BETTING GUIDE: Chelsea vs Benfica, Team News, Match Preview and Betting tips
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Reading Time: 5min | Tue. 30.09.25. | 14:45
Jose Mourinho makes a dramatic return to Stamford Bridge - this time as the manager of Benfica - a subplot that adds spice to an already high-stakes European tie
Stamford Bridge plays host to a high-stakes UEFA Champions League group stage clash as Chelsea welcome Benfica on Tuesday, 30 September.
Both sides suffered defeats in their opening matches of the league phase, and pressure is mounting early in the campaign for a response.
Chelsea lost 3-1 to Bayern Munich in their opener, while Benfica crumbled from a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Qarabag - a result that stunned Europe.
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Both teams seek redemption in West London, in what promises to be a tense, tactical, and emotionally charged encounter.
Under Enzo Maresca this season, Chelsea remains a work-in-progress side, adapting to a possession-heavy system that demands technical precision and discipline.
Results have been mixed: just three wins from eight matches across all competitions, and a worrying tendency to concede.
Defensively, Chelsea are vulnerable - having conceded in six of their last seven games.
Chelsea's expected goals against hovers close to 2.0 per match, indicating structural issues at the back.
Discipline has also been a problem, with 22 yellow cards collected already this season.
Yet going forward, the Blues have weapons. Estevao and Pedro Neto are emerging as dynamic threats, and Chelsea still generates strong attacking metrics (9.9 xG in the Premier League).
The question is whether they can outscore opponents when their defence often lets them down.
Maresca will likely deploy his usual 4-3-3 or inverted full-back system to dominate possession.
With injuries mounting, the pressure is on squad players to step up.
Jose Mourinho makes a dramatic return to Stamford Bridge - this time as the manager of Benfica - a subplot that adds spice to an already high-stakes European tie.
Benfica arrive in strong domestic form, unbeaten in Liga Portugal and just one point off the top.
They have scored 13 goals in seven league games, with Vangelis Pavlidis in electric form, already netting five goals this season.
However, their European form tells a different story.
Benfica have now lost four of their last five Champions League matches. Mourinho's challenge is to translate their domestic dominance into continental consistency.
The Portuguese giants are likely to approach the game with their usual blend of defensive structure and counter-attacking incision.
Pavlidis, supported by Franjo Ivanovic and Georgiy Sudakov, offers genuine goal threat, while Mourinho’s deep tactical playbook ensures they will be prepared for Chelsea’s high press.
Their away record in Europe is competitive too: 10 wins from their last 20 away matches, including narrow defeats to the likes of Barcelona and Bayern.
Team news
Chelsea are grappling with several key absentees ahead of Tuesday night’s crucial Champions League fixture.
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In defence, they are without Benoît Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, and Tosin Adarabioyo, leaving them stretched at the back and reliant on makeshift solutions.
The attack is significantly weakened with Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, and João Pedro all sidelined through injury.
However, Trevoh Chalobah is available for selection despite his red card against Brighton in domestic competition, as it does not affect European fixtures.
Benfica also face their own selection headaches.
They will be without winger Dodi Lukebakio, while Bruma, Alexander Bah, and Manu Silva miss out due to injury concerns.
Additionally, teenage forward Gianluca Prestianni is unavailable as he is away on international duty with Argentina’s U-20 squad.
On the positive side, Enzo Barrenechea returns from suspension and is expected to slot back into midfield, giving Mourinho a timely boost in the engine room.
Chelsea are expected to continue with their possession-based approach under Maresca, aiming to dominate the ball, control tempo, and create numerical advantages in wide areas through their inverted full-backs and fluid midfield rotations.
However, the aggressive positioning of their backline and high pressing setup often leaves them vulnerable to counter-attacks - a weakness Benfica are well-equipped to exploit.
Benfica, under the experienced hand of Jose Mourinho, are likely to sit deep in a compact shape, soaking up pressure and looking to spring forward quickly through the pace and movement of Vangelis Pavlidis and Franjo Ivanovic.
The Portuguese side will aim to exploit space behind Chelsea’s full-backs, especially when the hosts commit numbers forward.
Mourinho’s blueprint will focus on disrupting Chelsea’s rhythm in midfield and capitalising on moments of transition.
Chelsea and Benfica have faced each other three times in competitive action - and the London side remains unbeaten in the fixture.
The most recent meeting came earlier this year in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where Chelsea secured a 4-1 victory after extra time, having drawn 1-1 in regulation.
The other two clashes were back in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, with Chelsea winning 1-0 in Lisbon and 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, en route to lifting their first-ever European crown.
Both sides are under pressure and defensively vulnerable. Chelsea’s home advantage and attacking talent should see them score, but Benfica’s pace on the break - and Mourinho’s tactical nous - make them dangerous.
Key Pointers
Chelsea have only 2 clean sheets in 8 games this season
Benfica have scored in 17 of their last 20 European away matches
Both teams have scored in six of Chelsea's last seven games
Four of Chelsea's last five games in European competition have seen both teams score
Both teams have scored in five of the last six Benfica games
With attacking firepower on both sides and defenses that have shown cracks, expect goals, cards, and drama in Mourinho’s Stamford Bridge return.
Prediction: Both teams to score.
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