Palmeiras vs Chelsea: Key Player Suspended for Huge Club World Cup Quarter-Final
- Chelsea will be without a key player when they face Palmeiras in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final on Saturday morning
- The Blues will play the Brazilian side at the Lincoln Financial Park in Philadelphia, looking to make one more step towards winning the competition
- The biggest game of the round will be when UEFA Champions League winners PSG take on Bayern Munich in Atlanta, Georgia
Eight teams will battle in the quarter-finals stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup this weekend.
Source: Getty Images
The Round of 16 stage came with its fair share of surprises after top teams, led by favourites Manchester City, were knocked out.
Who qualified for Club World Cup quarter-finals?
Chelsea set up a match against Palmeiras after seeing off Benfica, while their opponents beat fellow Brazilian side Botafogo by a solitary goal.
Another Brazilian side, Fluminense, qualified after stunning this season's UEFA Champions League finalists, Inter Milan, 2-0.
For their troubles, they will play Al Hilal, who produced the result of the tournament by eliminating Manchester City.
European champions Paris Saint-Germain will play Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 2020 Champions League final. PSG beat Lionel Messi's Inter Miami while the Bavarians saw off a stubborn Flamengo.
The last matchup will see the most successful European club, Real Madrid, play Borussia Dortmund. Xabi Alonso's men were victorious against Juventus as Dortmund denied Madrid a chance of coming up against their former captain, Sergio Ramos and his Monterrey side.
Will Moises Caicedo play Chelsea's game vs Palmeiras?
The Blues have the easiest route to the final on paper, but will be wary of the 'smaller' teams that have so far caused upsets in the United States.
Against Palmeiras, Enzo Maresca will have to make do without one of his most reliable players in Moises Caicedo.
Caicedo picked up a yellow card in that gutsy win over Benfica, his second at the tournament, which carries an automatic one-match suspension.
Source: Getty Images
The Ecuadorian picked up his first booking in the 3-1 loss to Flamengo in the group stage.
Moises Caicedo's stats this season
The 23-year-old is one of the most dependable players in Maresca's system and is always the first name on the teamsheet.
Caicedo was the only player who featured in all the 38 Premier League matches for Chelsea as they finished fourth to secure a return to the Champions League.
He also chipped in with two goals and six assists and was among the top three players who won the most duels in the Premier League.
How will Chelsea replace Moises Caicedo vs Palmeiras?
Maresca has often preferred a double pivot of Caicedo and Romeo Lavia (if fit) as Enzo Fernandez pushes forward
In Caicedo's absence, Fernandez might have to drop to form the pivot with Lavia. This will allow Arsenal target Noni Madueke or Tyrique George to start in the wide areas.
Alternatively, Maresca might opt to start new signing Darrio Essugo, who has been touted as a carbon copy of Caicedo. Essugo has already made two appearances from the bench at the Club World Cup.
"I'm a very aggressive player, I love to win back possession and I love to govern the pitch. I love to win! I am also a player who loves to hold the ball, to create space with the ball and attack, but also help the defence when they need it," he told the club's media when he signed.
The Italian manager might also go with Andrey Santos, who impressed in Ligue 1 but is yet to get a chance to perform for Chelsea. The Brazilian is effective as a number 6 or a number 8 and could be deployed anywhere in the midfield.
Why Chelsea vs Benfica lasted over four hours
In a related report, Chelsea's game against Benfica went for four hours as the Blues ran out 4-1 victors to qualify for the quarter-finals.
The West Londoners were on the cusp of qualification thanks to a devilish Reece James free-kick, but the game was interrupted with only five minutes left.
It took over two hours before the game finally resumed with Angel Di Maria scoring a stoppage-time penalty to force extra time.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
