Jose Mourinho’s much-anticipated return to Stamford Bridge ended in disappointment as his Benfica side fell 1-0 to Chelsea in a tense Champions League clash on September 30, 2025. The only goal of the night came courtesy of a first-half own goal by Richard Rios, capping off a contest that, while low on attacking fireworks, was rich in narrative and emotion.
From the opening whistle, the air was thick with nostalgia as Chelsea fans serenaded their legendary former manager. Mourinho, who famously delivered three Premier League titles and seven major trophies during his two spells at the club, waved to all corners of the ground in acknowledgment. Yet, the sentimental mood quickly gave way to the hard realities of elite European football. For all the affection, Benfica’s new boss was left ruing a lack of cutting edge and a costly defensive lapse.
Chelsea, under the stewardship of Enzo Maresca, came into the match desperate for a spark. The Blues had lost three of their previous four fixtures, including a Champions League opener against Bayern Munich. With mounting injuries—seven or eight players sidelined, according to Maresca—and a patchwork starting eleven, expectations were tempered. Nineteen-year-old Tyrique George was handed a rare start up front, Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte slotted in, and Benoit Badiashile made his first appearance of the season in defense. The home side also made five changes to the lineup, a clear reflection of their ongoing personnel struggles.
Early exchanges were cagey, with Benfica showing more purpose than their hosts. Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez was called into action twice, first denying Vangelis Pavlidis after a slick move and then tipping Dodi Lukebakio’s drive onto the post. The visitors, perhaps buoyed by Mourinho’s emotional homecoming, appeared the more likely to strike first.
But football is nothing if not unpredictable. In the 18th minute, Chelsea’s brightest sparks combined to devastating effect. Pedro Neto whipped a dangerous cross to the far post, where Alejandro Garnacho—impressive on a rare start—stretched to redirect the ball back across the six-yard box. In the ensuing chaos, Richard Rios, attempting to clear, could do nothing but send the ball past his own goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin. Stamford Bridge erupted, and Chelsea had their breakthrough. As described by TNT Sports, "Richard Rios knocks the ball back into his own net and Chelsea take the lead at the Bridge."
The goal marked Chelsea’s first Champions League strike at home in two and a half years and, more importantly, gave them a platform to build some much-needed confidence. Still, Maresca’s men were urged not to rest on their laurels. The early stages had seen them struggle to create clear chances, and the risk of retreating into a defensive shell was all too real—a problem that has plagued the Blues in recent weeks.
Benfica, for their part, struggled to muster a real response. Despite Mourinho’s attempts to marshal his troops, the Portuguese side lacked the incisiveness required to break down Chelsea’s makeshift backline. Their best opportunity came early in the second half, when Fredrik Aursnes appeared to have found the net, only for VAR to intervene on a razor-thin offside call. The visitors pushed forward with purpose, but the final ball was lacking.
Amid the on-field action, tempers flared off it. Chelsea captain Enzo Fernandez, a former Benfica star who left Lisbon for a then-British record £107 million in 2023, was targeted by objects hurled from the away end as he prepared to take a corner. Mourinho, ever the peacemaker, strode over to the Benfica supporters, gesturing for calm and urging them to stop. Fernandez, who has become increasingly influential for Chelsea, led by example on the pitch—he was the most fouled player and involved in the most duels on the night, further endearing himself to the west London faithful.
As the match wore on, Chelsea’s lack of attacking depth became apparent. Garnacho missed a couple of presentable chances, and teenage substitute Estevao Willian forced a decent save from Trubin late on. Tyrique George, having worked tirelessly as the focal point of the attack, squandered a golden opportunity to double the lead just before halftime, firing wide from a promising position.
The drama wasn’t over. Deep into stoppage time, Chelsea substitute Joao Pedro received a second yellow card for a high boot, becoming the third Blues player to see red in the last four games. Fortunately for Maresca, the dismissal came too late to alter the outcome. Reflecting on the victory, the Italian manager remarked, "At least we learned how to win with a red card." He added, "Sometimes you need to learn to win in an ugly way."
For Mourinho, the night was bittersweet. He expressed gratitude for the warm reception from Chelsea fans but was quick to remind reporters, "I don’t feed myself with these memories. I feed myself with victories." He continued, "A defeat is always a defeat but this one can be a start for us. It was a stable performance. When a team changes coach mid-season it’s because things are not good. So we’ve had some difficulties. But we could have come away from here with a draw."
The result snapped a winless run for Chelsea in the Champions League stretching back to March 2023 and offered Maresca some breathing room ahead of a daunting Premier League encounter with Liverpool. It was, as Maresca himself admitted, a "winning ugly" kind of night, but one that may prove pivotal as the Blues look to steady the ship.
As the final whistle sounded, Stamford Bridge’s adoration for Mourinho was undimmed, yet it was Chelsea who celebrated a desperately needed three points. Benfica, meanwhile, will look to build on a "stable performance" as Mourinho seeks to stamp his authority on a squad still adjusting to his methods. For both clubs, the Champions League campaign is very much alive—and the drama is far from over.
