Chelsea vs Benfica dwell: Hosts lead in Champions League conflict on Jose Mourinho’s return to Stamford Bridge
Jose Mourinho is back at Stamford Bridge as the Portuguese manager returns to Chelsea with a Benfica side hoping to spring a Champions League shock.
Mourinho won three Premier League titles across two stints in west London earlier in his career and should receive a warm reception as Chelsea’s continental campaign continues. Benfica’s first Champions League outing of the season proved to be Bruno Lage’s last game in charge, with Mourinho called in to replace him after a 3-2 defeat to Qarabag that spelled the end of Lage’s tenure.
It was also a tough start in the competition for Chelsea, beaten by Bayern Munich on their comeback to Europe’s top table after Conference League success last year. Consecutive Premier League defeats to Manchester United and Brighton have just started to put a degree of pressure on Enzo Maresca to turnaround their form and fortunes – could victory over a familiar foe spark their season into life?
Follow all of the latest from Stamford Bridge with our live blog below:
Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
90+3 mins: The Benfica bench have a yellow brandished in their direction over a foul they weren’t awarded.
The visitors are pushing…
Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
90+1 mins: Mourinho appears to be seething. The corner is headed behind by James.
This still feels open…
Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
90 mins: The volume ratchets up as Estevao dances past his man, that footwork is something special, but the move tails off.
Another corner to Benfica, again won by Ivanovic.
Six minutes of added time.
Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
89 mins: Neto goes into the book, an eighth yellow card of this game, I think for delaying the restart.
Cucurella tries to find Joao Pedro near the byline but he runs out of room.
Aursnes is replaced by Henrique Araujo.
Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
88 mins: Pavlidis gestures to the travelling support to make some noise. Benfica win a corner… it’s getting tense. The visitors are pushing.
Dahl takes it, it’s headed back out to Otamendi, but his attempt is easily saved by Sanchez.
Caicedo spares Chelsea’s blushes as he clears the resulting counter. Maresca’s men are living dangerously.
Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
85 mins: A slightly frantic final few minutes so far. Neto palms a close-range attempt straight into Trubin’s midriff. Ouch.
CHANCE! Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
84 mins: Benfica have numbers forward, Ivanovic tries to cross in but it’s cleared on the edge of the area… now James does brilliantly to sprint back and make the crucial block as Aursnes tries to cut it back at the byline!
Otamendi claims it bounced off James’ arm as he slid forward. He gets a booking for the temerity; in fact it came off his chest.
Aursnes swings in the resulting corner and although it’s initially cleared, Dahl plays in a good ball… Ivanovic takes a touch but his left-footed drive drifts wide!
Chelsea 1-0 Benfica
81 mins: Maresca makes some more changes: James and Acheampong on for Gusto and Badiashile.
Into the final 10.
