The Champions League makes a welcome return on Tuesday night as Europe's heavyweight clubs begin the group stage.
Many of the continent's leading clubs will actually face one another this week with mouth-watering ties including Barcelona vs Bayern Munich, Inter Milan vs Real Madrid and Liverpool vs AC Milan.
We saw an all-English finale to the competition last season as Chelsea defeated Manchester City and there's a good case for this Premier League dominance to continue.
Chelsea won last season's Champions League - but who will claim the glory this time around?
The giants from Spain and Italy appear diminished while Bayern Munich are starting again under a new manager, leaving Paris Saint-Germain looking the most likely to take on the English clubs.
So how do the traditional giants from around Europe measure up ahead of the new Champions League campaign? We take a health check on them.
BARCELONA
Last Champions League win: 2015
Drawn in Group E with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Dynamo Kiev
There's absolutely no question one of the dominant forces of the modern era in the Champions League have been diminished.
The departure of Lionel Messi, who joined PSG, has dealt Barcelona a body blow and it remains to be seen how they cope without the Argentine maestro who scored 120 Champions League goals for them.
Barca have been in recession for a little while now in truth - there have been shocking exits to Roma, Liverpool and Bayern in recent years - and it's going to be a long and painful rebuild.
Barcelona will turn to Memphis Depay for some spark now Lionel Messi has left the club
President Joan Laporta revealed eye-watering debts of £1.15billion, meaning they simply couldn't afford to renew Messi's contract, and summer buys have been frugal to live within their means.
Laporta tried to find a replacement for coach Ronald Koeman but failed, eventually backing the Dutchman but with plenty of strings attached.
They have a competitive side, led by summer arrival Memphis Depay and the brilliant youngster Pedri, but few are expecting Barcelona to go all the way.
Drawing Bayern, the side who destroyed them 8-2 just over a year ago, isn't exactly ideal but they should make it through their group. Beyond that it will prove more difficult.
Barcelona appear to be a diminished force amid financial strife and off-field uncertainty
REAL MADRID
Last Champions League win: 2018
Drawn in Group D with Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk and Sheriff Tiraspol
Real have also been weakened by the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, though not as severely as Barcelona.
It was nonetheless telling that the summer passed by without the Bernabeu club making a marquee signing as their rivals in England spent big on the likes of Jadon Sancho, Romelu Lukaku and Jack Grealish.
Their reputation has also been bruised by the toxic fall-out from the attempted European Super League breakaway and all these factors combined mean few are tipping Real for Champions League glory this time.
Luka Modric and Karim Benzema (right) remain integral to Real Madrid's chances of success
They have seen two experienced defenders in Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane depart also but they have signed the two-time Champions League winner David Alaba and highly-rated France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.
They'll need the best scoring form from Karim Benzema, a last hurrah from 36-year-old Luka Modric and anything at all from Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale to even get to the business end of the competition.
In their favour is the wisdom of three-time Champions League winning manager Carlo Ancelotti. But this Real Madrid vintage looks a far cry from the side that lifted the trophy under the Italian back in 2014.
The arrival of Eduardo Camavinga is a sign Real Madrid still retain their old pulling power
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
Last Champions League win: N/A
Drawn in Group A with Manchester City, RB Leipzig and Club Brugge
PSG have been installed as the favourites to finally win the Champions League and it isn't difficult to understand why.
A team already boasting Neymar and Kylian Mbappe that was starting to make inroads to the latter stages of the Champions League now has the additional threat of Messi and the nous of Ramos.
PSG, who certainly don't seem short of a few quid post-pandemic, also signed Achraf Hakimi, Georginio Wijnaldum, Danilo Pereira and Gianluigi Donnarumma.
These are exciting times for PSG as Lionel Messi (right) joins a star-studded forward line
Mauricio Pochettino arguably has the strongest squad in Europe at his disposal but with that comes additional pressure and expectation. There are no excuses not to win it now.
The Parisians will face an immediate test of their credentials after being paired with Manchester City and RB Leipzig in the group.
If everything clicks together as Pochettino hopes it will and the dressing room remains harmonious then PSG should have everything required to take on the English clubs.
With so much talent at his disposal, there's no excuses for PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino
BAYERN MUNICH
Last Champions League win: 2020
Drawn in Group E with Barcelona, Benfica and Dynamo Kiev
Beaten at the quarter-final stage by PSG last season, Bayern return to the Champions League in good shape under new manager Julian Nagelsmann.
The players are adapting to his ways and Bayern have started the season strongly at home,
