Benfica vs Chelsea predictions: Blues can end Portuguese challenge
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- Chelsea have won 10 of their last 12 fixtures
- Benfica have gone five games without a win against English opposition
- Recommended bet: Chelsea to win
Chelsea made heavy weather of what looked like a fairly straightforward Club World Cup group stage campaign, but they will be looking to step things up in the knockout rounds, starting with their high-profile contest with Benfica at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
The draw continues to work out favourably for the Blues, who finished second in Group D but still managed to avoid Bayern Munich in the last 16.
Benfica were the surprise Group C winners after snatching a 1-0 victory over Bayern, although they had started the tournament in unconvincing fashion with a 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors.
The Portuguese needed to come from two goals behind against Boca, who finished the game with nine men after red cards for Ander Herrera and Nicolas Figal.
Team news
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Benfica can include left-back Alvaro Carreras, who has completed a one-match suspension.
Renato Sanches was a doubt before the match against Bayern but lasted until the 78th minute when he made way for Adrian Bajrami.
Nicolas Jackson remains suspended for Chelsea due to his red card in the 3-1 loss to Flamengo.
Liam Delap should continue in attack and Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Reece James and Marc Cucurella are among the first-team regulars expected to be recalled after dropping to the bench for the 3-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis.
The stats
Chelsea have won three of their last four matches by at least two goals.
The Blues have kept clean sheets in five of their last eight fixtures.
Chelsea have scored the first goal in five of their last six fixtures.
Both teams have scored in five of Benfica’s last seven games.
Three of Benfica’s last four matches have featured at least four goals.
Prediction
Chelsea have registered three victories from three previous meetings against Benfica and they can maintain their 100% head-to-head record by winning the last-16 encounter at the Club World Cup.
The Blues have not faced Benfica since May 2013 when Branislav Ivanovic’s injury-time header sealed a 2-1 triumph in the 2012-13 Europa League final.
But they have maintained an appetite for winning trophies and are emerging as serious Stateside contenders after landing in a favourable part of the draw.
Benfica have had a slightly disappointing season, finishing second to Sporting in the Portuguese title race and suffering a 4-1 aggregate loss to Barcelona in the Champions League last 16.
They can be a dangerous side, as they demonstrated on Tuesday with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bayern.
However, they had to be at full throttle against the Bavarians and a dip in intensity could follow against Chelsea, who are overpriced to prevail without the need of extra-time.
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