Analysis of the prospects of the Club World Cup, why are the two Premier League players underestimated, Manchester City and Chelsea coping strategies

The World Club World Cup is about to ignite. As two strong teams in European football, the prospects of Manchester City and Chelsea have attracted much attention and are also considered by most people to be popular teams for the championship. However, legendary star Hiller's completely different views in an interview added a bit of uncertainty to the two teams' journey to the Club World Cup, and the views he elaborated do exist.

Hiller believes that if Chelsea or Manchester City can go all the way to the end, he will be surprised. But it wouldn't be surprised to see a South American team win the championship because the season is in progress over there, and teams like Europe have been taking two weeks off after the season ends. At the same time, Hiller also said that such a situation is difficult for these players. But it will be very interesting to see how Chelsea and Manchester City deal with it over the next two months.

Look at Manchester City first. The just-passed 2024-25 season is a frustration for the Blue Moon Army, and the team has no results in all competitions. However, this Club World Cup is an excellent opportunity for them to save themselves. Manchester City was assigned to Group G, with opponents in the same group including Juventus, Moroccan team Casablanca Vidard and UAE team Ain. Judging from the strength on paper, Manchester City's qualifying seems to be a little problem. Opta Supercomputer predicts that the probability of breaking out of the group stage is as high as 97.2%. Juventus in the same group ranked fourth in Serie A last season and changed coaches. Vader ranked 365th in the world and lost cores, Ain ranked 611th, and Manchester City is expected to be the first in the group if they perform normally.

But Manchester City also faces many challenges. The rest period after the end of the season disrupted the players' rhythm of the game, and the team's lineup was adjusted significantly before the start of the Club World Cup, De Bruyne left the team, Daglish was sure not to follow the team, and the transfers of Reindes and Sherky had not been completed. It will take time for new players to integrate into the tactical system, which is a great test for Guardiola's coaching ability. If you want to win the championship, Manchester City needs to quickly regain the game form and let the new and old players form a joint force.

Let's talk about Chelsea again. As the only European team in Group D, it is the number one favorite in this group. Chelsea's performance this season is remarkable, with the youngest lineup in Premier League history (average age of 24) locked in the first four to return to the Champions League and won the European Union championship for the first time. However, Chelsea's winning rate in strong dialogue is only 33% (the league is 1 win, 3 draws and 3 losses against TOP6 teams), and this trait of unstable encounters may become an obstacle in the knockout stage.

Chelsea's tactical system relies on the explosive points on the wing and the efficient counterattack inserted by Palmer, but there are loopholes in set pieces and the central defender makes mistakes from time to time. Jackson's fulcrum role and efficiency shortcomings coexist, midfielder Palmer and Enzo are the core, while the defense line faces challenges due to the overload operation and injury issues of the main players. In the group stage, Chelsea has a high probability of qualifying, but the showdown with South American powerhouse Flamenco on June 21 is crucial and is related to the title of the group. If you qualify as the top spot in the group, you can avoid encountering Champions League powerhouses such as Real Madrid in the quarter-finals in advance.

As Hiller said, South American teams may have a better advantage in form as the season is underway. South American football has a unique style, excellent physical fitness, delicate skills, and fast game pace, which is a big challenge for Manchester City and Chelsea players who are accustomed to the rhythm of European football. Moreover, when the competition is held in the United States, the fatigue caused by long-distance travel and the adaptation to environmental factors such as venues and climate may affect the performance of the two teams.

However, Manchester City and Chelsea are not without opportunities. Manchester City has outstanding players, and Haaland's offensive ability and Rodri's midfield control are all the team's reliance on. Chelsea's young players are full of vitality and motivation, and have accumulated rich game experience this season. Players such as Palmer and Enzo have performed well. If the two teams can adjust their tactics reasonably, quickly adapt to the rhythm of the game, and give full play to their own advantages, they may also create good results in the Club World Cup.