Enzo Maresca must be mulling over his Chelsea team selection ahead of Sunday’s cup final.
The Blues have impressed en route to the Club World Cup final, where they will face an in-form Paris Saint-Germain side.
Chelsea were ranked as sixth favourites for the Club World Cup before the tournament started nearly a month ago. However, Enzo Maresca’s side are one of two clubs still left standing in the United States in the 32-team competition.
- READ MORE: Thiago Silva shares who he will be supporting out of Chelsea and PSG in the Club World Cup final
Chelsea predicted XI vs PSG
The Chelsea Chronicle predicts the Blues XI we’re expecting to see start the match against PSG.
Robert Sanchez
We expect to see Robert Sanchez continue in net for the final as Chelsea’s number one goalkeeper. He’s kept two clean sheets in five matches at the Club World Cup so far, but he’s about to come up against a ruthless PSG attack.
Reece James
Even though he didn’t start the semi-final victory against Fluminense, Reece James feels likely to replace Malo Gusto at right-back for the cup final. This is the type of fixture where the club captain is needed against a world-class opponent.
Trevoh Chalobah
It must be a 50-50 toss up between Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah to start at centre-half against PSG, but we think the latter may just have the edge.
Levi Colwill
Levi Colwill features in the predicted line-up after returning from suspension for the final. Gary Lineker claims he’s noticed Colwill improve in recent times, and Sunday is the perfect test to see how far he’s come.
Marc Cucurella
To complete the defence, Marc Cucurella continues at left-back. After the Club World Cup, he deserves a break more than anyone because his workload has been intense across the past year. The message to Chelsea’s recruitment team is that they simply must sign cover at left-back ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Moises Caicedo
Moises Caicedo was spotted in Blues training this week despite his injury scare in the semi-final. If fit, the midfield powerhouse is probably the first name on the team sheet. John Obi Mikel thinks Chelsea have a “little chance” to beat PSG if they’ve got Caicedo in their starting line-up.
Enzo Fernandez
The super consistent Enzo Fernandez always finds his way into Maresca’s best team, whether that’s a bit deeper or more advanced. We expect to see the Argentine midfielder sat a bit deeper alongside Caicedo this weekend, especially with uncertainty around Romeo Lavia’s fitness and availability.
Pedro Neto
Pedro Neto must be in line for a start in the Club World Cup final, especially because he’s been brilliant all tournament. The versatile winger could operate from the right flank, where he will provide a constant energy up and down. Chelsea fans claim Noni Madueke’s imminent sale is partly down to Neto because he’s been so impressive during his debut season with the Blues.
Cole Palmer
Of course, Cole Palmer will find his way into the starting line-up in some way. We predict he will operate in his preferred No.10 position as the team’s chief playmaker.
Joao Pedro
Joao Pedro marked his first-ever Chelsea start with two goals in the semis, delivering an incredible performance as the team’s No.9. However, don’t be surprised if Maresca tries something different by using the versatile Brazilian attacker on the left wing, which would make room for a different striker to join the side.
Liam Delap
A big decision lies ahead with Liam Delap going into the final, and we predict he will come into the side after missing the semi-finals via suspension. It could be a first look at how Chelsea may operate next season with both Delap and Pedro in the same XI.
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