Bayern v Chelsea: key stats for the Champions League opener | OneFootball

FC Bayern opens the new Champions League season against FC Chelsea tonight. For the record champions, the preliminary round should once again only be a stopover - and the statistics clearly speak for the Munich team.

Since the 2003/04 season, when the second group phase was abolished, Bayern has the highest victory rate of all teams in the preliminary round: 73 percent. The Munich team has won 93 of their 128 games in the group or league phase since then. A record that impressively underlines the dominance of the German record champions in the Champions League.

Record series at the start

Photo: IMAGO

A successful start in the competition has long been a tradition for FC Bayern. The 9:2 against Dinamo Zagreb at the start of the last season was the 21st consecutive victory at the start of a Champions League season. For more than two decades, the Munich team has always won the first matchday - scoring a goal ratio of 60:7.

The opponent from London cannot boast such figures. Chelsea lost its last participation in 2022/23 at the start also against Dinamo Zagreb (0:1). In the last four opening matches of the Champions League, only one victory was achieved for the Blues.

Bayern record against Chelsea and English teams

The direct comparisons also speak for the Munich team. Of the last five competitive matches against Chelsea, FCB won four - only the "Finale dahoam" in 2012 was lost after a penalty shootout. In the Champions League, Chelsea only suffered more defeats against Barcelona (four) than against FC Bayern (three).

Overall, Bayern feels comfortable in home games against English opponents. There was only one defeat in the last eleven encounters in the Allianz Arena, plus eight victories and two draws. The only exception: the 1:3 against FC Liverpool in March 2019.

The streaming provider DAZN will broadcast the match against Chelsea live and exclusively on Wednesday. At the same time, numerous fans used second-screen offers: live ticker, social media discussions - and for some also interactive markets, such as live betting on the course of the game, which caused excitement especially in the exciting final phase.

Kimmich as Champions League leader

Photo: IMAGO

A special focus is on Joshua Kimmich. The midfield maestro leads several statistics of the past three seasons. With 2,525 completed passes, he is undisputedly at the top of the league. He is also ahead in terms of created scoring chances (83) and line-breaking passes (219 in the 2023/24 season).

This underlines why Kimmich is indispensable for FC Bayern in the concert of the best. His presence, game intelligence and consistency make him a key player when it comes to laying the foundation for a successful Champions League campaign for the Munich team this season.

The start against Chelsea could once again show why FC Bayern is one of the constants in Europe's elite - and why the path in the Champions League should also lead far this year.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.