Chelsea must learn lesson to silence Palmeiras and claim first world title

Palmeiras fans have been out in force in Abu Dhabi this week. They have travelled thousands of miles to watch the Club World Cup and have been showing their colours with pride before Abel Ferreira’s side take on Chelsea, who will be making a big mistake if they show any complacency during Saturday night’s final at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium.

This is a huge moment for Palmeiras; a chance, at long last, to silence taunts from rival Brazilian clubs about their barren record in this tournament. The Copa Libertadores champions understand what is at stake. They have long since had to accept that their triumph in the Copa Rio in 1951, the original intercontinental club tournament, is not enough to stop the chants of “Palmeiras não tem Mundial” – Palmeiras don’t have a World Cup – from fans of Corinthians, São Paulo and Santos. There is only one way to scratch the itch: by defying the odds and dashing Chelsea’s hopes of becoming world champions for the first time.

History is on the line. This is the only major trophy that has eluded Chelsea during the Roman Abramovich era and the European champions do not need to be told how seriously this competition is taken in Brazil. They were beaten finalists when they faced Corinthians in 2012 and they know that Palmeiras’s fans are going to turn the stadium green. “Palmeiras are huge,” Thiago Silva, Chelsea’s Brazilian centre-back, said. “We know that with the presence of fans here, their team is much stronger.”

It is not going to be straightforward, especially as Chelsea still do not know whether Thomas Tuchel will be at the final. Tuchel had to stay in London after testing positive for Covid-19 last week, but Chelsea could do with him on the touchline. They did not convince when