Chelsea will face Bayern Munich on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the round-of-16 tie in the Champions League. Chelsea’s only major Champions League triumph came after beating Bayern Munich in 2011-12 season. The Blues will certainly be recalling that result as the current manager of the Blues has been associated with the victory. Here are the three reasons why Chelsea can beat Bayern Munich.
1. Tammy Abraham And Ruben Loftus-Cheek Back In The Squad:
The young centre forward of the Blues, Tammy Abraham and the midfielder Ruben Loftus Cheek have come back into the squad of the Blues after injury problems. Tammy Abraham might prove to be the key factor for the Blues at this moment. He has got enough rest in the Premier League in recent times. Michy Batshuyai has started the match against Manchester United.
On the other hand, Olivier Giroud has started against Tottenham Hotspur. Olivier Giroud has played really well in the match against Spurs and he will also be in the contention to start against Bayern Munich. However, Tammy Abraham might be given the chance in the starting lineup against Bayern Munich because of his pace. He can reach the crosses of Reece James really well. If the combination play between Tammy Abraham and Reece James works well, Chelsea will be in the hunt to win the tie.
2. Bayern Munich’s Awful Defence:
The defensive unit of Bayern Munich is not looking very stable at this moment. The awful defence of Bayern Munich might prove to be a crucial factor in this tie. In the previous match against Paderborn, Bayern Munich have conceded 2 goals in the Bundesliga. In the DFB Pokal Cup, they have conceded three goals against Hoffenheim. At this moment, Chelsea can take advantage of the horrible defence of Bayern Munich. Chelsea have conceded a lot of goals this season, but somehow they have found some way of scoring. So, it is certainly going to be an interesting tie.
3. Frank Lampard’s Back-Three System:
The manager of the Blues, Frank Lampard has shifted to the three men defence in the match against Tottenham Hotspur. They have been victorious against Spurs using the formation. They have almost kept a clean sheet against Tottenham Hotspur in the previous match. Frank Lampard might use the same formation against Bayern Munich too. The three back system might include Fikayo Tomori in this maatch. Cesar Azpilicueta might be shifted to the left wingback position as Frank Lampard will wish to have defensive stability against Bayern Munich.
Cesar Azpilicueta might not provide enough attacking impetus to the Blues. However, he will certainly be able to block the movements of the right winger of Bayern Munich in this match. The pair of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic has worked really well for the Blues in this season. A lot will depend on the performance of this duo on the big day. It is a big occasion for Mason Mount to prove his worth in this Chelsea side under the management of Frank Lampard.