Amsterdam will welcome Chelsea and Benfica on Wednesday night for a match that many will assume the English side as favorites. Without a specific way to actually prove that, what we can do is take a look at some deciding factors that could potentially change the match.
Chelsea's Player Experience
Looking at Chelsea's current roster heading into this match, the Blue's players share a combined 141 major titles at the club level. That is not only a remarkable amount of titles, but when you compare it to the 74 titles the Benfica players have, it really puts things into perspective.
The leader on this Chelsea side with 19 club titles is Paulo Ferreira, which could come as shocking to many fans. His lack of playing time has led fans to basically forget about him, but regardless of how often he is on the pitch, he is still an eligible player for Rafa Benitez to choose from.
Even Chelsea's third goalkeeper, Hilario, has 14 club titles to his name. Meanwhile Benfica's two goalkeepers, Artur and Paulo Lopes share a total of five, with all five belonging to Artur.
This big difference in titles could really make a big difference in the mentality of the players on Wednesday. Knowing how to deal with pressure on a big stage is a big advantage in a final match in a neutral stadium.
Many of the Chelsea players have not only played in big games in the Premier League with Chelsea and other clubs, but a lot of their players were Champions League winners last season under Roberto Di Matteo. From a club perspective, the pressure does not get much bigger than that, especially considering they played at the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich who was playing at home, in front of their fans.
Initial anxiety and nerves could still affect some of the Chelsea players, given that no two matches are the same, but from an experience perspective, Paulo Ferreira and co. clearly have the upper hand.
Benfica Looking To Bounce Back
Just two weeks ago, the future looked bright for Benfica. Finalists in the Taça de Portugal, leading the race in the Portuguese League and on the verge of eliminating Fenerbahce with a victory at the Estádio da Luz in the second league.
While that victory against the Turkish side clearly happened, from a domestic league perspective, two negative results have really hurt Benfica's chances of reclaiming the Portuguese title.
Their draw at home against Estoril looked to have taken some confidence out of them, while also showing serious fatigue within the side. Bouncing back from that at the Estádio do Dragão in what many considered to be the title match was also not going to be easy.
A last minute defeat against Vítor Pereira's Porto leaves Benfica one point back of Porto heading into the final week of the season. In between their latest defeat and their final match, Benfica will take on a Chelsea side that has been able to stay somewhat consistent in recent weeks.
Benfica will not only be playing to claim a European title after many years without one, but they will also be looking to lift their confidence and the belief of their fans heading into a very nervy final match of the domestic campaign.
The Benfica players will have to clear their heads of what happened on Saturday, allowing them to focus on the Europa League and nothing more. Needing to dig deep, the Benfica players could prove to want this more if they are able to clear their heads, but failure to do that could really turn a promising finish into a complete disaster.
Only Title Chance For Chelsea This Season
After winning the FA Cup and the Champions League last season, Chelsea find themselves third in the Premier League, with the possibility of finishing as high as second, and as low as fourth. They became the first team to win the Champions League title and then not make it out of the Group Stage the following year.
Regardless of that bit of negative history, Chelsea now faces the possibility of claiming Europe's second tier title, after having won the top tier silverware last season.
Their players will be wanting to show that although they were unable to make it out of the Group Stage in the Champions League, they are still a strong side that can win titles. Whether it is the Europa League Final or the Capital One Cup, every title matters.
Wednesday's match will be Chelsea's big final of the campaign as the 2012/13 season slowly comes to an end. Without the possibility of claiming any domestic silverware, the Europa League will be Chelsea's primary goal.
Failure to bring home another European title would turn an already average campaign, into something worst for the Blues.
Repeating History In Amsterdam
All through Benfica's Europa League campaign, the Lisbon side appeared to have that little bit of luck that helps teams win titles. From opponents missing clear cut chances, missed penalty kicks and shots hitting the post, it almost seemed impossible for Benfica to not make it through to the final in Amsterdam.
Knowing that the final was in Amsterdam gave the Benfica players and fans an added glimmer of hope. It was in Amsterdam that Benfica last won a European title, but since winning back to back titles in Europe under Hungarian manager Bela Guttmann, things have not gone so well for the Águias.
They will not only be up against history in the last location they raised the title, but after Guttmann left Benfica, he left behind a statement that has haunted Benfica fans. "Benfica will not win another European title without me."
Although those words did not seem to bother many fans at the time, the truth is that his statement holds true. Since his departure, Benfica has taken part in six European finals, only to have lost all of them.
- 1962/63 - Defeated by AC Milan at Wembley
- 1964/65 - Defeated by Inter Milan, with a lone goal from Jair
- 1967/68 - 4-1 Defeat at the hands of Bobby Charlton's Manchester United
- 1982/83 - Defeated by Anderlecht
- 1987/88 - PSV spoiled the party in a penalty shoot-out
- 1989/90 - Frank Rijkaard's goal gave AC Milan yet another European title
Rafa Benitez's Experience
Chelsea's 53-year-old interim manager has not only been to a major final at the club level, but he also has nine major titles on his resume. The Chelsea fans may not like him or believe in him, but if there is a manager who can help Chelsea claim back to back European titles, this is the guy for the job.
During the 2003/04 campaign, Benitez led his Valencia side to a UEFA Cup title, now known as the Europa League. He then followed that up with four major titles with Liverpool FC, with one being a historic comeback against AC Milan in Istanbul, after being down 3-0 at halftime.
This guy may not be loveable, he may not be arrogant or have an eye catching style of play, but if there is one thing he can and has done in the past, it is win titles.
Claiming the Europa League final almost certainly will not save his job at Stamford Bridge, but if anything, it could earn the respect of the many Blues fans who straight out do not like him.
Who or what do you think could be a deciding factor in Wednesday's Europa League Final?
