Five bloody years have passed since Chelsea made a shambolic return to the Allianz Arena, a place which once staged their greatest triumph. The beautiful game can be a right fickle mistress, can't she?
Blues' battering at the hands of Bayern
The Blues drew Bayern Munich in the 2019/20 Champions League last 16 and were absolutely thumped 7-1 on aggregate by the German giants. A 3-0 first-leg defeat at Stamford Bridge was followed by a 4-1 second-leg loss in Munich as Chelsea crashed out of the UEFA tournament. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the match was played behind closed doors as fans missed out on what would have been a memorable trip.
A chance at redemption
In 2012, Chelsea lifted their first Champions League title at the Allianz Arena with a penalty shootout win over Bayern at their own home. Frank Lampard captained the side that night and returned to the 70,000 capacity arena in his debut season as Blues boss eight years later. Their prior success in Munich couldn't be replicated, but Chelsea have an opportunity to make amends on Wednesday.
The last XI against Bayern
Kepa Arrizabalaga played in goal for all of Chelsea's group matches but Caballero featured for both legs against Bayern. At right-back, James excelled in his breakthrough season in the senior Chelsea side thanks to the faith shown in him by Lampard. He netted his first Champions League goal in a 4-4 group stage draw with Ajax ahead of the clashes against Bayer in the knockout rounds. James also joined Caballero in receiving a winners' medal in 2021, with the defender now the captain of his boyhood club.
And that's it – the duo have seen the other nine players in their last XI against Bayern all leave Chelsea within the last five years. Every starter became Champions League winners in the following season, barring Ross Barkley, who was on loan with Aston Villa.
Lampard left too, although he returned as manager on a caretaker basis towards the end of the 2022/23 season. But now a new-look Chelsea will rock up to the Allianz Arena in their bid to make a winning start to the Champions League.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, James said: "I played against these [Bayern] in 2019, I think, or 2020, and they destroyed us, in other words. Days like that, we learn a lot. Nights like that will help me go into tomorrow's game"
Bayern vs Blues battle
Chelsea return to European club football's top tournament in a year that has delivered Conference League and Club World Cup success. A fourth-place finish in the Premier League secured their spot for their first attempt at the 36-team format. So far this season, Chelsea are unbeaten and have won two of their four league matches. Bayern, on the other hand, have won all five matches of the campaign and are top of the Bundesliga table.
They reached the Champions League quarter-finals last season but lost to eventual finalists Inter Milan in a 4-3 aggregate defeat. Their last tournament triumph came in 2020, just two weeks after victory against Chelsea. Both teams have therefore won the Champions League when facing each other at some stage during the tournament. Wednesday's match will test their credentials for this season's crown in the first of eight league phase fixtures.
