Club World Cup | Semi-finals started in the early morning of the 9th, Chelsea is really a bit frustrated against Brazil

Qilu Evening News·Qilu One Point Reporter Yin Chengjun

Can Chelsea regain the glory of four years ago? Xinhua News Agency reported that in the early morning of July 9, the first semi-finals of the Club World Cup will be between Fluminense and Chelsea. One day later, another semi-final will usher in the peak showdown between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain. Until now, there are finally no traces of "exhibition matches". The strong showdown between the four powerful teams will produce two giants that will eventually advance to the finals. Among the semi-finals, there is one South American team and three European teams. This ratio is reasonable in the eyes of many fans. If all European teams advance, then what is the difference between it and the Champions League semi-finals? It was Fluminense, the top four team from Brazil who joined the Club World Cup, which truly brought the world elements.

In fact, Fluminense not only has its name twisted, but also has little fame in their century-long history. Brazilian teams familiar to Chinese fans are Santos, Sao Paulo, Flamenco and Corinthian. These teams have shined and their level is no weaker than the Champions League champions. However, in recent years, too many South American players have been poached to Europe for training since childhood, and Brazilian clubs lack talents. Fluminense, a team that won the South American Liberators Cup championship in 2023, has achieved success in recent years because they have received veterans from former European clubs such as Marcelo and Thiago Silva.

However, Marcelo did not wait until the start of the Club World Cup and retired in February this year. Now the only real big-name star in the team is Silva, and there is 44-year-old "Longevity" goalkeeper Fabio. They passed the qualifiers and defeated Inter 2-0 in the quarterfinals. However, this team did not meet a better opponent. In the semi-finals, Chelsea will be their strongest "road blocking stone".

Chelsea have experienced ups and downs in recent years, and their strength has declined a lot. They were able to enter the Club World Cup thanks to the 2021 Champions League championship, but the "Blue Army" has been in a slump since then. It was not until the season that they just ended that they returned to the top four in the Premier League under the leadership of coach Maresca. The strength of players such as Palmer, Enzo, and Maduaike has been further improved, and it is not surprising that they have entered the semi-finals in this Club World Cup.

The two teams are in a confrontation, and Chelsea actually has greater psychological pressure. Although they are stronger, they cannot show their advantages when facing South American teams. In the second round of the Club World Cup, the "Blues" lost to the Brazilian team Flamengo 1:3. In the quarterfinals, they also relied on Palmeiras' own goal before the end of the game to advance with a small victory. Now, Chelsea has met the third Brazilian team, and the outcome is hard to say.

If Fluminense defeats Chelsea and advance, the final of the Club World Cup will still show a situation of South America competing with Europe, which FIFA is happy to see. If Chelsea advances, the Club World Cup final will also evolve into another UEFA final, which is what UEFA dreams of. Therefore, the value of this semi-final is not weakened because the two teams are not at the top of the international football strength list. On the contrary, it may appear more exciting because of the confrontation between two different styles of Europe and the United States.