After a pair years away, we’re again on the massive boys’ desk, again within the massive time, again within the Champions League. I imply, it ain’t no Membership World Cup, however I suppose it’ll should do.
Our final sport on this competitors was the second of back-to-back 2-0 defeats to Actual Madrid within the quarterfinals of the 2022-23 version, the final that featured the outdated fashion group stage format. Like all different European competitions, together with the Convention League that we gained final yr, the Champions League now options an eight-match “league part”, with the highest quarter of the league advancing on to the Spherical of 16, and the underside quarter going out. The remainder play an additional knockout spherical, as if the calendar wasn’t busy sufficient already. So there’s some jeopardy on this preliminary part, and we in all probability gained’t end with the very best document like final season within the third European tier.
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After all, the brand new format additionally signifies that not each sport is as impactful as earlier than, and contemplating that this sport, at the least on paper, might be the hardest we’ve on this league part, it gained’t be the top of the world if we don’t win. If something, it’ll be a superb litmus check following the Membership World Cup. Was that only a fluke? Can we actually compete with the very best of the very best, and achieve this persistently?
Time to seek out out.
Date / Time: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 20.00 BST; 3pm EDT; 12:30am IST (subsequent day)Venue: Allianz Area, Munchen, GermanyReferee: José María Sánchez (on pitch); Carlos del Cerro Grande (VAR)Forecast: A mild breeze of nostalgia
On TV: TNT Sports activities (UK); none (USA); Sony TEN 1 (India); SuperSport Premier League (NGA); Streaming: discovery+ (UK); Paramount+ (USA); Sony LIV (India); DStv Now (NGA)
Bayern Munich crew information: Head coach Vincent Kompany Bayern must win at the least six of eight to guarantee a top-eight end, and 4 of eight to not end within the bottom-eight. They’re clearly focusing on eight-of-eight, after which profitable all the remaining, too, all the best way to the Cup. In 4 of the final 5 years, they’ve gone solely so far as we did the final time, in order that’s what Kompany’s going to be judged by — not by profitable one other Bundesliga title or 5 (which they did final yr, on the regular canter).
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The crew’s largely the identical as final yr, with two key additions, defender Jonathan Tah (on a free after all as a result of Bundesliga) and Luis Díaz from Liverpool for a cool €70m. Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sané left the membership this summer season for riches and minutes elsewhere, whereas the legendary Thomas Müller retired to the MLS. And naturally there’s the entire Nicolas Jackson state of affairs: technically on mortgage, in all probability not likely welcome again to Chelsea, but additionally not likely assured to hitch Bayern regardless of the “obligation”. Anyway, we’ll see how that each one performs out in 8-9 months. Jackson is eligible to play towards us, not like loanees within the Premier League. If he does, perhaps we are able to depend this as two appearances in the direction of the supposed 40 wanted?
All that apart, essentially the most impactful factor to occur this summer season to Bayern was shedding Jamal Musiala to a long-term harm in the course of the Membership World Cup. Alphonso Davies, Hiroki Itō, and Raphaël Guerreiro are additionally set to overlook out.
View from the enemy:
Chelsea crew information: Deadline-day signing Facundo Buonanotte was surprisingly left off our European squad registration initially, regardless of an open spot, however that weirdness was rectified because of a brand new UEFA rule that permits groups to interchange gamers with long-term accidents. After all, the issue is that Dário Essugo is now out for a lot of months, leaving Moisés Caicedo and not using a backup. And Essugo’s harm is just the tip of the iceberg, with Roméo Lavia and Benoît Badiashile (nonetheless) not touring and Liam Delap and Levi Colwill out long-term.
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Fortunately, Estêvão has gotten over his sickness from the weekend, which noticed Enzo Maresca attempt a number of new appears within the lineup, with out a lot promise. Cole Palmer was among the many second half substitutes who helped turned that sport round (earlier than we gave it away late); it was his first look in practically a month following a groin concern. However in that very same sport, João Pedro was compelled into motion on account of shortages elsewhere, and he could also be in want of a relaxation quickly.
Beforehand: This can be our sixth assembly all-time: 1 win, 1 draw, 3 defeats is our document. The final time we performed on this area, again in 2020, we acquired spanked, 4-1. The time earlier than that, we gained the Champions League (that’s the draw, ). We will’t do the latter now, so let’s not do the previous both.