke the 1973 German league scoring record set by Gerd Müller in 1973 and Bayern won the title for the tenth consecutive time. Since the start of the 2011/12 season, only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more goals than the prolific striker.
Notable rookie: Gavi
A midfield graduate of La Masia, Garvey made his debut for the Spanish men's national football team on 7 October 2021 in the 2021 UEFA Nations League semi-finals in Spain against Italy, becoming the youngest player in the history of the Spanish adult national team at the age of 17 years and 62 days.
Did you know?
Last season, Barcelona failed to reach the knockout rounds for the first time since the 2000/01 season.
Inter Milan (Italy)
Group gears: 3
European Football Contact Ranking (End of 2021/22): 23
How to qualify: Italy runner-up
Last season: Round of 16 (L 1-2agg vs Liverpool)
Champions League best performance: three-time Champions League winner (1963/64, 1964/65, 2009/10)
Head coach: Inzaghi Jr
Inzaghi Jr. spent most of his time as a player in Lazio, playing from 1999 until his retirement in 2010. After retiring from the military, Inzaghi remained in Lazio as a youth coach and in 2016 became a first-team manager. In 2021, Inzaghi became Inter Milan manager.
Key player: Lautaro Martinez
Nicknamed the "Bulls", Martinez ended the 2021/22 season with 25 goals in 49 appearances, his best result since coming to Milan in 2018 from Argentine side Atlético Aveneda F.C. A prolific partnership was forged with Romelu Lukaku, who has returned from Chelsea for the second season on loan.
Summer signing: Romelu Lukaku, Belgium's all-time top scorer, returned to the club, scoring 24 league goals for the club in 2020/21 as Inter won their first Serie A title in 11 years. Previously enjoyed overproductive spells at Anderlecht, West Brom, Everton and Manchester United.
The rookies to watch are: Kristjan Asllani is the second Albanian player to represent the Nerazzurri, and the 20-year-old Asllani became the key to Empoli's midfield during his time at Tuscany. With an excellent first touch and exquisite passing range, the biped midfielder is one of Serie A's most exciting prospects.
Did you know?
Inter milan scored more shots on goal in the group stage last season: 117 in six games.
Victory of Plzeň (Czech Republic)
Group gears: 4
European Football Links Ranking (end of 2021/22): 55
How they qualify: Play-offs (W 2-1agg vs Qarabağ)
Last season: Europa League play-offs
Best European Cup performance: Group stage (2011/12, 2013/14, 2018/19)
Coach: Michal Bílek
Bílek led Pearson to their sixth league title in 2021/22, his second at the club. The former Czech Republic international midfielder, born in Prague, led his national team to the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 before coaching the Kazakhstan national team. As a player, Bílek has won 9 Czech championships and made 35 appearances for the national team, scoring 11 goals.
Key player: Jindřich Staněk
Former Everton goalkeeper will be a valued member of the squad and his solid performances paved the way for Pearson's title victory and the Champions League group stage. Since joining in January 2020, Steinik has become the club's number one player and wants to replace Thomas Vaklik as the preferred guardian of the Czech Republic.
Summer big name signing: Jan Kliment
The 28-year-old former Stuttgart and Brøndby striker joined from Krakow Wisła in the summer and has scored a crucial goal for the first time he has finished against Calaba, thus locking in Pearson's victory in the play-offs.
The rookie to watch is: Lucas Calvach
The team's set-piecers, stringers and engines of the Pilsen midfielder, Calvach's passing and passing abilities are priceless. He joined from Olomouc in 2019 as one of Pearson's key players before being selected for the Czech national team for the first time later that year.
Did you know?
Pavel Horvat, Marek Bakosh and Daniel Corrage were among the first teams in Pearson to reach the group stage in 2011 and are still employed by the club. Their former team-mate, 33-year-old winger Václav Pilař, returned to Victoria in the summer.