Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld are among a stellar field at the Champions League of Darts. Here's our darts expert Chris Hammer's player-by-player guide...
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Group A
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN
- Nickname: Mighty Mike
- Date of Birth: April 25 1989
- Nationality: Dutch
- Seeding: 1
- World Ranking (July 10): 1
- Walk-on music: Seven Nation Army, White Stripes
- Sky Bet odds: 4/5
- Career highlights: 2x World Champion (2014 & 2017), 2x World Matchplay champion (2015, 2016), 3x Premier League champion (2013, 2016, 2017), 3x World Grand Prix champion (2012, 2014, 2016), 2x UK Open champion (2015, 2016), 2x Grand Slam of Darts champion (2015, 2016), 3x European champion (2014, 2015, 2016), 3x Masters champion (2015, 2016, 2017), 3x Players Championship Finals champion ( 2013, 2015, 2016), 2x World Cup winner (2014, 2017) & over 50 other PDC titles!
This man needs no introduction does he? The fact he's only 28 and he's achieved all the above already says it all really.
By his incredibly high standards, MVG hasn't even had it all his own way this year despite winning 13 PDC titles and his crushing 16-6 defeat to Phil Taylor at the World Matchplay this summer will have hurt him.
He also lost twice to the Power during last year's Champions League of Darts and therefore has the perfect chance of revenge having been drawn alongside the retiring legend this weekend.
What does he say? "I have been playing very well since my month's break, and becoming a dad has made me focus more and be more relaxed at the same time – that is when I play my best darts. Of course, I want to put right what went wrong in my last TV tournament when I lost to Phil Taylor in Blackpool and I'm going to get the chance to do that in Cardiff. Everyone will be talking about that match between myself and Phil but I am not concentrating just on that - it would be silly to write off Adrian Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld."
Prediction: Almost certain to reach the final and if it's against Taylor then we're in for a treat!
Now, enjoy his two nine-darters in one match earlier this year...
PHIL TAYLOR
- Nickname: The Power
- Date of Birth: August 13 1960
- Nationality: England
- Seeding: 4
- World Ranking (September 11): 4
- Walk-on music: I've Got The Power, Snap
- Sky Bet odds: 5/1
- Career highlights: 14x PDC World Champion (1995-2002, 2004-2006, 2009, 2010, 2013), 2x BDO World Champion (1990, 1992), 16x World Matchplay champion (1995, 1997, 2000-2004, 2006, 2008-2014, 2017), 11x World Grand Prix champion (1998-2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013), 5x UK Open champion (2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2013), 6x Grand Slam of Darts champion (2007-2009, 2011, 2013, 2014), 6x Premier League champion (2005-2008, 2010, 2012), 4x European Champion (2008-2011), 3x Players Championship Finals champion (2009, 2011, 2012), Masters champion (2013), Champions League of Darts champion (2016), 4x World Cup winner (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016), over 100 other PDC titles
Phil Taylor has clearly achieved it all but it was last year's superb Champions League of Darts success which ended a barren run of over two years without a prestigious TV title.
Beating MVG twice across the weekend renewed everyone's belief that he could still seriously challenge for the big titles but to do that in 2017 he's had to take a very selective approach to the tournaments he enters in a bid to stay as fresh as possible.
The strategy worked a treat at the World Matchplay this summer, when he thrashed the likes of Barney, MVG, Adrian Lewis and then Peter Wright to claim his 16th Blackpool title - so would you really be surprised if he comes out on top again?
What does he say? "It was fantastic to win the Champions League last year and it would be wonderful to win it again this weekend. It's a great event and it should be a good weekend in Cardiff. It's eight great players and our group's fantastic with Michael, Adrian and Barney, so it should be exciting. I want to get off to a good start against Adrian and then see what happens from there."
Prediction: Another title!
Here's a great clip from one of his many duels with Raymond van Barneveld, who he will of course face in the group stages this weekend.
ADRIAN LEWIS
- Nickname: Jackpot
- Date of Birth: January 21 1985
- Nationality: English
- Seeding: 5
- World Ranking (September 11): 5
- Walk-on music: Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag, Pigbag
- Sky Bet odds: 25/1
- Career highlights: 2x World Champion (2011, 2012), UK Open champion (2014), European champion (2013), 4x World Cup winner (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016), 17 other PDC titles, runner-up in 10 majors including 2011 Premier League & 2016 World Championship
Two-time world champion Adrian Lewis may have endured a couple of lean years in terms of winning titles but he did upset the odds by reaching the World Matchplay semi-finals despite having just returned from a back operation.
There were times he struggled with pain during that run so he decided to rest up and this will be his first appearance since Blackpool.
What does he say? "I can't wait to get back playing again - it feels like ages since Blackpool but I'm excited. To get so far in the World Matchplay despite it only being a couple of weeks after the operation showed what I can do. This will be tough because there are three other great players in my group but I'm really looking forward to it. I've been working hard in practice in the last couple of weeks and I want to get back up on stage now."
Prediction: On his day he's clearly a great talent but will be very hard for him to get out of the group if he's even slightly rusty.
Partial to hitting nine-darters, here's one of his best...
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
- Nickname: Barney
- Date of Birth: April 20 1967
- Nationality: Dutch
- Seeding: 8
- World Ranking (September 11): 9
- Walk-on music: Eye of The Tiger, Survivor
- Sky Bet odds: 33/1
- Career highlights: PDC World Champion (2007), 4x BDO world champion (1998, 1999, 2003, 2005), 2x UK Open champion (2006, 2007), Premier League champion (2014), Grand Slam of Darts champion (2012), 3x World Cup winner (2010, 2014, 2017), 20 other PDC titles, runner-up in eight majors including the World Championship, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix
Everybody loves Raymond.
And everybody loves his matches against his greatest rivals in Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen so it's a good job he's in this group!
Prediction: Great to watch when he produces his best but a lack of consistency these days means he's hardly winning any titles. Expect flashes of brilliance but ending in disappointment.
All Barney fans will enjoy this...
GROUP B
GARY ANDERSON
- Nickname: The Flying Scotsman
- Date of Birth: December 22 1970
- Nationality: Scottish
- Seeding: 2
- World Ranking (September 11): 2
- Walk-on music: Jump Around, House of Pain
- Sky Bet odds: 9/2
- Career highlights: 2x World Champion (2015, 2016), 2x Premier League champion (2011, 2015), Players Championship Finals champion (2014), over 30 other PDC titles, runner-up in eight other major finals including the World Championship, UK Open & World Grand Prix
The Flying Scotsman obviously has the explosive scoring power, lethal finishing and high checkout ability to beat absolutely anyone.
He defeated MVG in the final of the Dubai Darts Masters earlier this year and recently turned on the style to capture the Perth Darts Masters title by defeating Raymond van Barneveld, so he's clearly finding his form at this crucial stage of the season.
Prediction: He does have history of suffering shock exits (like his UK Open defeat to Paul Hogan), so don't count it out but I'm confident he'll top the group and a semi-final with either Taylor or MVG will be very hard to call.
Vintage Anderson...
PETER WRIGHT
- Nickname: Snakebite
- Date of Birth: March 10 1970
- Nationality: Scottish
- Seeding: 3
- World Ranking (September 11): 3
- Walk-on music: Don't Stop The Party, Pitbull
- Sky Bet odds: 6/1
- Career highlights: UK Open champion (2017), World Championship runner-up (2014), Premier League runner-up (2017), 16 non-televised PDC titles and four more televised final appearances.
Snakebite finally ended his wait for a major televised title when landing the UK Open during a stunning first half of the season which saw him win nine titles.
He beat MVG in two of those finals, including a 6-0 whitewash in the European Darts Grand Prix, but he choked against the Dutchman when the Premier League title was on the line, missing SIX match darts before going on to lose 11-10!
The titles have dried up since July but many have put this down to constantly changing his darts. According to his recent quotes below, he's going back to basics...
What does he say? (Via Love The Darts podcast): "My preparation is going pretty good so far. I've gone by to my diamond darts and I'm looking forward to the Champions League. My form was really good at the beginning of the year with my diamond darts but I wanted to try other things; obviously it hasn't worked. I've been on the board this week and the old darts fit like a glove. I shouldn't change but I hate using them!"
"Winning nine tournaments is fantastic. Some players one win one tournament a year, so to win nine and with plenty more to go - and going back to my old darts that I feel more comfortable with - I want to pass that number ten and hopefully become one of those legends of darts who have actually got over ten tournaments in a year, like Michael, Phil, John Part. To join that elite club of winning ten tournaments or more in a year, I'd be pretty honoured."
Prediction: If it is simply down to his choice of darts then he may well have a chance. But I won't be backing him this weekend.
DAVE CHISNALL
- Nickname: Chizzy
- Date of Birth: September 12 1980
- Nationality: English
- Seeding: 6
- World Ranking (September 11): 6
- Walk-on music: Dizzy, Vic Reeves & Wonderstuff
- Sky Bet odds: 33/1
- Career highlights: World Grand Prix runner-up (2013), Grand Slam of Darts runner-up (2014), Masters runner-up (2016), Players Championship Finals runner-up (2016), winner of 12 non-televised PDC titles
Chizzy is still waiting for his maiden televised title but the longer his career at this level goes on without one, the harder it gets. Especially with so many good young players rising up the ranks.
Always good for a 180 or plenty, the St Helens thrower is one of the most popular players on the circuit - both with his fellow pros and the fans - so should he finally ever get the job done, there won't be many dry eyes in the house.
Prediction: Group stage exit, sadly
MENSUR SULJOVIC
- Nickname: The Gentle
- Date of Birth: March 05 1972
- Nationality: Austrian
- Seeding: 7
- World Ranking (September 11): 7
- Walk-on music: Simply The Best, Tina Turner
- Sky Bet odds: 40/1
- Career highlights: European Championship runner-up (2016), winner of one non-televised PDC title
The Austrian has been around a while but it's only been the last few years that he's started breaking into the latter stages of the bigger events.
He got thrashed by MVG in his only ever major final at the European Championship while he's enjoyed runs to the semi-finals of the 2015 World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals plus he made it to the quarters of this year's World Matchplay.
His slow style can make life awkward for his quicker opponents and he has plenty of talent to spring a surprise.
Prediction: Probably won't get out of the group
This is how Suljovic won the only PDC title of his career last year and oh how it's a sickener for Kim Huybrechts!
