Overview

• Chelsea fell 3-1 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, with a Trevoh Chalobah own goal and a Harry Kane brace overcoming a late Cole Palmer strike.
• Enzo Maresca replicated the Club World Cup setup by using Reece James in central midfield, shifting Palmer to the right and pushing Enzo Fernández higher.
• The only personnel change from that rehearsed XI was Tosin Adarabioyo starting for the injured Levi Colwill.
• Supporters criticized Maresca’s in-game choices after he substituted James while keeping Malo Gusto on, with Gusto partly blamed for Bayern’s third goal.
• Maresca has publicly framed James’s midfield role as an injury-management strategy, intensifying debate over long-term welfare versus immediate effectiveness in marquee fixtures.