Chelsea captain Reece James believes the team can afford to dream big.
The Blues are back among Europe’s elite after two seasons away from the competition, during which they won the Conference League and the Club World Cup.
Chelsea face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, where they won their maiden Champions League title in 2012, in the first match of the 2025-26 league phase on Wednesday.
Speaking with the club’s website, the England international stated that it will be difficult facing Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
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“The Champions League is where the club belongs,” James told Chelsea’s official website.
“We’re happy to be back playing against the best teams and competing in the best competitions, because we haven’t been in this one for the last two seasons. Captaining Chelsea was always something I dreamt of, especially in the Champions League. Having been here a while now, and seeing the change and how we’ve had to adapt, we’re in a good position.
“We finished last season super strong and I hope this season we can build on that. I don’t look at what other people say; we can achieve anything as long as we understand and believe. We know we can go far with the team we have. That’s all that matters.”
On the test posed by Bayern, James added: “They are always super strong. They are a European giant, and they have won the competition before and know what it takes. So, it will be a super tough game.”