Quick Take: Chelsea vs Benfica in the FIFA Club World Cup
Football powerhouses Chelsea and Benfica square off in the round of 16 at the FIFA Club World Cup, with Al Jazeera providing an in-depth analysis.
Get ready for an exciting clash between European titans, Chelsea and Benfica, in the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup. This match could easily have been a fixture from the UEFA Champions League, given both clubs' storied pasts.
Between them, these powerhouses have amassed nine European title victories, with Benfica taking home seven of those prestigious trophies.
Unluckily for Chelsea, their logistical troubles in the competition have been a significant disappointment. Finishing second in their group meant an unexpected detour to Charlotte for their round of 16 match, rather than staying in Miami, where the team had originally planned for the knockout stage. As a result, arrangements for travel, accommodation, and training were all disrupted, with necessary reorganization happening at the last minute[3].
In the group stage, Chelsea began with a 2-0 win against Los Angeles before suffering a 3-1 loss to Flamengo. Despite a 3-0 victory over Esperance Tunis in their final group stage match in Philadelphia, Chelsea only managed second place due to their prior loss.
Benfica, on the other hand, faced a 2-2 draw with Boca Juniors in their opening match. The Portuguese side then recorded victories against Auckland City (6-0) and Bayern Munich (1-0) in their final two group stage matches.
Things to Consider:
- Chelsea are dealing with a logistical headache following their unexpected second-place finish in the group stage, which resulted in an unanticipated trip to Charlotte for their round of 16 match.
- The Blues started strong in the Club World Cup with a 2-0 win against Los Angeles but lost to Flamengo (3-1) and finished second in their group despite a 3-0 victory over Esperance Tunis.
- Benfica showed their strength by beating Bayern Munich (1-0) in their third group stage game, thanks to a 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors in their opening match and a 6-0 victory against Auckland City.
- The winner of this match will move on to play the winner of the all-Brazilian clash between Palmeiras and Botafogo in the quarter-finals.
- Enzo Fernandez, a key player for Chelsea, prepared to take on his former team Benfica and is eager to prove himself against his old club[4].
Stay tuned for all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport starting from 1pm (18:00 GMT) before our live text commentary stream kicks off.
Sources
[1] Reuters. (2022, June 23). Chelsea face logistical headache at Club World Cup. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/chelsea-face-logistical-headache-club-world-cup-2022-06-23/
[2] ESPN. (2022, June 23). Chelsea's travel chaos as logistical headache looms over Club World Cup clash with Benfica. Retrieved from https://www.espn.com/football/club-world-cup/story/4775738/chelsea-travel-chaos-logistical-headache-looms-over-club-world-cup-clash-with-benfica
[3] BBC Sport. (2022, June 23). Chelsea face Benfica after Club World Cup travel chaos. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58673541
[4] Al Jazeera Sport. (2022, June 23). Who: Chelsea vs Benfica. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/sport/2022/6/28/who-chelsea-vs-benfica
- The environment of the FIFA Club World Cup is facing a challenge due to Chelsea's unexpected logistical troubles, which have disrupted their travel, accommodation, and training plans.
- Despite their logistical woes, Enzo Fernandez, a key player for Chelsea, is eager to take on his former team Benfica and prove himself against his old club in the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup.
- The sports world will be watching politics play out on the pitch as Chelsea and Benfica, two European titans, face off in the FIFA Club World Cup, a contest that could easily have been a fixture from the UEFA Champions League.
- In the realm of health and fitness, both Chelsea and Benfica have demonstrated their strength throughout the group stage, with Chelsea securing a 2-0 win against Los Angeles, a 3-1 loss to Flamengo, and a 3-0 victory over Esperance Tunis, and Benfica recording a 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors, a 6-0 victory against Auckland City, and a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich.
