Key events
10 min: Palmer takes up a deep position on the right before whipping a gorgeous ball into the mixer. Fabio elects to punch rather than catch, under pressure from Fernandez. He connects well, and deals with the situation. That was a very dangerous ball in from Palmer.
9 min: Now it’s Flu’s turn to test the referee’s patience, Nonato sticking out a cynical leg to trip an in-flight Neto. Again, the official keeps his cards in his pocket. Expect this game to get a bit tasty if both teams keep trying it on like this.
7 min: Fernandez comes sliding in on Cano, studs showing, nearly scissoring his opponent. You know what, if this was a garden-variety fixture, or if we were 60 minutes into the game, Fernandez could have been in serious trouble there. Certainly a yellow, maybe a red. Probably one of those oranges. As it is, the referee makes do with a lecture. Fernadez wags his finger at Cano, which registers a full 11 on our patented Chutzpah-o-Meter™.
5 min: Rene diddles Nkunku with a lovely spin out on the left touchline, then Guga probes down the right flank. Both of Flu’s wing-backs showing promise early.
3 min: Rene makes his presence felt down the left and loops long. Cano slices a wild effort miles left of target. Rene tries to resurrect the move but Gusto deals with the situation. Flu clearly trying to hit Chelsea early, the tactic that did for Inter.
2 min: Chelsea pop it around the back for a bit. A low-key start. Fluminense get irritated and Arias clanks into Cucurella from behind, just to let him know he’s there.
An ostentatious none-more-USA cry of “Let’s get ready to rumble!” and then – ding, ding, seconds out – Chelsea get the ball rolling for the first round half. “Fifa and the Trump administration have announced today that His MAGAsty the King of Queens will be in attendance here in the MetLife for Sunday’s final,” reports Justin Kavanagh. “Given the mob that follows him around when he golfs (always winningly, because, well, he’s their king), that should boost the attendance level to a somewhat respectable level. Signore Infantino will be happy.”
The teams come out, one by one. Fluminense in their famous maroon and green, Chelsea in a white effort that by all accounts has been designed to pay tribute to the famous 1950s side of Puskas, Hidegkuti, Kocsis, etc. (They’ve done this already, back in 1974, under orders from then-boss Dave Sexton.) We’ll be off in a minute!
Enzo Maresca speaks to DAZN. “We are very happy to be here … we have one more step to reach the final … that is the target in this moment …. Joao Pedro has quality against a low block … whenever [Moisés Caicedo] is on the pitch we are a better team … [Fluminense] have lots of quality and energy … it will be for sure another tough game.”
PRE-MATCH POSTBAG: Fifa-Fuelled Fume special!!! “If there was any question about whether this tournament has been packaged specifically for European consumption, then scheduling the semi-finals at 3pm local time on workdays should pretty much clear that up” – Joe Pearson (gratefully retired)
“Hi from MetLife. I had to give up on public transit and share an Uber (which, even split three ways, was more than any of us paid for a ticket) to the stadium today. This is what you get when the tristate area’s premier venue caters to the suburbs where cars reign. Anyway, I’ve lived here for 17 years, I’m sure it’s going to be very easy for all the out-of-towners to figure it out for next year’s World Cup! You know what does have ample (and easy) public transport? Fifa’s new offices at our Dear Leader™️’s tower in Midtown. At least Infantino can get to work, if not a game” – Gerry, Queens NYC
The yellow-card situation ahead of the final. There isn’t one. Fifa have wiped the slate clean after the quarters, so the only way a player will miss the final should their team get there is if they manage to get themselves sent off today. Your best behaviour, gentlemen, please.
Chelsea make three changes to their starting XI after the 2-1 quarter-final win over Palmeiras. Tosin Adarabioyo, Moises Caicedo and Joao Pedro, the latter making his first start for his new club, replace the absent Levi Colwill, Liam Delap and Andrey Santos.
Fluminense make four changes following their 2-1 victory in the quarters over Al-Hilal. Guga, Renê, Hércules and Thiago Santos come in for Samuel Xavier and Gabriel Fuentes, who drop to the bench, and the absent Juan Freytes and Matheus Martinelli. Thiago Silva – who won this competition for Chelsea in 2021 – plays against his old pals.
The teams
Fluminense: Fabio, Santos, Silva, Ignacio, Guga, Rene, Hercules, Nonato, Bernal, Cano, Arias.
Subs: Vitor Eudes, Manoel, Samuel Xavier, Fuentes, Ganso, Soteldo, Lima, Lezcano, Isaac, Everaldo, Keno, Canobbio, Serna, Lavega, Paulo Baya.
Chelsea: Sanchez, Gusto, Cucurella, Chalobah, Adarabioyo, Fernandez, Pedro Neto, Caicedo, Palmer, Nkunku, Joao Pedro.
Subs: Slonina, Jorgensen, Penders, James, Sarr, Anselmino, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Hall, Santos, Madueke, Jackson, Guiu, George.
Referee: Francois Letexier (France).
Preamble
Brazil’s clubs went into this competition with a damn sight more enthusiasm than most of the lads from Europe. And now Fluminense, having already seen off the Champions League runners-up Internazionale and Real Madrid-bothering Saudi outfit Al-Hilal, are two matches away from becoming the first Brazilian team to win this tournament since 2012 when Corinthians beat … of course they did … Chelsea. The Blues meanwhile have warmed to this new version of the Club World Cup step by step, and now they’re just two games away from their second world title in four years and an eleventy-squillion pound jackpot. Which – yeah, yeah – may not sound quite so romantic as Fluminense’s bid to win their first world title, striking a blow for their country, their continent, their federation and the whole southern hemisphere. But with glory now within touching distance, Chelsea and their fans are beginning to dream too. Note to enjoyment police: it’s allowed. Kick-off in East Rutherford, New Jersey is at 8pm UK time, 3pm local. It’s on!