It will be later this afternoon – or perhaps later this evening, given the usual length of UEFA draws – that Chelsea discover their three opponents for the 2022/23 Champions League group stage.
There are illustrious clubs aplenty the Blues could draw. And potential trips to many of Europe's grandest cities. Last term, Thomas Tuchel and his players faced off likes of Juventus and Real Madrid. The latter knocked Chelsea out at the quarter-final stage in the Bernabeu.
The hope, as always, is this season will be different. That Chelsea can again lift the big-eared trophy – as they did in Porto in 2021 after defeating Man City. But there is a long way to go before that point, and it all starts with the group stage, which gets underway in just under three weeks' time.
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As they did not win last season's competition nor finish top of the Premier League, Chelsea will be drawn out of pot two this evening. And that opens up a number of potential reunions with players who have moved away from Stamford Bridge, either permanently or on loan.
Pot one includes Real Madrid, the most successful Champions League side in history. Given the events of last season's quarter-final, there would be an inevitable edge to any meeting with Los Blancos. And that's before Antonio Rudiger's move to the Spanish capital in the summer is factored in.
The German centre-back established himself as one of the finest central defenders in the European game under Tuchel but opted against signing a new contract with Chelsea last season. And once the club were placed under sanctions by the UK government, talks were ended, and Rudiger opted to sign on a free transfer with Real.
Madrid is also the home to one of Chelsea's favourite sons: Eden Hazard. The Belgian has struggled hugely with injuries since moving to the Bernabeu in the summer of 2019 but remains a beloved figure at Stamford Bridge. If Hazard was to make a return, he would be given a hero's welcome.
Another potential opponent from pot one is AC Milan, who last season claimed the Serie A title. In the heart of the Rossoneri defence was Fikayo Tomori, a Chelsea academy graduate who left the Blues permanently last summer in a deal worth just £25million.
Former Blue Olivier Giroud also featured regularly for Milan on their way to the Scudetto. Like the proverbial fine wine, the Frenchman continues to get better with age. And while Tiemoue Bakayoko is currently on loan from Chelsea and Milan and able to feature if the two sides face off, it's unlikely the Frenchman will do so with the Italian giants attempting to find him a new home.
Being pitted against Bayern Munich, the team Chelsea defeated in the 2012 Champions League final, is possible, and such a draw would see Jamal Musiala perform at Stamford Bridge. The 19-year-old left the Blues in the summer of 2020 and has developed into one of the finest young players in world football.
Moving to pot three and there is one standout draw: Inter Milan. Earlier this summer, the Serie A side struck a deal to bring Romelu Lukaku back to the club on loan less than a year after Chelsea paid £97.5m to sign the Belgian.
UEFA rules dictate any loanee must be allowed to play against his parent club. And given the breakdown in the relationship between Tuchel and Lukaku last season, a group-stage draw against Chelsea would give the Belgian striker two opportunities to produce statement performances.
Bayer Leverkusen are also a possible opponent from pot three, and should Callum Hudson-Odoi complete a loan move to the Bundesliga side as expected. He would also be allowed to feature against Chelsea should the German side be drawn against the Blues.
There is only one potential reunion on pot four – and only those with long memories will perhaps realise it. On Wednesday evening, Maccabi Haifa booked their place in the group stage. And if they end up facing the Blues, academy graduate Ben Sahar would come up against the side he left way back in 2009.
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