GROUP A

Liverpool

Liverpool is the most successful English club in the history of the Champions League, and is always a possible contender for the Champions League title. The Reds qualified for the 2007/2008 Champions League courtesy of a third-placed finish in the 2006/2007 English Premier League.

The most iconic player in the Liverpool team is Captain Steven Gerrard, the midfielder credited with inspiring Liverpool's astonishing 2005 Champions League final win. Despite fielding a selection of fine players, Liverpool may be lacking firepower upfront and appear to lack the services of a genuine game-breaker amongst their forwards.

Olympique de Marseille

Ryan Babel of Liverpool battles for the ball with Marek Cech of FC Porto during the UEFA Champions League Group A match between Liverpool and FC Porto at Anfield on November 28, 2007 in Liverpool, England

France's best supported team look well set to reach their third Champions League final in 2008. The team already boast a UEFA Champions League title from 1993, and given that they finished second in both the domestic league and knockout cup in the 2006/2007 season they could be a hard team to stop.

Players to look out for in the Marseille side include prolific goal-scorer and French international Cissé, who has recovered from a slow start at his new club and looks to be in top form. Marseille supporters will also be looking out for academy graduate André Ayew, whose ability to strike off both feet promises to mesmerise defences and give Marseille the edge.

FC Porto

2004 Champions League champions FC Porto look to be the form team in Group A. The Portuguese side qualified courtesy of a first-place finish in the domestic league, which ensured that they qualified directly for the group stages of the Champions League.

The Porto side is packed with talented footballers and features talented Brazilian forwards Adriano and Edgar, as well as a flair packed Argentinean midfield. Boasting some of the finest players in Latin football, Porto is tipped to top Group A.

Besiktas

Istanbul-based Besiktas have never won the Champions League, and are the underdogs of Group A. Besiktas qualified for the group stages of the Champions League courtesy of wins in the second and third qualifying round which saw them knock out FC Zurich and Moldovanian champions Sheriff Tiraspol.

Whilst Besiktas is short of star players they are capable of giant killings, having beaten Barcelona 3-0 in the 2000 Champions League. Although the club is unlikely to advance beyond the group stages they may complicate matters for the three teams striving for the top two spots in the group.

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