Benfica and Chelsea will battle for a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals this Saturday at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, with both sides hoping to continue their journey in the tournament.
While Benfica topped Group C after a narrow 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, as Softfootball gathered, Chelsea recovered from an opening 3-1 defeat to Flamengo by beating Esperance Tunis 3-0, finishing second in Group D.
Historically, Chelsea have had the upper hand in this fixture. The two sides have met three times in European competitions, with the Blues emerging victorious on every occasion.
Their first meeting came in the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, where Chelsea won both legs—1-0 in Lisbon through a Salomon Kalou goal and 2-1 at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals from Frank Lampard and Raul Meireles.
The rivalry continued the following year in the 2013 Europa League final in Amsterdam. That contest saw Fernando Torres put Chelsea ahead in the second half, only for Benfica to level through an Oscar Cardozo penalty. However, Branislav Ivanovic’s dramatic 93rd-minute header sealed a 2-1 victory and the trophy for Chelsea.
In total, Benfica and Chelsea have met three times:
- March 27, 2012 – Benfica 0-1 Chelsea (UCL Quarter-Final First Leg)
- April 4, 2012 – Chelsea 2-1 Benfica (UCL Quarter-Final Second Leg)
- May 15, 2013 – Benfica 1-2 Chelsea (Europa League Final)
The Blues have won all three matchups, scoring five goals and conceding only two. Benfica will be seeking to rewrite history in Saturday’s clash, while Chelsea will aim to extend their dominance in the head-to-head and book their place in the final eight.
Softfootball reported earlier that Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca unveiled two unexpected tactical decisions in his starting XI for Saturday’s Club World Cup last-16 clash against Benfica.
The tactical reshuffle adds further intrigue to this pivotal last-16 matchup, where both managers are seeking an edge in what promises to be a fiercely contested Club World Cup encounter.