Under new manager Graham Potter, Chelsea are in a poor run of form with just two wins in 13 games.
They are out of both domestic cup competitions and 10 points off the top four in the Premier League.
So as the Blues travel to Germany, is this make or break for Chelsea’s new regime following the £4.25bn takeover by American businessman Todd Boehly last summer?
Potter’s future will not be determined by success in the Champions League this season or the team’s ability to qualify for the competition again next season either by winning it, or finishing in the top four in the league.
Despite Chelsea’s £583m spend in the past two transfer windows it has been made clear that the long-term vision of those in charge of the club is aligned with the manager.
Potter has won 31.2% of games in the league, the third-worst record at the club in the Premier League era – albeit only 16 games in.
Chelsea are currently in ninth place – behind his old club Brighton in seventh. His predecessor Thomas Tuchel won the Champions League for Chelsea in 2021.
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Former Blues striker Chris Sutton has said the job is “too big” for him and Potter himself said results “have not been good enough”.
The signing of eight players in January, including the British transfer record of Enzo Fernandez for £107m, was described by Potter as “regeneration of the squad that needed to happen”.
Chelsea also have a crippling injury list, featuring star names including Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Christian Pulisic, Wesley Fofana, Edouard Mendy, Denis Zakaria and Armando Broja.
