In looking at UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 of 8, there are several matchups which stand out as special, but the “best” one is clear- Chelsea FC at Bayern Munich. Both are undefeated so far on this very young season. In the three days of UCL action ahead, this is probably the only matchup of two giant clubs.
The current holders of the FIFA Club World Cup trophy will visit the reigning Bundesliga champions on Tuesday night.
UEFA Champions League Matchday 1 of 8
Chelsea FC at Bayern Munich
Kickoff: Wed. Sept 17, 8pm, Allianz Arena, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Preview Material for Both Clubs: Team News Starting Lineup Predictions
Both sides will obviously and naturally go with their strongest starting lineup possible. A match like this is the perfect chance to get the continental campaign started off the right foot.
Here is what we think that looks like.
Starting Lineup Predictions
Chelsea (4-2-3-1)
Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella; Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Jamie Gittens; Pedro
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1)
Manuel Neuer; Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah, Josip Stanisic; Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic; Michael Olise, Serge Gnabry, Luis Diaz; Harry Kane
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter