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Palmer Insists Chelsea Aim to Compete, Not Learn, in Champions League Return

Cole Palmer has made it clear that Chelsea are not treating this season’s Champions League campaign as a mere “learning curve,” insisting the Blues intend to be competitive immediately on their return to Europe’s elite competition.

Enzo Maresca’s side were outclassed in a 3-1 defeat against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, their first appearance in the tournament since April 2023. The performance underlined both Chelsea’s potential and their inexperience, with defensive lapses proving costly against seasoned opponents.

Chelsea’s bright start, with Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández spurning early chances, quickly unraveled when Michael Olise’s cross was turned into his own net by Trevoh Chalobah. Moments later, Moisés Caicedo brought down Harry Kane, who converted the penalty with trademark composure. Palmer offered a glimmer of hope with a well-taken finish, but Kane struck again in the second half after Malo Gusto’s error.

For Bayern, the win extended their remarkable record of winning the opening match in each of their last 22 Champions League campaigns. For Chelsea, it was a reminder of the gulf in experience: their 24-man squad had just 117 Champions League appearances combined, compared with Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s 151 outings alone. Eight Chelsea players made their debut in the competition – the most in club history for a single match.

Despite the setback, Palmer rejected the notion that Chelsea must wait years to compete at this level.

“We are not coming here for it to be a learning curve,” said the England international. “We want to compete and show how far we can go.”

Head coach Maresca echoed a more cautious optimism, admitting his young team “lacked full focus for 95 minutes” but stressing the value of the experience. “We can learn a lot from this game and build something special,” he said.

Former Chelsea forward Pat Nevin, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, described the performance as expected: “It wasn’t quite men against boys, but Bayern were a long way ahead. Chelsea’s mistakes were naive – that’s the price of inexperience at this level.”

Chelsea’s third-youngest Champions League XI may yet grow into contenders, but for now, the sharp learning curve is unavoidable – even if Palmer insists otherwise.

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