In a pulsating opening night at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich handed Chelsea a sobering return to the Champions League, edging out the Blues 3-1 in a game that blended moments of brilliance with errors both costly and crucial.
Harry Kane, already in fine touch, grabbed a brace to guide the German champions to victory, while Chelsea showed flashes of promise but ultimately couldn’t match Bayern’s ruthlessness when it counted.
Chelsea’s entrance into Europe’s elite competition for the first time in over two years promised excitement, and early on it delivered. For the opening 20 minutes, Chelsea played with attacking intensity and purpose. They pressed Bayern high, sought to disrupt the hosts’ rhythm, and created a handful of half-chances that were nearly dangerous.
But it was one of those moments of slack attention that swung the advantage. A well worked cross from Michael Olise, who had been threatening down the wings, deflected in off Trevoh Chalobah in what was officially ruled an own goal in the 20th minute. That put Bayern ahead, and the momentum shifted sharply in their favour.
Not even ten minutes later, the advantage doubled. Moisés Caicedo’s challenge in the area saw Harry Kane go down under pressure—and after a brief check, the referee pointed to the spot. Kane drilled the penalty home with composure, placing his effort beyond Robert Sánchez to make it 2-0.
Chelsea, shell shocked, barely had time to recover their shape before conceding again. But they did. Only two minutes after Kane’s penalty, Cole Palmer produced one of the brightest moments of the night with a flowing counterattack.
A quick interchange involving Malo Gusto released Palmer near the edge of the box and he fired a lovely finish into the top corner to pull Chelsea back to 2-1. It was a goal that injected belief and hope back into the traveling fans and the side, underlining that Chelsea were not simply going to be outplayed without a fight.
We start the Champions League campaign with a ! pic.twitter.com/u3rcFNX3go
— FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) September 17, 2025
As the contest moved into the second half, Bayern steadily reasserted control. The Blues responded with energy and intention, but their defensive frailties continued to be exposed.
In the 63rd minute the decisive blow came. A turnover near Chelsea’s defensive third gifted the ball to Kane, who took advantage of poor positioning and lack of urgency from the backline. With sharp instincts, he curled a low shot inside the far post past Sánchez, restoring Bayern’s two-goal cushion.
From there, Chelsea threatened with flashes, with a late Cole Palmer effort looked like it might grab another goal only to be ruled out for offside after a VAR check. Bayern managed their lead with maturity, closing the game down physically and mentally to prevent any further damage.
Performance wise, Bayern had enough to be proud of. Harry Kane stood out—not just for the goals, but for his intelligence, movement, and timing. He punished Chelsea’s defensive lapses—both his penalties and second goal stemmed from errors.
Michael Olise showed moments of creative threat, particularly in the opening exchanges. Defensively Bayern had to ride out a few waves, but the experience in their backline helped them absorb pressure and close out the game. Manuel Neuer, ever reliable, pulled off a couple of important saves and was a calming presence.
Chelsea, meanwhile, will leave Munich with mixed emotions. There were positives: Cole Palmer, though guilty of getting caught offside for his second potential goal, looked lively and composed; Malo Gusto made some promising ventures forward; the midfield showed glimpses of control especially early on.