Sky Sports pundit states his prediction for Chelsea FC v Bayern Munich
Charlie Nicholas is backing Bayern Munich to ease to a 3-1 win at Chelsea FC in the Champions League on Wednesday night
Charlie Nicholas is backing Bayern Munich to ease to a resounding 3-1 win against Chelsea FC in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash on Tuesday night.
The Blues will be looking to build upon their 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the London derby on Saturday afternoon after Frank Lampard’s side made a much-needed return to winning ways.
Olivier Giroud scored in just his third start of the Premier League season before Marcos Alonso secured three points in the second half to bolster Chelsea FC’s top-four hopes.
The Blues have conceded 37 times in 27 games in the Premier League this term – only Burnley have conceded more goals in the top half of the table than Chelsea FC.
Bayern will be hoping to expose Chelsea FC’s defensive issues when the Bundesliga leaders make the trip to the English capital on Tuesday night.
The German side have scored 65 goals in the Bundesliga this season, a stat only matched by Borussia Dortmund in the top flight.
Former Arsenal midfielder Nicholas is backing Bayern to score three times against Chelsea FC in the first leg of their last-16 clash on Tuesday night.
Nicholas told Sky Sports: “Chelsea got a very good result against Tottenham; I did anticipate that if they started Olivier Giroud, they would get something.
“What Frank Lampard is doing, playing the youngsters, is excellent. I see a style, which I don’t with some of the other teams that are rebuilding.
“But they are still unpredictable. There’s a vulnerability to them.
“Bayern came and battered Tottenham, annihilated them, but they do struggle at the back and they are being questioned with RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund running them close in the Bundesliga.
“They are not as good as they have been in the past; I think they’ve regressed since Jupp Heynckes. They play narrower with Philippe Coutinho and Serge Gnabry. Gnabry has proven a lot of us wrong, as he was not cutting the mustard at Arsenal, but he has been excellent.
“But I think they will prevail here; I don’t think Chelsea are at this standard yet.”
Roberto Di Matteo famously led Chelsea FC to Champions League glory against Bayern Munich in the final at the Allianz Arena back in 2012.
