Messi favourite for UEFA best player award

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is the bookmakers' favourite to be named UEFA best player in Europe for 2014/15 on Thursday during the Champions League group-stage draw.

Despite Argentina losing in the Copa America final to Chile in July, a year after being beaten by Germany in the World Cup showpiece, Messi had a stellar season last term as Barcelona wrapped up the European Cup, La Liga and Spanish Cup treble.

He is up against 2014 world footballer of the year Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and his Barca teammate Luis Suarez.

Thursday's ceremony in Monte Carlo also includes the group-stage draw for this season's Champions League.

UEFA on Wednesday confirmed the top seeds would be Barcelona, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain, Zenit St Petersburg and PSV Eindhoven with the rest of the pots still uncertain with the final set of playoff games yet to be played.