Liverpool were handed a glamorous return to the Champions League after being drawn against holders Real Madrid in the group stage.

The five-times European champions will face 10-times winners Real as well as Basle and Ludogorets - the Bulgarian side who had a fairy-tale win in the play-offs - in Group B while there was a familiar draw for the three other English sides.

Manchester City have perhaps the toughest group - they will face Bayern Munich for the third time in four years - plus CSKA Moscow and Roma in Group E, while Arsenal will play Borussia Dortmund for the second year running as well as Galatasaray and Anderlecht in Group D

In Group G, Chelsea play German side Schalke for the second consecutive season plus Sporting Lisbon and Celtic's conquerors Maribor.

Barcelona and Paris St Germain should dominate Group F, where they were drawn with Ajax and APOEL from Cyprus, while last season's beaten finalists Atletico Madrid are in Group A with Juventus, Olympiacos and Malmo.

Benfica, Zenit St Petersburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco make up Group C while in Group H Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao and BATE Borisov will battle it out.

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo - named as the European player of the 2013/14 season believes the club can become the first to successfully defend the Champions League.

He said: "Why not? I had the chance to do it when I was at Man United and now for Real Madrid so I am looking forward to getting a second chance."