A trip to the Allianz Arena offers Chelsea fond memories of the greatest night in their history, a meeting with two what‑might‑have-beens and a swift reunion with a player desperate to prove they were wrong to let him go.
Perhaps Enzo Maresca will be feeling nervous if his team have to face Nicolas Jackson when they open their Champions League campaign against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night. There are plenty of examples of loanees coming back to haunt their parent club in the tournament and Jackson will not be short of motivation if he features against Chelsea less than a month since he left on loan.
The striker has a point to prove, particularly after the drama around his move. It all seemed so simple when Jackson flew to Germany on the morning of 30 August. Bayern had reached an agreement to sign him on loan with an option to buy, only for the situation to change when Liam Delap sustained a hamstring injury against Fulham a few hours later. The deal was off. Delap’s injury was serious and Chelsea did not want to gamble on heading into a busy autumn schedule with João Pedro as their only fit striker.
Yet Jackson had no interest in coming back to play second fiddle to João Pedro, who had in effect replaced him after joining from Brighton in June. He remained in Bavaria and was rewarded for his persistence when new negotiations ended with Bayern agreeing to sign the Senegal international, with a €65m (£56m) obligation to buy that will be triggered if he reaches a certain number of appearances.
Sense prevailed. Chelsea had little to gain from making an unsettled player stay, especially after previously making clear they were happy to cash in. Jackson would not have been in a good frame of mind if he had flown back to London. The signs had hardly been encouraging during the Club World Cup. A reckless red card moments after coming on during Chelsea’s defeat by Flamengo in the group phase was indicative of Jackson’s mood.
It was not a surprise that Maresca’s patience ran out after Jackson’s second dismissal in three games. The question, though, is whether Chelsea have left themselves short. Marc Guiu, recalled from a brief loan at Sunderland, was not on the bench for the draw at Brentford last Saturday. Jackson’s departure leaves a hole with Delap out. Jackson, signed from Villarreal two years ago, was no dud. His finishing was haphazard but he scored 24 goals in 65 Premier League appearances, linked with Cole Palmer and was often a handful for centre-backs. “My perfect No 9 is exactly Nicolas Jackson,” Maresca said in April.
It soon transpired that Vincent Kompany was also a fan. Bayern wanted cover for Harry Kane and have found a versatile option. Jackson is capable of shifting wide and played with Kane when he made his debut as a half-time substitute against Hamburg last Saturday.
Becoming more clinical is the obvious target for the 24-year-old. Hopefully he can pay close attention to Kane in training. Bayern, meanwhile, are hoping to tap into Jackson’s knowledge of Chelsea. There has also been talk in Germany of Kompany asking Jackson for tips about Maresca’s tactics and instructions.
This is a fixture with an edge. Chelsea’s return to the Champions League after a two-year absence brings them back to the ground where they won it for the first time, stirring memories of when they upset Bayern in their own back yard in 2012. Maresca’s players should not have an inferiority complex. Frank Lampard’s Chelsea were overpowered when they met Hansi Flick’s Bayern in the last 16 five years ago but Maresca’s version travel to Germany as world champions and have invested heavily in their talented young squad.
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It promises to be an intriguing tactical battle between two Pep Guardiola disciples. It would not be a surprise if Maresca uses the model that flummoxed Paris Saint‑Germain in the Club World Cup final, with Palmer pushing to the right and Reece James joining Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo in a powerful midfield. Can Kompany respond? The Belgian won the league in his first season at Bayern but has his doubters in England. Burnley’s sorry Premier League campaign under Kompany is not easily forgotten, though it is worth pointing out that the former Manchester City player has admirers at Chelsea. They have twice considered appointing him: first when they sacked Graham Potter in April 2023, then when they were looking to replace Mauricio Pochettino a year later and ended up going for Maresca.
The main concern around Kompany, who joined Bayern a week before Chelsea appointed Maresca, was whether he was flexible enough. Bayern have had no such complaints. They scored 99 league goals last season and will throw a varied attack at Chelsea. Luis Díaz, the former Liverpool winger, is a familiar threat. Michael Olise, who will test Marc Cucurella on the right, is another of the game’s subplots.
The winger has had to graft since leaving Chelsea’s academy when he was 14. His journey has not been simple but the 23-year-old has matured and could easily have ended up back at Chelsea. They tried to trigger his release clause at Crystal Palace in 2023 and were beaten to his signature by Bayern a year later.
Olise is one who got away. He has thrived at Bayern, providing goals, assists and dazzling trickery. Chelsea will have to be at their best. Kompany, Jackson and Olise will be out to show them what they’re missing.