The UEFA Champions League is back with its revamped league phase format, and what better way to kick things off than with a heavyweight showdown at the Allianz Arena? On September 17, 2025, Bayern Munich host Chelsea in Matchday 1, pitting Vincent Kompany’s rampant Bundesliga champions against Enzo Maresca’s Club World Cup winners. This isn’t just any opener—it’s a rematch loaded with history, firepower, and high stakes. Bayern are chasing a seventh European crown, while Chelsea return to Europe’s elite after a two-year absence, fresh off UEFA Conference League glory last season and a dominant 3-0 FIFA Club World Cup final win over Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
As the floodlights illuminate Munich, expect goals, drama, and maybe a nod to that unforgettable 2012 final. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of kick-off.
Head-to-Head
Bayern and Chelsea have locked horns six times in competitive fixtures, with the Germans holding a slight edge overall (4 wins to Chelsea’s 2, 1 draw). But dig deeper, and it’s a tale of revenge and redemption.
| Date | Competition | Result | Key Moment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 19, 2012 | UEFA Champions League Final | Chelsea 1-1 Bayern (Chelsea win 4-3 on pens) | Didier Drogba’s late equalizer and penalty heroics seal Chelsea’s first UCL title at Bayern’s home. |
| Aug 30, 2013 | UEFA Super Cup | Bayern 2-2 Chelsea (Bayern win 5-4 on pens) | Bayern get instant revenge in Prague. |
| Apr 23, 2013 | UEFA Champions League QF (1st leg) | Bayern 2-0 Chelsea | Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery strike. |
| Apr 30, 2013 | UEFA Champions League QF (2nd leg) | Chelsea 1-2 Bayern | Bayern advance 3-1 on aggregate. |
| Feb 25, 2020 | UEFA Champions League R16 (1st leg) | Chelsea 0-3 Bayern | Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry (2) dismantle the Blues. |
| Aug 8, 2020 | UEFA Champions League R16 (2nd leg) | Bayern 4-1 Chelsea | Gnabry’s hat-trick completes a 7-1 thrashing. |
Bayern have won three of the last four UCL meetings (D1), including a humiliating 7-1 aggregate in 2020 under Frank Lampard. Chelsea’s sole triumph came when it mattered most—in that penalty shootout miracle. Overall, Bayern lead 13-8 in goals. Fun fact: Chelsea have lost 60% of their UCL games against Bayern, their worst record against any opponent they’ve faced five or more times.
Team News and Potential Lineups
Both sides enter unbeaten in domestic play, but injuries could shape the narrative. Bayern are flying with 14 goals in three Bundesliga wins, while Chelsea sit pretty with eight points from four Premier League games (all London derbies).
Bayern Munich
Vincent Kompany has a near-full squad, but Jamal Musiala (ankle) and Alphonso Davies (hamstring) remain sidelined. Raphael Guerreiro limped off at the weekend with a knock, opening the door for Jonathan Tah’s UCL debut for the club. Harry Kane is on fire with eight goals already this season, including a brace in Saturday’s 5-0 rout of Hamburg. Expect a fluid 4-3-3.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Tah, Stanisic; Kimmich, Pavlovic, Olise; Gnabry, Kane, Diaz.
Chelsea
Enzo Maresca welcomes back Cole Palmer from a groin issue—he scored off the bench in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Brentford. Estevao shook off illness in training, but Levi Colwill (ACL), Liam Delap (hamstring), Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, and Dario Essugo are out. Mykhaylo Mudryk is suspended, and Nicolas Jackson—now on loan at Bayern—can play against his parent club per UEFA rules. A 4-2-3-1 setup looks likely.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Neto; Joao Pedro.
Score Predictions
Bayern Munich 3-1 Chelsea. Harry Kane is likely to score, capitalizing on Bayern’s home firepower, but Cole Palmer could pull one back for Chelsea in an entertaining, high-scoring clash at the Allianz Arena.
