Chelsea and Benfica have recently become pretty good business partners – perhaps even the best in Europe. In the last 21 years, as many as six players have joined the Blues from the Eagles’ ranks: Tiago, Ramires, David Luiz, Nemanja Matic, Enzo Fernandez, and Diego Moreira. Two players moved the other way around (Scott Minto and Matic), while several more names, such as Maniche, Mario Stanic, and Joao Felix, played for both teams.However, this relationship between the two sides may have become much stronger, as Benfica seems to be some sort of Chelsea’s lucky charm. Namely, the Blues have faced the Portuguese club in three international competitions and won each!✅ Chelsea eliminó a Benfica y ganó la Champions League 2011/12.✅ Chelsea eliminó a Benfica y ganó la Europa League 2012/13.✅ Chelsea eliminó a Benfica y ganó el Mundial de Clubes 2025.🔵 Siempre que los Blues le ganaron a los portugueses, se consagraron en la competencia. https://t.co/9bZJIgWAKx pic.twitter.com/aXi2EiUHn7— El Big Six (@ElBigSix) July 14, 2025 The premier duel between the two rivals was played in the 2012 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Salomon Kalou scored a late winner for Chelsea’s 1-0 triumph in Portugal, and the outcome was the same eight days later at Stamford Bridge, as the Blues won again 2-1 behind Frank Lampard and Raul Meireles’ goals.Afterwards, Roberto Di Matteo’s crew stunned Barcelona in the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate and made a massive upset, beating Bayern Munich in the grand final for their maiden UCL trophy.Only thirteen months later, Chelsea and Benfica met again, this time in a much more critical clash – the UEFA Europa League final. Fernando Torres opened the scoring at the hour mark, Oscar Cardozo levelled from the spot eight minutes later, and Branislav Ivanovic won the trophy for the Blues with a famous header in the 93rd minute.Against all odds and favourites – it’s the basis of Chelsea’s DNAFinally, the third encounter between the London and Lisbon sides occurred just 16 days ago in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16. This time, the Eagles saved themselves in added time, as Angel Di Maria netted a penalty, annulling Reece James’ deadlock-breaker, and sent the game to extra time.Still, Gianluca Prestianni’s second yellow card only two minutes into the overtime paved the way for Chelsea’s win, which was sealed by Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with three goals in the span of only nine minutes.Gold Palmer: Pep’s ugly duckling transforms into Blues’ magical swanAfter Benfica, the Blues eliminated two Brazilian sides, Palmeiras and Fluminense, and last night demolished the European Champions Paris Saint-Germain to become the new Champions of the World and earn the title that will stand by their name for the following four years.So, the next time you see a duel between Chelsea and Benfica at some tournament, take a hint – the Stamford Bridge crew is there to win it.##NAJAVA_MECA_9013260##
