The Blues fell to a 3-1 defeat against Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in their European opener on Wednesday (17.09.25) but Palmer believes that the team are in the continent's elite competition to win.

The England international said: "We are not coming here for it to be a learning curve.

"We have shown tonight we want to compete and we want to do as best as we can."

The match was the first time Chelsea had played in the Champions League since April 2023 and coach Enzo Maresca thinks his team can "build something special" if they learn lessons from the loss in Bavaria.

The manager said: "We were in the game until the end. It’s very difficult to think to come here and control the game for 95 minutes. This is not reality.

"You cannot commit mistakes in the way we have done. But I just said to the players that I think we learn a lot and build something special from this defeat.

"In terms of experience, between them and us I think there was a huge difference because of the games they played in the Champions League, because of the age.

"The way we competed for part of the game, we were very good, but the mistakes we can learn from."

Maresca was angered by the fact that Bayern defender Jonathan Tah avoided a red card for a robust challenge on Blues forward Joao Pedro in the first half.

The Italian coach said: "It should have been a red card. I always said it was a red card when there is no intention to go for the ball just when the intention is to kick another player. Why is it not a red card? The referee said it was not hard or aggressive enough. So to give you a red card, they need to see your blood or they need to see something. If the intention is to go there, it’s a red card. So for me there is not any doubt."