Benfica vs Chelsea Preview

• Chelsea to win
• Under 2.5 goals

The knockout rounds of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup begin with a compelling European clash as Portuguese heavyweights Benfica take on Chelsea in the Round of 16. Both sides secured their place in the knockouts with wins on matchday three of the group stage and now stand just three victories away from global club football glory.

Match News and Current Form

Benfica come into this encounter with renewed confidence after seeing off German champions Bayern Munich 1-0 to top Group C, a result which served as both a statement victory and a confidence booster. Prior to that, they had thumped Auckland City 6-0, meaning the Portuguese giants arrive on the back of two successive wins without conceding. This sudden uptick in form has helped them bounce back from a difficult stretch before the tournament where they failed to win any of their previous four competitive games (three draws, one defeat).

Under Roger Schmidt, the Eagles have tightened up defensively and look more assured, with their midfield pressing and wide play proving particularly effective in the recent group stage matches. Now, with momentum on their side and their defence in fine shape, Benfica will aim to reach the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup for the first time in their history.

Chelsea, meanwhile, finished as runners-up in Group D behind Flamengo, having also picked up two wins and one defeat in their three games. Their most recent victory, a 1-0 success over Espérance de Tunis, sealed their place in the last 16 and showed signs of tactical maturity from head coach Enzo Maresca. The Italian rotated heavily for that game, making eight changes to preserve legs for the knockout rounds, a move that could pay dividends here with his squad likely to be in fresher condition than Benfica’s.

Despite a 3-1 loss to Flamengo earlier in the tournament, Chelsea’s overall form has been solid, with five wins in their last six competitive outings. With the young side continuing to evolve under Maresca, the Blues will believe they can go deep into this tournament, particularly given their long-standing pedigree in European and global competitions.

Head-to-Head History

These two sides have met three times in competitive action, all of which have ended in victory for Chelsea. Each of those wins came by a one-goal margin, including their most high-profile encounter in the 2013 UEFA Europa League final, when a last-minute winner from Branislav Ivanović handed the Londoners the trophy in Amsterdam.

While Benfica are yet to register a win or even a draw against Chelsea, the narrow margins in previous meetings suggest another closely contested affair could be on the cards.

Key Players to Watch

Benfica’s recent defensive success owes a lot to goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. The Ukrainian has been in excellent form, keeping clean sheets against both Bayern Munich and Auckland City. More impressively, he has saved each of the last six shots on target he has faced, underlining his growing reputation as a reliable last line of defence.

For Chelsea, Liam Delap stepped into the spotlight during the win over Espérance. The young forward netted his first goal for the club and impressed with his movement and physical presence. With Nicolas Jackson still serving a suspension, Delap may get another chance to lead the line, and his recent confidence boost could make him a threat.

Chelsea will also be looking to Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto to provide the creative spark in the absence of Jackson, while Benfica may rely on the midfield leadership of Florentino Luís and the attacking nous of Ángel Di María to unlock the Chelsea defence.

Hot Stats and Streaks

• Benfica have scored in first-half stoppage time in two of their three CWC matches so far.
• There have been five penalties awarded across Benfica’s last five competitive matches.
• Chelsea have opened the scoring before half-time in all three of their CWC games.
• Five of Chelsea’s last six wins across all competitions have come with a clean sheet attached.
• Each of the previous three head-to-head encounters between the two sides ended 2-1 in favour of Chelsea.

Missing Players

There are no new injury concerns in the Benfica camp ahead of this tie. Chelsea, however, will have to make do without Nicolas Jackson once again. The Senegalese striker was handed an additional suspension by FIFA following a disciplinary review of his red card in the group stage defeat to Flamengo. Wesley Fofana and Raheem Sterling remain long-term absentees for the London club.

Betting Analysis

Both teams come into this game in similar form and with sturdy defences, suggesting a tightly contested affair could be on the cards. Chelsea have generally kept things compact during the CWC, while Benfica have conceded just once in the tournament so far. Given those trends, backing under 2.5 total goals could be a smart move. A one-goal winning margin for either team also seems likely, based on their past meetings and tournament form.

Prediction

This could be one of the closest matchups in the Round of 16, with both teams boasting solid defensive records and a pragmatic tactical approach. Chelsea’s added squad depth and experience in navigating tournament football may just tip the scales in their favour.

Predicted score: Benfica 0-1 Chelsea

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https://www.fifa.com/en/match-centre/match/10005/289175/289186/400019198