Chelsea vs Benfica live: Latest score and updates from Club World Cup – UK Times

Angel Di Maria is in his final few days at Benfica, his time with the club at an end after this tournament as he returns to boyhood side Rosario Central. This could, then, be his final game.

There is an inherent sloppiness to some of Chelsea’s play in possession, which has been a theme of this tournament for a lot of sides. The fatigue of this long season perhaps showing?

No real chances after that early Pedro Neto effort. Chelsea are beginning to build a bit of pressure, but Cole Palmer’s cross is too close to the Benfica goalkeeper.

Pedro Neto drops the shoulder and bursts for the byline, earning a corner off Benfica left-back Samuel Dahl.

Benfica were entrenched from early on against Bayern Munich but have a more proactive air about them here, trying to disrupt Chelsea’s passing game.

Hard graft from Liam Delap almost earns him a chance, the striker pressurising Antonio Silva and almost drawing an error from the centre half. Silva recovers well – eventually.

Palmeiras already await the winners of this tie, which is somehow the 50th game of the tournament. It was a nervy extra-time win for the Brazilians earlier to book their quarter-final spot against compatriots Botafogo.

A strong start from Chelsea, with Pedro Neto stinging the palms of Anatoliy Trubin in the Benfica goal.

Up and running in Charlotte.

It’s positively roasting (again) in Charlotte, with handling the heat a key challenge for both sides today. There are a few fans in, a number of them in Chelsea shirts, but it’s not even close to full…

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has criticised the revamped Club World Cup, calling it the “worst idea ever implemented in football”.

In an interview with German newspaper Die Welt, published on Friday, Klopp said the tournament would put more strain on an already packed calendar for the players.

The expanded format features a 32-team event held every four years during the pre-season, in the summers between major international tournaments.

“It’s all about the game and not the surrounding events – and that’s why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football in this regard,” he said.

“It’s a pointless competition. Whoever wins it will be the worst winner of all time because they’ll have played all summer and then gone straight back into the league.

“There are people who have never been involved in the day-to-day business of football and are now coming up with ideas.”