Chelsea's Club World Cup travel plan derailed by group-stage slip-up

VIDEO SHOWS: COMMENTS FROM CHELSEA MANAGER ENZO MARESCA & BENFICA COACH BRUNO LAGE ON THE EVE OF THEIR FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP ROUND OF 16 TIE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 27, 2025) (FIFA/DAZN - See restrictions before use)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ENZO MARESCA, ON BENFICA HAVING NEVER BEATEN CHELSEA, SAYING:

“No, I think Benfica, not only in this competition, I think overall, always show to be a big club in Europe. The last game they beat Bayern Munich, so, this shows how good they are, and what they are able to do, and it’s always, any game, it’s different. So, it doesn’t matter if in the past they didn’t beat Chelsea, every game, it’s tough, it’s complicated, and anything can happen.”

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ENZO MARESCA, ON IF WINNING THE UEFA CONFERENCE LEAGUE WILL HELP THEM ADAPT BETTER NOW THAT IT IS A KNOCKOUT TOURNAMENT, SAYING:

“I don’t see the Conference League as important for this competition, and then I think the players, they are aware that now it’s a knockout game, you know, previously we were in the group, in the stage, now we are in a knockout game, and a knockout game, anything can happen. But it’s not just for us, it’s for any club, and the players, they are aware that in this moment, you know, the team that is going to make more mistakes, probably is the team that the day after, is back to home.”

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA MANAGER, ENZO MARESCA, ON BENFICA & RUMOURS OF JOAO FELIX LEAVING CHELSEA TO RETURN TO BENFICA, SAYING:

“About Benfica, they are a very good team with a very good manager, very good players, and it’s an historical club, so, for sure, it’s going to be a tough game, and then in terms of Joao, Joao is a Chelsea player. He’s not with us, but about his future, I don’t think it’s the moment or the right place to talk about Joao’s future.”

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BENFICA COACH, BRUNO LAGE, SAYING:

“The team has a huge ambition to progress in the competition. We know it’ll be difficult, but it's not impossible. It's just a game, and right now we have a deep understanding of how Chelsea plays, and once again, I feel that we have prepared very well for the game. Tomorrow, from kick-off, we will leave everything we have out on the pitch from our strengths and community, both collectively and individually, because, as I said, I feel that the team is motivated and has an enormous ambition to move forward in this competition.”

STORY: Chelsea are facing a logistical headache at the Club World Cup after finishing second in their group, forcing an unexpected trip to Charlotte for their last 16 match instead of staying in Miami, where the club thought they would be based for the knockout stage.

A club source told Reuters that travel, accommodation and training arrangements were all made with the assumption that the West Londoners would top Group D and play their round of 16 match at Hard Rock Stadium.

Instead, after a 3-1 loss to Brazil's Flamengo and only managing second place despite a 3-0 win over Esperance Tunis in their final group stage fixture in Philadelphia, Chelsea will now face Benfica on Saturday (June 28) at the Bank of America Stadium.

The detour means reorganising bookings and schedules at short notice, but the club still intends to return to its Miami base after the match, adding more miles to an already hectic itinerary.

If Enzo Maresca's side reach the quarter-finals, they will return to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to face the winner of the all-Brazilian clash between Palmeiras and Botafogo.

(Production: Stefan Haskins)