Benfica vs Chelsea Prediction (3am June 29): Danger lurks

(Dan Tri) - Benfica could pose a lurking danger to Chelsea in tonight's FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 match.

* The match between Benfica vs Chelsea in the 1/8 round of the FIFA Club World Cup takes place at 3:00 a.m. on June 29 at Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte).

According to the Opta supercomputer, Benfica is only the 8th candidate for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup championship. That means, among the European representatives participating in the round of 16, Benfica's chances are only better than Juventus.

Benfica pose many lurking dangers (Photo: Getty).

But remember, Benfica entered the round of 16 as the top team in Group C, in which they won 1-0 against Bayern Munich in the final match. That said, fans should reconsider if they underestimate the Portuguese team.

Many people think that Bayern Munich deliberately let Benfica take the top spot to avoid Chelsea, but that is just speculation. That unintentionally denies the strength of a team that plays very good counter-attacks. They are like the eagle (on Benfica's logo). They don't always spread their wings to show off their power, but they always know how to pounce on their prey most accurately.

Benfica's mainstays at the moment are all "drifters" in Europe such as Nicolas Otamendi, Renato Sanches and Angel Di Maria. However, in a team without many outstanding faces, they still know how to prove their leadership role.

In contrast to Benfica, Chelsea has a “golden” squad with many bright faces. However, coach Enzo Maresca’s team has not really made many people feel secure. The proof is that in the group stage, they lost 1-3 to Fluminense. That was a match in which Chelsea took the lead but could not maintain their spirit in the second half.

Chelsea could be stuck against a crowded defence (Photo: Getty).

The problem of motivating Chelsea players and creating stability is a difficult problem for coach Maresca. One of the factors leading to this is the "bloated" squad of The Blues, making it difficult for the Italian coach to choose personnel.

In this match, Nicolas Jackson continues to be absent due to suspension. Newcomer Liam Delap is again assigned to lead the Blues' attack. This has been a pretty good tournament for Delap. In the recent match against ES Tunis, the former Ipswich striker scored his first goal for Chelsea.

However, Chelsea's most anticipated star, Cole Palmer, has yet to make a significant mark at the FIFA Club World Cup. The English midfielder has yet to escape the crisis zone after falling in the second half of last season.

Chelsea have struggled to break down an organised defence at the FIFA Club World Cup and could be held back by a tight Benfica side.

Benfica vs Chelsea squad information

Benfica will be without injured players Alexander Bah, Manu Silva and Florentino Luis. Striker Andrea Belotti will return from suspension.

Chelsea are without Nicolas Jackson due to suspension. Liam Delap will lead the Blues' attack. Wesley Fofana's availability remains uncertain.

Benfica vs Chelsea predicted lineup

Chelsea (4-4-2): Sanchez; James, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Delap

Benfica (4-3-3): Trubin; Aursnes, Silva, Otamendi, Carreras; Barreiro, Sanchez; Di Maria, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis

Score prediction Benfica 1-1 Chelsea (Chelsea win on penalties).

According to the Opta supercomputer, Chelsea has a 45.1% chance of winning. Benfica's winning rate is 29.1%. The probability of the match ending in a draw is 25.8%.

Predictions of some newspapers in the world

Whoscored : Benfica 0-1 Chelsea

Sport Mole : Benfica 1-2 Chelsea

Sports Illustrated : Benfica 1-2 Chelsea

Sportskeeda : Benfica 1-2 Chelsea

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/nhan-dinh-benfica-vs-chelsea-3h-ngay-296-hiem-nguy-rinh-rap-20250628115742655.htm