One of Chelsea's long-time European scouts Florian Zahn recently joined Bayern Munich, according to a curiously timed report in German media.
Zahn had overseen the Blues' central and eastern European networks for the past four years but joined the Bavarians in the new year, a report in Bild said.
His role at Bayern will be focused on Under-16 and Under-17 players and the switch happened without much fuss at the beginning of January. The German previously worked within the academy structure at Kaiserslautern.
Frank Lampard's side, who are struggling for form and stricken by a spate of injuries to key players, face Bayern in the first leg of their round of 16 tie at Stamford Bridge this coming Tuesday, with the return leg at the Allianz Arena on March 19.
Bayern are at home to basement side Paderborn in the Bundesliga on Friday night and will fly to London on Monday afternoon following a training session at Sabener Strasse.
Hansi Flick, who replaced Niko Kovac as interim manager following a slow start to the campaign, will be without defenders Benjamin Pavard and Jerome Boateng because of suspension for the league game, while Ivan Perisic and Niklas Sule remain long-term absentees due to injury.
They lead Spurs' Champions League opponents RB Leipizg by one point in the Bundesliga table and have won nine of their past 10 games in all competitions, drawing 0-0 at home to Julian Nagelsmann's team the weekend before last.
Bayern are chasing their eighth straight domestic league title.
