Chelsea face a familiar face in Jose Mourinho as he brings his Benfica side to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League this week.
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The UEFA Champions League enters its second matchday and throws up this exciting tie between Chelsea and Benfica, with some added spice as it sees the return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge.
The Portuguese manager is still a hero to the Blues and will no doubt be welcomed back well with the stands singing his name for the success he once brought them. But there is also no doubt that the mood will not be joyous for the fans if Enzo Maresca’s side do not come away with the three points from this tie.
Neither side won their opening tie in the Champions League, Chelsea losing 3-1 to Bayern Munich and Benfica suffering a 3-2 loss to Qarabag after being 3-0 up. Both teams will be looking to change their fortunes and get their first points on the table.
Chelsea vs Benfica key information
• Date: Tuesday, September 30
• Kick-off time: 8pm BST
• Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
• Referee: Daniel Siebert
• VAR: Christian Dingert
• TV channels: TNT Sports (UK)
• Odds: CHE (4/7) - DRAW (3/1) - SLB (9/2)
Chelsea team news
Chelsea will be without talisman Cole Palmer, with the Englishman out for 2–3 weeks with a recurring groin injury he suffered at Manchester United. Joining him on the sidelines are Tosin Adarabioyo, who has a calf issue that means he won’t be available until after the international break, plus Wesley Fofana, who has been dealing with a concussion after an incident in the Carabao Cup, and must follow concussion protocols, rendering him unavailable for now.
Enzo Maresca is still without the long-term injured players Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo and Liam Delap, but will still have Trevoh Chalobah to choose from despite his red card in the weekend’s match, as it does not impact his eligibility in the Champions League, so he is available. Facundo Buonanotte is also back in contention to play after being unavailable vs Brighton because he can’t face his parent club, Brighton.
Benoît Badiashile recently returned, coming on agianst Brighton as did Roméo Lavia. Both could feature in this upcoming game as well.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs Benfica, (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Enzo Maresca
Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Estevao, Buonanotte, Neto; Joao Pedro.
Benfica team news
Ahead of the game, Jose Mourinho said: “Going to Stamford Bridge will be like going home. It is the stadium where I won three Premier Leagues. I’m part of Chelsea’s history and Chelsea is part of my history.”
Yet he will not return without wanting to take the three points back to Lisbon. And his team heads to London partially depleted, with defenders Manu Silva and Alexander Bah both working their way back from ACL injuries, while winger Bruma is believed to be out until next year with a ruptured Achilles.
The Eagles will also be without 19-year-old Gianluca Prestianni, who is representing Argentina at the Under-20 World Cup in Chile. Enzo Barrenechea, who missed the win in the Primeira Liga over the weekend due to a yellow-card suspension, will now be back in contention to start for Mourinho’s side.
Benfica predicted lineup vs Chelsea, (4-2-3-1)
Coach: Jose Mourinho
Trubin; Dedic, Otamendi, Silva, Dahl; Barrenechea, Rios; Lukebakio, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis.
Where to watch on TV or live stream?
You can watch Chelsea play Benfica at Stamford Bridge live on TNT Sports. To watch TNT Sports, you need to have a subscription to discovery+, and then you can stream the match on the website, on the app, on your smart TV or through your console.
Head-to-Head record
Chelsea do not welcome Benfica in any sort of form. They have lost three of the past five games, with their only win coming against Lincoln in the League Cup, who even led in that match. Benfica, on the other hand, have two wins in their past three games, with Mourinho not having tasted defeat yet in his second spell with Benfica.
The two teams met recently, in this year's revamped Club World Cup. Chelsea beat Benfica in the quarter-finals 4-1 after extra time on their way to the title. Chelsea have, in fact, never lost to their Portuguese opponents in a competitive match, twice in the Champions League, and once in the Europa League final.
Odds for Chelsea vs Benfica
Chelsea are expected to win the match at the bookmakers. Bet365 have Chelsea at 4/7 to win, with a Benfica win at 9/2. A draw is at 3/1.
Odds correct at time of writing, subject to change.