Chelsea’s Champions League campaign didn’t start the way they hoped. A 3–1 defeat to Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena left fans frustrated, not just at the scoreline but at how avoidable the goals felt.

A Trevoh Chalobah own goal and two strikes from Harry Kane punished sloppy mistakes, while Cole Palmer’s neat finish was little more than consolation on a bruising night.

Manager Enzo Maresca now faces the task of rallying his side against Benfica at the Stamford Bridge. He cut a frustrated figure after the Bayern game, stating the errors that handed the visitors momentum, but he was also quick to insist his team can grow stronger from the experience.

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There are positives to build on. Palmer continues to be Chelsea’s brightest spark, scoring in Europe and once again showing his knack for stepping up in big moments.

Midfield, however, remains under scrutiny. Moisés Caicedo, who struggled in possession against Bayern, is under pressure to show composure and control in the centre of the pitch.

Chelsea registered Facundo Buonanotte in the squad, replacing the injured Dário Essugo, giving Maresca an extra creative option if needed.

Above all, Chelsea need defensive focus. Too often this season, lapses have undone their hard work. If they can cut out the errors and join Palmer’s creativity with João Pedro’s decisiveness, they have enough to get their campaign back on track.For Maresca and his players, Matchweek 2 against Benfica who has hired Jose Mourinho already feels like a must-win which may be tough especially going against a guru in the game.