Europa League Final Preview – Chelsea vs. Benfica

Chelsea Interim Manager Rafael Benitez talks to his players during a Chelsea training session ahead of the UEFA Europa League Final match against SL Benfica at the Amsterdam Arena on May 14, 2013 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Getty Images)

Overview

Benfica and Chelsea will go head-to-head in the final of the Europa League. After losing 1-0 in the first leg against Fenerbahce, Benfica overcame the Turkish side as Oscar Cardozo struck twice in a 3-1 win to book a place in the final. The Blues scored thrice in nine second-half minutes of the second leg against Basel that helped them win the match 3-1, and progress to the final with an aggregate of 5-2.

In the previous 2 meetings between the two clubs, Chelsea has won both the matches. Both the teams are expected to have the same formation of 4-2-3-1 but Chelsea will miss star man Eden Hazard, after the Belgian suffered a hamstring injury in the Premier League match against Aston Villa.

Benfica are without Maxi Pereira who is suspended and Lorenzo Malgarejo is likely to replace him.

Chelsea has scored at least 2 goals in their last 5 matches in UEFA Europa League and Rafa Benitez will surely look to end his Chelsea campaign on a high by winning the competition.

Team News

Probable lineup: Chelsea

Cech, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Ashley Cole, David Luiz, Ramires, Oscar, Juan Mata, Vitor Moses, Fernando
Torres

Probable lineup: Benfica

Arthur, Pereira, Luisao, Garay, Melgarejo, Matic, Perez, Salvio, Lima, Gaitan, Cardozo

Match facts:

1. This will be Benfica’s ninth major European final.
2. The Portuguese giants are on a run of six straight European final defeats since lifting the European Cup in 1962.
3. Benfica’s Oscar Cardozo has scored in six times in ten matches against English teams.
4. The Blues are aiming to become the first team to win UEFA’s top-two club competitions in reverse order in successive campaigns, after winning   the UEFA Champions League last season.
5. Chelsea could also become only the fourth team to lift all three of UEFA’s major club trophies, after Juventus, Ajax and Bayern Munich.

Predicted score:

Benfica 1 – 2 Chelsea