Who: Chelsea vs Benfica
What: FIFA Club World Cup spherical of 16
The place: Financial institution of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
When: Saturday, June 28 at 4pm (21:00 GMT)
How one can comply with: We’ll have all of the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 1pm native (18:00 GMT) forward of our dwell textual content commentary stream.
Chelsea and Benfica meet within the second round of 16 tie on the FIFA Membership World Cup in an all-European affair, which may simply have been a fixture straight from the UEFA Champions League.
Between them, the golf equipment have lifted Europe’s premier membership competitors on 9 events, with seven of these titles going to Portuguese giants, Benfica.
Al Jazeera Sport seems to be forward to the match that comes with a big headache for the English membership following their late slip-up within the group stage.
What’s Chelsea’s annoyance heading into the Benfica tie?
Chelsea are dealing with a logistical headache on the Membership World Cup after ending second of their group, forcing an surprising journey to Charlotte for his or her final 16 match as a substitute of staying in Miami, the place the membership thought they’d be based mostly for the knockout stage.
Journey, lodging and coaching preparations had been, a supply informed the information company Reuters, all made with the belief that the West Londoners would prime Group D and play their spherical of 16 match at Exhausting Rock Stadium.
The detour to Charlotte means reorganising bookings and schedules at brief discover, however the membership nonetheless intends to return to its Miami base after the match, including extra miles to an already hectic itinerary.
What occurred to Chelsea within the group stage?
The Blue opened their Membership World Cup marketing campaign with a 2-0 win towards Los Angeles. After a 3-1 loss to Brazil’s Flamengo, Chelsea solely managed second place regardless of a 3-0 win over Esperance Tunis of their last group stage fixture in Philadelphia.
How did Benfica fare within the group stage?
Benfica had been held to a 2-2 draw of their opening match on the FIFA Membership World Cup by Boca Juniors. The Lisbon-based membership then received their last two video games towards New Zealand’s Auckland Metropolis (6-0) and Germany’s Bayern Munich (1-0).
Who awaits Chelsea or Benfica within the quarter-finals?
The winner of Saturday’s tie will return to Lincoln Monetary Discipline in Philadelphia to face the winner of the all-Brazilian conflict between Palmeiras and Botafogo.
The #FIFACWC Spherical of 16 fixtures. 🔢 pic.twitter.com/PSqvYGZW18
— FIFA Membership World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 27, 2025
Have Chelsea ever received a Membership World Cup?
Sure. Chelsea, who’ve twice lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy in Europe, have lifted the Membership World Cup as soon as.
The Blues lifted the title in 2021 with a 2-1 win towards Brazil’s Palmeiras.
Romelu Lukaku and Kai Havertz scored the Blues’ targets, with the winner netted by the latter in further time.
What occurred the final time between Chelsea and Benfica?
The groups competed for the UEFA Europa League title in 2013, with the Blues securing a 2-1 win.
Fernando Torres opened the scoring on the stroke of the hour mark for the Blues with Oscar Cardozo equalising from the spot within the 69th minute.
Branislav Ivanovic settled issues with a Ninetieth-minute winner for Chelsea.
Chelsea workforce information
Wesley Fofana has joined the squad on the match, however the defender continues to get better from a long-term thigh damage and can miss out as soon as once more.
Striker Nicolas Jackson serves the second and last sport of a two-match suspension for a straight pink card within the match towards Flamengo.
Reece James, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella are all in line for a return.
Benfica workforce information
Alexander Bah and Manu Silva stay long-term absentees, however midfielder Florentino Luis is in line for a comeback from a shoulder damage, having missed the final two video games.
Ahead Andrea Belotti returns from suspension.
Benfica attainable beginning lineup:
Trubin; Aursnes, Silva, Otamendi, Carreras; Barreiro, Sanches; Di Maria, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis
Chelsea attainable beginning lineup:
Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Delap
Head-to-head
That is the third assembly between the edges, with Chelsea successful the entire encounters.
Together with their Europa League success towards Benfica, the Blues received each Champions League ties in 2011-2012.
Kind guides
Benfica type (all competitions):
D-L-D-W-W
Chelsea type (all competitions):
W-W-W-L-W
