Chelsea
- Chelsea have lost four of their last five games in all competitions (W1, L4).
- Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea have been lauded for their proactivity this summer, with the Italian bringing his possession-first, positional play philosophy to Stamford Bridge in conjunction with a high-pressing approach and a youthful rotation policy.
- However, their results have not matched the praise they’ve received, with a 2-1 away defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League kickstarting a run of four defeats from their last five, with a 2-1 EFL Cup away win at League Two Lincoln City sandwiched between the aforementioned loss and a 3-1 home defeat to Brighton in the league. Following this run, the Chelsea vs SL Benfica betting tips lean towards a cautious approach for the home team as they look to regain confidence.
Benfica
- SL Benfica have won two, drawn one, and lost two of their last five competitive matches (W2, D1, L2).
- Benfica will need to tighten up at the back and get more players behind the ball this week, so we’re expecting Mourinho’s early stamp on the club to reflect on the pitch, although there’s sure to be teething problems in the early stages of this partnership.
- The change to Mourinho’s more compact style will take time, but they showed glimpses of improvement in their recent 1-1 draw with Rio Ave and their 2-1 home win over Gil Vicente in the Primeira Liga, making this Chelsea vs SL Benfica betting tips especially intriguing for punters considering the tactical shifts.
Head-to-Head
Mourinho’s impact on the team could be significant, but this will not be an easy away trip for the visitors, with the psychological aspect of Chelsea ’s recent dominance over the Eagles playing a factor in our Chelsea vs SL Benfica prediction.
Key Players
- Vangelis Pavlidis is a proven goal scorer for Benfica, having scored five of their last nine goals in all competitions.
- Cole Palmer is the chief playmaker for the home side, with one goal in one UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 appearance, but Maresca will likely play with his best men on Tuesday.
Betting Insights
Backing over 2.5 goals at 1.61 looks incredibly generous considering the odds for this matchup, which is heavily in favour of the Chelsea side at 1.65 for the victory, and Benfica as outsiders at 4.8 .
Prediction
Chelsea to win is a top value bet given the teams’ recent head-to-head record, but the new look Benfica could keep this relatively tight with Mourinho’s influence on the defensive side of their game.