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Manchester United are back in their “natural habitat” in the Champions League and are up for the challenge of playing against the best teams in Europe, manager Jose Mourinho said.

United had failed to qualify for the Champions League for Mourinho’s debut campaign but their Europa League triumph last season secured a return to Europe’s elite competition.

The Old Trafford outfit begin their campaign today, hosting Swiss side FC Basle in the opening group stage match.

“Being back in the Champions League is going back to the natural habitat. Manchester United (have been there) season after season,” Mourinho told reporters. “Motivation is very high.”

“We have to try to go to the last 16 and enjoy that special knock-out phase with the best teams in Europe.”

The Portuguese boss believes his team are in good form after starting their league campaign with three wins and a draw.

Mourinho says he loves the packed Christmas schedule that English teams have and believes they cannot use the busy schedule as an excuse for poor Champions League performances.

“We have no winter break, and in other countries there is a winter break, but that’s cultural — it means a lot, and I have to admit I love it,” he added.

“But no complaining this is what we have, we have squads and if we think they’re tired we play with other players.”

Mourinho also said he was not surprised by the sacking of Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer after just four league games in charge.

“In football, nothing surprises me. I was sacked as a champion, (Claudio) Ranieri was sacked as a champion, Frank de Boer is sacked after four games,” Mourinho said. “Next season something incredible will happen again.”

Defenders Eric Bailly and Phil Jones are serving suspensions and will be replaced by Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof at the centre of defence for today’s game, while midfielder Marouane Fellaini is a doubt as he recovers from a calf injury.

Meanwhile, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde warned against snap judgements on his side and Juventus’ Champions League aspirations despite losing key players in the transfer market.

The sides meet in their competition opener today in a rematch of a quarterfinal clash won 3-0 on aggregate by Juventus last season.

Barca are still coming to terms with the loss of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain for a world record €222-million fee.

But Juventus have also seen the team that reached last season’s Champions League final weakened by PSG snapping up Dani Alves and Leonardo Bonucci’s move to AC Milan.

“They have lost Bonucci but they remain a very strong, good team,” said Valverde yesterday.

“I can see the comments of comparing squads to previous seasons are the same in every country.

“People look at transfers and decide if a squad is stronger or weaker, but the time to do that is at the end of the season.”

Juventus are also without the injured Giorgio Chiellini and Mario Mandzukic, but like Barca, have won all three of their league games this season to sit top of Serie A.

“In football every season is different from the last,” said Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.

“The players change because that’s how things go, but what counts are the results.

“Right now Juve can’t do more than nine points in the league and Barca have done the same.”

Despite the distraction of a chaotic summer off the field and ongoing calls for club president Josep Maria Bartomeu to step down, Barca have started La Liga in fine form.

Fixtures
Today: Celtic v PSG (Celtic Park 20:45), Benfica v CSKA Moskva (Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica (da Luz) 20:45), Manchester United v Basel (Old Trafford 20:45), Olympiakos Piraeus v Sporting CP (Stadio Georgios Karaiskáki 20:45), Bayern München v Anderlecht (Allianz-Arena 20:45), Roma v Atlético Madrid (Stadio Olimpico 20:45), Chelsea v Qaraba (Stamford Bridge 20:45), Barcelona v Juventus (Camp Nou 20:45).

Tomorrow: Maribor v Spartak Moskva (Ljudski vrt 20:45), Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund (Wembley Stadium 20:45), RB Leipzig v Monaco (Red Bull Arena 20:45), Feyenoord v Manchester City (Stadion Feijenoord 20:45), Shakhtar Donetsk v Napoli (Oblasny SportKomplex Metalist 20:45), Liverpool v Sevilla (Anfield 20:45), Porto v Beşiktaş (Estádio Do Dragão 20:45), Real Madrid v APOEL (Estadio Santiago Bernabéu 20:45). — © Reuters.