A new era of the Champions League gets underway this week, with the first round of fixtures in the new-look league phase taking place across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Every team will now play eight matches against eight different opponents in their bids to reach the knockout rounds of the competition by finishing high up enough in the 36-team league.

The draw has thrown up some mouth-watering fixtures within the league phase, with some of Europe's biggest names pitted against each other from the outset of this year's competition.

Even so, many familiar names continue to crop up when discussing which team will go on to lift the trophy at the Allianz Arena in May.

Here, members of the Sports Mole team give their picks for which club they believe will be crowned the inaugural champions of the new-look competition.

Barney Corkhill - Real Madrid

I would really love to back a less obvious choice or see a dark horse emerge to win it this season, but it's difficult to ignore the fact that two clubs - Real Madrid and Manchester City - stand out as comfortably the clearest favourites for the trophy.

Man City are looking imperious already - ominous for everyone who has still finished second-best to them in recent seasons despite a slower start than Pep Guardiola's side have enjoyed this year.

However, it has now got to the stage where is seems foolish to back anyone but Real Madrid.

For many years I have felt that they surely cannot do it yet again in this competition, having lifted the trophy despite not being the best team in it on numerous occasions, yet they continually manage to find a way.

This year they can actually lay a claim to being the best team in the competition on paper too, so their chances of success seem even higher than previous seasons when they have ended up getting their hands on the grand prize anyway.

There is also the Carlo Ancelotti factor; many may put Guardiola above him in the all-time ranking of managers, but in this competition specifically there is no-one who knows how to win it like Ancelotti does.

Couple that with a team containing some of the players who have won the competition more than anyone else, and the seemingly mystical sense the club itself carries in the Champions League, and I have to go for the same old winners despite the new-look format.

Matt Law - Real Madrid

Real Madrid were the best side in Europe last season, and they have now added a certain Kylian Mbappe to their squad.

It would be fair to say that it has not quite clicked for Los Blancos in the early stages of the campaign, but the strength of their team is just ridiculous, and it is tough to look past them when it comes to the Champions League this season.

The biggest challenge should come from Manchester City, while Bayern Munich cannot be discounted, but Real Madrid are the favourites alongside the reigning Premier League champions.

It is incredible to think that Real Madrid could win a 16th European Cup next year, but this is their competition, and it is so difficult to look past a side including the likes of Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham.

Jonathan O'Shea - Man City

With the possibility that this could be Pep Guardiola's last year in Manchester, minds will be fully focused on reclaiming top spot in Europe following City's painful exit to Real Madrid last season.

Having added Kylian Mbappe to their ranks since beating Borussia Dortmund in the final, the reigning champions are strong contenders again, while question marks remain over the staying power of others such as Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Liverpool and Inter.

So, it could be a straight shootout between the Champions League's two most recent winners to take the crown in 2025.

Carter White - Man City

Despite the revamped format of the competition expanding the list of potential winners from 32 to 36, I can only envisage a couple of the usual suspects lifting European football's biggest honour in Munich on May 31.

Recruiting Kylian Mbappe and Endrick over the summer, current holders Real Madrid have match-winners coming from all angles, whilst also possessing the ability to grind out results against the competition's well-oiled machines.

Speaking of which, the Arne Slot era at Liverpool started superbly until their slip-up at the weekend, and the Reds could pose a serious threat to Los Blancos' European crown should the Anfield club manage to keep their first XI injury-free.

However, my winners for this season's Champions League are Manchester City, who are arguably the best team to ever grace the Premier League, desperate now to double their triumph tally in this competition.

Joel Lefevre - Man City

With all the pending charges against Man City and a potential exit for star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and manager Pep Guardiola at the end of this season, what would be a better send-off than another Champions League title?

The Sky Blues still have the personnel to get it done, and they got over the line in 2022-23, and with it, they cleared a massive psychological hurdle, shedding the label of Champions League underachievers.

They've got the best pure goalscorer in Erling Haaland, and he's still got the supporting cast to give him the proper service.

They will be challenged heavily by Real Madrid, of course, but given the uncertainty at City in a few months, I believe that'll be the added motivation they need to win the Champions League once again.

Marvellous Adepoju - Man City

The English champions relinquished their continental crown last season but remain one of the favourites to go all the way this term around.

With Erling Haaland looking probably the sharpest he has in a City shirt, I wouldn't bet against Pep Guardiola's men reigning supreme in Europe for the second time in three years.

Lewis Nolan - Real Madrid

It might be the obvious answer but Real Madrid have proven time and again that they know how to win when it matters most, and who else can claim to have match winners like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior?