The UEFA Champions League is back this week, bringing a fresh set of captivating encounters. For many of Europe`s top clubs, these fixtures offer a crucial opportunity to recover from less-than-ideal weekend performances. However, for giants like Real Madrid and Chelsea, their highly anticipated Tuesday games hold additional significance beyond just a rebound, as we delve into the latest European football developments.
Football Schedule
All times U.S./Eastern
Monday, September 29
- EPL: Everton vs. West Ham, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, September 30
- UCL: Kairat vs. Real Madrid, 12:45 p.m.
- UCL: Chelsea vs. Benfica, 3 p.m.
- MLS: Inter Miami vs. Chicago Fire, 7:30 p.m.
- CWCC: Club America vs. Orlando Pride, 9 p.m.
The Forward Line
Real Madrid`s Record-Breaking Away Journey to Kazakhstan
Real Madrid, a club synonymous with UEFA Champions League history, is set to create another unique record on Tuesday. They will travel to Almaty, Kazakhstan, to face local champions Kairat in what promises to be one of the competition`s longest-ever away fixtures, and likely one of its most unequal.
This match presents a striking contrast: Real Madrid, with an unprecedented 15 Champions League titles, will be playing their 503rd game, while Kairat will appear in only their second. The Kazakh side`s total squad valuation is reportedly less than half of Kylian Mbappe`s annual salary, highlighting the vast difference in resources. Unsurprisingly, Los Blancos enter this tie as overwhelming favorites, despite the arduous, multi-hour journey to a city geographically closer to China than to Europe`s eastern edge. This fixture also comes at a timely moment for Real Madrid, offering a chance for redemption after their surprising 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid.
Xabi Alonso`s youthful squad experienced their most significant setback of the season in that Saturday defeat. Atletico effectively disrupted their rhythm and potentially exploited their relative inexperience, with Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras starting in defense and Arda Guler in attack, none performing at their peak. Post-match, Alonso emphasized that his current Real Madrid team is distinct from its predecessors – it`s a project still under construction.
Alonso commented: “It was a deserved defeat, and very painful for us, for the fans too, and we feel responsible. But it could be a positive, as for sure we will learn from it. We`re in a process of building something, and setbacks will happen. It is about how we react, how we learn from what happened, and how we improve.”
Kairat is not expected to pose a similar challenge on Tuesday, which might give Alonso strategic flexibility. However, he plans to bring most of his star players to Almaty, suggesting a full-strength approach as they aim for their second consecutive Champions League victory.
Anticipating Matchday 2
Midfield Link Play
The Special One`s Return: Jose Mourinho Faces Chelsea with Benfica
While Chelsea is among several European powerhouses returning to Champions League action after a weekend defeat, their situation is unique compared to clubs like Real Madrid or Liverpool. Under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea has managed only three wins in eight competitive matches this season – a concerning run of form at any time. As Jose Mourinho makes his highly anticipated return to Stamford Bridge, now managing Benfica, and to the Champions League stage, Maresca`s current team`s shortcomings will inevitably be compared to Mourinho`s celebrated tenure, which included three Premier League titles.
During his pre-match press conference on Monday, Maresca, as expected, addressed questions regarding Mourinho`s significant legacy. The current Chelsea manager skillfully avoided unnecessary comparisons between himself and his esteemed predecessor.
Maresca stated: “It`s a privilege to face Jose. A legend for this club. I feel already quite lucky to be in some pictures at the training ground with the Club World Cup and Conference League after one season. The target hopefully is one day we can all together enjoy these kinds of moments. … I would like it one day for sure [for fans to sing my name] but it`s not my target. I`m happy if they can sing `we`ve got our Chelsea back,` because that means as a team we are doing something important.”
Maresca faces more immediate challenges ahead of Tuesday`s match against Benfica. Benfica, who surprisingly re-hired Mourinho almost 25 years after his first managerial role with them, is looking to bounce back from a shock Matchday 1 defeat to Azerbaijani side Qarabag. Chelsea themselves haven`t performed consistently since their Club World Cup victory nearly three months ago, registering three losses in their last four games, with their sole victory against League One`s Lincoln City in the EFL Cup. Two of these defeats – last week`s against Manchester United and Saturday`s versus Brighton – were further complicated by red cards. Overall, their season`s performance has been uninspiring; Chelsea has only exceeded two non-penalty expected goals in a single game, suggesting their expensive attacking lineup isn`t firing on all cylinders. This problem persists even when Cole Palmer is available, and his absence due to a groin injury for Tuesday`s match only exacerbates the situation.
Despite the potential advantage of facing a Benfica side that conceded three goals to Qarabag just two weeks prior, Maresca`s primary focus must be on selecting the right team, especially against a defensively astute manager like Mourinho.
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The Back Line
Betting Insights
UEFA Champions League: Chelsea vs. Benfica, Tuesday, 3 p.m.
Prediction: Chelsea and Benfica to draw 1-1. Chelsea`s inconsistent start to the season leaves them vulnerable in the Champions League, particularly with key player Cole Palmer sidelined due to a groin injury for Tuesday`s match against Benfica. This scenario sets up a compelling narrative where Jose Mourinho could potentially gain an advantage over his former club in his Champions League comeback. However, it`s important to consider Benfica`s current form, which might not be strong enough to secure an outright win. They will be motivated to prove their recent loss to Qarabag was an anomaly, with Vangelis Pavlidis`s goal-scoring abilities being crucial to their efforts. The match outcome will largely depend on the effectiveness of Chelsea`s attack. Given that manager Enzo Maresca is still struggling to define his team`s optimal strategy, both with and without Palmer, a draw seems a plausible result for both sides.
