Benfica vs Chelsea

Benfica vs. Chelsea: FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 Preview

On Saturday, Benfica and Chelsea will clash at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, vying for a coveted spot in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals.

Benfica secured first place in Group C with a surprising 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Tuesday, while Chelsea recovered from a 3-1 defeat to Flamengo to claim a 3-0 win against Esperance Tunis, finishing second in Group D. A win this weekend will set up a quarter-final matchup against either Palmeiras or Botafogo on July 5.

Here, we dive into the historical matchups and key details of this exciting encounter.

Head-to-Head History

• Previous Encounters: 3
• Benfica Wins: 0
• Draws: 0
• Chelsea Wins: 3

Chelsea have dominated their three competitive meetings with Benfica. Their first clash came in the 2012 Champions League quarter-finals, where Chelsea, under Roberto Di Matteo, triumphed 1-0 in Lisbon thanks to a Salomon Kalou goal and sealed a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge, with Frank Lampard and Raul Meireles scoring to overcome Javi Garcia’s late equalizer.

The teams met again in the 2013 Europa League final in Amsterdam. Fernando Torres put Chelsea ahead, but Oscar Cardozo’s penalty leveled the score for Benfica. However, Branislav Ivanovic’s stoppage-time header secured a 2-1 win for Chelsea, managed by Rafa Benitez.

Match Preview

Can Chelsea maintain their Club World Cup aspirations with a win in North Carolina? The Blues had an inconsistent group stage, finishing second in Group D after a 3-1 loss to Flamengo, where Pedro Neto’s early goal was overshadowed by two quick Flamengo strikes and a red card for Nicolas Jackson. However, Chelsea rebounded with convincing wins over LAFC and Esperance Tunis, with Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap, and Tyrique George scoring in a 3-0 rout of the latter. Their runner-up finish has landed them on a potentially easier side of the knockout draw, making them favorites.

Meanwhile, Benfica pulled off a stunning upset by defeating Bayern Munich 1-0, with Andreas Schjelderup’s early goal clinching top spot in Group C. The Eagles also staged a comeback draw against Boca Juniors and thrashed Auckland City 6-0. Despite losing in the Intercontinental Cup in the early 1960s, Benfica are making their Club World Cup debut and, having already toppled one European giant, aim to eliminate another.

Will Chelsea’s experience prevail, or can Benfica continue their giant-killing run?