Chelsea return from a two-year Champions League exile to the scene of their greatest triumph, taking on Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
It's been 13 years since their last-gasp win over Bayern in the 2012 final, and Enzo Maresca's side arrive as reigning FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Conference League champions to kick off their European campaign this season.
Having started their Premier League season with two draws in four London derbies, Chelsea face quite the task against in-form Bayern, who have won all five of their games this season, scoring 19 and conceding five. Vincent Kompany's Bayern side have already won silverware this season by lifting the German Super Cup and sit atop the Bundesliga after three games.
Cole Palmer and Moisés Caicedo shrugged off injuries to feature in Chelsea's 2-2 draw against Brentford over the weekend, with deadline-day signing Alejandro Garnacho also making a late cameo. Maresca also admitted that João Pedro wasn't fully fit against Brentford, which complicates his striking options given Liam Delap's injury and Nicolas Jackson's move to Bayern on loan. Jackson is eligible to face his parent club, but with Harry Kane involved in 11 goals (eight goals, three assists) in five games this season, the Senegal striker is unlike to feature.
Kompany has a bit of a mini-crisis at left-back with Raphaël Guerreiro coming off with a rib injury in Bayern's 5-0 win over Hamburg over the weekend. Given Alphonso Davies is recovering from an ACL injury, Josip Stanisic will have to deputise in that role. Jamal Musiala also misses out on a Chelsea reunion after his horrific leg injury during the Club World Cup.
Bayern start their UCL campaign with an impressive record to defend, having won their opening game for the last 21 seasons in a row. They also have the edge over Chelsea since the loss in 2012, having won all four games since, including a 7-1 aggregate win in 2020.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the game.
How to watch:
The match will be available on TNT Sports in the U.K., Paramount+ in the United States, Stan Sport in Australia, and SonyLIV in India. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key Details:
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m. ET; 12:30 a.m. IST, Sunday and 5 a.m. AEST, Sunday).
Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich
Referee: José María Sánchez (Spain)
VAR: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain)
Team news:
Bayern Munich
Raphaël Guerreiro, D: ribs, est. return mid-Oct
Hiroki Ito, D: foot, est. return late-Sep
Jamal Musiala, M: leg, est. return late-Nov
Alphonso Davies, D: ACL, est. return early-Dec
Chelsea
Benoît Badiashile, D: leg, doubt
Dário Essugo, M: thigh, est. return late-Nov
Liam Delap, F: hamstring, est. return mid-Nov
Levi Colwill, D: ACL, OUT, est. late-Apr
Romeo Lavia, M: strain, est. return late-Sep
Expected Lineups:
Bayern Munich
GK: Manuel Neuer
RB: Konrad Laimer | CB: Dayot Upamecano | CB: Jonathan Tah | LB: Josip Stanisic
CM: Leon Goretzka | CM: Joshua Kimmich
RW: Serge Gnabry | CAM: Michael Olise | LW: Luis Díaz
CF: Harry Kane
Chelsea
GK: Robert Sánchez
RB: Reece James | CB: Trevoh Chalobah | CB: Tosin Adarabioyo | LB: Marc Cucurella
CM: Moisés Caicedo | CM: Enzo Fernández
RW: Pedro Neto | CAM: Cole Palmer | LW: Alejandro Garnacho
CF: João Pedro
Stats:
Only Barcelona (4) have defeated Chelsea more times than Bayern Munich (3) in UEFA competitions.
Bayern have lost only one of their last ten games (8-1-1, W-D-L) against English teams at home (1-3 vs Liverpool in 2019). Chelsea have won seven of their last eleven games against German teams (7-2-2, W-D-L).
Joshua Kimmich leads the UCL in completed passes (2525) and chances created (83) over the last three seasons.
Bayern Munich are unbeaten in their last 34 home UCL group stage / league phase games. They last tasted defeat in 2013, when Kompany was on the bench for Manchester City in a 3-2 win.
The last time Bayern Munich did not win on Matchday 1 of the UCL was in September 2022, when they lost to Deportivo La Coruna.
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