JULES BREACH

The TNT Sports presenter gives her view on the new-look Champions League's second season

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There's always a buzz when European football returns and this season marks the second year of the revamped format, where clubs compete in a league phase rather than a group stage.

In the Champions League, the 36 clubs will each play eight different teams - four at home and four away. The top eight qualify for the round of 16, while the teams finishing in 9th to 24th face a playoff round to join them.

Like anything that's changed in football, there's been debate whether the competition is better in this new structure or not and if teams might approach the competition differently.

What we have learned is that it creates more elite matches early on, meaning mouthwatering viewing for fans. This season, the draw gave us Bayern Munich vs Chelsea in the opening week, Barcelona hosting PSG in the second round of games, Liverpool welcoming Real Madrid to Anfield and Manchester City making a trip to the Bernabeu in December. Top clubs and their superstars are everywhere you look.

With more opponents and more games, there's also a touch of randomness and unpredictability. Last year's champions PSG started their run with three defeats in their opening five games and finished outside the top eight, while Manchester City were 22nd.