Chelsea [ Images ] and Barcelona [ Images ] take centre stage on Tuesday when the Champions League [ Images ] group stage kicks off with eight matches.

Inter Milan [ Images ] and Liverpool are also in action while clubs from Romania and Cyprus make their debuts in the continent's premier club tournament.

• Schedule: Champions League

Last season's runners-up Chelsea take on Bordeaux in Group A with manager Luiz Felipe Scolari [ Images ] hoping to mark his debut in the competition with a victory after an impressive start to his tenure at Stamford Bridge [ Images ].

Barcelona, who had to qualify for the group phase, host Sporting Lisbon [ Images ] in the Nou Camp in Group C.

Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan travel to Greece to play Panathinaikos while Liverpool are in action in Marseille [ Images ] where they won 4-0 last season to reach the last 16.