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Benfica vs Chelsea Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025 FIFA Club World Cup | Round of 16

by Alex Lawes · June 25 2025, 17:08
Benfica vs Chelsea Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025 FIFA Club World Cup | Round of 16
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Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!

Benfica pulled off a bit of a surprise to finish at the top of Group C, as they now take on a Chelsea side that were on the receiving end of a surprise to finish second in Group D.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV & online: UK – DAZN & Channel 5 / US – DAZN

Benfica team news: Carreras suspended

Reportedly Real Madrid-bound full-back Alvaro Carreras is suspended for their knockout clash with Chelsea, but former Torino striker Andrea Belotti has returned. Paris Saint-Germain-linked Tomas Araujo remains an injury concern for Benfica.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Aursnes, Silva, Otamendi, Dahl; Sanches, Leandro Barreiro; Di Maria, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis

Unavailable: Carreras (Suspended), Luis (Injured)

Questionable: Araujo (Injured)

Chelsea team news: Jackson suspended

Chelsea remain without Senegal international striker Nicolas Jackson after he was sent off against Flamengo during the group stages. Enzo Maresca made a few changes for their final group game but will likely return to full strength ahead of this one.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Moises Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Delap

Unavailable: Jackson (Suspended)

Questionable: 

Key stats

  • Benfica and Chelsea last met in the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League final, the English club prevailing 2-1 in Amsterdam. Their only other previous encounters were in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League quarter-final, Chelsea winning both legs – 1-0 away, 2-1 at home.
  • Benfica’s most recent competitive matches against an English club were in the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League quarter-final, which they lost to Liverpool (1-3 home, 3-3 away).
  • Chelsea’s most recent competitive encounters with Portuguese opposition came in the quarter-final of the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League when they beat FC Porto on aggregate, winning 2-0 away in the first leg and losing 0-1 at home in the second leg.
  • Benfica have lost only once in their last 16 matches in all competitions (W11 D4 L1).
  • Benfica have found the net in each of their last 18 competitive games.
  • Chelsea have won ten of their last 12 matches in all competitions (W10 D0 L2).
  • Chelsea have kept five clean sheets in their last eight matches in all competitions.
  • Chelsea have won five of their seven matches in FIFA competitions (W5 D0 L2).
  • Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández joined the club from Benfica in January 2023 after only half a season with the Lisbon club. The other Chelsea players to have featured in the Portuguese top flight are Pedro Neto (Braga) and Dário Essugo (Sporting CP and Chaves).
  • Three of the players on Benfica’s roster have played in the English Premier League; Nicolás Otamendi with Manchester City (2015-20), Ángel Di María with Manchester United (2014/15).and Renato Sanches (Swansea City (2017/18). Álvaro Fernández Carreras made appearances for Manchester United’s youth teams (2021-24) but left without featuring for the senior team.
  • Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández was a 2022 FIFA World Cup winner with Argentina alongside Benfica duo Nicolás Otamendi and Ángel Di María.
  • Angel Di María was in the Paris Saint-Germain team that knocked Chelsea out of the 2015/16 UEFA Champions League in the round of 16, the French side winning both legs 2-1.
  • Benfica head coach Bruno Lage was in charge of English club Wolverhampton Wanderers from June 2021 to October 2022. His two Premier League games against Chelsea both ended in draws (0-0 home, 2-2 away).
  • Chelsea’s Portuguese winger Pedro Neto played under Bruno Lage at Wolves, though he was injured for most of the 2021/22 season.
  • Pedro Neto and Benfica defender António Silva were recent winners together at the 2025 UEFA Nations League with Portugal.
  • Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis scored both goals for Greece in a 2-1 UEFA Nations League win against England at Wembley Stadium in October 2024. Chelsea’s Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer and substitute Noni Madueke were in opposition.

Benfica vs Chelsea prediction

Benfica began their FIFA Club World Cup campaign by going 2-0 down to Boca Juniors, before fighting back with ten men to earn a 2-2 draw. They were then largely unconvincing against Auckland City before a late burst earned them a 6-0 win before winning Group C with a surprise defeat of a rotated Bayern Munich side the other day.

Chelsea ended up finishing as runners’ up in Group D with two victories and a defeat in their three group stage matches. The Blues began with a comfortable 2-0 defeat of LAFC before taking the lead against Flamengo but losing 3-1 to the Brazilian giants. They finished off their group stage campaign with a 3-0 hammering of ES Tunis.

Chelsea haven’t been overly convincing thus far but the sheer abundance of quality that they have means they are likely to be able to control the match against Benfica and are favourites.

Benfica vs Chelsea tip: Chelsea to win & under 3.5 goals

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