It is an epic clash of footballing giants from great European capitals, but the Lisbonites have not enjoyed themselves in England – their record is worse than anywhere except Spain – and Chelsea have won all four previous meetings between the sides.

The Blues have lost just two of the past 59 UEFA group or league phase games at the Bridge, and are unbeaten in 14 such outings since September 2019.

Away from hom,e Benfica are unbeaten on all fronts this season – their last defeat on the road being 4-1 against Chelsea at the Club World Cup.

In Europe, they have lost just one of their last six away from home, claiming four clean sheets from the last five. When underdogs Qarabag bared their teeth, coming from 2-0 down to shock the Portuguese with a 3-2 matchday one win, it was at Estadio da Luz.

Chelsea’s defeat at Bayern a fortnight ago was the third in succession in Europe’s elite competition, the same record Benfica bring to London.

The Eagles’ league games are routinely brought forward to aid their Champions League efforts and they came back to beat high-flying Gil Vicente at home on Friday evening, rising to third in the Primeira Liga.

Saturday’s home loss at the Bridge was the third in four on all fronts for Enzo Maresca’s world champions. Now would be a great time to return to winning ways.

Chelsea team news

Enzo Maresca confirmed in his pre-match press conference that three players who featured against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday would need to be assessed ahead of our first Champions League outing at Stamford Bridge.

‘Unfortunately, we have many players out injured,’ said Maresca. ‘This (Monday) afternoon, we are going to assess Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos and Joao Pedro. Unfortunately for us, they all have small problems; we are going to see if they are available for tomorrow.

‘For sure, in this moment we have injuries, but we have a squad to try to replace the injuries we have.’

Levi Colwill (knee), Liam Delap (hamstring) and Dario Essugo (thigh) are long-term absentees for the Blues. Tosin Adarabioyo (calf) and Cole Palmer (groin) are also not expected to feature until after the international break. Wesley Fofana was absent against Brighton due to concussion protocols.

Chelsea vs Benfica – the history

A huge international charity match played at Stamford Bridge on 7 October 1964, which saw Chelsea lose 4-2 to recent European Cup-winners Benfica, was the first ever meeting between the two clubs.

A football signed by the Beatles was auctioned off before the game but it was a hard day’s night for the fledgling Blues, top of the table and about to find their wings.

Kept quiet that evening was Eusebio, one of football’s all-time greats. It was the Mozambique-born striker’s attacking teammate Jose Torres, a 6ft 4in ‘gentle giant’, who did the damage with a hat-trick. Jose Augusto added the other.

Homegrown forward Barry Bridges scored both our goals under the lights, one opening the scoring to ruffle the Eagles’ feathers. The cover of that evening's matchday programme is below.

Chelsea have won every competitive meeting with the Lisbon club, beginning with the quarter-finals en route to winning the Champions League in 2012.

Salomon Kalou’s vital late slide-in clinched an away win at Estadio da Luz and a feisty affair at the Bridge ended 2-1, with ex-Porto Raul Meireles extravagantly celebrating his superb late winner.

The following season the pair met in the Europa League final in Amsterdam. Fernando Torres opened the scoring with a fine individual effort before the ball struck Cesar Azpilicueta’s hand for a penalty, converted by Oscar Cardoso.

With the final seconds away from extra-time, Branislav Ivanovic rose to rival Everest and headed the winning goal as the Blues had joined a tiny elite of clubs who had won every UEFA title.

Twelve years later the Conference League winners took on the Eagles in the first knockout round of the FIFA Club World Cup – a game featuring an extraordinary two-hour break for bad weather.

After dominating the match Chelsea looked to be easing into the quarter-finals through Reece James’ sensational near-post free-kick. Yet with four second-half minutes remaining reports of nearby lightning forced the players off.

When play resumed after an unprecedented break, the Portuguese were ascendant, equalising through Angel Di Maria from the penalty spot to force extra time.

A second yellow for Gianluca Prestianni quelled their ardour, though, and Chelsea ruthlessly capitalised with three further goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, going on to lift the trophy with victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

Know this…

Chelsea stand 28th in the Champions League table and Benfica are 24th.

Chelsea have a 100 per cent record against Portuguese opposition at Stamford Bridge, winning all six matches (Porto 4, Benfica 1, Sporting 1).

This is our 100th home Champions League match (including qualifying games) and we have won 61 of the previous 99.

Benfica are without a win in eight games against English sides (three draws, five defeats) since a 3-1 win at Tottenham in the 2013/14 Europa League.

Chelsea have won seven and drawn three of the past 14 encounters with sides managed by former boss Jose Mourinho.

Seventy years ago this month, champions Chelsea should have become England’s first contestants in the European Cup with a match against Djurgarden of Sweden. Regretfully, the club bowed to pressure from the Football League and withdrew from UEFA’s new competition.

On 30 September 1961, defeat at Blackpool drew Ted Drake’s title-winning era to a close, his assistant Tommy Docherty’s takeover soon heralding a brave new era at Stamford Bridge.