Manchester City begin their defence of the Champions League on Tuesday when the group stage kicks off in the last season in its current format as Europe's elite club competition gets ready for a radical change.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said Monday his time in the team as a player helped set a high bar which the club are now struggling to reach in the Champions League.

An obsession with winning the Champions League would only hurt Paris St Germain, manager Luis Enrique said on the eve of the Ligue 1 side's group-stage clash with Borussia Dortmund.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar has won France's player of the year award four times in a row and been Ligue 1's top scorer in five straight seasons, but his contract dispute with the champions has dominated headlines all summer

On Tuesday night, with the visitors two goals up, tensions rose as Maccabi fans launched flares onto the pitch in the Centenary Stadium in Ta' Qali in Malta in response to the Maltese supporters' chants

Lionel Messi has called his start at former club Paris Saint-Germain "very tough", dubbing two successive failed Champions League bids a "massive disappointment".

City players soaked their already drenched fans with champagne during the delayed open-top bus parade that marked the club's most successful season -- when they followed their victorious runs in the FA Cup and Premier League with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan that secured them their first European Cup title.

"Unbelievable. Difficult to put anything in words. Today, we made history," Gundogan told BT Sport

"We do have regrets because defeat is the worst thing in sport but I have to congratulate my lads," Inzaghi said after the final was decided by a solitary second-half goal from Rodri

Guardiola has now emulated Alex Ferguson, whose Manchester United side also swept to a Premier League/FA Cup/Champions League treble in 1999, and has delivered 12 major trophies for City

Manchester City are on the brink of a historic treble as Pep Guardiola targets Champions League vindication in Saturday's final against Inter Milan.

Inter will contest in Istanbul their first Champions League final since last winning the competition 13 years ago, but City are heavy favourites to be crowned kings of Europe for the first time

With City aiming to become only the second English club to complete the treble, and emulate Manchester United's 1999 feat, Gundogan's focus quickly switched to the showdown in Istanbul against Inter Milan

Kevin de Bruyne's legacy will not be defined by the outcome of Saturday's Champions League final, the midfielder said ahead of Manchester City's showdown against Serie A side Inter Milan in Istanbul.

Manchester City's Rodri says he is playing his best soccer as his team bids to claim a historic treble when the Premier League champions face Inter Milan in Saturday's Champions League final.

"I think Pep said that you will not be 'big, big' if you don't win in Europe. It's the exam we have to pass again," said the Spanish international

Guardiola's men have already secured a third consecutive Premier League title and can equal Manchester United's unique 1999 treble if they beat Inter Milan in next week's Champions League final in Istanbul

"Our focus now, however, is on resting, recovering and being fully prepared for next weekend’s Champions League final," said Gundogan

Giroud guided home a brilliant header from Davide Calabria's cross in the 40th minute to guarantee Milan at least fourth place and complete Italy's line-up in Europe's top club competition next season

Simone Inzaghi's side rose to second in Serie A after winning the Italian Cup on Wednesday with an entertaining win over Atalanta after an early blitz from Romelu Lukaku and Nicolo Barella followed by Lautaro Martinez's simple finish in the 77th minute