Bayern Munich vs Chelsea Preview: High-Flying Bavarians seek winning start to European campaign against Enzo Maresca’s men | OneFootball

Off the back of five straight wins across all competitions this term, Bayern Munich will head into their Champions League opener against Chelsea on a high as the sides lock horns at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

While the hosts have featured in every edition of Europe’s premier club competition since 1997, the visitors are returning to the grandest continental stage for the first time in three seasons and will be keen to make an impression.

Bayern Munich Preview

Having claimed an emphatic 6-0 triumph over Leipzig in their first home outing of the campaign, Bayern put on another attacking clinic on home turf as they hit Hamburger for five in Saturday’s meeting.

Harry Kane was at the double for Vincent Kompany’s men as Luis Diaz, Serge Gnabry and Aleksandar Pavlovic also got in on the act.

Since their Club World Cup exit at the hands of PSG, the Bavarians have won eight matches in a row, averaging more than three goals per game during that span.

Wednesday’s encounter will see Bayern and Chelsea face off for an eighth time, and while the hosts have only been beaten in two of the previous seven, one of the defeats came in the 2012 UCL final.

Chelsea Preview

Chelsea’s first season under Enzo Maresca yielded Conference League and Club World Cup glory, which has subsequently raised expectations in West London.

The Blues looked set for a third straight league win after coming from behind to take a 2-1 lead against Brentford last time out before conceding a stoppage-time equaliser.

Still, Chelsea will head to Munich on a high, unbeaten in 11 matches, although the Premier League side have lost four consecutive games against Bayern, who they last beat 13 years ago.

With Wednesday’s visitors heading into the interval ahead in seven of their last nine matches, Chelsea will be aiming to gain a foothold early on here.

Team News

Alphonso Davies is still out with a knee problem he picked up in action for Canada back in March.

Jamal Musiaia is another guaranteed absentee for Bayern with a broken tailbone, and is joined on the sidelines by Hiroki Ito.

Levi Colwill (knee), Benoit Badiashile (muscle), Liam Delap (hamstring), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Romeo Lavia (muscle) are unavailable for Chelsea.

Despite making his first appearance against Brentford, Facundo Buonanotte will also miss out, having not been included in Chelsea’s UCL squad alongside Raheem Sterling and the suspended Mykhailo Mudryk.

Willian Estevao missed his side’s last outing through illness but should be back to play a part on Wednesday.

Bayern Munich Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Stanisic, Tah, Upamecano, Laimer; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Diaz, Gnabry, Olise; Kane

Chelsea Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Enzo, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro