Chelsea player ratings vs Benfica: Pedro Neto shines as Blues edge out Jose Mourinho's side
Chelsea secured a 1-0 win over Benfica in the 2025-26 Champions League campaign, with Pedro Neto playing a crucial role in the victory. Check out how the Blues fared at Stamford Bridge against Mourinho's team.
Chelsea made it an unhappy Stamford Bridge return for Jose Mourinho as the Blues picked up their first win of the 2025-26 Champions League campaign on Tuesday with a 1-0 win. Neto stole the show for Enzo Maresca’s side and picked out Alejandro Garnacho superbly to force an own goal in the first half that proved enough to secure all three points and make it a bad night for The Special One.Benfica made the stronger start to the game and hit the post in the early exchanges. Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was the busier of the two stoppers and was forced into action on several occasions to keep Benfica out and preserve his clean sheet.Yet Chelsea grew into the game and went close on 17 minutes when the lively Neto fired an excellent effort across goal and narrowly wide. Minutes later, he picked out Garnacho with a sumptuous pass and saw the summer signing’s volley deflect off Benfica defender Richard Rios and into the visitors' net.Chelsea's narrow lead looked precarious, and Benfica remained a threat, which saw Maresca send on Estevao Willian, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens early in the second half in search of the security of a second goal. Estevao came the closest with a header that was tipped over by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubiny, while Pedro's night ended in disaster as he was sent off in stoppage time after picking up his second yellow card of the game as Chelsea ground out a narrow 1-0 winGOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge...
Pedro Neto makes decisive impact
Pedro Neto was the standout performer for Chelsea, providing the assist for the only goal of the game. His creativity and work rate troubled the Benfica defense throughout the match, earning him high praise for his performance.
Solid goalkeeping from Robert Sanchez
Robert Sanchez was called into action multiple times to keep Benfica at bay. His crucial saves ensured Chelsea maintained their clean sheet and secured the win, highlighting his importance to the team.
Alejandro Garnacho's fortune
Alejandro Garnacho benefitted from Neto's excellent pass, which led to an own goal and ultimately secured the victory for Chelsea. While a stroke of luck was involved, Garnacho's positioning and movement played a role in creating the chance, showcasing his potential impact for the team.
Late drama with Joao Pedro's red card
Chelsea had to navigate through some late drama as Joao Pedro was shown a red card in stoppage time. His dismissal added pressure on the team, but they managed to hold on for the narrow 1-0 win, demonstrating resilience and determination in securing the three points.
