Benfica vs. Chelsea | Europa League Final preview

Europa League Final - Benfica vs. Chelsea

Kick - Off 19:45

Date: 15 May 2013

Venues: In Amsterdam

Team News

Benfica

• Maxi Pereira is suspended for Benfica, meaning Lorenzo Malgarejo will likely come in to replace the Uruguay international.


• Other than that, head coach Jorge Jesus has no further injury problems ahead of the Europa League final encounter with Chelsea.

Chelsea

• Rafael Benitez will be without John Terry and Eden Hazard after both limped off during the 2-1 win over Aston Villa with an ankle and hamstring injury, respectively.


• The Chelsea manager is also without long term absentee Oriol Romeu, while John Obi Mikel and Ryan Bertrand are both doubts.


• Ashley Cole will come in at left back after missing the second leg tie with Basel due to being suspended and Demba Ba is ineligible

Match Fact

Benfica succumbed to their first Liga Sagres defeat of the season on Saturday after falling to a 2-1 loss to FC Porto, seeing their title rivals leapfrog them in the table in the process.

Head coach Jorge Jesus is without the suspended Maxi Pereira, meaning Lorenzo Melgarejo will deputise at left back as the Portuguese side look to end their current run of six straight European final defeats.

Rafael Benitez will look to end the campaign on a high as Chelsea aim to become the first team to win UEFA's top-two European competitions in reverse order in successive campaigns.

However, the Blues manager will be without John Terry and Eden Hazard through injury, while Frank Lampard will likely drop to the bench after breaking Bobby Tambling's Chelsea record in the win over Aston Villa.

Ramires and David Luiz look set to anchor the midfield as the pairing come up against their former employers in Amsterdam.

The last time these two teams met, Chelsea came out on top 3-1 on aggregate in the Champions League last season, although the west London side will have to be wary of Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo, who has scored in six of his team's last 10 games against English opposition.

While Benitez has a number of injury worries, the strength in depth and quality to come off the bench will likely see Chelsea secure Europa League glory on Wednesday night.

Heart beating video!!!





Missing player for Benfica:

• Maxi Pereira

Missing players for Chelsea:

• Eden Hazard


• Oriol Romeu


• John Terry


• Demba Ba


• John Obi Mikel (Doubtful)


• Ryan Bertrand (Doubtful)

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Benitez admits relief

Rafa Benitez was thankful a 'very strange decision' did not deny Chelsea a win over Basel following a 2-1 success in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

Victor Moses' first-half header had Chelsea in front for the majority of the game until Basel equalised with three minutes to go through Fabian Schar's penalty.

The spot-kick was awarded for an apparent foul by Cesar Azpilicueta on Valentin Stocker, although there was little to suggest there had been an infringement.

David Luiz scored with the last kick of the game to ensure the decision did not prove too costly and Benitez was satisfied to come away from Switzerland with the advantage.

"I think we played against a good team," said Chelsea's interim manager. "You could see the intensity and pace of the game, and the tempo of the game.

"We had enough chances to score an away goal, but the penalty was a surprise for everyone and that could have made a difference.

"I couldn't see why it was a penalty. The ball was in the air and it was a very, very strange decision."

Benitez added: "It's always important to win and to score an away goal, but to score two and win is even better.

"David Luiz was playing as a midfielder and he did a great job, so I'm really pleased with the team in general."

Looking towards the second leg, Benitez added: "We know this team (Basel) is a very good team, who can score goals home and away, so we have to be sure to concentrate.

"We can't be over confident in the next game but we know that, if we play well, we can beat anyone."

One sour note for Chelsea was a 69th-minute booking for the fit-again Ashley Cole for time-wasting which rules the left-back out of next Thursday's second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Basle boss Murat Yakin said: "We were well organised but so were Chelsea. We just didn't find the free spaces.

"They took advantage of set pieces with the tall players they have in their team, but we didn't give up.

"Both sides created a lot of chances and the fans must have loved the game.

"We managed to equalise close to the end and the team reacted very well and were even looking for a winner.

"But, in the end, we were the unlucky team. Overall, we showed passion and it was a very good performance."

English trio are kept apart

The three Premier League clubs have been kept apart in the Europa League quarter-final draw.

Chelsea will take on Russian side Rubin Kazan, Tottenham tackle Swiss outfit Basel and Newcastle will face Portugal's Benfica.

Rubin Kazan are currently sixth in the Russian Premier League and required extra-time on Thursday to defeat Spain's Levante 2-0 on aggregate in the last 16.

However they are likely to prove tough opponents for Chelsea after knocking out holders Atletico Madrid in the last 32 and emerging unbeaten from a tough group that included Inter Milan.

Rubin's game against Levante was played at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium - due to problems with their own pitch in the republic of Tatarstan - and they could also face the Blues at a venue where they lost the 2008 UEFA Champions League final to Manchester United.

Swiss champions Basel defeated Zenit St Petersburg 2-1 on aggregate to reach the last eight after hanging on to lose the second leg only 1-0 after the Russians missed a late penalty.

Basel failed to reach the Champions League group stage this season after losing to CFR Cluj in the play-off round.

Benfica, who are currently two points clear in the Primeira Liga, dropped into the Europa League after finishing third behind Barcelona and Celtic in Champions League Group G.

They beat Bordeaux 4-2 on aggregate in the last 16 after scoring two late goals to win the second leg 3-2.

"It's a great draw for us," said Newcastle manager Alan Pardew. "The Estadio da Luz is a great venue. I've been there and it's a fantastic stadium. Importantly, we are at home in the second leg and that will give us an advantage."

Benfica director Rui Costa said: "Newcastle deserve all our respect but we trust in ourselves. We will give it our best to go through."



Europa League draw:

Chelsea v Rubin Kazan

Tottenham v Basel

Fenerbahce v Lazio

Benfica v Newcastle



First-leg ties to be played on April 4, second-leg ties to be played on April 11.