The fairest way to determine the best team in sports is through a structured league where each team plays every team once home and once away, like all the major European soccer leagues. But in terms of excitement, nothing beats a good old-fashioned tournament.

Today, the grandest of all tournaments (with respects to NCAA basketball) kicks off across Europe as the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League begins in earnest.

This year’s tournament will be a bit different for American viewers. With Fox Soccer Channel going the way of QPR, games will now be on FOX Sports Southwest and FOX Sports 1. Today’s action includes Bayern Munich-CSKA Moscow on FSSW and Manchester United-Bayer Leverkusen on FS1 at 1:30 p.m. (Tomorrow brings Celtic-AC Milan and Barcelona-Ajax.)

Defending champion Bayern Munich have to enter as one of the favorites, having added might in midfield while bringing in one of the best coaches in the world in Pep Guardiola.

Their group (also including under-achieving Manchester City and Viktoria Plzen) shouldn’t provide much challenge to advance.

However Munich can’t overlook their league rivals Borussia Dortmund, who are off to a cracking Bundesliga start having scored six on Saturday. Dortmund, defeated by Munich in the UCL final last spring, was drawn into the Group of Death with perennial round-of-16 qualifier Arsenal, Serie A leader Napoli and Marseille.

Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are always definite threats, having both reached the semifinals last year. Madrid is boosted by record-signing Gareth Bale from Tottenham, but the team confused fans and players alike by selling creative lynch-pin Mesut Ozil to Arsenal. Barcelona meanwhile brought in the exciting Neymar to star beside Lionel Messi, though defensive issues remain.

Man U, Chelsea and big-spending Paris Saint-Germain are also all easy picks to advance through easy groups.

The Round of 16 draw is December 13 and begins February 18. This year’s final is in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 24.

SOCCER SNIPPETS

SUNDAY NIGHT VIEWING: ESPN FC’s hour-long episode at 11:30 p.m. is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows of the week. It’s a great breakdown of the entire weekend of soccer across the world.

The show isn’t too narrow-minded; it concentrates on European leagues but doesn’t focus entirely on the English Premier League like many English-language programs. It’s a good mix of analysis and highlights. My one complaint is that it jumps around a bit too much.

The show is just behind Breaking Bad (what an episode this week!) as my favorite Sunday viewing and just ahead of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. And yes, that includes anything the NFL can supply, even if my Houston Texans are putting on a clinic of dramatic football finishes.

LIVERPOOL ON TOP: With four games in the books, Liverpool is on top of the EPL standings and it comes down to one word: pragmatism.

While the Reds still have the nice passing manager Brendan Rodgers desires, they’re first in the league because they’re defending leads and holding on to what they have.

Liverpool’s 10 points (just ahead of the nine shared by London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham) have come from just five goals. The Reds have three 1-0 wins and on Monday they opted to play for the tie at Swansea City, which honestly gifted Liverpool two goals in the 2-2 draw.

Much like pass-happy Arsenal’s increased focus on defense aided the Gunners’ surge into the final Champions League spot at the end of last season, Liverpool may have found the balance it needs return to the UCL for the first time since 2010 — a long time for the five-time European champions.