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UEFA Champions League returns with Real Madrid the team to beat

The Champions League group stage starts this week with Real Madrid looking to win Europe’s top club competition for a third straight year, a feat not achieved since Bayern Munich in the 1970s.

Here’s a look at the eight groups.

Group A: Benfica, Manchester United, Basel, CSKA Moscow

Jose Mourinho can be happy with how Manchester United’s return after a one-year absence is shaping up, along with his own quest to be the first person to coach three different clubs to European glory. Benfica is a consistent performer in the second tier of Europe’s elite; Basel has been weakened by persistent sales of top players since eliminating United in the 2011 groups; and CSKA Moscow finished last in its group in each of the last four seasons — including one that contained United in 2015.