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Champions League set to expose widening gulf between elite and the rest

Real Madrid begin their defence of the trophy. Marseille were the champions in that inaugural 1992/93 season, but no French club has won the trophy since, and England, Spain, Italy and Germany have provided every winner since Jose Mourinho's Porto triumphed in 2004. Indeed, since Inter triumphed in 2010, only five clubs have lifted the trophy -- Barcelona, Chelsea and Bayern Munich have been champions twice each, and Liverpool once.

Meanwhile, Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0 in Paris in May to be crowned European champions for the fifth time in nine years, confirming the enduring brilliance of veteran stars like Luka Modric and Karim Benzema. They will set out with the aim of winning a 15th European Cup in Istanbul next June, with the group stage unlikely to overly trouble Carlo Ancelotti's side. Real will face RB Leipzig, Celtic and Shakhtar Donetsk in Group F, fully aware that even a home defeat to Sheriff Tiraspol last year ultimately proved inconsequential.

"Last year the easiest game was supposedly against Sheriff at the Bernabeu and we lost it, so we need to respect these teams," Ancelotti told Spanish media. He was also quick to point out another factor which could come into play this season. Usually the group stage finishes in December, but the World Cup has forced UEFA to fit all six Champions League matchdays into a period of nine weeks starting earlier than usual.

Read more on timesofindia.indiatimes.com