How to watch Chelsea v Benfica, team news, predicted line-ups and more | OneFootball

Chelsea face Benfica at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League, with Jose Mourinho returning to the club where he won three Premier League titles.

Chelsea lost their first UCL group stage game 3-1 to Bayern Munich.

But Enzo Maresca’s men will be hoping to qualify through the group stage via the top eight teams and know victory will be a huge boost in doing so.

Kick-off time

8pm UK time

How to watch

TV: TNT Sports

Streaming: Discovery +

Injuries and suspensions

Chelsea: Moises Caicedo (doubt), Andrey Santos (doubt), Joao Pedro (doubt), Levi Colwill (out), Liam Delap (out), Dario Essugo (out), Tosin Adarabioyo (out), Cole Palmer (out), Wesley Fofana (out)

Benfica: Gianluca Prestianni (out), Bruma (out), Alexander Bah (out), Manu Silva (out)

Predicted line-ups

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Cucurella; Fernandez, Lavia; Estevao, Buonanotte, Garnacho; George

Benfica (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Dedic, Otamendi, A. Silva, Dahl; Barrenechea, Rios; Lukebakio, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis

Recent form

Chelsea have been in shaky recent form, winning only one of their last five games. And that was an unconvincing victory against Lincoln in the Carabao Cup. Maresca’s men have been hampered by injuries and red cards, but the mood is becoming more negative amongst fans and they need to stop the rot with a win.

Mourinho has been in charge of Benfica for three games and they are as yet unbeaten. Benfica won his opening game 3-0 against AVS Futebol SAD, before drawing against Rio Ave and also beating Gil Vicente. The Portuguese side also lost their first UCL game, 3-2 against Qarabag FK, and could do with their first points on the board.

What’s been said?

Maresca on facing Mourinho: “It will be a privilege to face Jose tomorrow. A legend for this club, not only for this club but for different clubs.”

On what he needs to do for fans to sing his name: “Probably continue to win trophies. I remember for some moment of last season I think it was Southampton away where the fans were starting to sing we have our Chelsea back. To be honest, I would like one day for sure but it’s not my target.

“I’m already happy if they can sing ‘we have our Chelsea back’. Because that means that as a team, as a club, we are doing something important.”

Mourinho on his relationship and love for Chelsea: “I will always be a blue. I am part of their history. They are part of my history. I helped them to become a bigger Chelsea, and they helped me to become a bigger Jose.

“It will be my Chelsea before the start of the game and after the game but during the game it’s my Benfica and that’s all that matters.

“When I say I am not a blue, I am only speaking about the job I have to do tomorrow.”