Chelsea got their Champions League campaign off to a losing start at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
Having gone 2-0 down just before the half-hour mark, Maresca's side clawed one back through the returning Cole Palmer but a second from Harry Kane on 63 minutes ultimately sealed the victory for Bayern Munich.
Here, Daily Mail Sport takes a look at the main talking points from the fixture in Bavaria.
Errors cost the Blues
Bayern Munich scored via an own goal from Trevoh Chalobah, a penalty after a clumsy challenge by Moises Caicedo, and a gift from Malo Gusto. All were avoidable. There were simply too many self-inflicted errors made by Enzo Maresca’s side for them to win at the Allianz Arena.
That can only have frustrated the hell out of Maresca as he turned to a familiar big-game playbook to try to secure this scalp, naming the same line-up that faced Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, minus the injured Levi Colwill.
The tactical plan were practically copy and pasted from when they were crowned world champions in the United States.
That included Cole Palmer being used on the wing but as was the case versus PSG, he routinely stepped inside while Gusto overlapped on his right-hand side. It was their one-two which saw Palmer score beyond Manuel Neuer on his 100th appearance for Chelsea.
While these tactics worked perfectly against PSG, it did not get them the win here, with Chelsea doing themselves no favours at crucial moments.
Olise on-song
Clearly, Palmer belongs on this big stage, but so does Michael Olise.
Chelsea tried to sign Olise from Crystal Palace – twice in separate windows – and certainly they would be a better side had they managed to do so.
The Blues could hardly get a tackle in on the winger who, at 23, is already world class. His cross into the six-yard box from the right-hand side was one of those where no Blues defenders dared try to touch it. Marc Cucurella left it. Tosin Adarabioyo left it. But the ball bounced off Trevoh Chalobah and, unfortunately for him, ended up in the back of his own goal for 1-0.
Olise forced that situation. As Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane told us at his press conference on Tuesday: ‘I'm glad Michael is with us and not with them.’
Maresca's outburst
Maresca is not usually one for getting so animated on the touchline but then with the pressure of the Champions League came heightened emotions.
The Blues boss was even booked by our Spanish referee Jose Maria Sanchez, who wound him up beyond belief, including when Jonathan Tah felled Joao Pedro off the ball and only received a yellow card.
A lesson learned
Before kick-off, Chelsea’s players popped out of the changing room to take a look at the Allianz Arena, several taking pictures on their mobile phones.
This was a big occasion for them. Five members of the Blues’ line-up were making their Champions League debuts, after all, in Robert Sanchez, Gusto, Caicedo, Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro.
If nothing else, they will have learned a great deal from this experience as the visitors played some nice football in periods at the Allianz Arena.
Sanchez impressive
Many Chelsea supporters thought their club’s decision makers were mad not to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer but credit where it is due, because Sanchez has kept his mistakes to a minimum thus far.
He made several nice saves here, including a sensational stop to deny Olise, while he also played a few good passes as he routinely looked long into the channels.
There will come a time when Sanchez commits an error – such is life as a goalkeeper – but he has not yet invited any noise upon himself. If anything, he is winning over a few of his doubters, and was not the reason why Chelsea lost here.
sodcltyz
0
caciedo was naive but tried doing his job , Enzo is overated and has been poor since beginning of the season. he needs break .Maresca does not develop players and he relies too much on known players
Exactly! He was very naive; I didn’t understand why he was holding and pulling the Bayern player in the box.🤷♂️
Jotadistz
0
the blame goes straight to Maresca five defenders what for? when we've surplus midfielders and wingers the old man need to wake up
Yet the middle couldn't click running typical of Chelsea physical games.
Jotadistz
0
Dis coach is just lucky to be in Chelsea & his overrated too🤞🏾 that’s by the way but Chelsea really needs a big name as stricter for big matches
The match was a big game that's why Chelsea couldn't cope up with the usual capacity in EPL. Sometimes you need experience players to mixed up with younger players otherwise they will always make mistakes against well organized team especially in champion league. Next is Bacelona, let see their performance against them. Be open minded.
Jotadistz
0
even Bayern is not strong enough
looking like you didn't watch the match. Bayern dominated the game while Chelsea was looking for the usual running games from midfield. Chelsea is physical running but against technical team like yesterday and Barcelona, and Real Madrid it will not work.
Biucdlnrtz
0
I don't know why there is so much noice about this. 1st we play against one of the favorite to win the tournament 2rd Chelsea as 11 debutante in champions league today.. Sanchez,tosin,gusto,cucu, caicedo,Santos, estivao,Neto,palmer,Joao, plus the manager. and that is reason why we make so many mistakes like that. first goal was own goals, second was penalty,3 was back pass..it means we lack that experience but we can learn from it and move to the next one. stop making it look as if it is a bad team to loss against. If you understand football then you will know that this loose is normal Lossing against Bayern in their home is not something barbaric so we move on.
The same 11 debutante in club world cup that Chelsea won so that's not an excuse
jakemopruy
0
FULLISH Chelsea🐕🐕🐕🐕
Jeecltuyz
0
The same line up defeated PSG and everybody was happy about it. But it's nice to make quick changes when some players are not up to their task. Neto and Enzo were not in the game right from the first minute, Changes should have taken place at least during the first half break.
thanks for this observation, spot on 👌
KehindeSeun
2
I don't know why there is so much noice about this. 1st we play against one of the favorite to win the tournament 2rd Chelsea as 11 debutante in champions league today.. Sanchez,tosin,gusto,cucu, caicedo,Santos, estivao,Neto,palmer,Joao, plus the manager. and that is reason why we make so many mistakes like that. first goal was own goals, second was penalty,3 was back pass..it means we lack that experience but we can learn from it and move to the next one. stop making it look as if it is a bad team to loss against. If you understand football then you will know that this loose is normal Lossing against Bayern in their home is not something barbaric so we move on.
Sopcklopu
0
The problem was playing Enzo Fernández in NO.10 instead of Estaevao,there was no communication btw the midfield and the front three and it ended up ruining everything at the end it costed us.Play Reece james at the right back let Enzo play with Caicedo in the midfield of 2 and deploy Estaevao in no.10 coz we needed Estaevao's versatility in the front three we needed a play who can dribble like Estaevao so that Palmer and Neto can have freedom.it costed us playing enzo in the front it exposed us M tactically maresca was the problem
exactly bro
yocbeklprs
4
The same line up defeated PSG and everybody was happy about it. But it's nice to make quick changes when some players are not up to their task. Neto and Enzo were not in the game right from the first minute, Changes should have taken place at least during the first half break.
Geebabs
2
I've always known we would miss Levi Cowil in this game I felt James should have played 5 and either of Tosin or Chaloba paired him that would have put a little bit of coordination at the back we also needed Estevao Yesterday on that right wing and Palmer in his best free role position it would've been better
Obaenyton
0
The problem was playing Enzo Fernández in NO.10 instead of Estaevao,there was no communication btw the midfield and the front three and it ended up ruining everything at the end it costed us.Play Reece james at the right back let Enzo play with Caicedo in the midfield of 2 and deploy Estaevao in no.10 coz we needed Estaevao's versatility in the front three we needed a play who can dribble like Estaevao so that Palmer and Neto can have freedom.it costed us playing enzo in the front it exposed us M tactically maresca was the problem
no excuses bro...coz against PSG this formation worked
Saddituz
6
The problem was playing Enzo Fernández in NO.10 instead of Estaevao,there was no communication btw the midfield and the front three and it ended up ruining everything at the end it costed us.Play Reece james at the right back let Enzo play with Caicedo in the midfield of 2 and deploy Estaevao in no.10 coz we needed Estaevao's versatility in the front three we needed a play who can dribble like Estaevao so that Palmer and Neto can have freedom.it costed us playing enzo in the front it exposed us M tactically maresca was the problem
recdkmouyz
0
Our boys needs to improve, but Bayern Munich are too classy & on top level
we are fine, our boys they're fine it's just a game
recdkmouyz
1
even Bayern is not strong enough
recdkmouyz
2
us Chelsea fans why we always blaming if Chelsea loos ? it's a game Chelsea still fine we will come back, we commited 2 mistake, blue 💙💙💙💙💙 is the colour come on Chelsea
okusimba
4
Tactically, Enzo got it wrong. I think he should have stuck with the basics. Neto was poor on the left, Reece was off the pace in the middle and Gusto struggled during the buildup phase. Enzo wasn't at his usual levels too. But there was also some positives to take home. Sometimes risks are not worth the benefits and it was all together a new experience for the boys. Up the Chels!
Luzadkmruz
1
Lazy boy no 49 how?water striker
zumbdeosuy
0
Dis coach is just lucky to be in Chelsea & his overrated too🤞🏾 that’s by the way but Chelsea really needs a big name as stricter for big matches
what Chelsea needs is experience. you can't just field young players. there needs to be a balance. Chelsea was way better when thiago was still there. "experience"
AbustuzMukanda
1
Our boys needs to improve, but Bayern Munich are too classy & on top level
Yorokiri
0
caciedo was naive but tried doing his job , Enzo is overated and has been poor since beginning of the season. he needs break .Maresca does not develop players and he relies too much on known players
you're not far from the truth....
Ibe7
0
More games to go blue for sure 💙💙🫡💙
we understand
Yuublnsyz
0
I said it before the game that caciedo needs to be at his very best for Chelsea to have any chance of winning this game, unfortunately this is not one of his best games in Blue..
caciedo was naive but tried doing his job , Enzo is overated and has been poor since beginning of the season. he needs break .Maresca does not develop players and he relies too much on known players
wewabclnt
1
oh memo munchen
Yaaacimrtz
3
Olise was a Chelsea player together with Musiala. They both left Chelsea
bibdekmnt
3
Dis coach is just lucky to be in Chelsea & his overrated too🤞🏾 that’s by the way but Chelsea really needs a big name as stricter for big matches
Christianborngreat
3
defenders cost us the game, imagine Bayer Munich three goals came from defenders error, we need to work on our defence,maresca should have play James in his normal left back and keep gusto on the bench
Yorokiri
3
I said it before the game that caciedo needs to be at his very best for Chelsea to have any chance of winning this game, unfortunately this is not one of his best games in Blue..
Yorokiri
4
What a player Olise is, at times it was like watching a beautiful car 🚗 in motion.. Respect to this boy..
Biodilmnyz
6
More games to go blue for sure 💙💙🫡💙
Cekabcpsy
6
That boy Michael Olise is a complete beast! The boy is just damn good I swear 💪 🔥 ♥️
Theskyisblue
6
the blame goes straight to Maresca five defenders what for? when we've surplus midfielders and wingers the old man need to wake up