Chelsea face fellow Europeans Benfica in the last 16 of the Club World Cup

Chelsea face fellow Europeans Benfica in the last 16 of the 2025 Club World Cup on Saturday evening as they seek a place in the quarterfinal.

The Blues only finished second in Group D but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Instead of a battle with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, Benfica are their first knockout opponents of the tournament. Their defeat to Flamengo on Matchday 2 has saved them from an even more challenging last 16 duel.

Chelsea will be favourites for Saturday’s clash in Charlotte but can ill-afford complacency against their Portuguese opponents. Benfica topped Group C after beating Bayern in their final group game, with Boca Juniors the only side they failed to topple during the group stage. They have plenty of knockout experience via the UEFA Champions League and boast some eye-catching talents.

The winner of the upcoming battle will be rewarded with a quarter-final place against either Botafogo or Palmeiras.

Benfica are expected to be without Florentino Luis for a third successive match after he injured himself in the opener against Boca. In better news, Andrea Belotti returns from suspension and adds to Bruno Lage’s attacking options.

Ángel Di María is joint top scorer at the tournament having netted thrice from the penalty spot and the veteran maestro will be keen to conjure up some magic. Andreas Schjelderup scored the winner against Bayern last time out and should take residence on the other flank.

Benfica Lineup: (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Aursnes, Silva, Otamendi, Carreras; Barreiro, Sanches; Di María, Prestianni, Schjelderup; Pavlidis.

Nicolas Jackson remains suspended for Chelsea—although he will be available if they reach the last eight—and that means summer recruit Liam Delap will start up front. The Englishman scored his first Blues goal against Espérance de Tunis last time out.

Enzo Fernández assisted twice against the Tunisian side and should feature in midfield against his former club Benfica. Elsewhere, there are likely to be recalls for Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, Moisés Caicedo, Levi Colwill and Reece James after they were handed rests by Enzo Maresca for the final group stage outing.

Chelsea Lineup: (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernández; Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Delap.