Mourinho's Blues Stung by Own Goal in Return Clash

Chelsea experienced a difficult start to their Champions League campaign, losing 1-0 to Benfica on Tuesday night. The defeat, which came on Mourinho's first return to Stamford Bridge since November 2020, was built upon an own goal from the former Blues defender, Richard Rios.

The match began with Mourinho making a low-key entrance, observing proceedings from his seat after captaining the dugout. His side initially looked lively, testing Benfica early on with efforts from Dodi Lukebakio and Enzo Fernandez. However, the home side found themselves leading against the run of play just after 18 minutes.

Alejandro Garnacho delivered a dangerous cross towards the back post, which was initially blocked by Rios but rebounded into his own net. The former Chelsea defender, now playing for Benfica, was celebrating his goal before receiving a stern talking-to from the referee and subsequently being substituted.

Despite the early setback, Benfica largely controlled the game thereafter, creating several opportunities. They were denied a penalty when Lukebakio and Fernandez tangled, with the referee correctly rejecting the appeal. Although Chelsea pushed for an equalizer and introduced Estevao, Jamie Gittens, and Joao Pedro with 15 minutes remaining, they struggled to penetrate the visitors' defense.

The introduction of Joao Pedro, however, soon led to disciplinary action. The young defender received his second yellow card for a late, high boot before the full-time whistle, becoming the third Chelsea player to be sent off in the last four competitive games.

Speaking after the match, manager Enzo Maresca acknowledged the team's need for improvement but stressed that the result shouldn't define the early phase of their campaign. He defended the disciplinary decision regarding Joao Pedro, arguing that avoiding a dangerous situation sometimes requires conceding a chance.

For Mourinho, the defeat was a harsh reality check on his first return to the stadium he previously managed with such success. While appreciative of the vocal support from the Chelsea fans, he focused solely on the team's performance on the pitch, dismissing any lingering memories with the club's past triumphs.

Benfica move to the summit of their Champions League group following the hard-fought victory, while Chelsea must regroup quickly to build momentum in the competition.