The anticipation for the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup is palpable among football fans worldwide. With Chelsea set to kick off their campaign against Los Angeles FC next Monday, there's a lot of speculation about how they will perform. Football pundits Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Micah Richards have all weighed in on this topic.
Chelsea has had an impressive run this season. After clinching victory in the Conference League final and securing fourth place in the Premier League, they've proven their mettle on multiple fronts. However, things could potentially get even better if they manage to secure the coveted Club World Cup trophy.
Unfortunately for Kendry Paez though, he won't be part of this journey as he was not included in the squad traveling to America for the tournament.
Predictions for knockout round qualifiers
Chelsea shares its group with Flamengo and Esperance de Tunis at the Club World Cup. Given their recent form under coach Enzo Maresca’s leadership, it is expected that they will advance to the knockout round.
In fact, football experts Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Micah Richards have predicted that both Chelsea and Flamengo will qualify from their group during a recent episode of The Rest Is Football podcast.
However, it won't be an easy task as Chelsea only has three natural wingers available - Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto and Tyrique George - due to Jadon Sancho returning to Manchester United and Mykhailo Mudryk being suspended. Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan doesn’t see Sancho’s departure as a significant loss though; he believes Sancho didn’t contribute much during his loan spell at Stamford Bridge.
Liam Delap joins the squad
Despite losing a wide man, Chelsea has managed to add a centre-forward to their squad with the arrival of Liam Delap. Thanks to FIFA's special transfer window, Delap is eligible to play for Chelsea at the Club World Cup.
However, given that Nicolas Jackson recently scored in the Conference League final and considering Delap's recent signing, it is expected that Jackson will be chosen as the starting player against Los Angeles FC next Monday.
While there are some challenges ahead for Chelsea in terms of squad selection and competition dynamics, they have a strong chance of making it through to the knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup. With an engaging mix of seasoned players and fresh talent on board, fans can look forward to some exciting football action.
