Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Benfica for September 30

This is a Chelsea predicted lineup for their UEFA Champions League clash with Benfica. The Blues enter this one amid a serious injury crisis with as many as 10 different players possibly unavailable. With their current run of four matches without a win (not including the gimme against League 1 Lincoln), the downward momentum is about to snowball into a landslide if they don’t turn things around. On the other side, Jose Mourinho is the new Benfica manager and is back to haunt his former team, with his defensive mindset likely going to cause problems aplenty for a depleted squad.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Benfica for UCL Tie

How Chelsea Have Lined Up Recently

Robert Sanchez is the first-choice goalkeeper. Filip Jorgensen is the cup stopper and even then his poor performance against Lincoln might give the manager second thoughts about rotating at all. The defensive line has been chopped and changed due to fitness issues with Jorrel Hato, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, and Josh Acheampong all featuring in different centre-back partnerships. Hato has played on the left where Marc Cucurella is the starter.

On the right, Malo Gusto and Reece James have shared this spot, largely due to rotation and the occasional use of James in midfield. The midfield pairing is usually Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez but we have seen Enzo/Andrey Santos, Caicedo/Santos, and Caicedo/James recently.

Enzo has been pushed forward to the number ten spot where Facundo Buonanotte and Cole Palmer have been used. Out wide, the battle for positions is down to Pedro Neto, Estevao, Jamie Gittens, and Alejandro Garnacho. Joao Pedro has been playing the blunt of the striker minutes with Tyrique George offering some rest.

Chelsea Recent Form & Tactics

Enzo Maresca has continued to use his 4-2-3-1 setup which shifts when in-possession. At the weekend against Brighton & Hove Albion, he had a midfield of Santos/Caicedo/Enzo almost as a trio as opposed to his usual ideas. This helped in the build-up and allowed for a better defensive presence in the midfield. There won’t be an exact replica here with some attackers available and some doubts around the fitness of the aforementioned trio.

The form book doesn’t lie, a win over a team two divisions below them is their only victory in their last five outings. It has been a full month since they last beat top division opposition with no clean sheets kept in that timespan. They’ve been iffy at the back all season but that has now boiled over into conceding three to Bayern, Brighton, and two to Brentford. The Blues do still have some goalscoring prowess but it doesn’t appear to be enough with this shaky backline costing them.

Chelsea Injuries to Consider

The list on PremierInjuries is a long one and a worrying one for fans. Fofana is sidelined due to concussion protocols until the international break, Palmer, Dario Essugo, Tosin, Levi Colwill, and Liam Delap are all sidelined with injuries. Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended, and the trio of Pedro, Caicedo, and Santos have small issues that make them doubtful for this one.

Chalobah’s red card means he will miss the weekend’s league match instead of this one and Buonanotte is available, but the others are either out or a doubt.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs Benfica

GK – Robert Sanchez

LB – Marc Cucurella

CB – Jorrel Hato

CB – Trevoh Chalobah

RB – Malo Gusto

DM – Andrey Santos

DM – Enzo Fernandez

AM – Facundo Buonanotte

W – Pedro Neto

W – Estevao

ST – Tyrique George