Bayern’s rampant form poses huge test for Chelsea’s Champions League return | OneFootball

Chelsea could hardly have asked for a tougher reintroduction to the Champions League. Their reward for ending a two-year absence is a trip to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich, a side that has turned the opening round of the competition into a personal playground.

Bayern have not lost a home group or league phase game in over a decade and have won their opening fixture in each of the past 22 campaigns. That record tells you everything about the challenge Enzo Maresca’s side face on Wednesday night.

Vincent Kompany’s men are not only unbeaten but rampant. Five wins from five in the Bundesliga, a Super Cup already in the bag, and a 5-0 thrashing of Hamburg at the weekend underline the form they are in. Bayern look relentless, and they are already one of the favourites to go all the way.

Chelsea, by contrast, have looked solid but not yet convincing. They have avoided defeat in their opening league games, but two frustrating derby draws have already raised questions about their cutting edge.

Against Brentford on Saturday they were undone by a long throw, a reminder of how vulnerable they still are to basic lapses.

The squad has talent, no doubt. Winning the Conference League last season and lifting the Club World Cup showed progress. But this is a very different stage, against opponents who have been here year after year.

Bayern know how to handle these nights. For Chelsea, it is about rediscovering that muscle memory of Europe’s biggest stage.

The subplot of Nicolas Jackson only adds intrigue. Loaned to Bayern for the season, he could feature against his parent club just weeks after leaving Stamford Bridge.

Kompany admitted he spoke to the striker about Chelsea but also stressed he has studied them in depth. That detail reflects Bayern’s professionalism. They leave nothing to chance.

Chelsea’s hopes lie in their ability to frustrate. Maresca’s side will need discipline, defensive concentration, and a willingness to play on the break. Bayern’s front line will test them relentlessly, and lapses like those seen against Brentford will be punished.

History is not on Chelsea’s side either. Since their famous triumph in Munich in 2012, they have lost their last three encounters with Bayern, including a humiliating 7-1 aggregate defeat in 2020.

This is not a tie that will define their campaign, but it will expose how far they still have to go. The question is simple: can Chelsea survive the Allianz storm long enough to prove they belong at Europe’s top table again?