Club World Cup final: Chelsea vs PSG, a final no one expected
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
Is Chelsea being underestimated?
It has been exactly six weeks and four days since Chelsea lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy courtesy of a 4-1 victory against Spain's Real Betis. Enzo Maresca's charges now find themselves at the brink of starting the new season with silverware.
The Blues are in the FIFA Club World Cup final and are set to clash with French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain, who have been phenomenal in this competition.
Located in West London, Chelsea is making their third appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup. In the previous two editions they've participated in, they have been crowned champions twice, and that was in 2021, where they had the pleasure of defeating Palmeiras 2-1 in the final.
However, they are being underestimated and enter the showdown against Paris Saint-Germain as underdogs. Even our betting experts from Sportytrader think that they might be in for an uphill battle. For more insights on this match, head on to our Chelsea vs Paris Saint-Germain prediction.
Chelsea's route to the final
Chelsea has been impressive in this competition and has defied all odds to reach the FIFA Club World Cup final. They indeed failed to top their group, finishing in second place and one point behind table-toppers Flamengo, who accumulated seven points from the available nine.
In the knockout stages, it was nothing but a dominant display from the West London side, who flexed their attacking prowess by scoring eight goals en route to the final.
Their first victim was Benfica in the round of 16. They won 4-1. This was sufficient to see them book their spot in the quarter-finals, where they secured a narrow 2-1 away victory against South American giant Palmeiras. In the semi-final, it was another morale-boosting result against Fluminense, winning 2-1.
Not to leave anything out of the dark, it has to be mentioned that Chelsea are making their third consecutive final appearance since their debut, which was 13 years ago.
PSG are having the time of their lives under Luis Enrique
Head coach Luis Enrique has been a breath of fresh air since deciding to guide Paris Saint-Germain two years ago. By the time Enrique became manager, succeeding Christophe Galtier, the team had no sense of direction or ambitions.
Fast forward to the present, Enrique has collected six trophies with Paris Saint-Germain, and how can we forget about the historic 2024-25 season? In that season, they finished with a continental treble, clinching the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1 title, and the Coupe de France. There's no denying that they had a great run in that season.
PSG's route to the final
Paris Saint-Germain was placed in Group B, and the competition was tough. In that group, they had to compete against the likes of Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, and minnows, the Seattle Sounders.
Against all odds, they topped the group despite accumulating six points with Botafogo and Atletico Madrid. It was all thanks to their proficiency in the final third and rock-solid defense as they finished as the group's top goalscorers and had a better goal differential of +5 while conceding just one goal in the process.
In the knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup, they have shown both offensive and defensive abilities, from keeping three consecutive clean sheets to firing an impressive ten goals.
Let's have a look at their path to the final:
- Round of 16: Secured a commanding 4-0 victory against Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.
- Quarter-finals: Defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 despite being reduced to nine men on the field.
- Semi-finals: Made light work of the most successful club in the FIFA Club World Cup, Real Madrid, winning 4-0.
Players to watch out for
Joao Pedro (Chelsea), who joined Chelsea from Brighton Hove & Albion in a deal worth £60m just last week, has already made a name for himself. In his debut for the club, he scored a brace in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against his former club Fluminense. The Brazilian is expected to get the nod once again as he aims to conclude the tournament on a high.
Fabian Ruiz (PSG) has made 78 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain since his debut in 2022. Ruiz has been exceptional in this tournament, particularly in his recent performance against Real Madrid, where he scored a brace. The midfielder could prove to be a lethal force in the final third once again if left unattended.
Enzo Fernandes (Chelsea) leads the category of the most assists made in the FIFA Club World Cup with 3. Fernandes made one assist in the semi-final clash against Fluminense. He could be a game-changer for his team in the final against PSG.
Vitinha (PSG) is an elite midfielder, and there's no disagreement with this statement. The numbers don't lie. He has made 666 passes and leads in this category. Regarding the distance covered in the FIFA Club World Cup, it's approximately 69.33 km and ranks first in this category.
