Chelsea and Benfica both damaged their domestic ambitions over the weekend. The Blues failed to beat Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge and now look like significant underdogs for a top four place in the Premier League. Benfica drew 0-0 with Olhanense and missed a golden opportunity to jump above FC Porto and recapture first place in Portugal.
Benfica Vs. Chelsea, 2012 UEFA Champions League: Both Teams Coming Off Bad League Results
Benfica and Chelsea are in disappointing league positions, but both still have a chance at Champions League glory.
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This competition has been a different story, however. In the UEFA Champions League, both Benfica and Chelsea pulled off impressive comebacks in the second legs of their Round of 16 ties to advance to this stage. Both teams are likely to play an entertaining, attack-minded 4-2-3-1 formation, and they present plenty of matchup problems for each other.
Benfica’s only major absence is central defender Ezequiel Garay. He’ll be replaced by Jardel in the center. While Jardel is a quality player, there is a significant drop-off between him and Garay. Until Garay’s injury issues sprang up, him and Luisao formed one of the best defense partnerships in Europe. Bruno Cesar and Pablo Aimar have recently returned from injury and both will be available for selection. Yannick Djalo, a striker who could have been a decent bench option, is also out.
Branislav Ivanovic has not yet been ruled in or out for the Blues. He has a groin injury and if he is unable to start, Jose Bosingwa will play right back. Roberto Di Matteo's other decisions are more about tactics than fitness, and he has a variety of options in midfield and defense. The decision to start Gary Cahill or David Luiz is a toss-up, and Raul Meireles could return to the lineup to account for the athleticism of Axel Witsel and his tendency to make late runs into the box from his deep midfield position.
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, March 27, 2:45 p.m. ET, 7:45 p.m. local
Venue: Estadio da Luz, Lisbom, Portugal
TV: FOX Soccer Channel (USA), Sportsnet Regional (Canada), Sky Sports 1 (UK)
For more on the Blues, head over to Chelsea blog We Ain’t Got No History.
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