Chelsea players were handed a nightmare scenario as they looked to close in on a win in the Club World Cup Round of 16 tie against Benfica.
After Reece James‘ stunning goal, the Blues were four minutes away from a win before the players were called off the pitch due to thunder in the area.
Upon the restart, Angel Di Maria’s penalty took the game to extra time, however Chelsea made their man advantage count and ran rampant with goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
The weather has played a factor in the tournament in the United States already. The Blues were forced to play despite a ‘Heat Health Emergency’ in Philadelphia ahead of a group stage game.
Cole Palmer celebrates victory after Benfica SL v Chelsea FC: Round Of 16 - FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Photo by Steph Chambers – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Cole Palmer’s three-word reaction to Chelsea’s Club World Cup delay vs Benfica
The farcical situation saw close to a two-hour delay to the Round of 16 tie, with Chelsea players forced to try and return to the pitch without causing themselves any damage.
Levi Colwill had led protests from the Chelsea players on the pitch, however this quickly led to bemusement as they waited in the dressing room to return.
The situation was best summed up by the reaction of Cole Palmer. Reporter Alex Aljoe told DAZN during their coverage of the game that the England international had left the changing rooms to simply ask: “What’s going on?”
Chelsea’s new number 10 had been deployed in a new role for the Blues against Benfica. He played the majority of his football on the left of attack, before picking up a makeshift striker role after the sides emerged again.
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Chelsea bank significant prize money from Club World Cup win
Before the game against Benfica, Chelsea had already banked nearly £30m in prize money from the competition alone.
However, their dramatic win in the Round of 16 saw them earn another £9.6m, and they will back their chances of adding to that figure in the quarter-finals.
The Blues will line up against Palmeiras, led by future Chelsea star Estevao Willian, in the next round.
For now though, the players will just be glad the ordeal against Benfica is over, and they have six days to rest until their next fixture.