Chelsea face their toughest challenge of the FIFA Club World Cup yet this evening as they take on Benfica in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Blues return to the Bank of America Stadium less than 12 months since they were last there (a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in August 2024), but this time with much more at stake. After progressing with six points from Group D, the real business starts now.
On paper, the draw has really opened up for Chelsea. Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are among the teams on the other side of the draw. Saying that, though, a tough challenge awaits in Benfica, who secured a 1-0 win over Bayern to confirm their position as Group C winners.
Enzo Maresca, so far in the revamped competition, has rotated heavily but the Chelsea head coach may look to his tried and trusted for Saturday evening's clash. What does that look like, though? Bobby Vincent shares his predicted XI below...