Fluminense manager Renato Gaucho singles out ‘great’ Chelsea signing ahead of semi-final showdown

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Chelsea are just two wins away from lifting the Club World Cup trophy as they prepare for their semi-final clash.

On Tuesday night, Chelsea face Brazilian club Fluminense at the MetLife Stadium. Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain will face Real Madrid 24 hours later in the other semi-final at the same venue.

Even though the Club World Cup tournament has received some criticism from supporters, it would be a fantastic achievement for Enzo Maresca’s squad if they can win another piece of silverware during a long 2024/25 season.

Prior to the tournament, Chelsea were ranked as the sixth favourite to win the Club World Cup. They will now have a shot at gold if they can beat a Fluminense team that includes former Blues star Thiago Silva.

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Fluminense manager Renato Gaucho hails Chelsea attack, including Joao Pedro

Renato Gaucho, the Fluminense head coach, has delivered a glowing verdict on upcoming opponents Chelsea ahead of the semi-final showdown. In particular, he mentioned Blues summer signing Joao Pedro as a star man.

When previewing Fluminense against Chelsea, Gaucho told Globo: “Without a doubt, they have a very powerful attack. And, in theory, their entire team is very good, but I would highlight their attack.

“Two very fast forwards on the 1v1 flanks that I really like, and Joao Pedro, who is a great forward, a midfielder who thinks a lot about the game. The attack is very powerful. They have a lot of speed and quality with the ball at their feet.”

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca may have hinted that Pedro will start against Fluminense, which would be his first-ever start for the club.

The 23-year-old forward, who joined from Brighton at the start of July, impressed during his debut off the bench in the quarter-final win against Palmeiras. Will that now lead to a spot in the starting XI on Tuesday night?

John Obi Mikel loved Pedro’s first Chelsea appearance, as he slotted into the team effortlessly in the centre-forward spot. Only time will tell if he’s a positive signing for the club, but the very early signs are that he can succeed in West London.

With Liam Delap suspended for the semi-final tie, it looks like Pedro or Nicolas Jackson will lead the line.

Joao Pedro should be extra motivated against Fluminense

If he’s deemed fit enough to start, we would urge Maresca to put Pedro in the line-up against Fluminense.

The summer signing looks determined to win over his new supporters, something that started to happen on his debut last week. Next, he could get the chance to play in a semi-final against one of his former clubs.

It would be quite poetic if Pedro’s first Chelsea goal came against Fluminense, where he started his first-team journey.

Cole Palmer said Pedro changed the game for Chelsea in the quarter-final win, so he should be knocking on the door for Tuesday night to play from the start.