FACT FILE: What do we know about Chelsea’s latest European opponents?

Chelsea have been handed a round of 32 tie with Portuguese club S.L. Benfica in this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League with the draw having been made by European football’s governing body earlier today.

The two clubs will contest the tie over two legs next month with Chelsea meeting the Portuguese champions for the very first time in their history.

Benfica are a new name to women’s elite European football with The Eagles currently enjoying their debut appearance in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

FA Women’s Super League Full-Time have done our homework on Chelsea’s round of 32 opponents and here is the key information on the Portuguese club.

The head coach

Benfica are coached by Luis Andrade, a boss who is new to the women’s game having only joined The Eagles in summer 2019.

As a player, Andrade spent five years with Benfica, making almost a half-century of appearances for the club. The 47-year-old originates from Lisbon and was on the books of Benfica’s rivals Sporting Lisbon in the early days of his playing career. Andrade also counts Estoril, Belenenses and Tenerife amongst his former clubs.

The former Portuguese youth international started his coaching career in youth football with Tenente Valdez before later going on to lead Damaiense, Alta de Lisboa and Atletico Malveira.

Andrade guided latest club Benfica to the top of the Campeonato Nacional Feminino last season prior to the campaign being abandoned due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The history

Benfica are the new kids on the block in this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League. The Eagles were only formed in December 2017 and swiftly claimed a place in the top flight of the Portuguese game after easing to the Campeonato Nacional de Promoção de Futebol Feminino title, a league which is on par with the English FA Women’s Championship.

In addition to lifting the Campeonato Nacional de Promoção de Futebol Feminino league title in their first season, Benfica also added the Portuguese Cup, the Taça de Portugal Feminina, and the Supertaça de Portugal Feminina to their trophy cabinet. To win the latter trophy, newly-promoted Benfica saw off top flight champions Braga at the Estádio João Cardoso in Tondela.

Last season saw Benfica win 14 of their 15 top flight matches, scoring 101 goals in the process. They defeated bottom club A-dos-Francos 24-0 on home soil and 14-0 away. Andrade’s side kept clean sheets in all seven home league matches.

Who are the ones to watch?

Canadian forward Cloé Lacasse scored 23 goals for Benfica last season and will cause problems for the Chelsea defence next month while The Blues should also keep tabs on Brazilian attacking midfielder Darlene who notched 20 goals for the Portuguese club last term. She is the current Benfica captain and scored 109 goals in all competitions during the club’s first season in existence.

Another Brazilian, Nycole Raysla, scored two goals for Benfica in the qualifying rounds of this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League and could be a threat.

The qualifying record

Benfica’s debut fixture in the UEFA Women’s Champions League took them to Thessaloniki as they faced Greek club POAK. Andrade’s side won 3-1 in the first qualifying round thanks to goals from Ana Araújo, Lacasse and Catarina Amado.

The club’s second qualifying round tie saw them travel to Brussels to face RSC Anderlecht. Despite falling behind, Benfica recovered to win the match 2-1 with Raysla netting a brace.

Benfica look to have goals in them but equally, their lack of a clean sheet so far will be a concern for head coach Andrade.

The venue

Chelsea will travel to the Estádio da Tapadinha in Lisbon for the away fixture on 9/10 December. Benfica’s home stadium currently has a restricted capacity of 4,500 and is shared with sports club Atlético Clube de Portugal who boast football, futsal and basketball teams. The stadium was renovated in 1945 and has seen little work done since. Chelsea will find the facilities very basic compared to their ever-improving Kingsmeadow home.

This season sees Chelsea return to the UEFA Women’s Champions League following a one-season absence. They should be too good for their round of 32 opponents but make no doubt about it, Benfica could cause The Blues problems if they are not on their game.

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