Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham have earned automatic passage to the group stage this campaign, while Liverpool could be set to joint them if they can make it through the playoff.

The clubs are among the biggest spenders in European football and boast some of the game's best managers, including Antonio Conte, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp.

And Ancelotti -- a three-time winner of the competition -- says the presence of such strong sides will only make the tournament tougher to win this term.

"The Champions League this year will be more competitive because there are some really important English teams in the competition," said Ancelotti, who guided Real Madrid to their 10th overall title in 2014.

"United, City, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool -- I think, and I hope, for Jurgen [Klopp, Liverpool manager] to win qualification.

"The Champions League will surely be more competitive and more difficult to win."