TIPS - Chelsea VS Benfica

[(Chelsea F.C.) Strength]:
1. Chelsea F.C. will play at home in this match, and facing their former legendary head coach, Jose Mourinho, the team's desire for a win is sky-high, and their motivation is unquestionable.
2. In the last round of the Premier League, Chelsea F.C. lost 3-1 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., continuing their poor form. Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol posted on social media about Chelsea's current situation and the future of manager Enzo Maresca. He stated that Chelsea still have full confidence in head coach Enzo Maresca, and despite the team's relatively disappointing start to the season, Enzo Maresca is not under any extra pressure.

[(Chelsea F.C.) Neutral]:
1. The last time the two teams met was in the Club World Cup in June, where they ended in a 1-1 draw.

[(Chelsea F.C.) Weakness]:
1. Chelsea F.C. are facing a serious injury crisis: attacking starter Cole Palmer is expected to be out until late October due to a recurring groin injury; striker Liam Delap suffered a hamstring injury against Fulham and, although no surgery is needed, his recovery will last at least until November; defender Levi Colwill has a severe knee injury that ends his season prematurely. Additionally, rotating midfielder Dario Essugo will be out until late October with a thigh injury. The team's squad is severely depleted and faces a huge challenge.
2. Chelsea F.C.'s overall form has been consistently poor lately, with a 3-1 home loss to Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. in the last league match and a record of only 1 win, 1 draw, and 3 losses in their last five competitive matches. It's worth noting that their only victory during this period was a hard-fought 2-1 comeback against EFL League One team Lincoln City F.C. in the EFL Cup, a win that was quite a struggle and has limited real value.
3. Chelsea F.C.'s defensive problems are significant. They have conceded goals in all of their last five competitive matches, with an average of 2.2 goals conceded per game. They even failed to keep a clean sheet against EFL League One team Lincoln City F.C. in the EFL Cup. The team urgently need to address their defensive issues.
4. In this Champions League match, Chelsea F.C. will host Jose Mourinho's SL Benfica at Stamford Bridge. However, even before the game, the club have sparked strong dissatisfaction and protests from fans by significantly raising ticket prices. The highest price for a regular adult ticket for this Champions League match reached 83 pounds, an increase of 32%. Chelsea also reduced the supply of discounted tickets for children and seniors. Many Chelsea fans were unable to buy tickets due to the high prices. Fans criticized the Chelsea club for using Jose Mourinho's popularity to hike ticket prices, which they feel has sullied the beautiful image of Jose Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge.

[(SL Benfica) Strength]:
1. SL Benfica cannot afford to lose this away match. With a new head coach at the helm, the entire team is united and highly motivated.
2. SL Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho will lead his team against his former club, Chelsea F.C., in this match. He is certainly full of motivation, wanting to prove his abilities in front of his old team. During his time coaching the Blues, Jose Mourinho helped Chelsea win 3 Premier League titles, 1 FA Cup title, and 3 EFL Cup titles, truly making him a legendary head coach for the Blues.
3. Before the match, SL Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho stated in a media interview: \"When I left Porto, my first European match coaching Chelsea was against Porto; while coaching Inter, I played a zillion times against Barcelona [where I had been assistant coach]. This kind of situation always happens to me. I feel stronger and I am convinced that I am a much better coach now than I was in the past.\"
4. SL Benfica have been in outstanding form lately, beating Gil Vicente FC 2-1 at home in the last league game. They received 6 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss in the last 10 competitive games, with a win rate of 60%.
5. In their last 10 Champions League away matches, SL Benfica have shown extremely strong away adaptability with an impressive record of 6 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses, a win rate of 60%. What's even more commendable is that their victories include European powerhouses like Juventus and AS Monaco FC, making their wins highly valuable.

[(SL Benfica) Neutral]:
1. UEFA has officially announced the referee for this match: renowned German official Daniel Siebert will be the head referee. His officiating style is characterized by strictness, decisiveness, and a high level of control over the game, with a tendency to manage the pace of the match by issuing a high frequency of cards.

[(SL Benfica) Weakness]:
1. On the Champions League stage, SL Benfica suffered a major setback. In their first league phase match, they had a surprising 3-2 home loss to Azerbaijani team Qarabag, which exposed issues with a lack of defensive focus and an inability to control a lead.

[Tips]:
Chelsea F.C.'s recent fixtures have been intense, and the fatigue from playing in multiple competitions is clearly showing.

In their last five competitive matches, they have failed to win any besides their EFL Cup victory against Lincoln City.

Their morale was severely hit by the midweek league loss, where they were overturned by Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.

In contrast, since SL Benfica welcomed Jose Mourinho, the team's morale has been high.

Although they suffered a surprising upset in their first European match, they are expected to cause problems for their rivals after making adjustments.

In this match, SL Benfica are favored to win in AH.

[Recommended]:
SL Benfica (+0.5/1)