5 storylines stemming from the Champions League group-stage draw

As the 2016-17 Champions League's group-stage participants were drawn out of a collection of transparent pots, rivals were pitted against one another and superheroes were scheduled to return to the places where they learned their superpowers.

The Champions League's group-stage draw always manufactures a myriad of storylines, and Thursday's event was no different. Pep Guardiola will return to the Camp Nou, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund will clash once again, and Cristiano Ronaldo will revisit the place where he made his professional debut.

Here are five storylines stemming from the Champions League's group-stage draw:

Guardiola returns to the Camp Nou

Two of Barcelona's five European conquests took place under Guardiola's command, and, before that, the Catalan radical helped the Blaugrana capture the 1991-92 European Cup as a soldier on the pitch, meaning he played a part in more than half of the club's European triumphs and is therefore synonymous with glory at the Camp Nou.

But this time around, Guardiola will be conspiring against Barcelona as he tries to conquer the Champions League.

Manchester City and Barcelona were drawn alongside each other in Group C, widely regarded as the group of death. The outcome means Guardiola will be entering the away club's dressing room at the Camp Nou, just like he did in the 2014-15 Champions League's semi-finals during his time at Bayern Munich. On that occasion, Pep fell to his former club 5-3 on aggregate.

Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid bump heads again

Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid went to battle in a captivating tie in the last edition of the Champions League. The frenetic second leg included a deflected free-kick from Xabi Alonso, a missed penalty kick by Thomas Muller, a crucial goal from Antoine Griezmann, a header by Robert Lewandowski, and another missed penalty courtesy of Fernando Torres.

In the end, Atleti won on away goals. But if Los Colchoneros' victory was revenge for the final of the 1973-74 European Cup, where Bayern defeated the Spanish club, then the German side will have its own shot at revenge in the coming months.

Bayern and Atleti were both drawn in Group D, and supporters can only hope that their two encounters provide a fraction of the entertainment that was on display when they last met.

Another round between Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund

Real Madrid and Dortmund just can't be separated. The two clubs met in the 2012-13 Champions League's group stage before meeting again in the semi-finals, and it was the German side that advanced to the final, defeating Los Blancos 4-3 on aggregate. One year later, they locked horns in the 2013-14 Champions League's quarter-finals, and the Spanish royalty exacted revenge with a 5-0 thrashing on aggregate.

Sure enough, history repeated itself Wednesday as Real Madrid was drawn next to Dortmund in Group F. The two fixtures will be of particular importance to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who admitted Los Blancos are the only club that could tempt him away from Signal Iduna Park after revealing that his childhood dream is to play for the Spanish club.

Cristiano Ronaldo visits club where he was produced

Sporting Clube de Portugal is where it all started for Ronaldo. It's the place where, while sporting dyed hair and an earring, the Portuguese virtuoso laid the foundation for one of football's most phenomenal careers.

More than 13 years since Ronaldo departed Sporting CP and put pen to paper on a contract with Manchester United as a teenager, Ronaldo will take a trip down memory lane as Real Madrid was drawn alongside the Portuguese club in Group F. Nostalgia will surely consume the superstar as he takes the pitch at Estadio Jose Alvalade as a 31-year-old.

It will be fascinating to see if Sporting CP's next generation of players can contain the club's greatest product.

Leicester City's Champions League debut

If Leicester City felt like an underdog while vanquishing the Premier League, the Foxes will feel like a minnow in the Champions League as they make their debut in European club football's top tournament.

Drawn alongside FC Porto, Club Brugge, and FC Copenhagen in Group G, Leicester can have no complaints about about the outcome of the draw, and its three opponents will provide a measure of just how well the Foxes' counter-attacking style of play fares outside of the Premier League.

The last time Leicester stamped its passport was the 2000-01 UEFA Cup, and the Foxes were quickly eliminated, falling in the first round at the hands of Red Star Belgrade. There's reason to believe the club can overcome the first hurdle in the Champions League, and anything is possible after that.