S.L. Benfica vs. C.F. Chelsea: Champions League - Quarterfinals 3/27/12 and 4/4/12 [R]

S.L. Benfica vs. C.F. Chelsea: Champions League - Quarterfinals - 1st Leg

Date: Tuesday, March 27th, 2012
Time: 2:45 est
Stadium: Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal

Match background
• Benfica have already got the better of one Premier League side this season, having earned two draws with Manchester United FC as they finished top of their group with the English champions down in third place.

• Benfica are unbeaten in ten European home outings dating back to December 2010. This term they have recorded four wins and two draws in a campaign that began in the third qualifying round.

• Chelsea are still seeking a first away victory in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League after two draws and then two defeats. The London club last lost more than two consecutive away games in Europe in 2004/05.

• Benfica have appeared in 16 European Cup quarter-finals, winning eight and losing seven – including all three against English teams. They also featured in the last-eight group stage in 1991/92.

• Benfica reached the final on the last two occasions they survived this hurdle – in 1990 and 1988.

• Benfica may have a greater European pedigree, but Chelsea have enjoyed more success in the UEFA Champions League in recent times – this is their eighth quarter-final appearance in the last 13 seasons, and they have won five of the previous seven. They have yet to draw an away quarter-final, winning three and losing four and scoring each time.

• Benfica's record at home to English clubs is: W6 D3 L4.

• The Eagles' last two-legged success against Premier League opposition came against Liverpool in the round of 16 of the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League, when they won 1-0 at home – through a Luisão goal – and 2-0 at Anfield. Overall, they have won three and lost five knockout ties with teams from England.

• Benfica have met London opposition twice before in the European Cup and prevailed both times, against Tottenham Hotspur FC in the 1961/62 semi-finals and Arsenal FC in the 1991/92 second round.

• Benfica lost the 1968 European Champion Clubs' Cup final 4-1 to Man United at Wembley.

Team ties
• The Chelsea trio lost to Portugal in another quarter-final at the 2006 FIFA World Cup – once again on penalties, with Lampard failing from the spot this time.

• Chelsea centre-back Luiz spent four and a half seasons with Benfica, recording 82 appearances and five goals in the Portuguese top flight, before departing for Stamford Bridge in January 2011.

• Ramires spent just one season at Benfica, in 2009/10, after arriving in Lisbon from Cruzeiro EC. He made 26 league outings and scored four goals.

• Nemanja Matić joined Chelsea in summer 2009 but made only three substitute appearances before moving on loan to Dutch club Vitesse prior to his arrival last August in Lisbon. Matić is also a Serbia team-mate of Branislav Ivanović.

• Óscar Cardozo has struck seven times in five appearances against English clubs – including Benfica's goal in the 1-1 home draw with Man United last September. He hit doubles against both Everton FC and Liverpool FC in Lisbon in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League.

• Rodrigo played alongside Gary Cahill when on loan at Bolton Wanderers FC in 2010/11. He made 21 appearances for Bolton – six of them starts – scoring one goal.

• Chelsea's sizeable Portuguese contingent includes Meireles, an international team-mate of Eduardo and Nélson Oliveira. Like Meireles, José Bosingwa, Paulo Ferreira and Hilário have all played for Benfica's big rivals Porto.

• Benfica's Eduardo and Ruben Amorim faced Chelsea's Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba when Portugal drew 0-0 with Ivory Coast at the 2010 World Cup. Ferreira and Meireles were also in the Portugal team.

• Joan Capdevila and Fernando Torres were colleagues in Spain's 2010 World Cup-winning squad.

• Torres scored twice to help Liverpool beat Benfica 4-1 and overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit in the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.

• José Mourinho has held the reins of both these clubs. He had a three-month stint as Benfica coach in 2000, then managed Chelsea from 2004 to 2007.

Best of luck

Thanks! Appreciate it.

Benfica and Chelsea both tied this weekend before this match. Confidence levels should be about equal.

Manchester United and Manchester City scouts both at the match to watch Gaitan.

I say 1-0 to benfica

That reminds a GNR song, "so fine".

love GNR, love that song...

BEST OF LUCK BOYS!!! WE ARE ROOTING FOR YOU!!! Time for Chelsea to come crashing down to Earth...BITCHES!

FORZA BENFICA!!!
FORZA NAPOLI!!!

How will JJ set up against Chelsea? Traditional 4-1-3-2 or 4-2-3-1? I hope he goes offensive at home and isn't scared to attack. He seems to be intimidated against big teams and go with only one striker.

-----------Artur
Maxi--Luisao--Garay--Emerson
-------Witsel---Javi------
--Gaitan---Aimar----Bruno (or Nolito)
----------Cardozo---------

I said it in August and I'll say it in March, with Javi and Witsel playing in the middle, I don't think anyone (besides Braca, Madrid or Bayern) can beat them.

We are going to have play better than we have in the last couple of weeks (league games).

Garay and Yannick are supposedly recovered (reported today). Garay has been out a month, let's see if he can play tomorrow.

Love David Luiz, but hope he has a terrible game, causes a PK and gets red carded.

He sucks, he was overrated here and continues to be

Overrated at Benfica ? Yes a bit, he sucks ? No way at all. Saw his last game and he was solid as can be back there. IMO maybe their best player

He doesn't suck, but come on, he thinks he can run the ball up the field the entire game. Cahill is better than him, without a doubt. I fear a Cahill--Terry backline far more than a Luiz--Terry backline, where mistakes would happen

But he is overrated. Sucks was strong and troll-like

1 all draw in Portugal, Chelsea kill it off in Engerland. I don't think they'll have a Napoli-day in Portugal.

--------------Artur----------------
-------Luisao------Garay----------
Maxi-------------------------Emerson()
--------Witsel-----Javi-----------------
Rodrigo-------Aimar------------Gaitan
-------------Cardozo---------------

With Rodrigo, Aimar, and Gaitan playing in free roles.

Looks like a great lineup, I wish we played with 2 strikers, but Rodrigo hasn't been playing much lately and has been in poor form since Nelson Oliveira has exploded on the seen. Cardozo will most likely be the lone man up front, but I hope im wrong and we bring the heat to Chelsea with 2 strikers. (Cardozo and Nelson/Rodrigo). I do like Gaitan back to his LM spot, much more effective but Nolito/Bruno own it now.

Lista de 19 convocados:

Guarda-redes: Artur Moraes e Eduardo.

Defesas: Maxi Pereira, Luisão, Jardel, Miguel Vítor, Emerson e Capdevila.

Médios: Matic, Javi García, Witsel, Aimar, Bruno César, Nolito e Gaitán.

Avançados: Cardozo, Saviola, Nélson Oliveira e Rodrigo.


Garay and Yannick continue to be injured.

No Garay is going to hurt, badly.

Got to go for a big result at home, Rodrigo should start if fully fit, he's more clinical than Nelson Oliveira right now, and more refined.

Jardel better not have any brain cramps.

Yeah let's hope not. He's been ok in the Portuguese league but this is Chelsea. He needs to step up, this is where the big boys play. I think he'll be fine, but we should really be concerned about Emerson. Guy gets worse by the game, not better.

Going to be crucial not to suffer any away goals.

Any ideas on Chelsea's line up? Would love to see Bosingwa rather than Ivanovic. Would make me more comfortable regarding Emerson

Benfica: Artur; Emerson, Luisao, Jardel, M. Pereira; Garica, Cesar, Witsel; Aimar, Gaitan, Cardoza.

Subs: Eduardo, Vitor, Nolito, Matic, Nelson Oliveira, Rodrigo, Saviola.

Chelsea: Cech; Ferreira, Terry, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Mikel, Meireles; Kalou, Mata, Torres.

Subs: Turnbull, Bosingwa, Cahill, Essien, Lampard, Sturridge, Drogba.