Favorites are clear in Champions League group stage

AC Milan was dealt a relatively easy draw, and can count on Ronaldo in the Champions League (he was cup-tied in '06-07). AP

MAILBAG Gabriele Marcotti will periodically answer questions from SI.com users in his mailbag. Your name: Your e-mail address: Your home town: Enter your question:

Some people in the U.S. marvel at the popularity of the NFL Draft on television and the "drama" of watching team officials scratching their chins before deciding which obscure offensive lineman to choose with the 17th pick in the seventh round.

The Champions League draw is, in some ways, the soccer equivalent. All the bigwigs are there, silly awards are handed out (Paolo Maldini deserves all the special "career awards" in the world, but nobody in their right mind would argue that he was the best defender in the Champions League last season) and we watch guys picking little balls out of bowls.

Then, after the groups are revealed, we listen attentively as club officials tell us that "there are no easy opponents," that "they respect everyone but fear no one" and, my personal favorite, "Italian/Spanish/English/Ukrainian teams are always tough."

Wouldn't it be great if, just once, somebody came out and said: "I am freaking over the moon at having drawn Rosenborg because, frankly, they stink, and they'll be the patsy in our group"?

Won't happen, of course. But then someone has to make predictions, so here's my roundup of what went down in Monaco and who I think will advance out of each group.

Before you bombard me with hate mail, bear in mind that I had to account for a few upsets -- apologies in advance to fans of PSV, Lyon and Lazio. (Click here to see the full draw.)

Group A

Liverpool is sitting pretty, having added Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel and Andriy Voronin. Marseille had a rotten start to the season and miss Frank Ribéry. FC Porto has the tools to weather the departure of Pepe and Anderson, but with so many new players, questions abound. Besiktas, on the other hand, is largely unchanged and is tough to play against tactically. It should be a close run for second place:

Advancing: Liverpool, Porto

Group B

A tough group, Chelsea vs. Valencia is going to be one of the best matchups of the group stage. Chelsea (which added Florent Malouda to the mix) and Valencia (which was decimated by injuries last season) look a notch stronger than Schalke 04, just by virtue of keeping their guys healthy. Schalke should have won the Bundesliga last year before imploding at the end and will no doubt miss Lincoln and Hamit Altintop. Rosenborg is back after a brief absence but, once again, it looks like it's just along for the ride.

Advancing: Chelsea, Valencia

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