Blues are still favourites - Cech

Petr Cech has insisted Chelsea are favourites to win their Champions League group, despite their UEFA Super Cup mauling.

The Blues' hopes of retaining their European crown were thrown into doubt on Friday night when Europa League winners Atletico Madrid - who did not even manage to qualify for the Champions League - thrashed them 4-1 in Monaco. Juventus, Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Nordsjaelland - who Chelsea were drawn to meet in Group E on Thursday - will all have taken heart from that result. Blues and Czech Republic goalkeeper Cech told the club's official website: "I think it's a very interesting draw, and a very difficult draw as there are teams with a lot of European experience in Juventus and Shakhtar, and the Danish team who are for the first time in the Champions League and wanting to win every game, but we are European champions and favourites in the group. "Juventus have a new stadium and it will be a big challenge for us. "I have shared a room with my Czech national team-mate Tomas Hubschmann so I know a lot about Shakhtar. It will be nice to play against him for the first time and I hope I am going to win. Shakhtar also have Willian, who everyone knows about. In fact, they have a lot of good players so, as I said, we know it will be difficult but we are European champions."