Benfica and Chelsea meet in an all-European clash at the Bank of American Stadium later this evening for a place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup.
It has all the ingredients of a summer classic, with both teams holding aspirations of lifting the trophy next month.
So, read on for yet another Club World Cup match preview from NetBet, complete with sports betting tips for your football bets.
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Benfica vs Chelsea Preview
After a shock 3-1 defeat to Flamengo, Chelsea rediscovered some form to comfortably beat ES Tunis 3-0 in their final group match.
Summer signing Liam Delap netted his first goal for the club in what was a convincing team display, with the Tunisian side failing to register a single shot on target.
But Benfica’s final match yielded an even more impressive result as they defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 to secure top spot.
The Portuguese side drew 2-2 with Boca Juniors on Matchday 1, before thrashing part-timers Auckland City 6-0.
As Chelsea will know all too well, Benfica are not a team to be taken lightly, even if they did miss out on the league title to Sporting Lisbon by just two points.
With the evergreen Angel Di Maria still pulling the strings and Vangelis Pavlidis continuing to shine up top, this could be a very difficult match for Enzo Maresca’s side in the Charlotte heat.
Chelsea will need talisman Cole Palmer to step up and dictate proceedings, while Moises Caicedo’s tenacious attitude in the middle of the park may be the difference between winning and losing.
Nicolas Jackson remains suspended for this match following his needless red card against Flamengo, which places even more pressure on the shoulders of Delap and Pedro Neto.
Benfica vs Chelsea Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Benfica are the underdogs here at a price of 3.45 to win in 90 minutes. A Chelsea victory is at odds of 2.06, while the draw is 3.40.
Benfica vs Chelsea Betting Tips
Vangelis Pavlidis to score or assist @ 2.38
Pavlidis enjoyed a wonderful 2024-25 season in a Benfica shirt. In 34 Portuguese top-flight appearances, the Greek striker scored 19 goals and he will prove a handful for Chelsea’s defence. Pavlidis found the back of the net in the 6-0 win over Auckland City on Matchday 2.
Enzo Fernandez to score or assist @ 3.10
Fernandez has been decisive in the final third at this tournament. The midfielder scored in the 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC on Matchday 1 and registered two assists in the 3-0 success over ES Tunis. As such, his odds here look very tempting indeed.
Draw no bet – Benfica @ 2.53
Benfica are a top-quality side and no one would be that shocked if they managed to secure a place in the quarter-finals. But if you wish to bet on a victory for the underdogs, having the safety net that this selection provides is perhaps recommended given Chelsea’s undeniable class.
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