Key occasions
“That is what it's all about,” says pundit Joe Cole of tonight's mouthwatering conflict, which is a good level.
Staff information
Jackson is on the bench for Bayern, who're unchanged from the 5-0 win towards Hamburg. Palmer begins for Chelsea, and is one in all 4 modifications made by Maresca: Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Malo Gusto additionally come into the aspect.
Michael Olise and Luis Díaz are a few different former Premier League gamers beginning for Bayern ce soir.
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanisic, Kimmich, Pavlovic, Olise, Gnabry, Diaz, Kane. Substitutes: Ulreich, Urbig, Kim, Goretzka, Jackson, Bischof, Boey, Kiala, Karl, Daiber.
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Adarabioyo, Chalobah, Cucurella, James, Caicedo, Palmer, Fernandez, Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro. Substitutes: Garnacho, Estevao, Buonanotte, Guiu, Acheampong, George, Fofana, Jorgensen, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Hato, Curd.
Referee: Jose Sanchez Martinez (Spa)
You possibly can benefit from the highlights of Chelsea's 2012 overcome on the uefa.com live blog.
In shameless self-promotion information, I wrote about Chelsea v Napoli in 2012 (their last-16 encounter on the best way to the trophy) throughout lockdown:
Jacob Steinberg
Reece James stated Chelsea would make their Champions League return assured they had been able to competing with the perfect groups on the earth.
Enzo Maresca's younger aspect are again at Europe's high desk after a two-year absence and face a stern take a look at after they open the league part by dealing with Bayern Munich on the Allianz Area on Wednesday. But James will not be anxious about Chelsea's lack of expertise and accepts that July's triumph within the Membership World Cup means they're contenders to turn out to be European champions.
“To begin with, you realize since final season, I at all times prefer to go recreation by recreation,' the Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed on Tuesday, in one other jaw-dropping improvement. “You can't take into consideration the ultimate or semi-final in the event you can't win video games within the group stage.
“Now we have the primary one towards a incredible crew, one of many three or 4 favourites on this competitors, however we're going to attempt to do our job in one of the best ways.
“I believe Bayern Munich is a crew that confirmed final yr that they're very shut and so they can compete to win this competitors. That is my view. I see them along with three or 4 extra golf equipment as one of many favourites for this competitors.”
Jacob Steinberg
A visit to the Allianz Area presents Chelsea fond reminiscences of the best night time of their historical past, a gathering with two what‑may‑have-beens and a swift reunion with a participant determined to show they had been incorrect to let him go.
Maybe Enzo Maresca might be feeling nervous if his crew must face Nicolas Jackson after they open their Champions League marketing campaign towards Bayern Munich on Wednesday night time. There are many examples of loanees coming again to hang-out their guardian membership within the event and Jackson is not going to be in need of motivation if he options towards Chelsea lower than a month since he left on mortgage.
What's the vibe on the previous crew information? Properly, Cole Palmer is predicted to fit into Chelsea's beginning lineup after a groin damage, which is sweet for Blues followers and neutrals alike, as a result of he's properly good at enjoying soccer.
Bayern stay with out long-term absentees Alphonso Davies (cruciate ligament), Hiroki Ito (metatarsal fracture) and Jamal Musiala (dislocated ankle and fractured fibula). Raphaël Guerreiro was injured within the 5-0 win towards Hamburg on Saturday, and is dominated out, though Kompany stated his abdomen muscle damage is “not critical” and he may be again for Hoffenheim on Saturday. Additionally good.
“We need to win the Champions League, everybody's 100 per cent up for this competitors,” revealed the Bayern Munich supervisor Vincent Kompany on Tuesday, in a fairly astonishing improvement.
“We've developed momentum,” Kompany added. “We've fulfilled all of the to-dos. We're trying ahead to a Champions League night time on the Allianz Area. That's at all times particular.”
Preamble
“It's the best night time in Chelsea's historical past,” commentator Clive Tydesley memorably stated as Didier Drogba belted the Champions League-winning penalty previous Manuel Neuer in 2012. “These are the moments Chelsea will at all times cherish and always remember,” wrote Daniel Taylor. There was loads of water underneath the bridge since that magical night time in Munich, however that is still indubitably true.
Chelsea gained it once more in 2021 underneath Thomas Tuchel, in fact, whereas so far as these opponents are involved, they had been thrashed 7-1 on mixture in a last-16 tie again in 2019/20. The six earlier matches between the golf equipment have produced 4 objectives every on common – the Blues edged by way of 7-6 on mixture in a quarter-final in 2004/05 – so extra of the identical, please.
Essentially the most fascinating sub-plot tonight is the potential involvement of the ahead Nicolas Jackson, who pressured by way of a mortgage transfer to Bavaria from Chelsea throughout the summer time switch window, and by the admission of the visiting gamers is aware of “precisely the best way we strategy video games”.
The mighty Bayern have an ideal 5 wins out of 5 this season whereas Chelsea should not precisely in a nasty second, and are unbeaten in 5 after their summer time Membership World Cup glory. It's probability for each to make a press release of some kind, and it would even be enjoyable!
Kick-off: 8pm UK time.
