Nights like this move fast. Quarter-final. Philadelphia lights. Hurry.
Chelsea roll in from a 4–1 extra-time surge past Benfica, a win built on set-piece nerve and second-wind control.
Next: Palmeiras at Lincoln Financial Field, Friday July 4, 9:00pm ET — 2:00am UK on Saturday, July 5
Goalkeeper
Robert Sánchez keeps the gloves. Clean hands, quick restarts. Control the tempo, kill the breaks.
Defence
Right: Reece James—captain’s weight on a free-kick foot that just bent
Left: Marc Cucurella—steady lanes, early angles.
Middle: Tosin Adarabioyo for the injured Benoît Badiashile; height, timing, first pass forward.
Partner: Levi Colwill—if rhythm is right. The pairing gives Maresca line-breaking from both sides.
Midfield
Double pivot: Moisés Caicedo + Roméo Lavia. Win it. Keep it. Spring it. Above them, Enzo Fernández as the on-paper No.10—really the metronome who arrives late and hurts you.
Wings
Left: Christopher Nkunku to replace the unavailable Pedro Neto; carry-and-finish threat against full-backs on the turn.
Right: Cole Palmer—the pause button and the dagger pass.
Striker
Liam Delap for the third straight start: near-post sprints, second-phase finishes, press as a promise.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1):
Sánchez; James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Palmer, Enzo Fernández, Nkunku; Delap.
Why it works
Urgency without panic. A back four that can pass under pressure. A double pivot that shortens bad moments.
And three behind the nine who toggle between laughter and cruelty—Palmer’s disguise, Enzo’s timing, Nkunku’s punch. Chelsea’s group identity tightens around one purpose: two hours of ruthless clarity.
Limited chances either way; make yours count.