After a surprising victory over Bayern Munich, Benfica secured their place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. They will now face Chelsea. Although they remain undefeated heading into the game, the English side presents a formidable challenge as the Portuguese side have never beaten Chelsea in previous encounters. Additionally, the Blues boast a stellar squad that could prove challenging for the Portuguese team.
Despite entering the game as underdogs, Benfica have remained competitive in the tournament. An ideal mix of veterans and promising young players like Andreas Schjelderup and Leandro Barreiro have significantly impacted their success. Moreover, coach Bruno Lage has crafted a solid defensive strategy, which could play a crucial role against the English team.
Chelsea arrive as clear favorites in this Round of 16 duel due to the considerable difference in squad depth. While Benfica lack world-class players, the Blues feature stars like Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, and Cole Palmer, who can be game-changers. Additionally, Chelsea can rely on a deep and talented bench to alter the game’s dynamics if necessary.
Benfica confirmed lineup vs Chelsea
Unlike the previous game, Benfica will have the return of Italian Andrea Belotti and Spaniard Alvaro Carreras, who were suspended a red card and accumulated yellow cards, respectively. With this, they would have many more options from the bench.
With this in mind, Benfica will start as follows against Chelsea: Anatoliy Trubin; Fredik Aursnes, Antonio Silva, Nicolas Otamendi, Samuel Dahl; Leandro Barreiro, Florentino Luis; Angel Di Maria, Orkun Kokcu, Andreas Schjelderup; Vangelis Pavlidis.
Chelsea confirmed lineup vs Benfica
Like Benfica, Chelsea have one player unavailable for the Round of 16 game: Nicolas Jackson. Therefore, young Englishman Liam Delap could return to the starting lineup. With no additional absentees, coach Enzo Marezca could field his all-star team with his star midfield of Enzo Fernandez-Moises Caicedo for the game against the Portuguese team.
For this reason, the Blues will field the following starting eleven against the Portuguese team: Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Benoit Badiahile, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia; Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, Pedro Neto.