Chelsea: Three key clashes to look for as Blues seek a miracle

The Blues have the impossible to do in Munich again. What key clashes should fans watch out for as Chelsea looks to perform another miracle in Munich?

Chelsea played fine against Bayern Munich in the first leg despite the score. It was the usual defensive ineptitudes and Bayern’s blitz that undid the Blues before they even knew what happened. Now the Blues have mission impossible if they are to move on to the next round.

Few expect anything of Chelsea when they go to Munich. The gulf is just too great and the Bayern side too good. Sound familiar? Chelsea’s performed miracles before in Allianz Arena before, and coming ahead in a few key clashes may make all the difference.

1. Match fitness versus an injury crisis

Chelsea is facing an injury and suspension crisis as they head to Germany. Marcos Alonso and Jorginho are suspended. The Blues lost Captain America Christian Pulisic and Iron Man Cesar Azpilicueta to hamstring injuries. Pedro and Willian, neither of whom are even going to be at the club in short order, are also both injured. N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek may be declared fit, but both are always a bad stubbed toe away from another injury based on this season. Chelsea is down to the bare bones if even that.

There is one thing going in the Blues’ favor however: match fitness. Chelsea played just a week ago. Bayern Munich last played a month ago. Based on how teams have returned from similar breaks for the Europa League, it can be expected that Bayern will have a great deal of rust to shake off.

The German side seems to have already had a notion of this in the build up to the match. They know that Chelsea has the match fitness they do not and even with the gulf between the two teams, that could be the handicap the Blues need to bridge that gap.

Of course, the mood was more positive before the injuries in the FA Cup. Chelsea will now struggle to field much of an XI at all, let alone one that can be competitive enough to pull off a miracle. The Blues will have to dig deeper than they have in years to pull something off in this one. Their main hope will be Bayern’s legs are not stretched enough to run them off.