Group C of this year's Champions League features four returning contenders that can surprise in the latter stages of the tournament. Here is how the four clubs of Group C stack up against one another.
Benfica (Portugal)
How they got here: Benfica finished second in the Portuguese League during the 2012-13 season.
How they did at last year's competition: Benfica endured a tough draw at last year's competition as it was placed into a group with Barcelona, Celtic, and Spartak Moscow. The team opened its run with a 0-0 draw against Celtic before losing 2-0 against Barcelona at home. In its third game against Spartak Moscow, Benfica lost 2-1. However, the team bounced back with a 2-0 win against the Russian squad before defeating Celtic 2-1 in the second encounter with the Scottish team. However, its final game with Barcelona proved to be a 0-0 affair and Benfica was eliminated from the Champions League and forced into the Europa League knockout rounds. The team made a run all the way to the final where it lost to Chelsea.
This year's expectations: Benfica is undoubtedly one of the favorites to finish second in this group. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
Paris Saint-Germain (France)
How they got here: PSG finished as the top team in the French Ligue 1 during the 2012-13 season.
How they did at last year's competition: The French champions was drawn into a group with Porto, Dynamo Kyiv and Dinamo Zagreb. In its first game, PSG trounced Kyiv 4-1 at home before losing 1-0 against Porto. In the first game against Zagreb, the French side won 2-0; in the return leg at home, Paris won 4-0. In the rematch with Kyiv, the team won 2-0 and finished off a group victory with a 2-1 win over Porto. With 15 points in the group stage, PSG earned more points than any other team in the tournament. In the knockout rounds, Paris was forced to take on Valencia. The French side pulled off a 2-1 win in the opening leg and finished with a 3-2 aggregate win when the second game was played. In the quarterfinals, PSG took on Barcelona. The team managed a 2-2 draw at home and had a 1-0 lead 70 minutes through the second leg. However, a 71st minute goal from Pedro tied the aggregate at 3-3 and sealed Paris' fate.
This year's expectations: The French side is the clear favorite to win Group C and could make a deep run with the addition of Edinson Cavani to its defensive ranks. Thiago Silva is arguably the greatest defender in the world and Zlatan Ibrahimovic may be the best forward. This team is a dark horse contender to go all the way.
Olympiacos (Greece)
How they got here: Olympiacos won first place in the Greek League during the 2012-13 season.
How they did at last year's competition: The team was drawn into one of the weaker groups of the 2012-13 competition that featured Schalke 04, Montpellier, and Arsenal. The Greek side lost its opening game against Schalke 2-1 and was destroyed 3-1 by Arsenal in the follow-up. A pair of wins over Montpellier helped the team improve its position in the group, but a loss to Schalke sealed its fate. A win over Arsenal in the final match pulled the team within one point in the standings but did little to help. In the Europa League, Olympiacos were eliminated quickly from the knockout rounds.
This year's expectations: The team is unlikely to do much in this group and will be happy to return to the Europa League once the tournament comes to an end.
Anderlecht (Belgium)
How they got here: Anderlecht was the top team in Belgium during the 2012-13 season.
How they did at last year's competition: The Belgium side was drawn into a group that featured Malaga, AC Milan, and Zenit St. Petersburg. In its opener, the team managed a 0-0 draw with mighty Milan but reality set in quickly when it took on Malaga and lost 3-0. The team then traded 1-0 wins with Zenit St. Petersburg before being destroyed 3-1 by Milan in the rematch. In its final group game, Anderlecht battled Malaga to a 2-2 draw and finished dead last in its group.
This year's expectations: Anderlecht would be happy to finish third in the group and will likely be looking to earn that spot.
Prediction: This group is ultimately a two-horse race between Benfica and PSG. The French side is the favorite to take the group but could lose some points against the lesser clubs in Group C.
Here is how it will play out:
1. Paris Saint-Germain: 3 wins, 3 draws, 12 points
2. Benfica: 2 wins, 4 draws, 10 points
3. Anderlecht: 1 win, 2 draws, 3 losses, 5 points
4. Olympiacos: 1 win, 1 draw, 4 losses, 4 points
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