Match Day LIVE
Match Day 4 (Round of 16 Knockout Stage )
FIFA Club World Cup , 2025 Edition . USA.
Benfica vs Chelsea .
Venue – Bank of America , Stadium , Charlotte , USA
June 28, 2025 .
Time – 9 pm local time .

In an all European round of 16 knockout match , Benfica of Portugal faces Chelsea football club of London , United Kingdom at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, USA at the on going FIFA Club World Cup.
The winners tonight will face the Brazilians, Palmerias who beat Botafogo 1-0 this evening at the Finaicial Field Stadium in Philadelphia for the quarter finals match .

To get to this stage of the campaign , Benfica who competing for the first time in the Club world Cup , accumulated seven points from a draw, 2-2 against Boca Juniors of Argentina, after a come back from match Day one and two successive wins against Auckland City and Bayern Munich respectively
Less than a week after beating Auckland 6-0 , they came to Charlotte and fought gallantly to beat Bayern Munich 1-0, courtesy of a 13minute goal from Andreas Schejelderup, as well as a five star goal keeping display by Anatoliy Trubin in very high temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius , in Charlotte to ward off the Bavarians .

Coming runners up in the Portuguese Primera Liga ,the Eagles , shocked the football world with their first ever competitive win against the German giants as well as coming first in Group C . Bruno Lage their Coach advised all who cared to listen that though they were underrated before the campaign , but the fans should believe in what they are doing and not past record .
Their coming first in Group C puts them in a pole position against a familiar foe and fellow European s , Chelsea whom they have lost three times in previous meetijgs, most recent of the meetings was in 2013 Europa Cup finals , conceding a late 90 minute goal to lose 2-1 in Amsterdam and this being among the 21 defeats they have had in all competitions to English opposition lately .
Will history repeat itself tonight in far away , Charlotte ????? .

After losing their second match on March Day 2 to Flamengo of Brazil, Enzo Maresca made eight changes to the side that lost to Flamengo , their new talisman Liam, Delap new recruited from the lower league in England , Ipswich Town ,was a perfect match to the changes who spear headed their win over the Maghrebian , Moroccan outfit whom they humbled 3-0, with Delap registering the second goal at the stroke of half time after Nigerian International defender Tosin Adararbioye ,nodded home the opener against a slightly disfigured as well as flat footed rear men of the North Africans, Wydad FC , then teenager , Tyrique George added a third at the last kick of the match for their qualification for the round of 16 matches .
Their second position in their group D , takes them in opposite side of the draw with Bayern Munich , PSG and Real Madrid .
Though Chelsea sweat merchant sees Benfica a formidable opposition that should not be taken for granted and have advised his lads , not to be complacent in tonight s match against the Portuguese ,irrespective of past records .

With their mouth watering financial gains so far at this stage of the campaign , Chelsea will look forward to winning the new format trophy for the first time which will increase their financial profits as well as paying for their new signings lately .
Chelsea will like to get the job done by dismissing their Portuguese opposition which they have had 11 wins out of 15 in all competitions and scoring 23 goals ,a repeat win is every much likely .

Long term absentee in the Benfica team , Alexander Bah, Mano Silva , as well as midfielder ,Flerntino Louis who have missed the last two games with a shoulder injury will still remain in the dugout tonight .
Andrea Balotti will be available tonight after his suspension and will like to force his way into the staring line up ahead of Vangelis Pavlidis who scored a brace against Auckland City of New Zealand .
Angel D Maria , who have been in fantastic form in this Club World Cup ,scoring three goals via penalties , will like to score more when he is linked up with Schejelderup , while their Coach Lage will weigh his options in recalling Orkun Korkcu or stick with Renato Sanches together with Leandro Barreira in the engine room or mid field pack of the Eagles..

Injury hit , Wesley Fofana still remain unavailable and under going his recovery anead of next season , while prodigal son Senegalese , Nickolas Jackson , in their match against Flamengo will not be available for selection as he is still serving his second match ban .
After the reshuffle against the team that lost to Flamengo , Enzo Maresca will defiinitly recall , Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto ahead of Christopher Nkunku and Koerman Dewabury -Hall.
Team Captain , Enzo Fernandez will start against his former club , Benfica together with Moises Caicedo in the engine room of the Blues .
Fellow returnees ,afte their dismal outing against Flamengo , Recce James , Tosin, Marc Cucurella and Levi Colwill will form the rear guard against the Portuguese opposition to protect Robert Sanchez between the sticks in goal .

Predictions .

Chelsea should face today’s match as it comes and forget their past records against the Portuguese , who are very much aware that they have not gotten a better half of the blues in form of wins in all competitions ,
Benfica might want to get even tonight in Charlotte with a win against the London outfit .

We do expect a very tough match with the two European giants in the round leather game .

Benfica 1-2 ,1-1 Or 2-3.

Happy Viewing , Happy Weekend

Uche Anaba .
Uchefreetips 2025 (C).
Email -ucheanaba@gmail.com
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