Garnacho Ready to Shine as Chelsea Unveils Starting XI Against Benfica
Chelsea host José Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge this Tuesday evening, though Enzo Maresca has minimal opportunity to dwell on the storylines surrounding the "special one".
The Italian manager is dealing with numerous injury concerns, and he urgently requires a turnaround in results, even as the club's leadership reaffirmed their support following Saturday's 3-1 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Blues suffered defeat against an impressive Bayern Munich team in their Champions League debut, yet remain favorites for Matchday Two despite their current struggles and Mourinho's presence in the visiting technical area.
Chelsea continue without their influential creative midfielder and top center-back, with Maresca hinting that additional key players might be unavailable. Here's their potential formation.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Benfica (4-2-3-1)
GK: Robert Sánchez—Sánchez swiftly returned to the first team following his one-match ban, and Maresca won't alter his goalkeeper selection for this fixture.
RB: Malo Gusto—The right-back position has seen considerable rotation early in 2025-26, with skipper Reece James gradually regaining his starting role. Nevertheless, the injury-susceptible England international completed the full match at the weekend and might require rest.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah—Chalobah was let down by Andrey Santos during the weekend clash, as the midfielder's error placed the defender in a difficult position against Brighton's Diego Gómez. Though Chalobah faces a domestic ban, he remains eligible for Benfica's arrival.
CB: Benoît Badiashile—The ex-Monaco center-back returned to action over the weekend, and having a natural left-footed defender could benefit Chelsea's possession play without Levi Colwill.
LB: Marc Cucurella—The Spanish fullback has been consistently utilized since Maresca's appointment, and the Italian manager won't want to rest Cucurella for such an important encounter.
CM: Moisés Caicedo—Caicedo is among three players the Chelsea manager considers questionable for Tuesday's match. The midfielder is nursing an injury, making his participation uncertain.
CM: Roméo Lavia—The former Manchester City youth product has spent considerable time injured during his Chelsea tenure, but recently returned from another setback. Should Caicedo be available, Lavia might form a partnership with the Ecuadorian in Maresca's double pivot, as they did successfully in the season's opening months.
AM: Enzo Fernández—The Argentine midfielder likely assumes a more attacking role with Cole Palmer still sidelined. Fernández found the net at the weekend before the match deteriorated.
RW: Estêváo—The Brazilian's inaugural Champions League outing proved challenging, remaining largely ineffective in Munich. The promising youngster has an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities under the spotlight here.
ST: João Pedro—Chelsea face serious problems if Pedro cannot feature, so Maresca will be hoping the Brazilian, who has endured a quiet spell, can recover from his weekend knock.
LW: Alejandro Garnacho—Garnacho has filled a substitute role since his arrival, but this presents an ideal moment to give him significant playing time. Pedro Neto has disappointed, while Jamie Gittens hasn't impressed substantially.
