And just like that, the Champions League is almost back upon us.

It feels like the 2022/23 season is barely underway and yet suddenly here we are, braced for round after round of those spectacular midweek European nights once again.

The Champions League really is where it's at. Once those groups are drawn, the excitement levels go through the roof whether you're involved or not, with mammoth clashes galore suddenly on the horizon.

Europe's premier footballing competition gets underway in September and - as always - we're in for a treat early on with some huge clashes set to be played out in the group stages.

In group A, Liverpool have been pitted alongside Ajax, Napoli and Rangers who return to the competition for the first time in over a decade.

Meanwhile, we can look forward to two jousts between Bayern Munich and Barcelona in group C - a feisty tie considering it was Bayern who essentially forced Barcelona into a complete hard reset after demolishing them 8-2 in 2020.

Whether it be a matchup of two European heavyweights, dark horses slyly impressing or an early wobble for a top side, there are storylines galore in the competition.

Zaha to Chelsea ON (Football Terrace)

And with how much money and financing is involved in the Champions League, the stakes are never not obscenely high.

Being the ultimate competition in European football, every club is desperate to win the Champions League. So much so, that those with access to a significant pot of money will do everything they can to put together a squad they think can win the lot.

Money makes the world go round in football, but one thing that has been proven in the Champions League is that you cannot buy heritage. With that being said, some of the values of squads in the tournament as a result are absolutely wild.

A graphic has surfaced on Reddit which details the value of every squad, split up by groups, and the numbers are staggering.

The graphic comes courtesy of Transfermarkt and shows off the vast amounts of money that is spent to try and succeed in European competition, but also highlights how well 'smaller' sides do to hang around with the heavyweights on a shoestring budget. Take a look below.

Insane stuff. It's not a surprise to see that Manchester City are the squad with the highest value, but even still, that €1.01 billion figure is rather frightening.

It becomes even more absurd when you put it alongside the squad with the lowest value. Israeli outfit Maccabi Haifa take to the tournament with a squad worth just €18 million, and are pitted against Paris Saint-Germain (€900m), Juventus (€519m) and Benfica (256m) in group H.

Jack Grealish in action against Real Madrid

MADRID, SPAIN - MAY 04: Jack Grealish (R) of Manchester City FC competes for the ball with Dani Ceballos (L) of Real Madrid CF during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final Leg Two match between Real Madrid and Manchester City at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on May 04, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

Viktoria Plzen find themselves in a similar position over in group C. Their squad is said to be worth just €24m, but they have to compete with Inter (€611m), Barcelona (€795m) and Bayern Munich (€861m).

Even in their most perilous financial state, La Blaugrana have still found a way to boast one of the strongest and most costly squads in the tournament.

Rangers return to the Champions League with a squad valued at an impressive €130m, surpassing Glaswegian rivals Celtic whose squad is said to be worth closer to €99m over in group F.

Neither of the two sides with the highest valued squads have been able to win the Champions League yet, though, which is even more staggering and simply further proves the fact that you cannot buy your way to such an elite and prestigious competition.