Chelsea vs Benfica: Tips, Odds, and Match Preview

Things continue to get complicated at Chelsea, as Enzo Maresca’s seat is getting warmer and warmer following the recent 3-1 loss to Brighton in the Premier League the last time out.

The Blues are now on a four-game winless skid across all competitions, and they’ll to snap that drought when facing Benfica, who happens to be managed by one of Chelsea’s most successful managers of all time: Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea Struggles Continue on Both Sides of the Ball

Chelsea jumped to a first-half lead against Brighton this past weekend thanks to a goal from Enzo Fernandez, but as has been the trend all season long, the team simply can’t play with the same intensity throughout an entire game. The Blues looked overmatched in the second half, and the fact that they suffered yet another red card can’t be something that pleases the coaching staff.

With the loss to Brighton, Chelsea have now won just once in their last five matches (W1, D1, L3). That includes a 3-1 loss to Bayern Munich in the UCL opener earlier this month, and Maresca needs to find a way to turn things around. Otherwise, the Blues might be in the hunt for a new manager in the near future. The situation is slowly reaching unsustainable levels, with the Blues assembling a squad to compete for all titles, not one to look overmatched on a steady basis.

Chelsea Injury & Suspension News

Chelsea are sweating on the fitness of Cole Palmer (groin), but the star playmaker isn’t expected to be available Tuesday. They’re also depleted on defence since Levi Colwill (knee), Tosin Adarabioyo (calf) and Wesley Fofana (concussion) are all out, same as Liam Delap (hamstring) and Dario Essugo (thigh).

Can Mourinho Produce Another Magical Night at Stamford Bridge?

Mourinho is no stranger to producing magical moments at Stamford Bridge, but now he’ll aim to do it on the opposing bench. The Portuguese tactician, who opened the season at Fenerbahce but is now with the Eagles, has gone 2-1-0 to open his tenure with the club, but it’s worth noting that Chelsea represent a steeper challenge than the previous two opponents he faced, AVS FS, Rio Ave and Gil Vicente.

Don’t be surprised if Benfica decide to play a conservative approach here, as they fielded a 4-4-2 tactic in the lone away game in Mourinho’s charge. However, “The Special One” knows a thing or two about getting positive results in the Champions League. He should make things complicated for Chelsea and shouldn’t park the bus since Benfica also need the points. They dropped the UCL opener against Qarabag by a 3-2 score after suffering an epic meltdown in the second half. Simply put, Benfica can’t allow itself to suffer another defeat in this tournament.

Benfica Injury & Suspension News

Benfica could have Alexander Bah (knee) back in the mix, as the full-back could make his long-awaited return from a knee injury on Tuesday. Manu (knee) and Bruma (Achilles) remain long-term absences. Gianluca Prestianni is out with Argentina in the U20 World Cup.

Chelsea vs Benfica Prediction

This is going to be a back-and-forth match, and the sense of urgency both teams need to show following their respective defeats in the UCL opener will be noticeable. Chelsea’s matches have been very open of late, and Benfica can’t adopt a defensive stance this time around since they also need a positive outcome. Thus, a game with goals from both clubs appears to be a realistic possibility given that both clubs have already experienced defensive shortcomings in recent weeks.

CryptoGamba tip: Both teams to score – 1.70 @ JackBit