Five years ago, Chelsea made a sad return to the Allianz Arena, the stadium of their greatest-ever night.
The Blues were crushed 7-1 on aggregate by the German powerhouses after being drawn with them in the 2019–20 Champions League round of 16.
After losing 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg and 4-1 in Munich in the second, Chelsea were eliminated from the UEFA tournament.
Fans lost out on what would have been an unforgettable journey because the match was played behind closed doors due of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chelsea defeated Bayern at home in a penalty shootout in 2012 to earn their first Champions League trophy at the Allianz Arena.
That evening, Frank Lampard captained the team, and eight years later, in his first season as Blues manager, he returned to the 70,000-seat venue.
After a two-year hiatus from the competition, head coach Enzo Maresca will be in charge of his team’s opening game.
Caballero, James The Only Players Left In Chelsea’s Side Last Time Against Bayern
According to talkSPORT, the only two Chelsea players remaining from their most recent visit to Allianz Arena, captain Reece James and assistant Willy Caballero, will accompany him.
While Caballero played in both legs against Bayern, Kepa Arrizabalaga started in goal for Chelsea in all of their group games.
The Argentine won the Champions League with the Blues a year later before retiring in 2023 and started his coaching career.
Lampard’s belief in James helped him succeed in his first season as a right-back for the senior Chelsea team.
Along with Caballero, James won a 2021 winners’ medal. The defender is currently captain of the team he played for as a youngster.
The other nine players in their final starting lineup versus Bayern had all left Chelsea in the last five years.
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