Mourinho returns: Chelsea face Champions League survival against a legend | OneFootball

Chelsea’s Champions League campaign is already under strain, and Tuesday’s visit of Benfica to Stamford Bridge feels like a game they cannot afford to get wrong.

A defeat to Bayern Munich in the opening round has left Enzo Maresca’s side playing catch-up in the group phase.

Domestically, things have hardly been better, with a 3-1 home loss to Brighton at the weekend continuing a worrying run of form. Chelsea have now lost three of their last four games and look fragile both mentally and structurally.

That is why this fixture against Benfica carries so much weight. A second straight European defeat would place qualification in real jeopardy. For a club that prides itself on competing at the top level, that is unacceptable.

Maresca acknowledged as much when he said: “We make sure or we try at least to prepare every game to win the game and hopefully we can do that tomorrow.”

Adding to the intrigue is the return of Jose Mourinho. The Benfica manager remains a legend in west London, and his presence will inevitably stir nostalgia. Yet sentiment cannot cloud Chelsea’s judgment.

Mourinho’s tactical acumen and experience make this a dangerous evening for the hosts. Maresca was diplomatic in his press conference, calling it a “privilege” to face Mourinho, but he also admitted it complicates preparations:

“It’s probably a little bit more difficult… I watched also some games where Jose was Man Utd or Spurs or Roma in Italy. For sure it will be a completely different game.”

Chelsea have positives to lean on. Their home record in the Champions League league/group phase remains strong, and Maresca is right to point out that many of their recent defeats have come under unusual circumstances, often with red cards.

“The club showed me the stats that in the last six months we lost five games, four of them with a red card,” he argued, suggesting results may not reflect the progress being made.

Still, excuses will not matter if Benfica leave Stamford Bridge with points. Injuries remain a problem, with Maresca confirming assessments are ongoing for Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro and Andrey Santos. Rotation may be required, but intensity cannot drop.

Chelsea fans may sing Mourinho’s name on Tuesday, but Maresca knows what he really needs is a victory. “Probably continue to win trophies,” he said when asked how to earn such affection.

Right now, though, winning this game is not about romance or legacy. It is about survival in Europe and halting a slide that is threatening to derail their season.