Where is the 'Group of Death' this season?

(CNN) -- The draw for the Champions League group stages has become a bigger and bigger event in recent seasons and this year's ceremony proved no different.

Hosted by CNN's very own Pedro Pinto, with the help of such such football luminaries as Eusebio, Sir Bobby Charlton and Cristiano Ronaldo, the 32 teams were split into eight groups of four, all with the dream of emulating last season's winners Manchester United.

For some teams, that dream looks unlikely to ever become reality.

For the likes of Cypriot champions Anorthosis Famagusta (who knocked out regular entrants Olympiakos), Romanian champions CFR Cluj and BATE Borisov, the first-ever side from Belarus to reach this stage, just being able to dine at Europe's top table is enough of a dream.

However, for those teams with realistic ambitions of lifting the trophy in Rome in May, Thursday represented an opportunity to meet up with old foes and hope upon hope that they wouldn't be the ones drawn in the obligatory 'Group of Death' that always manifests itself on such lavish occasions.

Group H led the 'Death March' for most of the draw as Spanish and Italian giants Real Madrid and Juventus were left cursing their luck after being drawn with the dangerous Russians Zenit St Petersburg -- last year's UEFA Cup winners.

However, the inclusion of minnows BATE gives the group a slightly less
menacing appearance, although Zenit's impressive form last season could well consign one of Europe's famous names to the UEFA Cup.

Groups A, B and C are also not worthy of the 'killer' tag. Chelsea and Roma should ease past Bordeaux and Cluj in Group A, while Inter are certainties to reach the last 16 from Group B, along with either Werder Bremen or Greek side Panathinaikos.

Group C looks Barcelona's for the taking, with Sporting Lisbon and Shakhtar Donetsk scrapping for the other place, while Dynamo Kiev's appearance in Group D makes Arsenal's task slightly trickier -- although the Gunners will be expected to progress along with either Porto or Fenerbahce.

Group E is interesting in as much as champions United will face a 'Battle of Britain' clash with Celtic. Despite this, United should qualify with 2006 semifinalists Villarreal probably booked for the other place and Danish side Aalborg propping up the rest.

This leaves Groups D and F.

Group F had a nasty sting in its tail when Fiorentina came out of the hat as the fourth seeds. Although not blessed with masses of European pedigree, the Florence-based side are quite useful and in Adrian Mutu they possess a striker at the peak of his form.

Top seeds Lyon and second seeds Bayern Munich, back in the competition after last season's brief sojourn in the UEFA Cup, will have hoped for different opponents for that final place.

The group's final team is Steaua Bucharest, and although not the force of old which saw the Romanian side lift the trophy in the 1980's, a trip to Bucharest is still not something to take lightly.

So, stand up Group D, the winners -- in my eyes anyway -- of this season's 'Group of Death' title.

The seeded team are Liverpool, but they look under real threat after struggling past Standard Liege to reach the last 32. Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven have a sound Champions League pedigree, while the improving Marseille are realistic challengers to Lyon's recent monopoly of the French league title.

Then there is Atletico Madrid. The big-spending Spanish side are really lookinhg to make their mark in Europe this season but things looked bleak when they were drawn against experienced Champions-Leaguer's Schalke in the final preliminary round.

A 1-0 first round deficit made their hopes look even more remote, yet a stunning 4-0 victory at the Vicente Calderon stadium ensured they secured their place in convincing style and they look to have a realistic chance of reaching the last 16.