Data is still somewhat of a dirty word in football. Traditional 'football men' will still tell you the only things that matter are those you can see with your own two eyes.
However, the power of technology in football is unquestionable, continuing to push the boundaries of what's possible and offering those marginal gains at the elite level that can be the difference between winning gold or silver.
Thanks to Opta's trusty supercomputer, we can look at this season's Champions League in incredible detail, with the data capable of predicting how this season's competition may turn out based on Opta's power rankings.
With all 32 teams now confirmed and the group stage draw having been completed, let's take a look at the supercomputer's predictions.
What's the toughest group?
Unsurprisingly, Newcastle United's 'group of death' containing AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain has been confirmed as the toughest group this year.
It has been 20 years since the Magpies have been in the Champions League and they couldn't have been much more unfortunate when the balls were drawn - PSG were Ligue 1 champions last season, Borussia Dortmund were Bundesliga runners-up on goal difference and AC Milan reached the semi-final of the competition last campaign.
Group C is the next toughest with record 14-time champions Real Madrid alongside Serie A winners Napoli, debutants Union Berlin and Portuguese outfit Braga. While Madrid and Napoli will be strong favourites to qualify, both Union Berlin and Braga have the capacity to cause an upset in Group C.
Out of the British sides other than Newcastle, it is Manchester City who have the hardest group - although that is likely because Man City are in it rather than as a result of their opponents. RB Leipzig will cause them problems, although the Sky Blues did put seven past them last season, but Red Star Belgrade and Swiss side Young Boys are unlikely to put a dent in their armour.
Who got lucky?
According to the computer, Group E is the simplest to navigate. That's good news for Brendan Rodgers and Celtic, although they will still be underdogs in a group that contains Atletico Madrid, Lazio and Dutch champions Feyenoord.
Xavi's Barcelona can also consider themselves fortunate, ranking in the second easiest group. La Blaugrana have been knocked out of the competition in the group stage in the last two seasons but will be strong, strong favourites to qualify ahead of Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp.
Out of the English sides, Manchester United have been luckiest after being drawn into a group that is considered slightly simpler than Arsenal's. While Bayern Munich will be favourites for top spot, the Red Devils should have no problems finishing above Galatasaray and Copenhagen.
Who are favourites?
You probably don't need a supercomputer to tell you that Man City are expected to retain their title this season. The Sky Blues lifted the trophy for the first time in June and are overwhelming favourites to do so for a second time.
Pep Guardiola's side have a 36.1% chance of lifting the trophy again, a whopping advantage when compared to the next favourites Bayern Munich with 10.2% odds of glory.
The German champions sit ahead of Arsenal who are third favourites with a 7% likelihood of winning a first Champions League trophy, while record champions Real Madrid have a 6.6% chance of a 15th title.
For the other English sides the prospects are slim. Manchester United come in at only 4.4%, while Newcastle have a 2.7% chance of a surprise trophy lift.
Out of the top 16 sides, it's PSV Eindhoven who have the lowest chance of winning the tournament, sitting at just 1.1%, narrowly below Benfica who have a 1.4% chance.
Top 16 teams' chances of winning Champions League
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This article was originally published on 90min as Supercomputer predicts 2023/24 Champions League after group stage draw.
