Pretenders and Contenders: Predicting the Champions League Group Stage

Group B: Tottenham Hotspur (England), FC Barcelona (Spain), PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), Internazionale (Italy)

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FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi

Prediction:

1. FC Barcelona
2. Internazionale
3. Tottenham Hotspur
4. PSV Eindhoven

Group B could very well be this year's "group of death". As usual, Barcelona, using their new big signings in Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich, 18 million euros), Malcom (Bordeaux, 41 million euros), Clement Lenglet (Sevilla, 36 million euros) and Arthur (Gremio, 31 million euros), are the heavy favorites to win the group.

Looking to exorcise the demons of last season's dramatic loss to Roma and coming off a nearly unbeaten season in La Liga where they suffered only 1 loss in the process, any team showcasing an attack featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Coutinho should be contending for the trophy, let alone the group.

As in group A, the two spots beneath the top are up for grabs. Inter Milan have really impressed this summer by making important signings all over the pitch in the form of Radja Nainggolan (AS Roma, 38 million euros), Lautaro Martinez (Racing Club, 16 million euros), World Cup finalist Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid, on loan), Stefan de Vrij (Lazio, free) and Keita Baldé (AS Monaco, on loan).

After finishing 4th in Serie A, they've strengthened their squad immensely and could even contend for the league title this season if Juventus slip up. Tottenham, meanwhile, have really hit their stride domestically as of late, finishing 3rd in the Premier League in 2016, 2nd in 2017 and 3rd again last season.

Led by World Cup golden boot winner Harry Kane, they've shown they can compete with the best of Europe's elite (as shown by last season's draw vs eventual champions Real Madrid). The problem is, however, that they haven't gotten any better. For the first time since the transfer window's introduction in 2003, they are the first English team to make no signings of any kind.

Rounding off the group would be PSV Eindhoven. After winning the Eredivisie again, PSV have shown they truly are the best team in the Netherlands. Headlined by Mexican starlet Hirving Lozano, they are no push-overs and could take some potential scalps, but the lack of quality in the rest of the squad, when compared to other teams in the group, will probably put in them in last place by the end of the group stage.