Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
Time: 9:00 PM BST (4:00 PM ET)
Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina
Watch: Live on DAZN (free with a Freemium account)
Live Updates: Chelsea website, Official Chelsea App, Standard Sport live blog
The FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 heats up as Benfica and Chelsea lock horns in an all-European clash at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on Saturday night. This high-stakes encounter pits the unbeaten Group C winners against a Chelsea side looking to build on their recent momentum. With a quarter-final spot against either Palmeiras or Botafogo on the line, both teams are poised for a thrilling battle.
The Build-Up
Benfica arrive in scintillating form, topping Group C with an unbeaten record. Their campaign included a 2-2 draw with Boca Juniors, a 6-0 rout of Auckland City, and a gritty 1-0 upset over Bayern Munich, sealed by Andreas Schjelderup’s 13th-minute strike and Anatoliy Trubin’s heroic goalkeeping in sweltering 37°C heat. Managed by former Wolves boss Bruno Lage, the Eagles are riding high, with their defensive solidity—led by veteran Nicolás Otamendi—and attacking flair making them a formidable force. Their ability to upset Bayern suggests they can challenge any opponent, though they face a historical hurdle: Benfica have never beaten Chelsea in competitive fixtures.
Chelsea, under Enzo Maresca, secured second place in Group D after a rollercoaster group stage. A 2-0 win over LAFC and a 3-0 victory against ES Tunis, powered by Liam Delap’s first goal for the club, sandwiched a 3-1 defeat to Flamengo, where Nicolas Jackson’s red card proved costly. The Blues have earned approximately £28m so far in the tournament, with the potential to pocket nearly £100m if they go all the way—a prize they last claimed in 2021. Chelsea’s historical edge over Benfica, including wins in the 2011-12 Champions League quarter-finals and the 2013 Europa League final (2-1), gives them confidence, but they’ll need to overcome their inconsistency to progress.
Team News
Benfica: The Portuguese side welcomes back left-back Álvaro Carreras and striker Andrea Belotti from suspension, bolstering their squad depth. However, injuries to Alexander Bah, Manu Silva, and midfielder Florentino Luís (shoulder) are concerns, with the latter likely to miss out. Renato Sanches, who shook off a knock against Bayern, is expected to start alongside Leandro Barreiro in midfield. Up top, leading scorer Vangelis Pavlidis (30 goals this season) will compete with Belotti for a starting spot, while Ángel Di María’s experience and Gianluca Prestianni’s flair add dynamism. Otamendi’s imperious defending—winning 29 duels at an 80.6% success rate in the group stage—anchors a backline that’s kept two clean sheets in three games.
Possible XI: Trubin; Aursnes, Silva, Otamendi, Carreras; Barreiro, Sanches; Di María, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis
Chelsea: The Blues remain without striker Nicolas Jackson, serving the final game of a two-match ban, while Mykhailo Mudryk (suspended) and Wesley Fofana (injured) are also unavailable. Maresca is expected to recall key players rested against ES Tunis, including Reece James, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Cole Palmer, and Pedro Neto. Enzo Fernández, who assisted twice against Tunis and faces his former club, will likely partner Moisés Caicedo in midfield. Liam Delap, fresh off his maiden Chelsea goal, should continue to lead the line. Tosin Adarabioyo, who scored against Tunis, hopes to retain his spot in a reshuffled back four alongside Robert Sánchez in goal.
Possible XI: Sánchez; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernández; Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Delap
My team to face Benfica. Thoughts? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/3w9z4bPTkM
— CFC-Blues (@CFCBlues_com) June 27, 2025
Tactical Breakdown
Benfica’s approach blends defensive resilience with quick transitions. Otamendi and Trubin form a robust last line, while Di María and Schjelderup provide creativity and pace on the wings. Pavlidis’ goal-scoring prowess makes him a constant threat, and Benfica’s ability to grind out results in tough conditions—as seen against Bayern—suggests they’ll be compact and dangerous on the counter.
Chelsea, meanwhile, will rely on their attacking depth. Cole Palmer’s playmaking, Pedro Neto’s directness (two goals in the tournament), and Noni Madueke’s flair will test Benfica’s backline. Fernández’s familiarity with Benfica could be key in unlocking their midfield, but Chelsea’s vulnerability to conceding in quick bursts, as seen against Flamengo, is a concern. Maresca’s side must maintain control and avoid lapses to counter Benfica’s upset potential.
The Opta supercomputer favors Chelsea, predicting a 45.1% chance of a win in regulation time compared to Benfica’s 29.1%, with 25.7% of simulations requiring extra time or penalties. Overall, Chelsea advance in 58.7% of scenarios, but Benfica’s 10-for-12 record in last-16 ties over the past 15 years underscores their knockout pedigree.
Key Players to Watch
Benfica: Nicolás Otamendi – The Argentine centre-back’s commanding presence and duel-winning ability (29/36 in Group C) will be crucial in neutralizing Chelsea’s attack.
Chelsea: Enzo Fernández – Facing his former club, the midfielder’s two assists against Tunis highlight his ability to dictate play and create chances.
Wildcard: Liam Delap (Chelsea) – The £30m signing’s first goal against ES Tunis could spark a scoring run, especially with Jackson sidelined.
Liam opens his Chelsea account in style. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ynwaIRKB2Q
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 25, 2025
Head-to-Head Record
Chelsea hold a perfect record against Benfica, winning all three previous competitive meetings:
2011-12 Champions League Quarter-Finals: Chelsea 1-0 Benfica (away), 2-1 (home)
On This Day in 2012, Raul Meireles scored THIS goal vs Benfica in the quarter finals of the Champions League 🚀 #CFC pic.twitter.com/X5RrYKMhcm
— CFC-Blues (@CFCBlues_com) April 4, 2025
2013 Europa League Final: Chelsea 2-1 Benfica (Ivanović 93rd-minute winner)
On This Day in 2013, we became Europa League Champions. What a night in Amsterdam 🤩 #CFC pic.twitter.com/g8wbsQXek1
— CFC-Blues (@CFCBlues_com) May 15, 2025
Total: Chelsea 5 goals, Benfica 2 goals, no draws.
Prediction
This clash promises goals at both ends, with Benfica’s attacking threats and Chelsea’s firepower likely to produce an open game. Benfica’s unbeaten run and upset over Bayern make them dangerous underdogs, but Chelsea’s historical dominance and rested stars give them the edge. Expect a tight contest, potentially decided by a moment of brilliance from Palmer or Fernández.
Score Prediction: Benfica 1-2 Chelsea
How to Follow
Fans can watch the match live for free on DAZN, with coverage starting at 8:00 PM BST. Sign up for a free DAZN account to stream on their website or app. Chelsea supporters can follow minute-by-minute updates on the Chelsea website or Official Chelsea App, while Standard Sport’s live blog will provide real-time analysis. Highlights will be available on Chelsea’s platforms shortly after the final whistle, with the full match replay accessible from 11:00 PM on June 30. Tickets for the game are still available via FIFA’s website.
