Everyone around Benfica still remembers 2013 and the UEFA Europa League final they lost to Chelsea. However, that memory is only a hallway leading them to the infamous room with the name Bela Guttmann on its door.The aforementioned gentleman was one of the greatest minds in football throughout the 20th century. One of those who made it what it is today. After a rich managerial career, the Hungarian sat on Benfica’s bench in 1959 and won two consecutive European Cups in 1961 and 1962.Bela Guttmann with reporters ahead of Benfica’s 1962 European Cup semi-finals match against Tottenham in London (©Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Following the second triumph, he requested a raise, which the club’s management rejected, and Guttmann allegedly cursed the Eagles not to win another international trophy for the next 100 years! Of course, this is a legend, though many interpreted Benfica’s ill fortune in the European finals as clear evidence of the Guttmann curse.The same year, the Portuguese side lost the Intercontinental Cup final to Santos. Between 1963 and 1968, the club played three European Cup trophy matches and lost each of them to AC Milan (1963), Inter Milan (1965), and Man United (1968).13-year-old African wonderkid signs for Chelsea in record-breaking deal!Guttmann died in 1981, but the curse stayed. Anderlecht stopped Benfica in the 1983 UEFA Cup final, while PSV Eindhoven and the Rossoneri beat them in their last two European Cup finals in 1988 and 1990, respectively.Eleven years ago, Sevilla triumphed against Benfica on penalties in the UEFA Europa League title clash, and the season before, there was Chelsea…Fernando Torres broke the deadlock for the Blues at the hour-mark, but only eight minutes later, Oscar Cardozo levelled from the spot. Everyone was getting ready for extra time when the London side’s defender Branislav Ivanovic scored the winner, heading the ball in after a corner in the 93rd minute.The last goal Chelsea scored against Benfica was a brilliant header from Ivanović.pic.twitter.com/A8YKkUUaKO— Hsports_HD (@Hsports_HD) June 28, 2025 Since that night in Amsterdam, the two rivals haven’t met. Tonight (23.00) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, vengeance will be at stake.The winner of the clash will advance to the quarter-finals and schedule a match against either Palmeiras or Botafogo. The two Brazilian teams face each other four hours before the “European derby” to provide the first crew in the final eight at the FIFA Club World Cup.Palmeiras have been winless against Botafogo in the previous five games, but the CWC is arguably the biggest stage so far. Based on what we’ve seen so far from Brazil’s representatives – fireworks will be powerful.FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 20251/8 finalsSaturday19.00: (2.40) Palmeiras (3.10) Botafogo (3.20)23.00: (3.40) Benfica (3.40) Chelsea (2.15)Sunday19.00: (1.22) PSG (7.00) Inter Miami (11.0)23.00: (5.30) Flamengo (3.60) Bayern (1.70)Monday19.00: (1.80) Inter (3.50) Fluminense (4.70)Tuesday04.00: (1.35) Manchester City (5.00) Al-Hilal (9.00)22.00: (1.67) Real Madrid (3.70) Juventus (5.50)Wednesday04.00: (1.80) Dortmund (3.60) Monterrey (4.60)***odds are subject to change***
