Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed that his side must be prepared to beat ‘the best team in the world’ when they face Paris Saint Germain in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday.
Joao Pedro enjoyed an impressive debut, scoring both goals as the Blues secured their final spot with a 2-0 win over Brazilian side Fluminense.
Check this: Joao Pedro’s brace seals Chelsea CWC final spot
PSG, on the other hand, continued their winning momentum with a dominant 4-0 victory over Real Madrid, weeks after claiming a first UEFA Champions League crown.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s game, Maresca likened the clash to a chess game and he’a confident his Chelsea side can pull off a major upset.
“I love to play chess and watch chess,” Maresca told reporters. “I feel football is like a game of chess and when the rival makes a move, you have to counteract it and I think this will be like a chess game.
They [PSG] are a top team in Europe and the world, maybe the best in the world, but every game is different and we will try to do a good game.
For sure it will be difficult, but all games are difficult. Fluminense beat Inter and they reached the Champions League final; Al Hilal beat Manchester City.
Botafogo beat PSG in this competition and did a very good job, but our style is different to Botafogo”, the Chelsea boss continued.
Maresca also acknowledged the French’s team dominance but remains optimistic his side can grind out an important win.
“PSG is best team in world and they have showed that in this tournament, showed it in France and in the Champions League. Of course it’ll be a difficult game for us, but we are preparing ourselves in best way possible”, Maresca stated.
“We have maximum respect for them. I said before that I really enjoy watching them, but we are here to do our best and try to win the final.
All games are difficult, so we have to take them in their own way, but we are not changing anything we have already done. We have our style and we have showed how we want to do things”, he added.
Chelsea and PSG face off in the final of the newly-expanded FIFA Club World Cup at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
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