Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Rangers now know who they will face in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Thursday's draw in Monaco has thrown up a host of intriguing fixtures in Europe's elite club competition.
Liverpool head up Group E and will tackle French giants Lyon, Serie A side Fiorentina and Hungarian outfit Debreceni as Rafa Benitez'sYour browser may not support display of this image. men aim to repeat their 2005 success.
Manchester UnitedYour browser may not support display of this image. - winners in 2008 and finalists in 2009 - are the top seeds in Group B, with Sir Alex Ferguson'sYour browser may not support display of this image. side facing lengthy trips to CSKA Moscow and Besiktas, while they must also tackle German champions Wolfsburg.
Chelsea have to overcome Porto, Atletico MadridYour browser may not support display of this image. and APOEL Nicosia if they are to secure safe passage from Group D into the knockout phase as they aim to claim the trophy which has become something of a Holy Grail for the Stamford Bridge club.
Arsenal tackle Champions League newcomers AZ Alkmaar,Your browser may not support display of this image. Greek powerhouse Olympiakos and Belgian side Standard Liege in Group H after overcoming Celtic in their qualifying round.
Rangers' bid to reach the latter stages in Europe sees them placed in Group G alongside top seeds Sevilla, Stuttgart and Unirea Urziceni of Romania.
Brazilian playmaker Kaka has been handed an immediate return to AC MilanYour browser may not support display of this image. with Real Madrid paired alongside his former club, plus Marseille and FC Zurich in Group C.
Defending champions Barcelona tackle Inter Milan in Group F - in two clashes which will see Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto'o facing their former clubs - with Dynamo KievYour browser may not support display of this image. and Rubin KazanYour browser may not support display of this image. completing the quartet.
Bayern Munich,Your browser may not support display of this image. who lifted the trophy in 2001, are up against Juventus, French champions Bordeaux and Maccabi Haifa in Group A.
The clubs will now meet home and away across six matchdays from September to December with the top two qualifying for the knockout phase, with the ultimate prize on offer in the final at Real's Santiago Bernabeu on 22nd May.
Champions League groups and fixture schedule
Group A: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa.
Group B: Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, Besiktas, Wolfsburg.
Group C: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Marseille, FC Zurich.
Group D: Chelsea, Porto, Atletico Madrid, APOEL Nicosia.
Group E: Liverpool, Lyon, Fiorentina, Debreceni.
Group F: Barcelona, Inter Milan, Dynamo Kiev, Rubin Kazan.
Group G: Sevilla, Rangers, Stuttgart, Unirea Urziceni.
Group H: Arsenal, AZ Alkmaar, Olympiakos, Standard Liege.
Matchday 1: 15th/16th September
Matchday 2: 29th/30th September
Matchday 3: 20th/21st October
Matchday 4: 3rd/4th November
Matchday 5: 24th/25th November
Matchday 6: 8th/9th December
Champions League Draw
Aston Villa Rock Liverpool at Anfield
Aston Villa put another dent in Liverpool's title dreams with a hard-fought 3-1 victory at Anfield.
Lucas Leiva suffered the indignity of putting through his own net to open the scoring, before Curtis Davies doubled Villa's lead moments before the break.
Fernando Torres did pull one back for the hosts, but Ashley Young rounded off the scoring from the penalty spot.
Liverpool dominated much of the opening exchanges, but fell behind after 34 minutes when an ambitious free-kick from Young cannoned off Lucas and past a stranded Pepe Reina.
The Reds were then the architects of their own downfall once again on the stroke of half-time as they failed to pick up Davies from a corner and he glanced a header in off the underside of the bar.
Torres then offered Rafa Benitez's side a lifeline on 72 minutes, as he coolly rounded of a well-worked move down the left.
However, Steven Gerrard felled Nigel Reo-Coker in the box three minutes later and Young sent Reina the wrong way from the spot.
The result ended Liverpool's 31-match unbeaten home league record stretching back to December 2007, when Manchester United were the last winners at Anfield.
But the spotlight will now be on Liverpool, who only lost twice in the league last season and still did not win the title.
The margin for error is now very fine. You rarely win the crown by losing more than five games in a season, and Liverpool's hopes could already have suffered a mortal blow.