In September, there are certain things in Munich that can be predicted with a degree of certainty. For example, it’s a given that mayor Dieter Reiter will open Oktoberfest this Saturday with the tapping of the barrel at midday. Something else that appears to have been certain in the recent past is that FC Bayern start their Champions League campaign with three points. It may not have always gone as spectacularly as last year, when Vincent Kompany’s side thumped Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 at the Allianz Arena, but it’s a fact that the Reds have won their opening game in Europe’s premier club competition in every season since 2003.
Unsurprisingly, it’s a record that’s unmatched in the competition, and one they’ll be looking to maintain this Wednesday (21:00 CEST). That won’t be an easy task, though, as Bayern face the defending FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Conference League winners Chelsea FC. Can the Bavarians extend their impressive opening streak to 22 games?
Test against Chelsea
“I’m excited for the match,” said board member for sport Max Eberl. “We all watched Chelsea in the Club World Cup final against Paris, which they deserved to win. I don’t think they’ve got worse since then. It’s an intriguing and high-class match-up.” Harry Kane sees it similarly, but also has the right recipe for how to get the better of his fellow countrymen. “Chelsea are a really good side, but we can beat any team in the world here at the Allianz Arena,” stated the English striker. “We have to go into the game with that mindset.”
After all, the Londoners aren’t the first tough opposition that FCB have had to overcome on Matchday 1 of the Champions League. Two years ago, the German record champions beat Manchester United 4-3; in 2022, they won 2-0 at Inter Milan and the year before that, 3-0 away to Barcelona. Another big names who have been victim to Bayern’s starting qualities during their 21-match winning run include AS Roma (2-0, H/2010), Manchester City (1-0, H/2014), Benfica (2-0, A/2018) and Atlético Madrid (4-0, H/2020).
All started against Celtic
The run originated in September 2003, when the German record champions laboured to a 2-1 victory over Celtic thanks to two late goals from Roy Makaay. Incidentally, it was the Dutch striker who inflicted the last opening loss on Bayern the previous year for Deportivo La Coruña with a hat-trick in a 3-2 scoreline. It had an impact as the Munich men exited at the group stage for the only time in the club’s history that year. A ‘side benefit’ of the current run is therefore that FCB have always progressed to the knockout stages since it began.
Aside from that defeat in 2002, Bayern have only lost one other opening match in the Champions League (2-0 at PSG in the 1994/95 season) – an outstanding record given that this year will be their 29th time in the competition. And Kompany’s side come into this one in excellent form having won their opening five competitive games of the season – another run they’d like to continue on Wednesday.
Confidence high
The team have generated momentum so far this season and put themselves “in a good position”, explained Kompany ahead of the clash with Chelsea. “We’re going into the next game full of confidence,” said the Belgian. “We’re playing at home, the Allianz Arena is an important factor.” As another European campaign gets under way, Bayern aren’t looking so much at what was but at what’s to come. After all, runs are only the result of the performances the club have produced over the years, added Jonathan Tah. “It always sounds very nice, but at the end of the day this team try to win every game,” commented the defender. “It’s nice when the first game goes well, but we also want to win the second and third. We’ll have to give our all to do that.”
Bayern legend Claudio Pizarro examines the clash of his two former clubs:
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