This match will be one of the first homecomings in the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 as Jose Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge not as a blue but as a red. He was recently made the new manager of the Benfica team after they sacked their old manager, Bruno Lage, following a defeat their first UEFA Champions League game. He spent six seasons with Chelsea in two spells.
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The London side, Chelsea, will face off against the Portuguese side Benfica in the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 season. Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s home, will be the venue for this game. The match will start at 8 PM (30th September) local time. It will start at 12:30 AM (1st October) as per the Indian Standard Time.
“I feel at home here. But I’m not a Blue anymore… “says Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho was the Chelsea manager for a total of six seasons, but it happened in two spells. First, from 2004 to 2007, he won two Premier Leagues, two League Cups, and one FA Cup. Again, he was made the manager from 2013 to 2015, and he again helped Chelsea win the Premier League and the Capital One Cup. He knows the club very well, in and out, but a few things have obviously changed.
This is a must-win match for both teams, as both of them have lost their first UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 season match. Chelsea lost 1-3 to Bayern, whereas Benfica lost 3-2 to Qarabag FK. In the last five matches in all competitions, Chelsea have lost three, drawn one, and won one. On the other hand, Benfica, in their last five matches, have won two, drawn two, and lost one.
Chelsea vs Benfica: Head-to-Head
Chelsea and Benfica have just played two matches against each other in the UEFA Champions League. It was the quarter-finals of the 2011/12 edition. Chelsea won the first leg 1-0 at Benfica’s home with Kalou scoring in the 75th minute. In the return leg, Chelsea again defeated Benfica 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won the quarter-final on an aggregate score of 3-1. Eventually, they won both matches against Benfica.
Teams News and Probable XI
Chelsea team is dealing with a lot of injuries, and we can see a lot of big players missing this match. Colwill, Palmer, Delap, Fofana, Tosin, and Essugo will all miss the match, whereas Caicedo, Neto, and Santos are big doubts. At the same time, Silva, Bruma, and Bah will miss the match for Benfica.
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Benfica XI:
- Goalkeeper: Trubin
- Defenders: Dahl, Otamendi, Silva, and Dedic
- Midfielders: Barrenechea, Sudakov, and Rilos
- Forwards: Lulebakio, Aursnes, and Pavlidis
Chelsea XI:
- Goalkeeper: Sanchez
- Defenders: Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, and Cucurella
- Midfielders: Lavia, Enzo, and Caicedo
- Forwards: Neto, Garnacho, and Joao Pedro
Chelsea vs Benfica Match Winner Predictions
This will be a tricky match as you can never write off Jose Mourinho’s team. Chelsea have not been in their greatest of forms, but just a single match is needed to gain confidence. The home advantage will also play an important role. We are predicting Chelsea to win the match.
Scorline Prediction: Chelsea 3-2 Benfica
