Five years have passed since Chelsea made a disappointing return to the Allianz Arena, which previously staged their greatest ever night.
The Blues drew Bayern Munich in the 2019/20 Champions League last 16 and were thumped 7-1 on aggregate by the German giants.
Chelsea won the Champions League at the Allianz Arena in 2012
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Chelsea won the Champions League at the Allianz Arena in 2012Credit: AFP
But their following trip ended in misery against Bayern
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But their following trip ended in misery against BayernCredit: Getty
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.
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.
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Their prior success in Munich couldn't be replicated, but Chelsea have an opportunity to make amends on Wednesday, live on talkSPORT 2.
Head coach Enzo Maresca will oversee his side's first match of the league phase, which will end a two-year absence from the competition.
Joining him will be assistant Willy Caballero and captain Reece James, the only two Chelsea stars left from their last Allianz Arena visit.
Chelsea's last XI against Bayern
Kepa Arrizabalaga played in goal for all of Chelsea's group matches but Caballero featured for both legs against Bayern.
The Argentine won the Champions League with the Blues a year later before retiring in 2023 and beginning his coaching career.
Caballero joined Maresca at Leicester City and followed him back to Chelsea in June 2024 as his right-hand man on the touchline.
James made his sixth Champions League appearance in the defeat
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James made his sixth Champions League appearance in the defeatCredit: Getty
Caballero conceded seven goals across the two legs
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Caballero conceded seven goals across the two legsCredit: Getty
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.
Kurt Zouma and goalscorer Tammy Abraham left in 2021, as Andreas Christensen, Emerson Palmieri and Barkley departed a year later.
Just one player in Chelsea's last XI against Bayern remains in the squad
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Just one player in Chelsea's last XI against Bayern remains in the squad
In 2023, Callum Hudson-Odoi, N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount all left Stamford Bridge on permanent deals.
Olivier Giroud was a substitute against Bayern and brought an end to his Chelsea career just after winning the Champions League.
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"
James is set to don the armband on Wednesday night
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James is set to don the armband on Wednesday night
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.
Caballero will swap the pitch for the dugout
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Caballero will swap the pitch for the dugoutCredit: Getty
Maresca has brought both of them to his Champions League debut as manager
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Maresca has brought both of them to his Champions League debut as managerCredit: Getty
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.
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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.
Last Chelsea squad vs Bayern and where they are now
Starting XI:
Willy Caballero - Retired in 2023 - Now Chelsea assistant coach
Reece James - Still at Chelsea
Andreas Christensen - Left in 2022 - Now at Barcelona
Kurt Zouma - Left in 2021 - Now at CFR Cluj
Emerson Palmieri - Left in 2022 - Now at Marseille
Ross Barkley - Left in 2022 - Now at Aston Villa
N'Golo Kante - Left in 2023 - Now at Al Ittihad
Mateo Kovacic - Left in 2023 - Now at Manchester City
Callum Hudson-Odoi - Left in 2023 - Now at Nottingham Forest
Tammy Abraham - Left in 2021 - Now at Roma [on loan at Besiktas]
Mason Mount - Left in 2023 - Now at Manchester United
Substitutes:
Jamie Cumming - Left in 2024 - Now at Oxford United
Kepa Arrizabalaga - Left in 2025 - Now at Arsenal
Fikayo Tomori - Left in 2021 - Now at AC Milan
Dynel Simeu - Left in 2021 - Now at KF Teuta
Antonio Rudiger - Left in 2022 - Now at Real Madrid
Ian Maatsen - Left in 2024 - Now at Aston Villa
Henry Lawrence - Left in 2023 - Now at Standard Liege
Lewis Bate - Left in 2021 - Now at Stockport County
Michy Batshuayi - Left in 2022 - Now at Eintracht Frankfurt
Armando Broja - Left in 2025 - Now at Burnley
Olivier Giroud - Left in 2021 - Now at Lille